It's done!
Finally!
Yes, Norseman's
Salvation, Book Three in The Norsemen Sagas, is complete.
I'm diving in to the
process of the first review/edits. It's been some time since I started the book
until this week when I finished it. At first, I moved at a pretty good pace
when this story first came to life last year. Interestingly, this one takes place between books 1 and books 2. Not sure why certain characters make more noise than others at various times. Anyway, when I happened to get the rights
back last year to seven of my other other books, the time it took to revise (very heavily in
some cases) and relaunch those books sent Salvation to the back burner. However,
in looking back, I think that actually worked out for the better, because the
plot continued to simmer in the back of my thoughts while I toiled away on updating
those other books. Ultimately, that extra time enabled me to pull together some
loose ends, and find a realistic way to weave all those ends together. And being
a historical romance novel allows for venturing into the realm of fantasy, so I was able to twist things around the way I wanted them. ;-)
This book of
course also includes A Kinky Twist on History! love scenes, which I hope have
taken on an added dimension since Jolinn (BTW, her name is pronounced Yo-linn)
is equal to the hero, Brosa, on many levels. As a shield-maiden, she dares far more
than the other heroines in the Sagas, for she has the heart of a warrior,
as well as the heart of a woman. And she will use both in her attempt to win
Brosa, but circumstances will put her in a position where she must fiercely
resist being a mere slave, or worse, a concubine to be used on a man's whim.
Yet, when she finds herself
facing that exact scenario, her need to defy her situation is tempered by her need to give in
to the man in question, not only because she has loved him for many years, but
because his insistence on bending her to his will brings the most delightfully
carnal pleasure.
I'm going to
share a little sneak peek below, but first I want to show off the sexy new
cover, created by my favorite cover artist, Winter Bayne. I can't say enough how
much I adore her work – I provide the clinch (cover pose) and she brings the
characters to life and really captures the essence of the story. This cover
features super sexy Michael Foster and I am so excited to finally have him
grace one of my books.
Stay tuned for
pre-order and release date info. I should have all that shortly.
Feast your eyes
on this gorgeous cover:
Here's the blurb for
Norseman's Salvation:
Can She Survive His Cruelty - And Save
His Tortured Soul?
Jolinn Gallarsdottir
has trained hard to become a fierce shield-maiden. Hoping to impress Brosa
Sorensson with her skills, she seduces him when he is vulnerable, in an attempt
to win his heart as well.
Wracked
with guilt over his failure to save his men, Brosa has spent many months
attempting to restore his honor and once more gain the blessings of the gods.
The goal is pushed further out of his reach when he beds Jolinn, tarnishing his
reputation further. He vows never to let it happen again, though he cannot
escape his thoughts of a dark-haired temptress with a sexual appetite to match
his own.
When
Jolinn's request to go raiding with the men is rejected, she stows away,
disobeying her father's orders. As punishment, she is given to Brosa as his
slave. Vowing to prove her worth as a warrior and his equal, she defies him at
every chance.
Determined
to dominate Jolinn and bend her to his will, Brosa soon finds himself enjoying
her fire and their battles lead to more passion. But when the gods ask him to
make the ultimate sacrifice, will everything between them be destroyed?
Contains
A Kinky Twist on History! love scenes, including bondage, spanking and more!
Aaaand here's the sneak
peek. As always, be careful where and when you read this. ;-) A little background – Brosa has returned to
his village after journeying with his men. Two years earlier, they'd suffered a
terrible defeat - in the attack that opens Norseman's Revenge, book 1 in the
series. Since that time, Brosa has been dealing with his failure and trying to
win back the gods' blessing. He's made progress with the successes he's had, but every so often, like at
this point in the story, he finds himself again feeling really guilty and shamed.
Jolinn, who has long pined for Brosa, is now a shield-maiden, all grown up and
anxious to show Brosa just how much.
Sensing someone watching him, Brosa
turned, once again meeting the dark eyes of the lovely woman who had seated
herself at his father's table. She seemed familiar, but he found himself unable
to recall her name. She offered a smile, accompanied by a strong attraction
clear in her gaze. For the first time in months, he felt a stirring of desire,
his own gaze dipping to her full lips. Did she taste as sweet as the mead she
now sipped? The urge to find out took over his thoughts, addled as they were
from the ale.
He motioned her to come and sit beside
him. The innocent way her eyes widened, followed by the immediate broadening of
her grin, stirred him further. A moment later, she'd taken up the intended seat,
her eyes focused on him adoringly. Again, he found him struck by her
familiarity, but again, failed to recall her name or who she was.
"You are enjoying the feast?"
she asked. Her voice, low and husky, sent a shiver along his spine.
He nodded, unwilling to voice the lie.
"And you?"
"I am glad you are all returned
safely, even if Geira did not accompany you. She is happy where she is?"
"You are a friend of hers,
then?"
"Brosa, don't you recognize
me?" the dark-haired woman asked.
He didn't answer for several moments,
admiring the thin braids woven through her long locks. Once more, his gaze
returned to her lips and the urge to taste her grew stronger. He leaned close.
