Blog Tour Review - - Call to Engage

Call to Engage
(A Team Poseidon Novel)
By Tawny Weber
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Reviewed by PJ

Lieutenant Elijah Prescott should be spending his precious leave somewhere with sun, surf and scantily clad women. Instead, he's heading home with two goals in mind. Figure out exactly how his last assignment went to hell and almost killed him—and reconnect with the woman who might offer salvation. 

Ava Monroe has streamlined her life, eliminating every source of pain—including a marriage touched by tragedy. One glimpse of her ex and those good intentions turn to bad-girl desires. Her strategy: get over Elijah by getting under him again, sating herself until she can finally let go. But as betrayal within the rank of the SEALs turns deadly, there's no denying that her heart and her life are on the line. Elijah is the only man who can protect both…

Elijah and Ava never had any trouble communicating between the sheets. It was outside the bedroom where the difficulties began. The pampered, only child of wealthy, controlling parents, Ava was not prepared to be the wife of a Navy SEAL. In truth, she never tried to be, letting her fear and her mother's continual attempts to sabotage her marriage to Elijah rule her. When tragedy struck, instead of turning to her husband in their shared grief, Ava ran - from her pain, from her fear, and from her husband. Four years later, Ava may think she has her life together but until she faces the pain, loss, and fear that ended her marriage, she'll never be whole or completely happy.

Elijah Prescott is one of the good guys, putting his life on the line for his country and his SEAL teammates. He's moved on from the divorce he never wanted but he's never forgotten - or stopped yearning for - the only woman he's ever loved. Recovering from a serious injury in a mission gone wrong, Elijah has been cleared physically to return to duty. But the emotional scars of being betrayed by a friend and teammate who is still on the loose are slower to heal. A three-week leave sends Elijah to his cousin's gym in Napa and, unexpectedly, straight into the arms of his ex-wife. Will this be the second chance they need to right the wrongs of the past and move forward together or clear one another out of their systems for good?

Call to Engage packs sizzle, action, suspense, and a deep emotional punch into a story that kept me invested in these characters and their journey from beginning to end. Weber takes time with both Elijah and Ava, not focusing only on the off-the-charts sizzle between them (though I thoroughly enjoyed the sizzle!) but slowly unveiling the emotional minefields that undermined their marriage. Ava, in particular, has years of issues to confront before she will ever be wholly happy, whether with Elijah or on her own. Weber handles those issues with compassion in some cases, tough love in others, and no easy fixes, grounding her characters in the reality of grief, emotional upheaval, fear, desire, hope, acceptance, and love that many readers have faced and to which we can relate. Add in a traitor on the loose, a team of hard-bodied SEALS, and a life or death race to protect a child and you have another satisfying, heart-grabbing, breath-stealing winner from Tawny Weber.

Though I had no trouble reading this book as a standalone, there are events that occur in book one, Call to Honor, which I believe would have made reading Call to Engage an even richer experience had I read them in order. I'm already looking forward to the next Team Poseidon book, Call to Redemption, scheduled for release on October 31. 

Do you enjoy military romance?

Have you read Tawny Weber's books? 

Are you reading the Team Poseidon books? Any secondary characters calling to you for a book of their own?

One randomly selected person leaving a comment before 11:00 PM (EST), August 11, 2017 will receive a print copy of Call to Engage. (U.S. / Canada only)

Tawny Weber Winner

The winner of a FEARLESS goody pack from 

Tawny Weber

is

Laney4

Congratulations, Laney!  Please send your full name and mailing address to us at

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Today's Special - - Tawny Weber

It's always a pleasure to welcome Tawny Weber to our humble abode. Today, Tawny joins us as part of her FEARLESS Blog Tour celebrating the release of her new book, FEARLESS, a Cosmo Red- Hot Read from Harlequin.  

USA TODAY Bestselling author of over twenty hot books, Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007.  A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking and hanging out on Facebook. 

Readers can check out Tawny’s books at her website, www.tawnyweber.com, or join her Red Hot Readers Club for goodies like free reads, complete first chapter excerpts, recipes, insider story info and much more.

You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. 

Welcome, Tawny!

A Little Friendly Pressure

I’m going to make a guess here and suppose that you read romances for the romance. The love story between a hunky, lust-worthy hero and a spunky, relatable heroine.  The give and take, the ups and downs, the delicious journey from first meet to happy ever after. 

