Virna De Paul and “Bedding the Wrong Brother”

Praise For National Bestselling Author Virna De Paul:

“De Paul is amazing!” —NYT Bestselling Author Lori Foster

“This story is beautifully written…I found myself falling in love with every single character from the first pages.”

Susana Says…Sexy and Satisfying Read…4/5 Stars

Melina is an entomologist insecure about her ability to satisfy a man sexually. Her good friends know she has always had a crush on Rhys, the boy next door who has become a traveling magician along with his twin Max, and suggest that she ask Rhys to teach her what she needs to know. Melina cringes at that…making love with the man she loves with the full knowledge that it’s just sex to him would be torture. But Max…well, Max is another story.

Max, who feels guilty about the nasty trick he played on Melina and Rhys when they were teens—which resulted in keeping them apart—tries to make amends by setting them up. Even though the two of them are identical, Melina is one of the few who can tell them apart. But when Rhys finds out what Melina is up to, he makes it his responsibility to show Melina there’s nothing wrong with her—it’s the guys she’s been with that are the problem.

Rhys has always loved Melina, but it’s not just Max’s fault that he has avoided her over the years. He’s a traveling magician and Melina is the epitome of the white-picket-fence woman. She would hate the show-business life. But after they spend an intimate weekend together, he finds himself wondering if there is some way to compromise.

I love the ladybug theme. Rhys’ pet name for Melina is ladybug, since that’s her favorite insect. When he was in France—before the story began—he bought her a polka-dot bikini that he knew would show off her assets. Proof positive that he’s telling the truth about his feelings for her.

De Paul has a unique way of describing people:

Grace, a career counselor in the university’s humanities department, was class and calmness personified. While Lucy was Cherry Garcia—cherry ice cream with cherries and fudge flakes—Grace was Ben and Jerry’s Crème Brûlée—sweet custard ice cream with a caramelized sugar swirl.

Here are some memorable quotes:

She was tired of men who sucked in bed and blamed her for their suckiness.

“Then if your exes found you wanting, it wasn’t because you lacked skill, it was because they knew you didn’t feel that passion for them. That doesn’t mean you don’t have the passion inside you.” I should know, he thought. She’d given him the taste he’d been craving, and it had almost blown his mind.

“You’re as sexy as you’re willing to let yourself be. Always remember that, Melina.”

My previous experience with De Paul’s books have been her Para-Ops series, which I’ve mentioned before on this blog. But after reading this book, I can heartily recommend her contemporaries as well. Enjoy!

About Virna De Paul

Virna De Paul is a former criminal prosecutor and national bestselling author of paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense. She writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, HQN, and Random House. In her off hours, she loves Broadway musicals, spending time with her family and friends, and connecting with other romance readers.

http://www.virnadepaul.com/index.shtml

Virna’s books are available at most ebook retailers.

My TBR List For Summer + GIVEAWAY!

Jun21

Inundated With Books

Are you like me…overwhelmed with piles of hundreds of books I’m dying to read, but not enough time to read them? Since I reinvented myself as an author/blogger/promo queen, the days seem to go by way too quickly. I used to read about five books a week—once I read an Outlander book in a DAY, believe it or not—but now I’m lucky to get through two. Now if I could hire someone to do clean the house and do the yard work, well, maybe I could get in one more. (Uh, maybe not. I’m not the greatest housekeeper. But the house and yard would certainly look better!)

So I thought I’d post a list of books I definitely want to get through this summer—before August 31. Not necessarily in this order:

Honor’s Debt by Joan Vincent (halfway done)
Lily’s Leap by Téa Cooper
Matilda’s Freedom by Téa Cooper
Bedding the Wrong Brother by Virna De Paul
A Rose in the Storm by Brenda Joyce
A Lady in Name by Elizabeth Bailey
If You Dare by Kresley Cole
Her Gilded Prison by Beverley Oakley
Just For the Summer by Jenna Rutland
The Trouble With Sin by Victoria Vane
The Queen’s Favourites by Jean Plaidy*
Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
Miss Goldsleigh’s Secret by Amylynn Bright
The Seduction of Lady Phoebe by Ella Quinn
The Lady and the Laird by Nicole Cornick
The Tudor Conspiracy by C.W. Gortner
A Most Devilish Rogue by Ashlyn MacNamara
An Ideal Duchess by Evangeline Howard

*The Queen’s Favourites is an older hard copy I happen to have in my collection of Jean Plaidy/Philippa Carr books. I chose this one because it’s about Sarah Churchill and Anne Stuart, and last year I heard about their relationship while touring Blenheim Palace, which was built for the Duke of Marlborough (Sarah’s husband).

