Hello Dear Readers!
Summer is almost upon us, so it’s time to fill your virtual beach bag (aka your e-reader) with summer reads! I’ll be back on the blog soon with info on my upcoming summer release (hint: angel romance!). In the meantime, read on and enter this fun giveaway! xoxo, Celia
Fill your eReader with a surprise!
Is your eReader full of tumbleweeds? Do you need something to read but have no idea where to start? Let Ellen Mint’s mystery box pick for you!
Sixty-three authors (myself included!) have teamed up to bring you loads of mystery bags of romance (150+ books!). Alpha heroes, untouchable bosses, sexy vampires, kilted pirates, hot angels, and more wait to sweep you away. There will be numerous winners!
Pick between the three categories that interests you most: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal. Enter whichever genre is your fav, or go for all three if you love everything romance.
Do you want a sneak peek hint of which books are available in the bundle? Visit the giveaway page on Ellen Mint’s website to check them out and enter.
The giveaway is sponsored by these wonderful authors:
Ellen Mint • Celia Breslin • Katherine Grant • Heather DiAngelis • Fenna Edgewood • Stephanie Queen • Briar Boleyn • Courtney McCaskill • Zoe Beth Geller • Diane Scott Lewis • Beth Henderson • Kris Butler • January Bain • Peter E. Fenton • Will Forrest • Sheri-Lynn Marean • Isabelle Kane and Caroline Akervik • Maggie Sims • Stevie MacFarlane • Ashe Barker • Delta James • Tracy Sumner • Libby Campbell • Charlie Lane • Cassie O’Brien • Pepper North • Tina Gallagher • Amber Night • T. Strange • Wendi Zwaduk • Megan Slayer • Renae Wright • Tanith Davenport • Jane Maguire • AE Lister • N.J. Adel • Shana Galen • Sadira Stone • Seelie Kay •M.C. Roth • Poppy Flynn • RJ Gray •Vanessa Brooks • Zoe Dawson • Erin Zarro • Michelle Deerwester-Dalrymple • Sandra Carmel • Tanya Wilde • Raleigh Damson • Kristian Parker • H.M. Shander • Letty Frame • Gin Vane • Maggie Blackbird • Madelynne Ellis • Laylah Roberts • MK Chester • Amber Daulton • Catherine Peace • Cassia Briar • Gray Holborn • Sara Ohlin • Jamie Schulz
Hi Everyone!
I know, I know… It has been a long, loooooong time since last I posted something for you, my dears. Let’s just say my 2023 started out with an unforeseen, not-COVID medical adventure. I’m fine now and have been back in the writing cave since March, working on two stories. More on that later. For today, here’s a look at my upcoming release, Melanie’s Awakening. It’s on pre-order on most outlets with a special sale price (except on Amazon, due to their pesky exclusivity rule), until release day this Friday. Read on for details and an excerpt!
xo, Celia
Title: Melanie’s Awakening
Series: Heartland Fae
Author: Celia Breslin
Publisher: Celia Breslin
Genre: Fantasy Romance, Paranormal Romance
Release Date: April 28, 2023
Page Count: 120
ASIN: B0B6WMCF5G
Pre-Order Sale Price: 1.99
They’re lovers from different worlds…and a Dark Fae is determined to keep them apart.
When Melanie Blackstone is offered her bestie’s home in Illinois for the summer, she jumps at the chance. She has a jerky ex to forget and a fantasy-horror screenplay to finish for her agent back in California. But writing time is soon sidelined by strange lights dancing in the air and an even stranger dark figure lurking in the yard.
As a favor, Fae warrior Dealan agrees to look in on the female staying in his friends’ home. However, he didn’t expect her to be able to See him. Few humans possess the Sight, yet this one does. Even more surprising–the friendly and inquisitive woman seems to like him and want his company. A first for the solitary assassin.
But Dealan isn’t the only Fae fascinated by Melanie. A Dark Fae sets his sights on her as well…
Available at: BooksToRead
A blush blossomed on her cheeks. He kept his attention on her face, but it was hard to do with her curves spilling out from her tiny shirt and shorts.
Curiosity seemed to overrule her fear, as she raised a hand as if to touch his face, then seemed to think better of it. A pang of disappointment surprised him. Damn it all, he wanted to feel the press of her palm against his skin.
“It must be hard,” she murmured, then nibbled her lip again, as if squashing the questions her expressive face indicated she yearned to ask.
Her inquisitiveness fascinated him, and he found himself settling on the ground and mimicking her position. “What must be?” he prompted.
“People can suck. I can imagine the stares you get just because your skin color is different. What medical condition causes it, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“It’s genetic.”
“Oh, wow. But not from your mom’s side, right?”
“Mom’s side?”
“Mrs. Murphy is pale and freckled, so your dad must look like you? Or, is it a recessive gene situation? What about your siblings, do they exhibit–?”
She chuckled. “Sorry about the thousand questions. I’m a fiction writer, actually, so it kinda goes with the writing territory.” She pointed at her portable computer, abandoned on a blanket Dealan recognized from the sunporch. “I was working on my latest story, a horror screenplay, before you showed up.”
“I’m interrupting your work.”
“No. I have writer’s block, so distractions are welcome.” She focused on his hair.
“Were you wearing a wig last night? Your dark hair is gorgeous with a capital G–love the blue streaks, by the way–why would you ever cover it up? I could’ve sworn you had pale, freckled skin, too, but the bizarre visuals must have been due to my wicked jet lag and too much wine.”
His lips twitched. She might make him smile, possibly laugh. He never laughed. Growled, roared, snarled, yes, but exhibit mirth? Hardly. […]
“I’m from San Francisco. We don’t have many enormous insects there. A lot of birds, though. Pigeons mostly, some bands of wild parrots, a few hawks, peregrine falcons, and a lot of ravens. Did you know ravens mate for life? I think that’s so cool–”
She clamped a hand over her mouth. “I’m babbling.” Her gaze lowered as her fingers slid from her lips to settle on her chest. “Sorry, my brain spins out fast when I’m nervous or really into a topic.”
“Do I make you uncomfortable?” He wanted her to be at ease around him, though he wasn’t sure why. No other ever elicited such gentle feelings in him. What was it about her?
“Yes, no, I mean. A little?” A sheepish look crossed her face. “It’s just I don’t know you. Eva said you’re okay, but…”
“After the evening you had, I can understand your hesitation.”
“Right? It was so weird.”
They shared a smile then fell into easy conversation […]
Eventually, silence fell between them, and Dealan lost himself in her bright blue eyes, so alight with her inquisitive nature and intelligence. […]
Above him, the fairies tittered, and teased…
“Ohhhhhh, someone’s in trouble now.”
“Look at that beastly thing in his jeans!”
“Dealan and Melanie sitting under a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N—”
“That’s enough from you lot,” he snapped, on reflex firing power bolts at them from the fingertips of his free hand. […]
Melanie gaped at them.
“Breathe, lass,” he murmured. […] Dealan lowered Melanie to the blanket then settled on his knees before her. […]
“I’m dreaming, right? […] because, come on, there’s no such thing as fairies” […] she leaned forward and planted her hand in the center of his chest. “Holy crap, your chest is massive.”