But as wonderful as that all is (and it is really wonderful), a favorite of mine is always learning about the characters’ world.  Their regular life, their family, their friends.  Especially their friends.   Friendships  are one of those things that show so much about the characters, about their values and their fears, their personalities and their strengths.

Friendships really are one of my favorite things to write, and to read.  So many of the series on my keeper

shelf are there because I am as enamored with the friendships between the pages as I am the love story.  I think, in part, because friends not only are there with a shoulder to cry on and an always ready ear, but they are also the hand in the middle of our back, pushing us to do the things we wouldn’t otherwise do. 

So bringing friendships into a story is always a fabulous treat.  In the case of FEARLESS, it’s actually the friendships that not only spur the story, but make the sexy times possible for the heroine. 

 “Which brings us to the final question,” Sara said, setting aside her glass and leaning forward in preparation for getting to the down and dirty.  “What’s it going to take to make this happen for you?  What do you need to go for it?”

A miracle?

A helluva lot more vodka.

Hiring a street gangster to kidnap Luke and leave him tied to her bed?

“Las Vegas,” Caryn yelled out, clapping her hands together like she’d just won a prize.

Gia exchanged baffled looks with the other women before arching a questioning brow. “What about Vegas?”

“Luke’s attending the CES convention in Vegas next weekend to work the Tri-Solutions booth and schmooze with potential clients.”

“You want me to go to Vegas and seduce him?” Gia asked faintly.  She’d rather crawl under her couch and hide.  Talk about double intimidation.  The land of strippers, showgirls and pay-by-the-hour kink.  Oh yeah, she’d really stand out there.

“It’s perfect,” Caryn insisted.  “You can have your fantasy, with your fantasy guy, and not jeopardize your job.  Or your ego if anything goes wrong.”

“Are you throwing in fat-free chocolate and calorie-less whipped cream?”

“I don’t have to.  All you need is a makeover.”

Two sets of jaws dropped right along with her own.  Gia was glad to see the other women were just as confused as she was.

“Since when did makeover and orgasms go hand in hand?”

“How will a facial and haircut get her fantasy sex?”

“I don’t look good enough to get a guy like Luke Monroe?”

“Don’t be silly.  You’re gorgeous.  But those silly rules mean you can’t haul the guy into the company supply closet and ride him like a wild stallion.  So you need a cover.  A fake persona.  You can make herself into the woman you are in your fantasies, and he won’t have a clue the woman blowing his, um, mind is someone he works with.”

“Oh, I like this,” Sara decided, all but rubbing her hands together.  “It’s easier to get into the role if you’re in costume.  The makeover not only protects your identity, it lets you shed your inhibitions.  You can do anything you want, because you’ll be someone else.”

Anything?

Thanks to her friends, Gia pushes past her comfort zone and ends up taking a huge risk she wouldn’t have on her own.  Because of their pressure, she  (spoiler alert) gets more than she bargained for with her fantasy—and gets the hottest guy she’s ever lusted after for her very own happy ever after. 

Me, I’ve done plenty of things thanks to my friends that I probably have talked myself out of otherwise. Dates, haircuts, crazy road trips and other adventures come to mind.  Some of those worked out really well.  Others have gone down on the side of my most embarrassing moments.  Still, I know I wouldn’t have had nearly as many memories—good and bad—if not for the crazy things my friends encouraged me to do. 

How about you?  What kind of things have you done with a little help from your friends?  

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment will receive a Fearless Goody Pack from Tawny!

FEARLESS backcover blurb:

Promising career: check

Amazing apartment: check

The best of friends: check

Sex life: MIA

There’s just one thing missing from Gia Renyard’s life: sexual adventure. And the one man she’d like to have it with is her hot co-worker, Luke Monroe. If only company rules didn’t prohibit her from asking him out. So Gia comes up with a plan: make herself over into a fantasy seductress, follow Luke to a convention in Sin City, and have her way with him for one erotic weekend. The man will never even know who did him.