Of course, I have a few hundred others on my Kindle and several shelves full of print books, so these won’t even make a dent. And after my trip to Scotland (June 20-July 6), I may be inspired to add a few more Scotland-set books. Or even write one of my own, who knows?

What books are you planning to read this summer? Post your own list in the comment section and be eligible to win a deck of cards featuring covers of Ellora’s Cave books OR a Merry Monarchs card game from England (your choice). Will mail anywhere in the world!

Spotlight on Virna De Paul’s Chosen Series

Jan22

Virna De Paul is an excellent example of how offering free reads can be a great way to find new readers. I can’t recall exactly how I discovered her, but I do recall reading a short teaser involving Wraith, the heroine of Chosen By Fate, and also a paranormal short story of hers in an anthology (sorry, can’t remember the name). And somehow, I found my way to Chosen By Sin, the third in the Chosen series, and I was hooked. I can’t wait for the fourth one, Chosen By Desire.

You needn’t be a die-hard paranormal fan to enjoy these engrossing stories. I’m a historical romance devotee with a Star Trek background, hence my ecclectic tastes. There are times when Regency England is the entrée of choice, and others when I’m in the mood for exotic new worlds and species. If you haven’t tried Virna DePaul, don’t let too much more time pass before you do!

United by fate. Bound by desire.

Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn—humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

CHOSEN BY BLOOD (BOOK 1 IN THE PARA-OPS SERIES)

Leader of an Otherborn clan, half-breed vampire Knox Devereaux would do anything to find a cure for the anti-vamp vaccine slowly starving his people into extinction. When the FBI contacts him about leading a team of hand-selected Others on a mission to reclaim the stolen antidote, Knox accepts. His new assignment places him in direct contact with Special Agent Felicia Locke, the beautiful human he’s craved since their very first meeting.

CHOSEN BY FATE (BOOK 2 IN THE PARA-OPS SERIES)

Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O’Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith—a ghost with no memory of her human existence, one who cannot experience touch without pain.

No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so Wraith’s time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity and experience one night with Caleb. Willing to risk any amount of pain, Wraith propositions him. But when a sign of impending death appears on his chest, Wraith sacrifices her own needs on the chance that sex with her could kill him.

Caleb doesn’t understand Wraith’s change of heart but refuses to let her push him away. As the team travels to Los Angeles to investigate a series of crimes in the feline community, Caleb sets out to prove to Wraith that pleasure and love are worth any risk, including death.

CHOSEN BY SIN (BOOK 3 IN THE PARA-OPS SERIES)

For now, werebeast Dex Hunt serves on the Para-Ops team, but his true purpose is to kill the werewolf leader he blames for his mother’s death. Biding his time, Dex keeps his emotional distance from his team members and anyone else he might care for, including a mysterious vampire he met in LA.

As a doctor, vampire Jesmina Martin has dedicated her immortal life to healing others. As a scientific researcher, she’s trying to prolong life spans, in particular those of her adoptive dragon-shifter family and the werewolf who saved her as a child. Her greatest hope lies with Dex, a werebeast she believes can gift immortality to others.

Only Dex knows nothing about his gift or the fact Jesmina wants to harness it. After a passionate night together neither expects to see the other again. Weeks later, they are reunited in France and forced to acknowledge a fragile miracle—a new life struggling to survive. At the same time, they must stop a group of rebel shape-shifters hoping to unleash every demon in hell. But before Dex and Jesmina can save their child or the world, they must relinquish their secrets, face their fears, and open themselves to love.