Dealan froze, his heart pounding out a rapid rhythm under her palm. What would this unpredictable, alluring woman do next? […]
“I’m dreaming,” she repeated, then a big smile lit up her face. “That means I’m in charge. As I wish.” She rose up onto her knees. “I can do whatever the heck I want.” She snaked a hand around his nape, the other clutching his biceps. “And what I want…is you.”
She tugged his head down and pressed her lips to his.
Hi, Everyone!
We’re halfway through November already, can you believe it? I’m working away on the WiP for Nanowrimo2022 and will give you a sneak peek soon. For today, let’s have a look at author Landra Graf’s recent release in sci fi romance.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Title: Jack This Heart
Series: Full Throttle Cyborgs
Author: Landra Graf
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Sci Fi Romance
Release Date: November 8, 2022
Page Count: 226
ASIN: B0B6WMCF5G
Love like you stole it.
Jack Renfro lost his leg in a racing accident ten years ago. The cybernetic replacement he received from the Moon techies have increased his strength, stamina, and fortitude making him prime for racing. But the racing dome doctor says no, Jack’s implants are poisoning his blood and his body. If he doesn’t get them fixed racing will be the least of his worries.
Enter moon tech, Shannon Moore, a survivor of the Humans First Terrorist cell purge. She’ s known for her cybernetic work but finds the racers and their philosophies disgusting. Especially since she was born on Mars and is spying on behalf of the MacIntosh gang in exchange for her getting her betting debts paid off.
Too bad close quarters make Shannon realize her and Jack have a connection far deeper then simply saving Jack’s life, and his Full Throttle partners are supporting a town not tearing it apart. When Shannon’ s secret unravels will the newfound relationship she and Jack have survive?
BooksToRead | BookBub | GoodReads
Familiar sights were already assailing her. The rock formations she’d seen any number of times on trips to the checkpoint to sell Zephyr goods and steal from visitors. Yeah, her family and her friends weren’t the most honest.
The direction they had headed in was the right one. Their only problem was they couldn’t drive all night. She was exhausted. The four drinks she’d slung back of that corn mash weren’t helping either.
“A misunderstanding is what happened.” She kept her foot on the accelerator, feeding a steady stream of fuel to the hauler’s engine.
“I think we’re well out of range you can quit speeding across open plains. We don’t need to hit something.”
She let out an uneasy breath. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. If she spoke her true feelings, Jack would think she was crazy, but she’d never felt so alive. “Another reason I’m driving. Auster doesn’t have all the wildlife.”
“Then what about that rock?”
Shannon immediately started to slow down, steering the hauler out of the way of the giant boulder dead center in their path. “Exactly why driving at night isn’t ideal.”
“We can slow down any time you want, and you can explain yourself. Since we just lost almost a week’s worth of supplies and our tent.” The low tone of Jack’s voice and the way he kept his hand locked on the frame of the hauler door were clear signs his patience was waning.
She kept driving, her hands gripping the steering wheel tight. “Like I said, they misunderstood. I went in for a drink and then a couple of the men offered to let me in on their card game. A little friendly betting, drinks and whatnot. I won a few rounds and naturally it made sense to raise the wager.”
“To what? You don’t have anything to trade.”
And she never did. “That’s why I don’t lose.”
“But if they were chasing you…”
“I never said I don’t cheat. I said I don’t lose.” And that was how she’d been found out. “A card slipped out of my sleeve at an inopportune time and those idiots were less forgiving. Even though one of them was pulling a swindle, too. Better to follow the crowd.”
Jack scoffed. “So, then you led them to our campsite.”
“Where else was I supposed to go? I didn’t have any weapons on me. I’m not exactly built to take on four grizzled, beefy men.”
She dared a glance at him, only to see him scowling at her in turn. “If you’re willing to wage a battle, then you need to be prepared to fight it.”
Shannon did her best to keep from smiling, clamping her lips together. But she had to ask. “Who told you this word of wisdom?”
“My father. A good man, with a good heart. He believed you fought the battles you chose.”
Fathers… Shannon’s opinion of them lay firmly within the definition of the word worthless. “Mine believed you steal, stab or cower from them. Let’s just say I’m not a fan of those three, but I do believe in surviving.”
A flash of light in the sky to their left caught her eye, and a glance at the clouds racing toward them had her searching for cover.
She caught sight of a cliff face in the distance, one that might have a cave or two. They just needed somewhere to keep safe. When she compressed the accelerator, the hauler sped up.
“Thought we agreed driving slower would be ideal.”
“No can do, Deputy Jack. There’s a storm headed this way.” She pointed over her shoulder at the mess barreling their direction. She didn’t miss Auster thunderstorms, especially night ones. Being raised a Zephyr, there were always warnings about getting caught above ground after dark.
Though she’d once risked it and gotten a wicked set of bruises on her legs and back from being pelted by the ice crystals raining down.
“It’s a light rainstorm, nothing to be scared of. If anything, we’ll get a free shower.”
Shannon scoffed. “You are definitely a Wespero through and through. Auster region doesn’t get your light showers. Not during this part of the year. The rotation of the planet, relation to the sun…even the terraforming couldn’t have predicted this mess. Night storms here typically involve something we call razors.”
“Razors?” The tone of his voice matched the one-eyebrow-lifted stare he tossed her way.
“Little balls of ice. They cut like the sharpest knife on exposed skin, burn a little too. On covered skin they leave nasty bruises and that’s if you’re lucky. Grown men cry after getting hit with this stuff. If they get big enough, they can even go through metal, wood…anything.”
“Then we need cover, fast.”
Now he’s getting it.
Landra Graf has always been a sucker for stories where true love conquers all. She believes in the inspiration and joy the written word can bring. Add in her personal mottos of ‘whatever it takes’ and ‘better to be busy than bored’ and she’s two steps from overload.
She writes romance with the goal of granting happily ever afters to everyone, fiction or not.
When not writing, readers can find Landra reviewing books, cooking up a storm, deeply immersed in a mad game of Scrabble or Rummy variation, and searching for moments to laugh and smile through it all.
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Hi Everyone!
It’s the second week of November already, can you believe it? Let’s start it off with a look at “The Man Who Came and Went,” a story by Emmy and Academy Award nominee and writer of “Shrek,” Joe Stillman. Read an excerpt and be sure to enter his tour giveaway for a signed copy, too!
xo, Celia
Title: The Man Who Came and Went
Genre: Magical Realism / Mature YA / Literary Fiction
Author: Joe Stillman
Publisher: City Point Press
Release Date: March 1, 2022
# of pages: 240
Word Count: 64K
ISBN: 9781947951389
Cover Artist: Barbara Aronica-Buck and Susan Stillman
A grill cook who mind-reads orders.
A diner that changes lives.
Tips appreciated.
Fifteen-year-old Belutha Mariah, our storyteller, is the oldest of three kids from three different fathers. Her life’s goal is to keep her dysfunctional mom, Maybell, from procreating yet again and then to leave the coffin-sized town of Hadley, Arizona the second she graduates high school.
Along comes the new grill cook at Maybell’s Diner, Bill Bill, a mysterious drifter with the ability to mind-read orders. As word spreads, the curious and desperate pour into this small desert town to eat at Maybell’s. Some believe Bill knows the secrets of the universe. Belutha figures he’s probably nuts.
But his cooking starts to transform the lives of locals and visitors, and Belutha finds her angry heart opening as Bill begins to show her the porous boundary between this life and what comes after.
