Category Archives: Zara Stoneley

Review: Summer of Surrender by Zara Stoneley

Title: Summer of Surrender by Zara Stoneley
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: HarperImpulse
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 182 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Blog Tour Company

Summary:

Sex is the only thing they have in common. Total surrender the name of the game.

James had it all. Good education. City job and a wife he would have been willing to die for. Their motto had been work hard, play hard, but she’d pushed the boundaries too far and he’d walked. Became the man he felt he needed to be. Detached. In control.

Free spirit Kezia lives each day at a time; sharing, loving and giving are unconditional. And sex is part of the sharing.

When fate leaves James and Kezia trapped together for the summer, her openness is an invitation he just can’t resist. The attraction is instant, the sex all-consuming. And as their fantasies become reality, James begins to realise that willing surrender is a far different pleasure to forced submission…

The Review:

Summer of Surrender by Zara Stoneley is a sexually-charged romance between two completely opposite characters who are absolutely perfect for one another.

Looking forward to some much needed alone time, James is not at all pleased when he discovers Kezia will be spending the summer with him. He is also less than thrilled by his intense attraction to the bohemian beauty but their passion for one another is impossible to resist. Just as things are heating up between them, their relationship is threatened by someone from Kezia’s past.

James and Kezia are a study in contrasts and that is what makes their pairing so wonderful. Kezia is an only child who adored her parents and fully embraced their wandering lifestyle. She is a delightful breath of fresh air-exuberant, open and confident with just a hint of insecurity stemming from her unconventional upbringing. In the aftermath of a tragic loss, Kezia is finally ready to put down some roots when she meets James.

James’s childhood was traditional and as an adult, he followed the predictable path to a successful job and marriage. After his divorce, he walked away from both his career and family and James now keeps tight control of every aspect of his life. He is quite enigmatic and it takes him most of the novel to reveal his secrets.

James and Kezia’s attraction to one another is sizzling hot and their sex scenes are quite steamy. With James, Kezia is finally able to explore her fantasies of submitting to a dominant partner. James relishes Kezia’s submissiveness but he also learns to relinquish control on occasion.

Zara Stoneley’s Summer of Surrender is a lovely, angst-free romance that I greatly enjoyed. James and Kezia are extremely charming and likable and they both learn some valuable lessons from one another. The plot is well-developed and unique and there is quite a bit of substance to the overall storyline. A must read for anyone who enjoys erotic romances.

1 Comment

Filed under Contemporary, Erotic, HarperCollins, HarperImpulse, Rated B, Review, Romance, Summer of Surrender, Zara Stoneley

Blog Tour, Guest Blog, Contest & Review: Zara Stoneley’s Riding High

Hi Kathy and thank you so much for letting me stop by again :).

I’ve got to admit, when I was young I was one of those horse mad girls who spent every moment I could at the local stables, and every other waking moment thinking about, reading about or drawing horses. When I grew up, the horses got slowly edged out by the boys, so I suppose it’s logical that I eventually got round to writing a book featuring both (and I’ve got more horses and a VERY hot farrier in my next story)!

To be honest, the horses don’t really feature much at all in this story. The riding stables is just a setting for a very hot, very erotic romance. Life in the countryside definitely heats up for Roisin after her cheating husband dies and a sexy asset stripper walks into her life – particularly as she’d let him strip her before she realised who he was!

I’m not sure if, put in Roisin’s situation, I would have had the guts to go along with Saul’s suggestion – which involves running a sex therapy centre alongside her equestrian business. But when the chips are down I think we can surprise ourselves at just what we are prepared to consider and hey, working alongside a hunk of a man who knows exactly how to please a lady can’t hurt can it?

If you’ve got time to leave a comment, I’d be interested to know where you’d draw the personal line if you had a crisis! I’ll send one person who comments a copy of Forfeit (pdf) or Freefalling (pdf or epub) – check out my blog for book details!


Excerpt:

Saul had never been into horses. Riding, yes; horses no. But right now, watching the slim, strong thighs squeezing firmly against the side of the black horse, he had a sudden desire to get into jodhpurs. Big time. He watched for a moment as the pair moved gracefully around the arena, the rider sitting perfectly upright, moving effortlessly in time with the horse. His gaze moved up to the small, perfect, bouncing breasts, the thick, red curls down her back, and suddenly the picture came together. It was the final piece of the jigsaw that sent a jolt of recognition straight through his body. Straight to his cock. Roisin.

