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Theodora Taylor

My Latest Book Is Here and My Last Freebie Promotion

November 30, 2012 in alpha male, biracial hero, black woman asian man, bwam, Christmas, ebook talk, erotic, Her Perfect Gift, steamy

I feel like I say this every time I announce a new book, but sorry, once again, for the blog silence. As you might have guessed by now, if I’m not posting regularly that means I’m working hard to get the next book up.

Can you believe it’s been an almost a year since I posted my first book, THE OWNER OF HIS HEART? Insane, right! I’ve learned a lot in that year, mostly about work/writing balance and how the cure to just about anything from diminishing sales to disgruntled readers/commenters is writing another book. And unfortunately for people who love free reads, I’ve also learned a lot about writing discipline.

What does that mean? Well, long story short, though I appreciate the KDP Select program, especially the early boost it gave OWNER and the incentive it gave me to meet my writing deadlines, my latest book will not be in this program. Why? Four reasons, really:

1. I felt I was unfairly punishing fans who didn’t have Kindles by making them wait 90 days to get my latest book.

2. October and November were hands down my busiest months in the history of me having a day job, but I still managed to stick to my writing schedule — in fact, spending regular time with the unusual couple from my latest book, HER PERFECT GIFT, was a total sanity saver. So I’m thinking if I could write through that craziness, I can probably be trusted to meet my writing goals without KDP Select’s use-it-or-lose-it freebie promotion program hanging over my head.

3. I’ve reached a plateau. As I mentioned before, I love my day job and don’t want to quit it to write full-time. However, there are only 24 hours in the day. I’m very happy with and grateful for the money I’m making at both of my jobs. I love being so busy on both fronts and I don’t want to take time away from either endeavor to promote. Hence, this is my last free promotion. I hope new readers will continue to find the 50 Loving States series, but in order to keep writing it, I don’t have time to run free promotions every three months. Or, to put it more bluntly, I’d rather be using that time to write the next book.

4. Did I mention HER PERFECT GIFT is a holiday novel? Who wants to wait 90 days to read a holiday novel?

So here’s the breakdown. THE WILD ONE will be free on Amazon this whole weekend. After that, though, all my books will go wide on all sites at around the same time (I can never guarantee the same day, since different sites have different holding times) and will never be offered for free again.

So if you haven’t read THE WILD ONE, which is the follow-up to my first book, THE OWNER OF HIS HEART, yet, click on the book widget in the right side bar to download your free copy.

And as for HER PERFECT GIFT, my latest book. Well, this one is a doozy. Here’s the description:

The fifth smoking hot interracial romance in the 50 Loving States series!

Lacey Winters has sworn off love. She’s kept her heart locked away for her own protection, and she’s vowed never to fall under a dangerous man’s spell again.

But that was all before she met Suro Nakamura, a hit man who seems bound and determined to stomp all over her pesky vows. 

He’s dangerous in more ways than one, but can Lacey resist this holiday temptation?

A story sure to set your holidays on fire, this book features a woman with a past, a hit man determined to see her in his future, and red hot Christmas chemistry.

I loved this couple (especially the hot and quiet hero) to pieces and hope you will, too.I also, love the holidays, and I’m now looking forward to writing a Christmas novel every year. Click on the pic below or the book widget in the side bar to get your copy.

Happy Holidays!

Theodora

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Theodora Taylor

RIVALS FOR LOVE by Eve Vaughn

August 6, 2012 in B Reviews, Book Reviews, business man, bwwm, bwwm romance, Carina Press, erotic, menage trois

Description: After almost getting over the heartbreak of being unceremoniously dumped by her first love, Sawyer, Hayden Sinclair has managed to move on with his long-time rival, Luc, another ridiculously hot businessmen. But then Sawyer comes back to town and makes it clear that he has every intention of winning her back. What’s a girl to do?

The Good: This was the first interracial romance I ever listened to on audiobook, and I really liked the experience. I’m hoping more will come out in this format. The sex is very hot, and Ms. Vaughn does a very good job of presenting Hayden’s conflict. Readers will have a lot of fun rooting for Team Luc or Team Sawyer — if you’re wondering, I was firmly on Team Luc.

The Bad: The story is very sexy, but suffers from an abundance of momentum-killing and often unnecessary conversations. For example, it’s great that Hayden gets along with Sawyer’s much younger half-sister, but it’s excruciating to sit through pages of them shopping for an appropriate dress for her Sweet Sixteen when you’re dying to know what’s going to happen next in the much hotter love triangle.