Amazon US | B&N | BaM | Bookshop | Indie Bound
That day, the day Bill arrived, my mom was serving up eggs and complaints.
“Dammit, that daughter ‘a mine,” she yelled to Dolene, across the diner. “She’s like walking birth control. Does she think I’m trying to have babies? ‘Scuse me, Darlin’” Maybell gave Clover’s bubble walker a little kick, sending it between tables 4 and 6 so she could get by and dump a load of dishes behind the counter.
Dolene was homegrown, like the tumbleweed, with eyes like a golden retriever that never quite looked at you directly. She was smart enough to add up a check, but you could tell she was never getting out of Hadley. “I take it you didn’t get laid last night.”
Maybell pointed to her sour puss. “Does this say ‘laid’ to you?”
There was a ‘harrumph’ from booth 5 by the window. That was Rose. Rose was an old woman by the time she was 30. Now she was in her late 60s, a widow since before I was born—in other words, forever. She liked to spend her afternoons at Maybell’s Diner, reading her book and keeping an eye on the goings on around her, as if she was the town’s homeroom teacher.
“Look at Saint Rose,” Maybell said, stuffing dirty plates into the plastic tub under the counter. “Thinks she smells better than Mentos. I ain’t running a library here, Rose. Next time bring Reader’s Digest!”
There was another sound from Rose, something between a ‘well’ and a ‘pfffft.’ She never took her eyes off her book.
The door opened with a DING from the bell that hung on it. No one noticed Bill entering. He was about average in height, but his skinny frame made him look taller. You could tell from his face that he was in his mid-20s, but those were hard years he had lived, and his body looked frail and geriatric. His clothes were old and clung to him like an extra layer of skin, with a smell that would never wash out.
The angles of his face were sharp and careworn. But his eyes, those were different. His face was hard and weathered, but his eyes were soft. They seemed brand new.
No one in the diner even looked. If they did they would have seen those eyes taking in every little detail: the people talking, forks carrying food, the string lights behind the counter, Dolene ringing up a check. But what drew Bill more than anything else was the grill. Harley, the grill cook, must have had four meals going at once, each with its own set of sounds and smells. Most of those meals involved eggs. His spatula made a metal-on-metal scrape as he turned them. Bill was riveted. He went to sit at the counter to watch.
Down the counter, a porkish-looking man named Earle—probably one of three men in town who had never slept with my mom—raised his empty cup. “Can I get a refill, Maybell?”
Maybell stopped and faced him. “Seriously, Earle? Is it so goddam much trouble for you to get up off your ass and get it yourself? Can’t you see I’m working here?”
“Well…” he stammered. “I just—was I—I was—”
Maybell pointed to the coffee pot. “How far away is that? Two feet?”
“Sure, I guess…”
“Am I your personal slave, Earle? Is that why God put me on earth?”
“No, I don’t think you’re—”
Maybell grabbed the pot and sloshed coffee in his Earle’s cup. “There. You happy now?”
He nodded meekly.
While she had the pot in her hand, Maybell filled the cup sitting in front of Bill. “I’ll be by to take your order in a minute, hon.”
Maybell walked on. Bill just sat there and stared at the coffee. For him, there was no diner anymore, no Maybell, no clanking dishes or dumb conversation. He leaned closer to that cup like it was the only thing in the world. And there he was, smelling coffee for the first time. And it smelled like life. Like a whole world. Like this is how a planet smells if you’re up in space and could take a deep breath. Bill was motionless for who knows how long. And then, when he was good and ready, he took his first sip.
Those eyes, the ones that didn’t belong on his head, they closed as if he was praying. No, more like he was hearing a prayer. The coffee was praying to be heard, and Bill heard it.
Joe Stillman co-wrote “Shrek” for Dreamworks which earned him an Academy Award® nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Annie and BAFTA Awards. Other produced features are “Beavis & Butthead Do America”, “Shrek 2”, “Gulliver’s Travels”, “Planet 51” and “Joseph King Of Dreams”.
In television, he was co-producer and writer on “King of the Hill,” for which he received two Emmy Award® nominations. He was a writer and story editor for Nickelodeon’s “The Adventures of Pete and Pete” and a writer on MTV’s “Beavis and Butthead”. More recently he worked on Nickelodeon’s “Sanjay And Craig” and “Kirby Buckets” for Disney. Other TV credits include “Albert” for Nickelodeon, “The War Next Door” for the USA Network, “Clueless”, “Doug” and “Danger And Eggs” for Amazon.
Joe is currently working on “Curious George” and “Half-Baked 2” for streaming on Peacock.
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A signed copy of The Man Who Came and Went
Enter the Bewitching Book Tour The Man Who Came and Went Rafflecopter Giveaway 2022.
Happy Saturday, Dear Readers!
Here’s the second post for today, featuring the final book in Ellen Mint’s series. Aaaaand that’s a wrap on our look at Coven of Desire.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Layla thought she was nothing more than a nursing student drowning in debt. Her entire life upended itself on her twenty-fifth birthday when an incubus appeared in her living room. One spell book only she can read, a demon bound to her soul, and a family destiny dropped on her head.
Can a witch get a break?
As she studies the witchcraft entwined with her DNA, she stumbles upon dangerously hot men. Men that aren’t as human as they first appeared. But when she has to square off against a force that scares demons and angels, she’s going to need all the help she can get—both in and out of bed.
Coven of Desire is a paranormal reverse harem that ramps up the heat and body count with each book.
SERIES ORDER: INK (prequel, #0) | CLAW (#1) | FANG (#2) | WHISPER (#3) | Badge | Wings
Title: Wings (#5)
Series: Coven of Desire
Author: Ellen Mint
Author: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Page Count: 318
Word Count: 85K
ISBN: 978-1-83943-628-4 (Amazon)
Rating: 18+
Layla’s life is hell. She could really use an angel.
After a month and no sign of the witch hunters, Layla thought she was in the clear. A gigantic werewolf has different plans. As if her life being threatened by a mad werewolf isn’t enough, the world seems to be ending. At least that’s what an impossible, deadly-to-gaze-upon angel living underground claims.
Layla is tasked to find whatever is ripping tears in the realms, causing creatures to appear and unravel everything in the world. Good thing she has an angel by her side. Garavel may not technically be angel, despite having white wings and a golden glow, but he’s sweeter than sugar and adores witches. It’s impossible to not fall for the cuddly teddy bear. Except, once Layla finds the culprit, Garavel must return to his master’s side and she’ll never see him again.
She’s going to need her sarcastic incubus, steadfast werewolf and stately ghost at her side. If not, she doesn’t stand a chance in hell of surviving the ride.
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“You’re a…” I stared past the man with giant white wings to Ink staggering to his feet. I jabbed two fingers at them while waiting for him to look to prove I was right when the angel caught my hand.
Oh my god, he’s so soft and warm. It was like his ebony skin glowed with a heavenly golden sparkle when I touched it, which shut my brain down.
Flecks of amber sparkled in his eyes—such a deep brown as to be black—as he shook my hand up and down. “You must be a witch.”
Here it comes. I girded myself for the typical reaction of either fear or disgust. Didn’t matter who it was—if they knew about witches they hated us at first glance.
“Wonderful!”
“Come again?”