She didn’t seem to notice him the first time she cantered past, but then she lost tempo for a moment and the next time round came to a perfect halt feet away, scattering rubber and sand over his feet. And she looked angry. Flushed and angry. That look sent another dart of longing straight to his groin, and it took considerable control to stop himself from dragging her down off that goddamned horse and shagging her right there and then in the dirt.

***

‘How did you find me?’ Roisin glared at him. Mind-blowing sex was one thing, but was it good or bad when your supposedly once in a lifetime one-night stand turns up again hours later? Though she couldn’t exactly say, “You’re my one and only one-night stand, now bugger off and stop spoiling things,” could she? Or could she?

He shrugged and looked almost apologetic. ‘I’m sorry, I know this sounds bad, but I didn’t find you. I, er, wasn’t looking for you.’

He didn’t really look sorry; he was grinning, and from where she stood it looked like his cock was straining at his zip as though expecting a repeat performance of last night. She felt the heat hit her cheeks, and forced her gaze back up to meet his.

He glanced down at the sheet of paper he was holding. ‘I’m actually looking for a Mrs Grant.’ The glance turned to a stare, his grin fading. ‘Mrs –’ he paused ‘– R Grant.’ The brown, hangdog eyes shot up to meet her dead on. ‘Shit, that’s you, isn’t it?’

Available from: Xcite Books * Amazon (UK) * Amazon (US)


About the author

Zara is a writer and lover of all things romantic, from the sensual to the sexual, who knows that naughty can be nice. She lives in the UK, but whenever she can she heads off in search of some sunshine and inspiration for her stories.

She loves sexy high heels…good food….good wine….music…coffee (lots and lots of coffee)… and Italy. All things Italian from the countryside to the culture, the wine to the food…and of course the sexy men.

She’s been a consultant, a teacher, a mother, a wife, a lover… and has always been a writer and she’d love to hear from you.

Where you can find her-Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Email


Title: Riding High by Zara Stoneley
Publisher: Xcite
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 183 pages (pdf)
Book Rating: C+

Review Copy Obtained from Blog Tour Company

Summary:

‘Have wild crazy monkey sex with the first man you bump into.’ Roisin Grant hadn’t intended to follow her best friend’s advice – but, sometimes, what you expect from life and what you get don’t match up. She never expected her husband would have a stash of home-made porn movies, with him in the starring role, or that he would die and leave her bankrupt. And she never expected to be faced with asset-stripper Saul Mathews and a choice. Walk away from her home and equestrian business, or call his bluff and help him deliver riding lessons of an altogether different kind.

An erotic novel with mixed themes including m/f, ménage, sex in public and voyeurism.

The Review:

Riding High by Zara Stoneley is a super sexy and highly erotic novella. It is a fast-paced story that will set your eReader on fire.

Roisin Grant and Saul Mathews have so much emotional baggage that there is little room for their burgeoning relationship. Roisin has serious trust issues in the wake of her husband’s death. Not only did he cheat on her and film himself doing it, but he also left her with a huge mountain of debt. A one night stand is very much out of character for her, but Roisin finds her attraction to the very attractive and tremendously sexy Saul impossible to resist.

No stranger to betrayal, Saul is still dealing with the aftereffects of his failed marriage. His divorce not only left emotional scars, but it also caused financial setbacks as well. Although Saul very rarely indulges in casual flings, his desire for Roisin is too powerful to ignore and they share one passionate night together.

But things get complicated for Saul and Roisin pretty quickly when they discover they share a business connection. Roisin is prickly and prone to jumping to conclusions. She is suspicious of Saul’s motives and she is incredibly indecisive. Saul is a pretty straight forward character but his past problems with his ex-wife do play a role in his relationship with Roisin. Adding further conflict to their already troubled relationship are the Daddy issues that neither Roisin and Saul have dealt with.

Riding High is a very exhausting read. Their sex life is wonderful, but outside the bed? Roisin and Saul are an absolute mess. Just when it appears they have resolved their differences, another one pops up. Their communication skills are abysmal and both of them are guilty of assuming the worst about the other. Their relationship was on again/off again so often that I wondered if they would ever figure out a way to stay together.

The sex scenes in Riding High are scorching hot, varied and frequent. The chemistry between Saul and Roisin is sizzling and their sex encounters reflect their intense attraction. There is little Saul and Roisin won’t try as they experiment with phone sex, masturbation, voyeurism and a little BDSM play. Saul and Roisin indulge in one-time M/F/M ménage that is positively incendiary.