Everything is going according to plan—until Gia discovers that Luke is perfect for her outside the bedroom too. And suddenly she’s no longer content to let what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas…

Links:

Website:  tawnyweber.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/TawnyWeber.RomanceAuthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TawnyWeber

Pinterest:   http://pinterest.com/tawnyweber/

Fearless: http://tawnyweber.com/books/fearless

FEARLESS Launch Party: http://tawnyweber.com/a-fearless-launch

Fearless Purchase links:

 Amazon

 Barnes & Noble

 iBooks

Email:  tawny@tawnyweber.com

Tawny Weber Winner

Not only did she give us the best example of romantic klutziness but random.org chose her as our winner.  

Congratulations to

MAGGIE J

You've won an autographed copy of A SEAL's Surrender!  

Please send your full name and

mailing address to

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Today's Special - - Tawny Weber

It's always fun to welcome Tawny Weber to the blog!  Tawny is here today to talk about her newest book from Harlequin Blaze, A SEAL's Surrender.  I have to say, I am really loving these SEAL books.  The first one, A SEAL's Seduction was terrific and this new book looks to be even better.  (I'm currently reading it and, let me tell you, this one sizzles!)  

Tawny has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007.  A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking and hanging out on Facebook. 

Readers can check out Tawny’s books at her website or join her Red Hot Readers Club for goodies like free reads, first chapter excerpts, recipes, insider story info and much more.  And for a limited time, she has a few open spots on her Street Team! 

Welcome, Tawny!

Ooops, She Did It Again

            I am a klutz.  Certifiably clumsy, with the casts and scars to prove it.  I’ve fallen down flights of stairs (numerous times).  I’ve flipped over the handlebars of a bike into a brick wall-face first.  I’ve broken my foot walking out my front door.  I’m regularly sporting a bruise or two thanks to desks and tables and walls, all that jump out at the most inopportune moment.   

            So it was VERY easy for me to create a heroine who is a klutz.   Eden Gillespie, in A SEAL’s Surrender, has a reputation for clumsiness.  But while she’s somewhat resigned to her reputation, she’s also just a little thrilled with the fact that she’s most often rescued from her latest mishap by her very own hero, Cade Sullivan.  SEAL, sexy town golden guy and all-round sweetheart, she’s wanted Cade for her own for, well, almost ever. 

Here’s a peek at the first rescue Cade performs in A SEAL’s Surrender, resulting in Eden finally getting up the nerve to ask him out for a thank you drink...

    Eden waited until her friend and the cat were safely inside the car, treats and water dispensed, before she lowered herself to the next branch.

There.  She smiled her relief.  Almost down.

It was the smile that did it, she figured.

Because she went from an easy descent to suddenly trapped in the space of a heartbeat.  Like an anchor, something held tight, so she couldn’t move.

Breathless, Eden twisted to see what was wrong. 

And hissed when she saw that the strap of her high heel was caught on a branch.  Eden tugged.  The shoe stuck.  She tried to slip it off, but the branch was too rough, scratching painfully against the soft flesh of her instep. 

A minute later she added cussing to the mix.  

“Haven’t we been here before?” a husky voice asked.

Oh hell.  Eden froze.  She hadn’t even heard a car.  Please, oh please, let him be talking to someone else. 

“That is Eden up there, right?” the voice asked. 

Double hell. 

She shook her head, hoping the move would shift the curtain of hair from blocking her view.

Her heart, already pounding like a freight train, sped up.  What little was left of her breath escaped her lungs in a rush. 

She twisted her torso, angling herself sideways to make sure the face matched the voice. 

Gorgeous green eyes, a tanned complexion over sculpted cheekbones and a strong jawline.  Wide, full lips stretched in a smile that bordered on laughter.  And the sexiest man-dimple she’d ever seen. 

Her eyes widened and she gave a long, lusty sigh.

Didn’t it just figure?  At least she’d tucked her skirt in so she wasn’t flashing him.  Sure, she might have a few dozen fantasies about sharing her undies with this particular man.  But this position wasn’t featured in a single one. 

So she did what she always did when caught in an uncomfortable situation. 

She smiled and made the best of it. 

“Hi Cade.” 

***

“Do you do these things just to keep me in practice?” Cade asked, grinning at his favorite perpetual-victim, her silky brown hair a dark curtain over a face he knew would be sliding into a sheepish smile.