Garavel smiled wide with teeth brighter than his shockingly thin robe. He wore two pieces of white cloth that clung to his wide chest and solid stomach before tapering at the hips and dangling near his sandaled feet. The cloths were attached via gold loops at the shoulders and a strip of gold fabric at the waist. The outfit left the entire sides of his chest exposed, which he didn’t seem bothered by at all. Instead, he stared at me as if I were the answer to all of his problems.
My heart leaped at the idea I could mean anything to a creature of such divinity. Garavel sheathed his giant sword on his back and tucked his wings in. They vanished along with any sign of the blade. “I cannot believe my luck to find a child of creation here!” he bellowed like a kid at their birthday party.
“Well, I’m…that’s me, witch lady. I mean lady who does witchcraft. Um, spells and stuff.” I tried to smile through the pain in my chest at how stupid I sounded and twirled my hair around my finger.
A slow chuckle drew not only my attention, but the angel’s as well. Ink tipped his head at my embarrassing fumbling, then he extended his shadow wings wide. Oh no, he’s a demon, Ink’s a demon. Demon and angel—they were going to rip each other to shreds in this underground pit of bones and I…
“Are you a demonic sin?” Garavel asked.
Ink fluttered his wings, blanketing the rest of the mausoleum in shadow. “Good eye. Lust,” he said, pointing to himself.
Why can’t he lie just once? I tensed up, trying to figure out how I could stun someone who’d taken out a room of corpse eaters.
“Delightful!” Garavel shouted, reaching over and taking the demon’s hand. His massive palm nearly dwarfed Ink’s, but the two shook with a disconcerting bonhomie, like two coworkers spotting each other outside of the office.
“You…you’re okay with him?” I asked. Why wasn’t the angel attacking? Weren’t they always at war with the denizens of hell?
It was Ink who responded with a slow chuckle while Garavel stared down at his attire. “I am afraid I seem to have spilled a little soot on my robes.”
“No, I mean you’re a—”
“Layla!” Daniel’s cry burst into the room right before he appeared, his face stricken in panic. “Are you…?” He reached over for me, the cold of his form barely competing with the chill of the tomb. Slowly, Daniel turned to take in the piles of decapitated pishachas on top of the mutilated corpses.
“As punctual as you are useful,” Ink said, giving Daniel two thumbs up.
“Who’s that?”
Ink slapped an arm across Garavel’s fridge-sized frame. “Our newest addition to the coven.” He gave me a knowing look and my mouth dried. I needed an angel to save Daniel, not to…gah.
“Hello.” Garavel held out his hand and Daniel bridled beside me. He stared at the strange man like a wary cat.
“He’s a ghost,” I butted in, trying to explain why Daniel didn’t share in the angelic handshake.
“I know.” The angel reached over and clasped Daniel on the back. His eyes went wide at the touch and my jaw dropped. Instead of going through, Garavel was able to pull Daniel close in a hug. “Doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”
“You…you’re touching. How are you able to…? Huh?” I’d read through everything I could on ghosts, Daniel’d done even more and neither of us had seen any mention that an angel could do that. Could other celestials touch him?
I had a million questions to put to him, but everyone was silenced by the sound of stone ripping away and a howl echoing from above. Were there more corpse eaters prowling the graveyard? I turned, prepared to fricassee whatever came through the wall.
Heavy footsteps lopped against the bones, not even pausing at the crunch. I wound my hand back, when a head of blond hair poked through. “Babe?” Cal asked, and I laughed out of joy at his appearance.
“It’s all good,” I said to him and reached to take his hand.
“A werewolf!” Garavel snarled, his once harmonic voice crackling. He rushed forward and clasped a hand to my stomach.
“Who the shit is this?” Cal demanded. He plummeted the last few feet and stared at the angel tugging me back.
“It’s…”
“You shall not harm her, moon cursed!” the angel shrieked.
“Let go of her.” Cal’s words warped into a growl. He snapped out, “Now!” and his teeth sharpened to fangs.
“Okay, everyone’s on edge, but…”
Garavel’s wings snapped wide, blanketing the entire area in feathers. They didn’t bend, but dug into the walls like unbreakable chisels. I tried to leap out of the way to defend Cal, when Garavel shouted, “I will shield you, my lady.”
“You will not take her,” Cal snarled. He planted one wolf foot on the ground and I felt mine raise off it.
What the…?
Tightness caught around my midsection and, before I could think, Garavel lifted us into the air. His wings beat an inescapable wind, shoving hard on Cal and not touching Daniel. Where was Ink in all of this? “Ink!” I shouted to my demon to break up the party.
“Ah!” Cal slammed his claws into the stone and slashed. In the blink of an eye, Garavel folded his wings around us and we shot straight up into the mausoleum and out the door.
“Holy shit!” I shouted. The cemetery ground was growing smaller and smaller below my feet as he flew into the skies. When it looked like a train model, I slammed my eyes shut. My stomach floated in my throat and I did my best to not think what would happen if he dropped me.
“Wow! I loved reading this book! I stayed up way too late for successive nights in a row, just because I couldn’t stop reading! (Darn day job!) Ms. Mint had me captured with the first book in this series, but they just keep getting better! If you like paranormal romance–if you enjoy reverse harems–if you love steamy scenes that melt your e-reader–you need to read this book! And then the rest of the series also!” —Fiona (Romance Junkies) ✭✭✭✭✭
“Layla and the guys are back and fighting to save the world again. The heat between them is off the charts and there is never a chance for a dull moment. A demi- angel shows up to help them save the world and the action is nonstop. Such a great read! I can’t wait till the next book comes out.” —Diana G ✭✭✭✭✭
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads | BookBub
Welcome to the weekend Dear Readers!
I have two posts for you today, to wrap up our look at Ellen Mint’s Coven of Desire series. First up is Badge, Book #4.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Layla thought she was nothing more than a nursing student drowning in debt. Her entire life upended itself on her twenty-fifth birthday when an incubus appeared in her living room. One spell book only she can read, a demon bound to her soul, and a family destiny dropped on her head.
Can a witch get a break?
As she studies the witchcraft entwined with her DNA, she stumbles upon dangerously hot men. Men that aren’t as human as they first appeared. But when she has to square off against a force that scares demons and angels, she’s going to need all the help she can get—both in and out of bed.
Coven of Desire is a paranormal reverse harem that ramps up the heat and body count with each book.
SERIES ORDER: INK (prequel, #0) | CLAW (#1) | FANG (#2) | WHISPER (#3) | Badge | Wings
Title: Badge (#4)
Series: Coven of Desire
Author: Ellen Mint
Author: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Page Count: 305
Word Count: 80K
ISBN: 978-1-83943-605-5 (Amazon)
Rating: 18+
They’ve found her.
Layla’s life is a mess. Thanks to Ink’s big mouth, Cal knows that she knows about the big red wolf and he is pissed. She can’t find a way to bring Daniel back from death. Even worse, Ink seems to think that’s the perfect time to dissolve their bond. Naturally, the second she’s abandoned by her guys, the witch hunters strike.
After yet another argument between his bond and her wolf, Ink’s grown exhausted with their arrangement. He has every intention to break their bond and return to his old hunting ways until Layla goes missing at the hands of his greatest enemy. If they harm her, he’s on a one-way trip back to hell. Enraged, Ink enlists the help of both wolf and ghost to try and track her down. But the cursed hunters have learned. Anti-demon wards cover every surface of their underground lair. His only hope to save her is by wearing a cloak of mortality. For the first time in his existence, Ink not only knows pain but the true threat of death.