The Naughty: Erotic. Menage. Sexy dreams. Outside sex. Peeping Tom.

Editing issues: N/A

Publisher: Carina Press

Length: 208 pages

Final Grade: B

Click on the book widget to buy at Amazon for $3.82.

 

Theodora Taylor writes and reviews interracial romance novels in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

 

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Theodora Taylor

SEDUCED BY THE WOLF by Zena Wynn

July 24, 2012 in A Reviews, alpha male, black woman white man, Book Reviews, bwwm, bwwm romance, paranormal, Phaze Books, shifter(s), werewolf

Description: Von Washington has a secret: she has never stopped being pen pals with Master Sergeant Sean Jacobson, the former army buddy of her controlling fiancé. But when Sean comes to town several secrets will be revealed, including that he’s a werewolf!

The Good: This is great read with exceptional storytelling, gasp-out-loud twists and turns, and hot, hot, HOT sex. I loved how the author dealt with Sean’s ongoing struggles to control his wolf. And Von’s cousin is awesome. She made me want to call up my favorite cousin for a long overdue chat.

The Bad: The epilogue feels tacked on and rushed.

The Naughty: Erotic. Women struggling with sexuality. Sexual situations depicted with two different men.

Editing issues: 7 typos found. “Misfortunate” is barely a word and not recognized by most dictionaries. I wish IR authors would stop using it.”Unfortunate” is always the better choice.

Publisher: Phaze Books

Length: 128 pages

Final Grade: A-

Click on the widget to buy at Amazon for $4.39.

 

Theodora Taylor writes and reviews in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

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Theodora Taylor

SNATCHED by Sharon Cullars

July 17, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, black woman white man, Book Reviews, bwwm, bwwm romance, cop, self-published, sensual, suspense

Description: Who knew that a love of short ribs could get one character into so much trouble? But when an angry Nailah throws a short rib at a group of dangerous bikers, the person she hits, Dele — who just so happens to be an undercover cop disguised as one them — is forced to kidnap her. Now all he has to do is figure out how to keep both of them alive and solve the case.

The Good: I bought this, no sample needed, because Sharon Cullars has proven herself to be an amazing storyteller with a strong writing voice. The stakes are extremely high — I mean through the roof. Just when you think they’re as high as they can go, they jump up another level. This makes SNATCHED a burning page-turner, which will keep you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t read it fast enough.

The Bad: As a character, Nailah is like a bad episode of “when keeping it real goes wrong.” Though I eventually came to accept her throwing a rib at a biker in a moment of pique, her continued hotheadness in the face of true danger made her frustrating and hard to root for at times. And though her complete inability to follow instructions or keep her mouth shut at crucial moments, eventually comes in handy in the overall story arc, it flatlines the heroine’s own arc.

The Naughty: Sensual. Sex in a hostage situation. Implied rape.

Editing issues: N/A

Publisher: Indie

Length: 129 pages

Final Grade: B

Click on the book widget to buy at Amazon for $3.99.

 

Theodora Taylor lives, writes, and reviews books in Pittsburgh.  

 

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Theodora Taylor

HAVEN by Nia K. Foxx

June 18, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, black woman white man, Book Reviews, bwwm, bwwm romance, cop, doctor, Loose ID, older woman younger man, paranormal, steamy, werewolf

Description: As a shifter, who can’t shift, Ashlei Preen has pretty much given up on love — that is, until the new sexy shifter sheriff catches her scent.

The Good: I really liked the premise of a shifter who couldn’t shift living in a town of shifters. The sex was very hot, and fans of shifter romances will appreciate the primal details. There were also some really funny comedic moments and the town’s residents are a hoot.

The Bad: As much as I loved the premise, the story was weighed down by a really resistant, really insecure heroine, who isn’t given believable motivation. Her stubborn refusal to believe that the hero was truly interested in her was baffling and made for a frustrating read. I also didn’t understand the class system among these werewolves. At one point, it seemed that some conflict might arise out of the fact that the hero and heroine were from two different breeds, but nothing ever came of it, leaving me to wonder why this story detail had been introduced in the first place. Also, there is a great mystery that’s introduced way too late in the story and isn’t resolved. Overall, the novel needed a tighter structure, and a clearer emotional through line, especially for the heroine.

The Naughty: Steamy. Rough, animalistic sex.

Editing issues: One typo found.