Eden Gillespie always looked sheepish when she had to be rescued.  Something, if he’d ever considered it, he’d have figured she’d outgrow.  He eyed her legs, smooth and bare all the way to the top of her hot pink panties thanks to the way her dress was hanging.  Her arms were wrapped around the tree limb and one foot dangled while the other was caught in a snarl of branches and leaves.  Clearly he’d have figured wrong. 

“Consider it my welcome home,” she muttered, blowing a puff of air so her hair cleared enough that he could see the resigned amusement in her big brown eyes.

That was one of the things that he’d always admired about Eden.  She could laugh at herself.  So many of the girls he’d grown up with, and the women he’d dated for that matter, took themselves and life way too seriously.  They were so worried about controlling the impression they made, they didn’t let themselves just live.

Without thinking, his eyes shifted back to Eden’s legs.  Long and sleek, they wrapped around that big, hard branch.  He frowned at the scrapes and faint reddening of her tender flesh, for the first time ever, tempted to kiss away a boo-boo.  All the way up to her panties.  Practical cotton, he noted, his mouth going dry, but in a fun sassy color.  Since she was face down on the branch, the curve of her butt was perfectly highlighted in that pink fabric.  His fingers itched to touch, to see if her curves were as firm as they looked.

Whoa.  Not cool, he lectured himself.  Lusting after the sweet girl next door was walking an awfully close line to planning to settle down.  Nothing wrong with it in the big picture, but in his personal rulebook?  Totally out of the question.

So here’s my question to you... Are you accident prone or naturally graceful?

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment will receive an autographed copy of A SEAL's Surrender!  

 

Today's Special - - Tawny Weber

Today, we welcome Tawny Weber back to the Romance Dish!  Do you like contemporary romances with smart, independent heroines, sexy, alpha heroes and plenty of emotion and sizzle?  If you do, you'll want to check out Tawny's new series for Harlequin Blaze featuring rough and rugged Navy SEALS and the women who tame them. Tawny joins us today to talk about guilty pleasures.  I have to say, her books sure make my  list!  

Please give Tawny a warm welcome!

Guilty Pleasures

What is it about those things we know are bad for us, but we still can’t resist them?  Let’s see, my list looks something like;

See's Chocolates

·         Chocolate

·         Super high-heeled boots

·         Chocolate

·         Starting a book at midnight

·         iPad games

·         Potato chips

·         and Chocolate

There are plenty of other things I can’t resist that I have no trouble justifying, like chocolate (it’s got healthy things in it –I can’t remember what they are, but I read it somewhere),  boots with heels I can walk in, nail polish with glitter, scrapbook and office supplies, checking my email and Facebook page one more time, and chocolate.  And yes, I realize chocolate is on both lists (more than once) but it’s so special, it qualifies for both! 

But those bad but irresistible things are my guilty pleasures. 

You notice that the only book related guilt I have is starting one so late that I’ll be up all night *g *  I can’t think of any other guilt that can ever tie to books, can you? 

The heroine in my newest Blaze, A SEAL’s Seduction, is a big fan of not worrying about guilt.  She has just a couple of rules that she lives by, and as long as she doesn’t break those, she feels free to indulge in as much other pleasure as she finds.  Like chocolate ice cream, killer shoes and ogling hotties on the beach. 

But the few  rules she does follow are absolute. She’s determined to live life on her own terms.  To control her wilder impulses.  And to make sure whatever she does, she’s able to face herself in the mirror the next day.  But her most important one is No Military Guys.  None, never, no way, no how.   But when she sees the sexy hottie she met on the beach again, she’s hesitant, but since she’s pretty sure he’s not military, she figures it’s safe to give her wild attraction toward him a chance.  

Here’s a little excerpt from A SEAL’s Seduction:

“As soon as this is over, I’m outta here,” Alexia muttered. 

            “Not so fast.  Remember, we’re a part of the reception line.  You have to stand and smile until everyone’s done worshipping—I mean, congratulating Dad.  Besides, you should stick around,” Michael murmured, his smile pure delight.  “I’ll bet your night improves.”

            “I’m sure it will.”

            Just as soon as she got out of here and called Blake.  She surreptitiously glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner, noting it was already eleven-thirty. 

            Why couldn’t her father have toasted goodbye to all his glory at a reasonable hour, instead of pushing it to the limits and forcing everyone to stay so late?  She glanced around.  Most of the guests were pretty darned old.  They probably wanted warm milk and their beds instead of a boring speech and champagne. 