Overall, Riding High is an enjoyable read. Zara Stoneley does a fabulous job keeping the ending realistic given the amount of conflict between them. I am very intrigued by one of the secondary characters, James, and I am crossing my fingers that there is a future book planned for him.

9 Comments

Filed under Blog Tour, Contemporary, Contest, Guest Blog, M/F/M, Rated C+, Review, Riding High, Romance, Xcite Publishing, Zara Stoneley

Friday Feature: Guest Blog by Zara Stonely

Hi Kathy, thank you so much for having me. This is the last stop of my blog tour and I hope people have learnt something new about me and ‘Forfeit’ on each stop along the way. (If you’ve missed any of the stops, and excerpts, they’re listed on my blog :))

Most of this story concentrates on Cat’s journey, but in this first excerpt Brent is just starting to realise how fond of her he’s getting, it’s not just about lust and winning any more… And the second excerpt is when Cat realises she wants to know a bit more about him too!

There is definitely a lot more to tell about Brent, so if enough people ask I might just publish his story, how he came to be the way he is and what happens next in his life (with or without Cat?!).


Excerpt

The trouble with seeing Cat in clothes was that he wanted to take them off. Every time. She was jiggling about like some excited schoolgirl and it brought a smile to his face. And one hell of an ache somewhere else, in a part of him he’d always thought he had full control of.

‘Where are we shopping, then?’ She had toast in one hand, and as his lips met hers he tasted a mingle of sweet marmalade and coffee, which definitely made him hungry for something even sweeter.

‘Surprise.’ He grinned, caught up in her mood. He pulled her closer to him, parted his thighs so he could feel the warmth of her body between them, resting his hands on her curvy waist. ‘And I’ve got another little surprise for you.’

‘Oh yeah? Only a little one?’ The tawny-green eyes widened into tease mode, let him into her mind just a little bit more. His hands wandered up under her T-shirt and he rubbed his thumbs against the smooth velvet of her stomach, loving her slight intake of breath, her cheeky tongue poking out between her full lips, her muscles tightening slightly beneath his hands.

‘The big one is for later, darling.’ His hands slipped lower, onto her bum, and he pressed her tight against him. She jiggled her hips and he groaned. ‘Such a naughty girl, aren’t you?’ He loved the way Cat turned him on, loved the way his body responded to her smell, her smile, and the sweet, soft curves of every inch of her. And he loved the way she responded to him, all breathy when he kissed her neck, her nipples hardening the moment he caressed her body; even eating her with his eyes seemed to trigger a response deep inside her. One she found hard to control; one he wanted her to find even harder to keep tabs on.

And another small excerpt…

‘I thought maybe you were ashamed of me, of the whole wedding thing.’

He gave a short laugh, but this time there was a trace of his normal humour in the sound. ‘Your mind works in mysterious ways, darling. Why should I be ashamed of you?’

He squeezed the dip of her waist, sending a shiver through her.

‘Well, it wasn’t exactly a normal wedding, was it?’

‘What’s normal, then?’

‘You know, two people who love each other.’

‘Ah, that.’

‘And we didn’t like, well, date, it was just …’

‘I didn’t need to date you, darling, I just gave you a proper seeing-to.’

‘So modest.’ She decided to change tack. ‘So they had you late?’

‘Very. I was brought up in a very loving family with very old-fashioned ideas. Plenty of hugs and kisses, but not an inch of flesh to be seen.’ He ran his hand down her side.

‘Even chair legs covered?’

‘Even chair legs.’ He kissed her neck. ‘So I resolved to make up for it.’

‘Ah, happy but frustrated?’

‘Are you trying to analyse my deep, mysterious past, woman?’

She laughed. Brent was one of the most open people she had ever known. He said what he thought, lived how he wanted. Except until now she’d known absolutely nothing about him. Zilch. ‘Maybe. So that’s why you’ve had all those women, making up for all those years of living a sheltered life?’

‘Hey.’ He turned towards her and when his gaze met hers he was serious. ‘Less of the “all those women” bit.’

‘But you dated a different girl every week.’ She hesitated, suddenly unsure how he was taking this.

‘Yeah, I dated. I took them out because they wanted to go and we had fun; consenting adults and all that.’

‘Oh, come on, you’re not exactly a monk.’

‘True, but I’m only the same as any other man.’