Publisher: Loose Id LLC

Length: 171 pages

Final Grade: B-

Click on the book widget to buy at Amazon for $5.94.

 

Love IR romance as much as I do? Then pick up THE OWNER OF HIS HEART , HER RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, and HER VIKING WOLF, the first three books in my 50 Loving States series!

 

 

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Theodora Taylor

SLIGHTLY SINFUL by Yvette Hines

June 14, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, bi-racial heroine, black woman hispanic man, Book Reviews, business man, bwlm, erotic, Hispanic, Hispanic hero, self-published

Description: While waiting to hear back about a lucrative contract, Delilah Reynolds, decides to accept her friend’s invitation to a risqué weekend in the Bahamas. She ends up have the mind-blowing sex experience of a lifetime with a mysterious stranger, but what will happen when they meet again in the real world?

The Good: This book was scorching hot with wonderfully naughty situations and sex. Not for the faint-of-heart reader. This isn’t your walks-on-the-beach sort of book. Whoo, boy!

The Bad: The resolution comes a bit too quickly, squandering much of the great conflict that’s been built up. Also, the last sex scene feels more like a one more scene, than a culmination or even a confirmation of love.

The Naughty: Erotic. Multiple partners. Orgy. Anal.

Editing issues: 6 typos found.

Publisher: Indie

Length: 79 pages

Final Grade: B

Click on the widget to buy at Amazon for $2.99.

 

Love IR romance as much as I do? Then pick up the first three Amazon bestselling books in my 50 Loving States series, THE OWNER OF HIS HEART , HER RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, and HER VIKING WOLF, as eBooks or in paperback!

 

 

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Theodora Taylor

THE RANCHER’S ULTIMATUM by Nia K. Foxx

June 5, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, black woman white man, Book Reviews, bwwm, bwwm romance, erotic, Phaze Books, rancher, self-published, steamy

Description: Lynn James is willing to do anything to save her beloved stepfather’s ranch, but does “anything” include agreeing to rancher, Jake Ragnall’s erotic ultimatum?

The Good: This is a very sexy story with great stakes. Added to that, Ms. Foxx sets up a fantastic back story for the H/H’s parents, with a terrific nod to the older generation of loving couples who paved the way. I also loved that Lynn was full-figured and that this significantly added to her attraction for Jake.

The Bad: There’s a big reveal at the end, which is not set up well. The story could have functioned just as well without it. Also, there’s a rival element between Jake and Lynn’s stepbrother that doesn’t add up to much in the end.

The Naughty: Steamy verging on erotic. Light BDSM. Masturbation. Sex in hot tub.

Editing issues: 10 typos counted. Clunky grammar in places.

Publisher: *It looks like this is an indie re-release of an earlier story originally with Phaze Books.

Length: 145 pages

Final Grade: B+

Click on the book widget to buy at Amazon for $3.99.

 

Love IR romance as much as I do? Then pick up THE OWNER OF HIS HEART , HER RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, and HER VIKING WOLF, the first three books in my 50 Loving States series!

 

 

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Theodora Taylor

TAMING THE SCOTSMAN by Sienna Mynx

June 4, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, black woman white man, Book Reviews, boss, business man, bwwm, bwwm romance, Christmas, office romance, self-published, steamy

Description: When Annamarie “Jayla” Howard is convinced to come work at a Scottish castle by her younger brother, she never dreams she’ll become embroiled in a tumultuous affair with its sexy-but-arrogant owner, Baron Alec Cavanaugh.

The Good: This book is a serious page-turner. The only reason I didn’t read it in two sittings was because I had to actually do my dayjob — which I consequentially began to resent for keeping me from further reading. If you like soap opera and yelling, “Oh no, he didn’t!” at your books (as I do), then you will love TAMING THE SCOTSMAN. It has well-constructed conflict, a compelling alpha male who loves soul music, really wonderful cultural details about Scotland, and somehow Ms. Mynx manages to keep things sexy even in between the actual sexing. I love the twist on the “taming of the shrew” — especially since this alpha male really, really, really needs taming. You’ll hopefully have fun getting mad at him before getting won over by him again and again. Also, the book is a more-than-good length for it’s price.

The Bad: Jayla as a character was a bit uneven, at times caving in when perhaps the reader would not. This will make her feel a little inconsistent and weak to some readers. Ms. Mynx sets up quite a few clocks, which become hard to track and don’t pay off. There are a few ill-advised italicized dream and memory passages that not only stopped the story’s momentum, but also felt completely unneeded. And the ending felt a bit rushed, not as firm as a reader might want.