            Skimming the crowd, her gaze flew right past one particular face.  Then, her brain screaming a warning, her eyes flew back so fast she probably lost a few lashes. 

            Blake?

            Brow furrowed, she shook her head in denial. 

            What was he doing here? 

            Then her focus widened.  Horror filled her with a cold, icy sort of misery.

            No! 

            Her eyes bounced from his uniform to the medals glinting off his chest, back to his face and then to the crowd of men he was standing in.  SEALS.

            Navy SEALS.

            The man who’d driven her crazy, who had her thinking forever thoughts and craving a relationship, the one who made her want to play house—naked—was also the one thing, the only thing, on her forbidden relationship list.  Military.  Elite military, and up until one speech ago, under her father’s command. 

            How had she missed the signs? 

Why hadn’t he told her?

            And when the hell would these speeches be over so she could run away?    

             

            Blake watched the expressions chase across Alexia’s face.  Shock, then disbelief, quickly followed by fury.  Then she shifted.  Her body weight, the tilt of her head, and her expression.  It was like she’d slammed the door shut.

            Shit. 

            As much as he wanted to avoid any matchmaking from the Admiral, he was equally determined to hold onto the sweet, pleasurable oblivion Alexia’s body provided. 

            Hurry, hurry, hurry, he silently urged his commanding officer, knowing the longer Alexia had to stew, the harder it would be to charm her out of her snit. 

            Thankfully, the older man chose that moment to raise his glass in thanks.  Blake absently followed along with the rest of the room, raising his as well.  But his eyes didn’t leave Alexia. 

            A good thing, because as soon as the crowd shifted, she lost herself in it.  Clearly growing up with military influence had taught her a thing or two. 

            Of course, Blake had some pretty solid training on his side.  He noted the direction she was going, then skirted the outside of the crowd, cutting her off just before she reached the door. 

            He placed his hand on her shoulder with just enough pressure to stop her escape.  She hissed, like cold water being thrown on a sizzling fire. 

            Blake dropped his hand. 

            “Surprise,” he said quietly, suddenly very aware that they were surrounded by her family and his superiors.  None of which needed any details as to his and Alexia’s relationship.  “I didn’t realize you were Admiral Pierce’s daughter.”

            “And I didn’t realize it mattered who my father was.”  Her tone was as cold as her eyes.  A temperature he’d have sworn was impossible to drop to for a woman as hot as she. 

            “It doesn’t,” he said, dancing out of that trap.  Alert, knowing there were more to come, he weighed his words carefully.  “I hadn’t realized we had mutual interests.”

            She gave him a long, considering look that made him wish he was in combat gear. 

“I hadn’t either.  That’s one of those things that usually comes up in conversation.  Which is another thing we never had.

            Blake shifted to block her exit again.

            “Where are you going?” he asked.

            “Away.”

            Blake had swum through the Arctic Ocean once and swore, it’d been warmer than her tone.  Brows arched, he gestured to the open French Doors. 

“Why not go this way, then,” he suggested.  “We can talk.”

“No.”  Lips pressed so tight together they were white at the edges, she took a long, deep breath through her nose, then exhaled slowly.  “No, thank you.  I’d rather not go out on the patio.  I’d rather not talk.  I prefer to go home.”

            “I’ll go with you.”

            “I prefer to go alone.”

    

Uh oh.  I think Blake’s in trouble.  And I think Alexia’s pretty upset. 

Now, most of my personal rules are a lot easier to follow than Alexia’s:

·         - Everything looks better with cute shoes. 

·         - If you’re going to do it, enjoy it.

·       -   Empowering others is good.  Disempowering yourself is bad. 

How about you?  Do you have any special guilty pleasures?  And how about rules for indulging in those guilty pleasures?  

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007.  A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking and hanging out on Facebook. 

Readers can check out Tawny’s books at her website or join her Red Hot Readers Club for goodies like free reads, complete first chapter excerpts, recipes, insider story info and much more.  And for a limited time, she has a few open spots on her Street Team! 

Tawny Weber Winner

The winner of an autographed copy of NICE & NAUGHTY from Tawny Weber is

girlygirlhoosier52

Congratulations!  Please send us your full name and mailing address to claim your book.