When Layla arrives in the Witch Hunters’ bureau Detective Stone comes to her not with a torch but a job offer. If she doesn’t agree to work with them, then she’ll die. How will she escape from a trap-filled dungeon crammed with already captures monsters? Are her guys hunting for her, or is she truly alone? And why does Stone make her blood boil in all the wrong ways?
If she gets out of this alive, there will be hell to pay.
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“Wolf!”
I stumbled into an enclosed drinking hall, flames belching from ovens of brick and the overpowering scent of nightshade in the air. The wolf glared at me as if I walked in upon him attempting to lick his own genitals. Instead of what would be a far more appreciable sight, he sat between two humans whose muzzles were coated in a red sauce and cheese. They seemed to care little for my flustered approach, a tournament on the television far more to their liking.
Crossing faster than the eye could carry, I stopped beside the werewolf just as he rose to his feet. “Don’t call me that.” he growled.
“For what purpose?” I inquired, confused as to why he’d care what I named him.
“You know this guy, Cal?” one of the men asked. He wore a red cap while the second wore a blue. Ah, clan colors. No doubt a duel was about to commence.
The wolf stared harder at me, then he clasped his fingers to my wrist and pulled. “No,” he said, confounding me even more.
“That is a…” I gave in to his tug, not because he used all of his werewolf muscles, but because it seemed more prudent.
Tucked in a back corner beside a machine pulsing with light and tempting us to roll the digital bones, the wolf pushed me against the wall via his human digit. I rebounded quickly but held my hands up in mock defeat. “Why did you lie to them?”
“Why are you here? Are you following me?”
“Yes, my time is of so little interest, I spend my days trailing from one drunken den of debauchery to an ether-filled symposium.”
He shook his head as if a buzzing clung to his ear. I would not put it past a werewolf to attempt to devour a bee out of curiosity. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I did not see a ‘No Demons Allowed’ sign on the door. Though I must say the shirt prohibition is rather restrictive in the event of alcoholic coitus.”
“Don’t…” He pressed me tighter to the wall then glared back at his friends. The two waved their arms through the air as if they could have an effect on the teams miles away. “I am not in the mood to put up with your incubus bullshit.”
I snickered at the idea any of my skills could ever be on the level of bull feces. “And, pray tell, what mood are you in? Is it the wallowing in self-pity and hot wings mood? Or perchance the ‘woe is me, I will drown my sorrows in beer until a warm smile catches my eye’?”
The dodging gaze sharpened to one of death and he slammed both of his paws onto my shoulders. “I put up with a lot of your tongue, Ink.”
“Hardly. It’s never even touched your lips, much less…” I drew my eyes lower and jerked my brows once.
Instead of recoiling, the wolf rolled his eyes. “If that bothered me, I’d have run from her place after the first night.”
“Yes, that is the topic of conversation…” I began, but the wolf wasn’t done manhandling me. Given how he seemed unable to stop touching me, it appeared his protestations might be in vain.
“No,” Cal repeated. “I’m not dealing with this now.”
“Then when? Shall you run, as is your wont, until your paws become bloody stumps and the fleas have chewed off your fur?”
He finally retracted his grip, allowing me to adjust my shirt. Cal glared at his hands, as soft and smooth as any middle-class human’s could be. But I knew his desires nearly as well as my bond’s. Rarely sharp, lest the moon was high, but forever throbbing in the background. A sliver of white would send him chasing after her until he dragged her back to his nest. It was the black, forever circling him, that pushed him deeper and deeper into the forest. What he was chasing, I didn’t much care.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” the wolf said, clenching his fists tight.
“So people keep surmising, despite the evidence.”
“Did she send you? Why you of all people? I don’t want to talk to you. I’m not…I don’t want to talk to her.”
Petty drama between conflicting hearts was not what I needed. “Well, that’s a delightful turn for you, because she’s gone.”
All of his posturing snapped away. The gruff, closed-off werewolf transformed into the panicking boyfriend. “What are you talking about? Gone? How can Layla…?” His voice peaked to rockslide levels, directing eyes to us. Dropping it lower, he whispered against my face, “Even if she left…you’d find her. You always find her.”
“Yet I cannot,” I said, waiting for his feeble mind to catch up.
He twisted on his heels, keeping his feet planted while trying to pace with only his hips. The fangs elongated and he spat out, “How can she be gone? How can’t you find her? Did you even try?”
“Do you take me for an imbecile? Of course I tried. I pulled myself to her location, sliced apart three cars, and each time I found nothing.”
Cal wrapped his hands to my collar and raised me off my feet. In a great growl, he snarled, “Where is she?”
“Why do you think I came to find you?” I asked, swaying my feet through the air.
“Are you okay?” a soft-spoken woman asked from near the front door. She stared past the animal nearly sprouting fur to me dangling off the floor.
I gave a little wave to assure her I had this under control. “No problem,” I said. “Merely a lover’s tiff.”
Cal snorted, but he placed me back on the ground. “Is she hurt? Or worse… Who could keep her from you? I can’t even get two minutes alone with Layla.”
Hyperbole. I’d left them alone for a good half hour at a time. More than enough for him to finish his dance. Confronting the wayward boyfriend had cooled my temper and distracted me. But now, with him in agreement, the panic in my soul returned. I spoke in a dark voice. “Someone who knows how to ward off demons.”
He ceased tugging on his hair and turned his glare upon me. “You don’t mean…?”
“I think we need to find her fast, before they prepare the kindling.”
“Each book in the Coven of Desire Series just keeps getting better and better. if you have not begun reading the Coven of Desire series by Ellen Mint you are missing out. Cal’s obsessive brooding, affection, possessiveness and protectiveness is swoon worthy. Ink is just EVERYTHING. He is Layla’s every fantasy and desire wrapped up in a humorous, sarcastic, sexy, protective and possessive package and lastly Daniel the ghost is a sweetheart with a heart of gold even if he doesn’t have a body. Layla is the luckiest, unluckiest girl in the world to have a Werewolf, Incubus and a Ghost as boyfriends.” —SJ ✭✭✭✭✭
“This is an awesome paranormal romance in the Coven of Desire series. I liked it a lot! Lots of dangerous adventure, and emotional stuff from the guys.. especially Ink and Cal.” —Marianne ✭✭✭✭✭
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads | BookBub
Hi Everyone,
Hope your November is off to a great start! These first few days of Nanowrimo2022 have been filled with words on the WiP, and I can’t wait to share some sneak peeks later in the month. For now, here’s the next book in Ellen Mint’s series, Coven of Desire. And in case you missed them, here are the links to INK (prequel, #0), CLAW (#1), and FANG.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Layla thought she was nothing more than a nursing student drowning in debt. Her entire life upended itself on her twenty-fifth birthday when an incubus appeared in her living room. One spell book only she can read, a demon bound to her soul, and a family destiny dropped on her head.
Can a witch get a break?
As she studies the witchcraft entwined with her DNA, she stumbles upon dangerously hot men. Men that aren’t as human as they first appeared. But when she has to square off against a force that scares demons and angels, she’s going to need all the help she can get—both in and out of bed.
Coven of Desire is a paranormal reverse harem that ramps up the heat and body count with each book.