The Naughty: Steamy verging on erotic. Sex on a train. Delicious blackmail.

Editing issues: Quite a few typos (over 10). Word misusage. Dialogue weirdly formatted on Kindle.

Publisher: The Divas Pen LLC (indie)

Length: 300 pages

Final Grade: B+

Click on the widget to buy at Amazon for $3.99. [UPDATE: it looks like this book is not available on Amazon at the moment, but it can still be found at the All Romance site.]

 

Love IR romance as much as I do? Then pick up the first three Amazon bestselling books in my 50 Loving States series, THE OWNER OF HIS HEART , HER RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, and HER VIKING WOLF, as eBooks or in paperback!

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Theodora Taylor

ACTING WITCHY by Thayer King

May 9, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, bi-racial heroine, black woman white man, Book Reviews, bwwm romance, erotic, Evernight Publishing, paranormal, witch

Description: When actress Mystique Gray meets writer/director/producer/actor/super-possessive alpha male Sean Savage, their chemistry is undeniable, but Mystique has some serious reservations — mainly surrounding the fact that he’s a witch!

The Good: Well, as always with Ms. King, the sex is super-hot. Seriously, she should write a how-to manual on this, because she does it really well. Also, this is a surprisingly full story for it’s length. Well worth the $4.99, you’ll feel like you’ve “read a book.” There’s also a very nice set-up for the hero’s brother, who is super-intriguing and really needs to have a book of his own.

The Bad: While the plot is really tight, the heroine’s motivations aren’t made clear until rather late in the book — which gives us plenty of time to get roiling mad at her and wonder why she’s being so resistant. The character’s motivation needed to be revealed much, much earlier, so that we could all be on the same page with — as opposed to mad at — her. But if anyone is reading this who’s on the verge of putting the book down, let me assure you, she has what turns out to be sound and fascinating reasons for resisting this relationship at every turn.

The Naughty: Erotic. Huge build up and tension. Explicit language.

Editing issues: No typos found. Weird dialogue formatting on Kindle app.

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Length: 34K+ words

Final Grade: B+

Click on the book cover to buy at Amazon for $4.99.

 

Love IR romance as much as I do? Then pick up THE OWNER OF HIS HEART and HER RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, the first two books in my 50 Loving States series!

 

 

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Theodora Taylor

STAKING HIS CLAIM by Lynda Chance

April 25, 2012 in alpha male, B Reviews, bi-racial heroine, Book Reviews, Hispanic, Hispanic hero, Novella, rancher, self-published, sensual, steamy, white woman latin man, wwlm

Description: When alpha male rancher, Raul Vega, meets innocent nursing student, Elaina Ruiz, he works hard to resist her, believing she’s too young for him. Elaina finds Raul too intense and doesn’t disabuse him of the notion, even though she’s old enough for what he has in mind. But how long can they deny their attraction?

The GoodChance’s writing has a lot of energy, which is harder to achieve than one might think. You won’t get bored, and you’ll keep on turning the pages. Also, this novella is a bargain at $0.99.

The Bad:

The Hero (Hispanic): It’s a thin line between aggressive would-be lover and judgmental bully with Raul, and if you’re sensitive to that line in alpha males, you might have trouble fully enjoying this story.

The Heroine (white and Hispanic): When dealing with alpha males, the characterization of the heroine has to be even more on point, so that it doesn’t feel like she’s being completely overshadowed by a stronger personality. In this case, Elaina needs considerable character work, as her motivation is unclear and often shaky. She doesn’t know what she wants from life or love, which happens all the time in real life, but in book life it’s hard to give a character these traits without her coming across as wishy-washy and childish as opposed to truly conflicted.

Craft: Contradiction issues. Ex. Elaina was stunned at his agreement and didn’t even think to question his sincerity. He was sincere. She would bet on it. “Are you serious?” [she asked]. Basically, the character is saying she doesn’t question the hero’s sincerity before turning around and questioning his sincerity. There are a few contradictory turns like that.

The Naughty: Sensual>Steamy. Virgin.

Editing issues: Minor. 2 typos found.

Publisher: Indie

Length: 91 pages (Amazon estimate)

Final Grade: C+

Click on the book widget to buy at Amazon for $0.99.

 

 

 

Love IR romance as much as I do? Then pick up THE OWNER OF HIS HEART and HER RUSSIAN BILLIONAIRE, the first two books in my 50 Loving States series!

 

 

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