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Today's Special - - Tawny Weber

It's our pleasure to welcome Tawny Weber back to The Romance Dish today!  Tawny has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007.  A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination,, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking and hanging out on Facebook.  

Come by and visit her website at www.tawnyweber.com for hunky contests, delicious recipes and lots of fun.

Holiday Style – Tawny Weber

Yay – it’s the holiday season!!  I love this time of year.  Not just the traditions and presents and secrets and good will and great food.  Although I do love all of that.  What really appeals to me this time of year is style-Holiday Style. 

From the fun of picking a fancy dress and killer heels to wear to the parties to the sweater choices people make to the variety of gorgeous boots out there – fashion is fabulous in December.   I like it so much that I integrated it into my current Blaze release, NICE & NAUGHTY.  My heroine, Jade, loves style and studied fashion in college, only to have to sideline her fashion dreams to move back to her small town to take care of family obligations.  Not only did Diego bring Jade some very naughty holiday inspiration, he inspires her to quit hiding behind excuses and embrace her dream.  Oh, he also catches a panty thief, too. 

So fashion style is high on my list of things I love in December for sure.  But really, what it’s all about for me is holiday style.  Decorating!  It’s the holidays, baby.  Break out the tinsel.  One of the traditions we have in my house is to all hop in the car and travel from neighborhood to neighborhood, enjoying the lights.  And, if we can, admire the trees shining bright in the windows. 

There are trees with colored lights, or with white lights.  Some are decorated in an old-fashioned style, others in glitter.  Some people decorate the tree, the room, and the entire house, where others just string lights on a ficus in the corner (yes, I admit, that was me one year). 

Personally, I tend to go traditional for the most part.  Yes, my tree has a few dragons, fairies and unicorns among the Santa’s and bows, but the overall feel is old-fashioned.  Now my mom is more of a glittery coordinated decorator.  Her tree is white and glitters.  Her lights are white and glitter.  Her decorations are white and blue or white and pink, depending on the year.  And yes, they glitter.  I’m pretty sure that the gifts I mail her end up being put in gift bags that match the décor so as not to mess up her overall style, although she won’t admit it. 

So how about you?   What’s your holiday style?  Do you have one you stick with every year, or do you change it up from time to time?  Would you ever use a stylist to help with your holiday style?  How about your personal style?  Me, I’d be open to trying either or both –just for fun!  And for more fun, I’m offering an autographed copy of NICE & NAUGHTY to one commenter today.  Happy Holidays! 

Today's Special -- Tawny Weber

She's baaaack! *g* We're always happy to have Tawny Weber hanging out with us at The Romance Dish. Harlequin Blaze author, Romance Bandit, busy wife and mother, avid scrapbooker, shoe shopper, and lover of Johnny Depp....how does Tawny do it all?? Her latest, and third book, in her Undercover Operatives series, Sex, Lies and Valentines was released on January 24th. Check out my review here. Please say hello and welcome back to our friend Tawny Weber.

Valentine’s Yumminess

Do you feel it? That tingle in the air? The hint of anticipation. Maybe a smidge of apprehension, the worry about it not measuring up to expectations. Yep. It's that time again. The week before Valentine’s Day. I often think of this week as foreplay. You know, the buildup before the big event. And if it’s done right, the buildup is just as great as the event itself –which is also hopefully done right ;-)

I'm not sure what it says about me but I often associate romance and food. I'm sure there is some oral pleasure joke in there somewhere ;-). But so many ideas that come to mind for celebrating Valentine’s revolve around eating and/or drinking. Candlelight dinners. Candy - or even better, chocolate. Champagne. Tasty kisses (The chocolate kind. Really! Okay, not really.) Whipped cream swirled over chocolate dipped strawberries. Conversation hearts. Red hots. Whew... Is anyone else getting hungry?

So I started thinking about what fun we could have on the Romance Dish today and maybe it was food and Valentine’s on the mind, but I’d share my typical Valentine’s menu with you, and hear yours I case I can pick up any fun ideas (hey, new food, new tastes, new posit.... Um, no, sorry, won’t go there.)

We usually have lasagna --yeah the garlic is an issue but not if you both have it. I make a nummy vegetarian spinach lasagna that I serve with an green salad and garlic bread. No this isn't necessarily a romantic dinner per se but it's our favorite so that makes it romantic. Of course, if I were writing it in a book I'd make the meal all finger foods. Something with a lot of juice. Something they can feed each other then lick the juices from each other’s fingers. Or lips.