SERIES ORDER: Ink | Claw | Fang | Whisper | Badge | Wings
Title: Whisper (#3)
Series: Coven of Desire
Author: Ellen Mint
Author: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2021
Page Count: 288
Word Count: 75K
ISBN: 978-1-83943-549-2 (Amazon)
Rating: 18+
Hot? Check. Romantic? Double Check. Alive? Well…
Balancing school, work and two boyfriends is draining enough, but Layla is drowning in her witchcraft duties—literally. Monsters that she has to stop are flocking to her city and she thinks she knows why. But her impetuous incubus and winsome werewolf don’t believe her wild theory.
Spring break gives Layla time away from anatomy tests, but sends her to the public library in her quest to uncover the truth about the illusive Mr. White. She doesn’t know where to start until a mysterious stranger drops a book at her feet. Curious about the attractive man with a punk edge, Layla tries to chase after him, only for her hand to go straight through his shoulder.
Daniel Lu is not the drop-dead gorgeous librarian helping wayward students. He actually dropped dead five years before Layla was born. This wayward ghost forced to haunt the library needs her help to find his killer. Hunting down that man that shot Daniel thirty years ago leads Layla on a wild chase through the city and into the sights of a creature that could kill her with a snap of its claws.
She’s willing to risk it all to help the charming and well-read Daniel even while Ink laughs at her caring about a ghost. What kind of fool would fall for someone who’s little more than a whisper in the dark?
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“Excuse me,” I called, trying to run without making a sound and shout in a whisper. It must not have worked as the man didn’t even turn. “Hello? You helped me before and…”
Okay, he had to hear me. I was so close I could make out the folded-over patch on his jacket was a tiger with a guitar in its massive paw. But the man kept drifting deeper into the stacks, not even glancing back.
“Look—” Reaching a hand out, I cupped his shoulder.
Or I tried to.
Cold stabbed up my arm like a bush of thorns and my fingers slipped right through the man’s flesh. A blast without sound burst from the stranger. It blanketed away the lights, casting the library into shadows only punctured by the sun peeking through barred-off windows. I ripped my hand out of the nothing of his chest.
Slowly, the floating figure turned, his eyes narrowing in on me holding my hand like I’d burned it. “What…?” I stuttered, the whole of my body shaking. “Oh, shit!”
Ducking into a half crouch, I scrabbled to escape. A lone, wailing voice scratched through the ether to my ears. “Wait…” he called, like I had any intention of standing around and letting whatever that thing was rip me to pieces.
That’s what happened with every damn creature—strange encounter, minor greeting attempt, then claw extension and liver consumption. Not today. I struggled to keep my balance, slapping my hands into rows of books. The covers smacked to the floor, providing debris to slow the monster down.
Or it would if the thing wasn’t non-corporeal.
Instead, it was my shoes that caught on the slippery books. I clung to the shelves, pulling my body along like I was pretend skating with my mom. Except this time an evil creature was actually chasing after me.
“Stop!” the monster called, quick on my heels.
Confuse it. I twisted down a row of books. A hint of sunlight shined down from the windows. Maybe the light would scare it away. Twisting around, I met the creature eye to eye.
Fuck, those are killer cheekbones. He was a beautiful man in profile, but straight on my heart skipped a beat tracing down the wide plummet of a bone structure as delicate as a stiletto dagger. The hot creature stopped, maybe realizing I was in the protection of the sun.
Slowly, I moved to ease my purse off my shoulder and reach for my spell book when the creature took a step forward. Shit! I dashed back, my gaze never wavering off of him. The mass of books in my bag smashed together, pinching my hand. Where was the damn spell book?
Ah!
Metal ridges smacked into my back and I realized I had walked right into the radiator. The awkward angle bit into my knees, causing them to buckle. I strained to keep my toes on the ground even as my ass tumbled to the hot metal.
Book, if you have some psychic link with me, I need you to find a passage to banish bodiless…okay. No. He has a body. A lithe, tortured punk kind of body. Stop staring at his body.
“Can you see me?” he asked. The voice of fingernails scratching from inside a coffin shifted. His gravel mellowed to a softer timbre until smooth as glass.
“Damn right I can!” I shouted and raised my spell book at him. It’d sent scroungers screaming, smashed in the heads of werewolves. No chance whatever this creature was could stand against it. “Now…begone!”
He darted his dark eyes to my tome of witchcraft, the red leather warmer than the radiator under my ass. Reaching out with his hand, he moved his arm through the sunbeams. I stared harder and watched a sheen of blue barely glimmer below the surface of his olive skin. Folding his fingers back until only a single digit remained, he tapped the tip against my book.
A surge of energy radiated across my splayed palms and up through the monster’s arm. As it circled his body, the jacket darkened and a red stain splattered right above his heart.
With wide eyes, he gasped, “What are you?”
“HOT DAMN! Great reading–and not just the steamy scenes. But as for them? Yeah, WOW, just wow!” — Fiona M (TBR Pile) ✭✭✭✭✭
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads | BookBub
Hi hi hi,
For Day 3 of Nanowrimo, while I’m off writing All The Words for the WiP, have a look at the next book in Ellen Mint’s series, Coven of Desire. You discovered INK (prequel, #0) and CLAW (#1) already, and today we have FANG, book #2.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Layla thought she was nothing more than a nursing student drowning in debt. Her entire life upended itself on her twenty-fifth birthday when an incubus appeared in her living room. One spell book only she can read, a demon bound to her soul, and a family destiny dropped on her head.
Can a witch get a break?
As she studies the witchcraft entwined with her DNA, she stumbles upon dangerously hot men. Men that aren’t as human as they first appeared. But when she has to square off against a force that scares demons and angels, she’s going to need all the help she can get—both in and out of bed.
Coven of Desire is a paranormal reverse harem that ramps up the heat and body count with each book.
SERIES ORDER: Ink | Claw | Fang | Whisper | Badge | Wings
Title: Fang (#2)
Series: Coven of Desire
Author: Ellen Mint
Author: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 25, 2021
Page Count: 208
Word Count: 50K
ISBN: 978-1-83943-507-2 (Amazon)
Rating: 18+
How can Cal live when the monster remains in the mirror?
Cal is struggling. After his past unraveled into a torment that claimed nearly his whole family, how could he not be? The only good left in his life is Layla, even if she comes with a pain-in-the-haunches incubus. Dealing with Ink is one more problem he’s ignoring, until the werewolf issues he’s refused to face come for him.
A second pack is hunting him and they’re threatening his mother. Cal has no choice but to travel back to Santa Fe and confront them, or lose the last family he has left. While a road trip with Layla sounds nice, Ink has to come along, and the demon keeps driving a growing wedge between Cal and his tenuous grasp on humanity.
Cal, Ink and Layla come face to face with an enemy Cal once believed to be nothing but a myth, his claws and fangs useless against their firepower. What do they want with the witch, werewolf and demon? And, most of all, how can they be stopped?
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“It’s stress,” I whispered to myself. The old pipes groaned, slowing the water pressure to a drip, but finally the shower turned warm…then scalding. I twisted the knob, not shifting out of the spray even as my ears burned. They’d probably look funny so bright red against my white-blond hair.
I hated it. One summer, I’d spent every day I could in the cheap-ass city pool, hoping the green tint would be permanent. To finally rip away that mark. We were all stuck with the same eyes, but his hair…
Stop thinking about him. He’s dead. The cult’s…who the fuck cares. They’d gone silent as Thanksgiving became Christmas. I’d tried to keep an eye on the compound, but the sudden downfall of snow made trudging to the woods treacherous—far too easy for guards to track a man or beast in that weather.