Her hand on his chest stopped him.
"Brosa, you don't know who I am, do you?"
He fought the urge to shove her hand
aside and haul her against him. Instead, he shook his head.
"Forgive me, I do not."
She laughed, a light carefree sound that
somehow carried over the din of the feast.
"It's me. Jolinn."
He gaped at her. Jolinn Gallarsdotter?
She couldn't possibly be. Jolinn was no more than a child.
"I am no child!"
He'd spoken aloud? The ale had truly
scattered his wits.
"I am a woman now," Jolinn
continued. "A shield-0maiden. I've trained hard these last two
years."
"But… how… I mean –"
Another laugh and he found himself
enraptured by the sound.
"You have not been here in Allesgatt
for most of the last two years. Between your journey to Fellskoger, and your
journeys after, you spent little more than a couple of days at a time. I am not
surprised you did not recognize me."
"Jolinn. A shield-maiden. Your
father must be proud."
Some of the happiness faded from her
eyes before she offered a nod. "And you? Are you proud of me?"
He recalled the little girl who had
dogged his every step years ago. He had indulged her, and honestly had enjoyed her
attentions, flattered by her childhood adoration. But now, she was a woman, and
to see that adoration in her eyes again roused very different emotions.
"I am surprised at how… lovely
you've become." The truth sparked a blush creeping into her cheeks, one he
found attractive. It must be the ale making him feel this way. That and the
fact he had been too long without a woman's warmth.
He turned to his trencher, picking up a
rabbit leg and biting into it. The juicy meat did nothing to stop the
ever-growing desire. He reached for another piece of meat and handed it to her.
The smile of thanks incited another rush of desire. She was truly lovely,
lovelier than any other woman he'd known.
But surely she knew what a failure he
was as a warrior. Why did the thought of her disappointment feel like a rusty
axe slicing into his gut? He averted his gaze, unable to look into those dark
adoring eyes a moment longer.
"Brosa? Are you unwell? Or just
drunk?"
He gave a bitter laugh. "Jolinn, I
am many things. Drunk is but one of them."
"Maybe you should rest. You've had
a long journey and with all that ale, surely you must be anxious to find your
bed."
Despite the ale, there was no mistaking
the invitation in her words. Was little Jolinn actually trying to seduce him?
No longer little. Though mostly hidden beneath the leather armor she wore, he still
made out her sensual curves. His fingers suddenly itched to touch her, to
remove the apron and the dress underneath. To stretch her out beneath him and
savor the heat of her body.
He shouldn't. He was no longer worthy of
her esteem, might never be again until the gods saw fit to forgive him for
allowing his clansmen to die. Damn the gods! Jolinn was clearly offering
herself. This might be his last chance to be selfish and take what he wanted.
She leaned in close, placing a hand on
his arm. Slowly, her fingers crept upward, until they rested on his shoulder.
"Come, Brosa. I have the perfect
place for you to seek your… rest."
She squeezed his shoulder and stood.
Brosa glanced around. No one seemed to pay them the slightest notice, the clan
too caught up in the feast. Contests of skill and strength had broken out among
several of the men, accompanied by both shouts of encouragement and slurs.
She held out a hand and he took it,
allowing her to pull him up and lead him from the longhouse. The cool night air
was welcome against his warm cheeks and he remained silent, content to follow.
She hesitated before a small cabin, turning. The moonlight illuminated the
combination of eagerness and uncertainty lined into her face.
"Will you come inside with
me?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.
"Do you know what I will ask of
you?"
She nodded.
"If you are sure –"
"I am," she said, perhaps a
little too fast.
He smiled, lifting a hand to touch her
cheek, sliding to the back of her head. He held her still and lowered his head.
At the first touch of his lips against hers,
he lost all restraint and devoured her mouth, sweeping his tongue past her
parted lips to taste her sweetness. Spurred by desire and the amount of ale,
the kiss grew hungry and demanding and he clenched his fingers in her hair to
hold her near.
When her tongue dueled his, he lost all
restraint, sliding his hands to her buttocks and pressing her hard against him.
His cock ached already and the feel of her fingers sliding around his neck, her
arms holding him tight, spurred him to reach behind her for the door and shove
it open, stepping her backward into the small cabin.
He finally needed to pull away to catch
the breath she'd pulled from him with the heat of her desire. Slowly, her
heavy-lidded eyes opened and he nearly lost his restraint once more to see the
fiery passion he'd felt a moment before. He kicked the door shut and yanked her
hard against him.
"You are brazen."
He didn't give her a chance to answer
before claiming her mouth once more. She gave the sweetest little whimper, but
never backed away. When his fingers found the clasp behind her neck holding the
leather armor in place, hers attacked the ties of his own tunic. He kept his
lips fused to hers, fearing if he relinquished the kiss, she might vanish.
Awareness of her hands on his shoulders,
shoving, pushing him away, cut into the haze overtaking his logic. He stumbled
back a step before steadying himself.