‘I wouldn’t say that.’ Her voice was soft as she traced a finger down his broad chest. ‘I wouldn’t say that at all.’ And he laughed, catching her finger tight and raising it to his mouth, but she suddenly felt as though she’d stepped where she shouldn’t have. ‘I’m sorry. Maybe it’s none of my business.’ But still she wanted to know.

‘Oh, I don’t mind, but -’ he nipped her finger, making her jump ‘- you do know what happens to naughty girls who won’t stop asking questions, don’t you?’

‘No.’ She rolled over onto her side at the serious tone, looking up into black eyes.

He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her for a long moment, still holding her hand close to his lips. A shiver of unease coursed through her body as he stared. For a second they locked eyes; then, in one sudden, easy movement, he’d flipped her over and across his lap, his hand coming down hard on her bare buttocks. ‘This.’


Title: Forfeit by Zara Stoneley
Publisher: Xcite Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 168 pdf pages

Summary:

An erotic romance novel with themes including sex in public, spanking, exhibitionism and ménage

Cat’s life is falling apart – her boyfriend’s dumped her, she’s lost her home and she’s about to quit her job. Her boss, Brent, has a solution: become his wife for a year, to help him land a big promotion. But Cat’s had a taste of Brent before, and she knows he’s a bad boy who loves women and leaves them. So she agrees to marry him, but tells him there’s to be no sex. He adds his own condition: if she as much as talks to another man in that time, she must pay, by acting out 12 of Brent’s kinkiest sex fantasies. When she breaks the rule, the forfeit is on: but opening up and letting Brent into her heart, as well as her bed, could be the most dangerous game of all …

Read my review of Forfeit HERE.

Available from: XCite Books, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes and Noble, All Romance Ebooks


About the Author:

Zara is a writer and lover of all things romantic, from the sensual to the sexual, who knows that naughty can be nice. She lives in the UK, but whenever she can she heads off in search of some sunshine and inspiration for her stories.

She love sexy high heels…good food….good wine….music…coffee (lots and lots of coffee)… and Italy. All things Italian from the countryside to the culture, the wine to the food…and of course the sexy men.

She’s been a consultant, a teacher, a mother, a wife, a lover… and has always been a writer and she’d love to hear from you.

Where you can find Ms. Stoneley:

Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Email

14 Comments

Filed under Friday Feature, Guest Blog, Zara Stoneley

Forfeit by Zara Stoneley

Title: Forfeit by Zara Stoneley
Publisher: Xcite Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 168 pdf pages
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publicist

Summary:

An erotic romance novel with themes including sex in public, spanking, exhibitionism and ménage.

Cat’s life is falling apart – her boyfriend’s dumped her, she’s lost her home and she’s about to quit her job. Her boss, Brent, has a solution: become his wife for a year, to help him land a big promotion. But Cat’s had a taste of Brent before, and she knows he’s a bad boy who loves women and leaves them. So she agrees to marry him, but tells him there’s to be no sex. He adds his own condition: if she as much as talks to another man in that time, she must pay, by acting out 12 of Brent’s kinkiest sex fantasies. When she breaks the rule, the forfeit is on: but opening up and letting Brent into her heart, as well as her bed, could be the most dangerous game of all …

The Review:

Forfeit by Zara Stoneley is a positively sizzling erotic romance. To obtain her divorce, Cat must pay the forfeit for breaking the rules of their marriage. The forfeit demanded by Brent Mulholland? Twelve very hot and kinky fantasies.

With twelve sexy fantasies to act out, Forfeit is so delectably steamy it will set your eReader on fire. The sex scenes are incendiary, quite varied and just a teeny bit on the naughty side. Public sex and masturbation, a ménage with just a touch of f/f action, and a dabbling of spanking and bondage will captivate fans of erotic romance.

While the overall story is well-written and enjoyable there were a couple of editing issues that pulled me out of the story. Some of the point of view changes are sudden and it took me a few sentences to realize whose perspective I was reading. A few of the scene changes were so abrupt that I had to re-read several paragraphs to figure out if I had missed something.

Forfeit is an engaging and super sexy story. Cat and Brent are appealing protagonists and the sexual chemistry between them is explosive. Fans of erotic romances are sure to enjoy Zara Stoneley’s unique spin on the marriage of convenience storyline.

6 Comments

Filed under Contemporary, Erotic, Forfeit, Rated B, Romance, Xcite Publishing, Zara Stoneley