The light shifted. I yanked my head from the downpour and was about to spin around when chilled hands cupped around my chest. She pressed her cheek flush with my back, and my rapid heartbeat calmed itself.
“I thought you might like some company,” Layla said, most of the croak gone out of her voice.
Her company was the only thing I wanted anymore. Work. School. Tests. Transformation. Eating. Sleeping—there was no joy to be found in any aspect of my life…except for Layla.
I caught her fingers wafting through my soaked chest hair and pulled them to my lips to kiss her knuckles. Her body caressed against mine, […]
The wolf knew her body’s reactions. It smelled the flush of her skin dewing in arousal. It heard her heartbeat picking up in tempo, the micro-gasps that made no sound to the human ear.
I spun so fast water beads whipped off in all directions. A groggy smile clung to her lips, the humid shower highlighting the petal-pink color against the tawny hue of her skin. Dew drops beaded across her entire body that kicked off a pant in my throat. But it was her eyes that ensnared me, wide in her face and so round they almost looked like perfect spheres. I was entranced with them, with the deep brown color that bore a trace of green in the bright summer light and her dark lashes that brushed to the sides naturally like curtains before a work of art.
“You’re so damn…” I said, but the words in my throat garbled to a growl. I dove for her lips while focusing on her eyes. The jolt of surprise in her irises was eclipsed by hunger, the slow flutter of her lids slipping closed as she folded her hands around my neck and tugged me closer.
Every lingering taste from my dream vanished, my mouth flooding with only Layla. I pressed her pillowy lips open and plunged my tongue inside, needing more of her. All of her. She tugged on my hair, guiding me to kiss her harder than before.
Nip her. Scrape your teeth down her throat. […]
My hand cupped to her neck, causing Layla to break off the kiss. Those wide, beautiful eyes hooded and she turned her jaw to the side. An invitation.
Yes. Bite her. […]
Running my nose against the hollow behind her ear and down, I trailed my lips to her throat…and placed a soft kiss instead. Layla giggled in delight, while the wolf inside me pouted. It’d had enough attention already.
Cupping my hands to the side of her face, I scattered the water droplets on her forehead with my thumbs. “How can you be so beautiful the second you wake up?”
She snorted at that. “You are a terrible liar.”
“No. I’m painfully…” I swept my palms over her […]. “Awkwardly…” My hips twitched […]. Stars shattered in my eyes, telling me this wasn’t going to be a slow and gentle session.
Layla tossed her head back, her spirals of hair flattening against the shower tile. Another moan from her kicked off one in me.
I dove to her lips, about to press a kiss when I whispered, “Honest.”
“What a great addition to the series the storyline is well written and developed and worth reading. The characters have loads of great chemistry throughout the storyline.” —Elvira G ✭✭✭✭✭
“What says it when you start reading like a storm cloud? Fast and with no pause to take in some much needed air for your poor lungs?…Thank you so much for this lovely road trip with the witch, the demon, the werewolf and the nymph. I highly enjoyed it.” —Andrea B ✭✭✭✭✭
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads | BookBub
Happy November Dear Readers!
I’m embarking on Nanowrimo2022 as of yesterday, working on two Fae paranormal romances. I’ll also be updating the blog every day this week, as promised, with Ellen Mint’s series, Coven of Desire. You learned about INK (prequel, #0) on Monday, and today we have Claw, book #1. Read on for details and an excerpt.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Layla thought she was nothing more than a nursing student drowning in debt. Her entire life upended itself on her twenty-fifth birthday when an incubus appeared in her living room. One spell book only she can read, a demon bound to her soul, and a family destiny dropped on her head.
Can a witch get a break?
As she studies the witchcraft entwined with her DNA, she stumbles upon dangerously hot men. Men that aren’t as human as they first appeared. But when she has to square off against a force that scares demons and angels, she’s going to need all the help she can get—both in and out of bed.
Coven of Desire is a paranormal reverse harem that ramps up the heat and body count with each book.
SERIES ORDER: Ink | Claw | Fang | Whisper | Badge | Wings
Title: Claw (#1)
Series: Coven of Desire
Author: Ellen Mint
Author: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Release Date: March 16, 2021
Page Count: 307
Word Count: 75K
ISBN: 978-1-83943-958-2 (Amazon)
Rating: 18+
He’s not your typical werewolf-next-door.
Layla didn’t count on a sex demon appearing in her living room. Nor did she expect to find she’s a witch tasked with protecting the mortal realm. And now her friend, fellow nursing student and impossible crush could be a potential killer?
She’s silently lusted after Cal for a year, knowing a guy that hot, sweet, and kind wouldn’t look twice at her. All their flirting was innocent and went nowhere, until Ink—the incubus bound to her—ran into her life and bed. Next thing she knows, Cal’s growling at her while Ink flirts, and women are being ripped apart by wild animals. Couldn’t the murder monster mystery wait until after finals?
She wanted to be a nurse, not a paranormal investigator, but Layla has no choice. Apparently only witches can stop these creatures that she didn’t even know existed a month ago. But the deeper she digs, the more it looks like Cal’s deep in the middle of it all. How can she save her friend from the claws of a cult, keep her sex-craved demon happy and find a way to let both into her heart or bed?
Amazon | Apple | B&N | Kobo |BookBub | GoodReads | Book Trailer
My leg knocked into a hard edge and I started falling. The werewolf’s wound-up legs sprung, launching him forward to wrap a hand around my face. He hooked his thumb and forefinger along my chin and up my cheeks, and he held me so tight I had no chance of escaping.
“Please,” I whispered, praying there was a single note of compassion remaining inside the animal.
The icy gaze darted behind me. “You almost fell,” he said, drawing me to find the stack of crates I nearly crashed onto.
I wished that reassured me, that I wasn’t still staring deep into the eyes of a potential crazed animal, but he didn’t release his hold on my face. Cal raised his other hand, the fingers extended as if he expected claws to be on them. The palm drifted closer, my heart thundering for fear of where it was heading. To pierce my ribcage? Pry out my heart? Rip off an arm?
When it settled on my hip, I felt a macabre sense of disappointment. Until Calvin, always sweet but distant Calvin, brushed the full pad of his palm over my ass. A deep rumble rolled from his chest, which kept rising higher.
“Let me leave,” I whispered.
That killed his growl, his head shooting up and the eyes opening in surprise. But as he circled his lips with his tongue—which I’d never noticed was so long before—Calvin flexed his hold on me.
Oh god! I stumbled backward, my hands flying to find anything to grab. One latched on to his forearm, the arm with the fingers attached to my face. I could dig my own claws in, see if that shook him off.
But I’d found his den, sussed out his secret. No chance he’d let me walk away now.
“Ah!” I gasped, my back striking the wall. A picture frame jabbed into me, but I wasn’t in a position to complain. Cal pressed closer, first with his chest almost shoving into mine, then his hips. His hand remained clamped over my chin. I kept picturing it sliding down to my throat to cut off my air. But he didn’t move it even while leaning nearer until he grazed the edge of my jaw with his teeth.