And then there’s dessert. Dessert has to be decadent. Rich. Intense. When it comes to dessert, I have no tradition. It’s all about whatever appeals at the time and makes my mouth water. One year I did make chocolate dipped strawberries and homemade whipped cream. Another I made a Black Forest Cake. One time it was peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, in heart shapes. I’m still undecided on what we’ll do for

dessert this year. But I might make the Four Layer Foreplay Chocolate Cake that was featured in each of my

Undercover Operatives books. It’s Pandora, from SEX, LIES AND Mistletoe’s recipe, but Maya in SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT uses it’s aphrodisiac qualities to keep things interesting. In SEX, LIES AND VALENTINES, Danita is trying to resist the delicious charms of the criminally hunky Gabriel so she’s not wanting anything to do with an aphrodisiac. She does agree to a nice, safe slice of apple pie, though. Little does she know...

So tell me, do you associate valentines and food? What foods make you think sexy holiday celebration? And do you have any suggestions for a wonderfully yummy Valentine’s dessert I can try this year?

***Tawny is giving away a signed copy of Sex, Lies and Valentines to one lucky commenter today.***

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze since her first book hit the shelves in 2007. When not obsessing over deadlines, she’s shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking or hanging out on Facebook and Twitter. Come by and visit her on the web at www.tawnyweber.com

In December of 2011 Tawny launched her Undercover Ops series with SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE. The

second book in the series, SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT is on shelves in January 2012, quickly followed in February by SEX, LIES & VALENTINES. You can read the first chapter of SEX, LIES AND VALENTINES on her website, too! All you have to do is join the Reader Love-Fest!

Be sure to follow Tawny on her Holiday Survival Tour as she celebrates these three books with tons of fun and a chance for readers to win a $100 giftcard!

Review -- Sex, Lies and Valentines

Sex, Lies and Valentines

Undercover Operatives, Book 3

By Tawny Weber

Publisher: Harlequin Blaze

Release Date: January 24, 2012

My naughty valentine....

Con artist Gabriel Black just got busted. By a babe. Drool-worthy (and clearly sneaky) FBI agent Danita Cruz is forcing Gabriel to choose between hard time and scamming his own family for an undercover sting. Now he has to present Danita to his family as his girlfriend. And it's the perfect opportunity to get wickedly even with her....

But Danita has some tricks of her own, and Gabriel's control begins slipping away as raw sexual energy takes over. Their sham relationship starts feeling a lot like...well, the real deal. The Big Question is, will overwhelming desire be enough to make a liar go legit?

Gabriel Black is the one Black sibling who took after his father when it came to running a con. Handsome and charming, he's a chip of the ol' block, priding himself on never getting caught. Until now. The FBI brings him in and tells him he has can either agree to help them in an undercover sting which means he needs to con his family or he can serve time in prison. Not much of a choice. So he agrees to go home to Black Oak for his brother Caleb's wedding, and take FBI agent Danita Cruz with him, posing as his girlfriend. Gabriel begins to think having the delectable Danita close at hand may not be such a bad deal after all.

While Danita finds Gabriel incredibly attractive, her job is more important than anything else. Surely she can resist his ample charm long enough to uncover the mastermind behind the crime ring in Black Oak. Sharing a room with Gabriel, and get cozier than she anticipated is making her doubt herself---Gabriel is proving to be pretty irresistible. Soon their "pretend" relationship is becoming all too real, and she is in danger of losing her heart to this sexy con man.

Standing in her stockings, a scrap of lace, and boots, Danita waited. Nerves danced. Before they could take hold, though, she saw the look in his eyes. Hot appreciation, a healthy dose of lust, and something else. Something that made her heart melt.

Adoration.

Oh, God, she realized as her breath tangled in her chest. She was in so much trouble. She was so in love with him.

Sex, Lies and Valentines is a great conclusion to Tawny Weber's Undercover Operatives series. Gabriel is too delicious for words, and when he and Danita get together....well, let's just say you might need to break out your fan and grab a cool drink. Whew! If you're looking for something sweet, sexy, and spicy, too, look no further. This is the book for you. A perfect Valentine treat.

~ Gannon

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