Understanding the Heat Levels in my books: I make no apologies for the sex in my books or the language I use. The rating system here, and a description of what/why I write further down is the best way I can help you decide if you’ll like a book.
Levels 1 and 2 — No sex scenes.
Level 2 — One tame sex scene and/or heavy petting scene.
Level 3 — One or two steamy sex scenes
Level 4 — Two or more hot sex scenes
Level 5 — Multiple sex scenes ranging from hot and raw to visceral, up-against-the-wall sex. My books average a Level 4.
The Sex I Write: I write open-door straight, male/female romantic sex with some fellatio and cunnilingus scenes. Regardless of your steam preferences, I wish to emphasize that my sex scenes are sensual, emotional, and romantic. I use minimal physical descriptions and focus on the emotions the characters are experiencing during the sex scene. The amount of sex in a book is dependent on the characters, not because I think I need to add sex as a selling point. If I did, I’d write under a different name. Some books have a lot of sex, others don’t. It’s truly a matter of the characters.
Language Use — My heroes use the word FUCK to demonstrate anger and frustration. It depends on the hero and what’s happening in the story as to how often it’s used. Fuck has been used by men since before the time of Shakespeare, and only until recently, it was never used in a lady’s presence. But despite some readers’ wishful thinking, men of all levels of society use it within their male bastions of socializing. It doesn’t matter whether he was Mr. Darcy, Edward Rochester, or other favorite classic heroes, even those men would have used the word fuck among their male friends in a club or elsewhere. They most likely would have used it while with the women they bedded in brothels too. Sorry to disappoint you.
It is highly unlikely you will ever see the word sh*t or sh*te in my historicals (I avoid saying never because there could always be that one moment…). The word is far more offensive to me as it brings to mind images of raw sewage, pit toilets, and the worst, stopped-up toilets. I don’t want images of those things popping into my head when I’m reading (and it does when authors I read use the word). That’s NOT romantic in my book. At least with the word fuck, the worst you’ll think of is sex, or maybe that saying fuck a duck.
In my paranormals, which are ancient Roman historical contemporaries, I have used the Latin word, Cak. However, that word usage was limited to once or twice. I use the word fuck because it’s raw, visceral, and the guttural sound makes it perfect for harsh emotions. I use other words too, so it’s not fuck this, and fuck that. But in my opinion, the word for excrement doesn’t sound harsh or raw at any time it’s used and cannot begin to emphasize a deep frustration. So, you have been warned. *grin*
What I do not write is menage, anal sex, LBGQT, reverse harem, or dark romance. I write what I enjoy reading. Since those topics don’t interest me, I’ve no desire to write that content. I don’t clutch my pearls if someone else enjoys writing or reading books with content I don’t care for. After all, many readers of historicals won’t even consider reading my paranormal series. Different strokes for different folks.
I have two BDSM books (His Mistress and His To Command). In truth, in almost every romance there is a small aspect of the BDSM genre in terms of a dominant character and a submissive character. If you’ve read Fifty Shades of Grey and loved it, great. A lot of readers did. However, please understand that series DOESN’T even remotely resemble what BDSM is. In fact, the BDSM community was deeply outraged by the lack of research the author did for her trilogy, and subsequently, the media frenzy that made the lifestyle sound obscene. BDSM has nothing to do with sex. It’s about a character’s need to surrender to someone more powerful and capable of taking on some of their burdens. If you want to read BDSM, I recommend you read Joey Hill.
Ophelia Templeton’s dead husband, Viscount Havenstock, convinced her she was a cold, unfeeling woman incapable of passion. When her drunkard of a father loses her home to the Earl of Thornbury in a wager, Ophelia presents the man with a rash proposal. The return of her home in exchange for the challenge of teaching her to feel passion. Unfortunately, she’s propositioned the wrong man.
Mathias Gilchrist has always protected the interests of his brother, the Earl of Thornbury. When Ophelia mistakes him for his brother, he thinks she’s one in a long line of women eager to be a countess. Despite his initial impression, Mathias is intrigued by Ophelia, and he makes her a counter offer in the game of seduction and passion.
But when the art of pleasure becomes a dangerous game of hearts, it will take meddling by the Reckless Rockwoods to bring about a happy ending.
A Reckless Rockwoods spin-off series. Look for prominent appearances by your favorite Rockwood family members as they continue to meddle in the lives of their friends.
Youth and beauty are a courtesan’s greatest assets. At forty-one, Lady Ruth Attwood appears to have lost both, as her latest lover just abandoned her for a younger mistress. Struggling with the knowledge that she’s no longer considered desirable, she’s uncertain whether to be offended or flattered when a younger man makes her an unusual offer. In need of funds, she agrees. But then she does the unthinkable. She falls in love.
Despite his reputation as a man’s man, Baron Garrick Stratfield has never been with a woman. His physical impairment is such that he knows not even a whore will touch him, and he needs a mistress who’s willing to be kept without sharing his bed. But passion is just a delicious kiss away because his new mistress is wreaking havoc with his senses. Worse yet, someone is not only out to ruin his reputation, but frame him for murder.
Julia Westgard commissioned a nude portrait to regain her self-worth after years of a loveless, repressive marriage to her late husband. But the private portrait puts her directly in the path of Morgan St. Claire, one of the Marlborough Set’s most notorious seducers. A man who doesn’t take no for an answer.
From the moment Morgan sees Julia’s portrait, he’s determined to make her another conquest. But the woman he meets is a far cry from the image on canvas. What begins as a simple exercise in seduction quickly evolves into a quest to reveal the true Julia. With each sensual encounter, he employs every weapon of seduction at his disposal in hopes of making Julia see she really is the woman in Love’s Portrait.
The Roman Empire never collapsed for Ares DeLuca and other Sicari. Ares comes from an ancient bloodline of telekinetic assassins who have lived in the shadows for two millennia. The Sicari are honor bound to kill only in the name of justice, but Ares broke the Order’s code and used his sword for revenge. Love cost him dearly once before, and he’s not willing to pay the price again. At least not until hot, sweet, delectable Emma enters his world. Not only does she have the ability to save an ancient empire’s collapse, she holds the key to a valuable Sicari relic and quite likely the key to his heart.
Archeologist Emma Zale sees the past when she touches ancient relics. It’s how she uncovered evidence of an ancient order of assassins—the Sicari. When a sinfully dark stranger shows up on her Chicago doorstep, he drags her into a world where ancient Rome still rules, and telekinesis and empaths are the norm. But someone wants her dead, and her only hope of survival is an assassin who’s every bit as dangerous to her body as he is to her heart.
Only Love Can Save an Empire’s Collapse and Ensure Another’s Downfall