Shit. My legs wouldn’t stop trembling, my body wanting to fall to the ground and scamper away. But not all of it. Even as I hung on to his arm, my fingers toyed with the hard muscle clinging to me. With every swipe of his hips, the undeniable surge in his pants grew.
“Layla.” Calvin whispered my name like he recognized me from across the street. I turned to him and he plunged his famished mouth over mine. Inescapable heat pulsed through me, Cal’s lips a hard snarl aching to own me. But the longer he kissed me, the softer they became. Almost tender and gentle, he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I answered back with mine. My body hummed with anticipation, my mind pleading for more. For me to taste all of him.
Loss. It flooded my senses and I opened my eyes to watch Calvin break off the kiss. His hand slipped from my face, though the other remained cradling my ass. Slowly, he licked his lips, causing a smile to twist across them. But he shook it off and said in a ragged voice, “You can go.”
“What?” I lost all focus, my head whipping to the side to see he’d kissed me right next to the door. He’d brought me to the door.
Calvin pulled in a slow breath and his smile turned winsome. “You asked to leave.”
Yes. I needed to get out. He could be a murderer. Except he’d been here that night…literally chained up. He’d chained himself up? To keep others safe? My heart fluttered at the idea and Calvin slunk back. He swiped at his neck like it was tough for him to breathe after our kiss. It tugged the sweater down, revealing a handful of blond chest hair begging to be freed.
He’s a werewolf.
Well, nobody’s perfect.
“Well written story with twists, turns and lots of sex. You won’t put this one down easily. It has all the feels, fun, and excitement I expected.” —Bella D ✭✭✭✭✭
“Wow, totally enjoyed reading this book. It was written and has a well developed storyline that had me hooked from the start through to the end. The characters are engaging and entertaining.” —Elvira G ✭✭✭✭✭
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
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Hi Everyone!
Hope you had a fun Halloween! Let’s start off November with this PNR series by author, queen of awesome multi-author giveaways, and all-around lovely person Ellen Mint. There are six books in her Coven of Desire series, starting with Ink. I’ll be presenting the books one by one on the blog for the next several days. Read on now for details and an excerpt from INK.
Enjoy!
xo, Celia
Layla thought she was nothing more than a nursing student drowning in debt. Her entire life upended itself on her twenty-fifth birthday when an incubus appeared in her living room. One spell book only she can read, a demon bound to her soul, and a family destiny dropped on her head.
Can a witch get a break?
As she studies the witchcraft entwined with her DNA, she stumbles upon dangerously hot men. Men that aren’t as human as they first appeared. But when she has to square off against a force that scares demons and angels, she’s going to need all the help she can get—both in and out of bed.
Coven of Desire is a paranormal reverse harem that ramps up the heat and body count with each book.
SERIES ORDER: Ink | Claw | Fang | Whisper | Badge | Wings
Title: Ink: Some Like It Haunted (#0)
Series: Coven of Desire
Author: Ellen Mint
Author: Totally Bound Publishing
Genre: Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance
Release Date: October 20, 2020
Page Count: 80
Word Count: 20K
ISBN: 978-1-83943-442-6 (Amazon)
Rating: 18+
One bad boy demon for her birthday…
All Layla wanted was to spend her Halloween birthday alone. She never expected a nearly naked man in a red thong to appear out of nowhere in her living room. He calls himself Ink and insists he’s an incubus bound to her. Not about to fall for that, she plans to toss him out on his shiny butt when she remembers her friends kept hinting at a late birthday present. Layla fears they got her one hot session with a man built for sex. And it’s not nice to return a gift without trying it out…
In this steamy prequel to a paranormal reverse harem series, Layla learns that her entire life has been a lie and that sometimes a man who wants to answer her every desire is exactly what he appears to be.
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In the process of righting my eyes, I caught a flash of light breaking from the living room. It kept strobing as if a lightning storm had crashed on my futon. If I wasn’t partially hungover and drunk at the same time, I’d like to think I’d have done the smart thing. Called the cops, called the building manager, grabbed a weapon. Not walked out into the weird lights and sounds armed only with my exhausted hand on my hip.
As I stepped into the hallway, noting that my front door was still closed, a shadow crawled across the wall. It looked like a man rising to his feet when a pair of giant bird wings erupted from behind his back. They stretched wide, every shadowy feather straining as if this intruder were about to fly.
Did I turn around, grab my phone and wait for the police to sort this out?
Of course not. I ran straight into my living room and my jaw hit the floor.
It wasn’t because a giant bird flew into my apartment and flapped about in pain. Or that one of my old angel costumes from a past Halloween had come to life and started dancing around. No, this was even weirder.
A gorgeous man with sun-kissed skin stood on my yoga mat. His hair was lush and reached his collarbones. His very exposed and cut collarbones. Which drew my eye lower down the rest of his body.
I could have offered to check him for moles for how naked he was. His chest glistened the only way hairless skin could, which he had puffed out to display his impressive pecs. A single line of dark hair revived itself under his labyrinth of abs. I tried to count them but lost track as I followed the treasure trail down to a pair of red satin briefs that barely covered his shame.
[…]
I lashed out with my hand and snatched up the first thing I could…which happened to be a pillar candle. Waving it about as if it were a club, I shouted, “Who the fuck are you?!”
The man laughed, his voice that deep ‘roll through every nerve in my body’ baritone. “Highly accurate,” he said, raising and lowering his sharp eyebrows while a smile perched on his lips.
I shook the candle around, prepared to attack him if he didn’t give me an answer. The stranger eyed it up, then said, “I am your incubus.”
“What?”
“And I must say…” He placed a hand to his ab-alicious stomach and peered down. “I quite like your preferences. Ooh.” His hand slipped under his red briefs and he started to jerk his hand […]. Those dark eyes rolled back into his head and he shook his black hair while moaning.
[…] My toes raised my body up, trying to get me a better view, when I scowled. “Stop that!” I shouted as much at him as my own train-wreck libido.
The man pulled his hand away instantly then extended both out as if I had him at my mercy. Ha. Sure.
“Let’s start again. Who are you?”
His infectious smile wavered, drawing my attention to how hawk-like his features were without the raised cheeks of a grin. I clenched my toes, afraid of what his anger would bring, but any ire snapped away in an instant. “I am yours, Layla. What more need be said?”
“Mine? How the shit are you mine? I’ve never seen you before in my life!” I shouted again, still brandishing the candle. To my surprise, he kept acting like it was a real threat to him.
His eyes stayed steady on the sweet pea pillar while he spoke. “I am here to answer your every desire.”
“Surprises just keep coming, along with a deal with a demon and magical mayhem and danger. Full of magical creatures, suspense, and chaos, he must help her for both of their lives depend on it!” — Annette A ✭✭✭✭✭
“Ellen kept me smiling and wanting to laugh out loud with Layla’s reactions to Ink’s revelations. Ellen’s ability to paint steamy scenes while keeping it clean is outstanding.” — Angel M ✭✭✭✭✭
“Our FMC was a real girl working and trying to enjoy her seemingly normal life only to have Ink pop in for a rude but oh so sexy awakening. I’m dying for more.” —Jeri M ✭✭✭✭✭
“Layla is hilarious, quirky, and adorable. And Ink? Damn that man is sin on legs.” —Beatriz P ✭✭✭✭✭
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
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All content, Copyright 2012 – 2023 Celia Breslin, all rights reserved. Contact: celia(at)celiabreslin.com