Welcome to Steam Hop, a monthly offering by members of Marketing For Romance Writers for readers who like their scenes hot and spicy. Click on the links at the end to travel to other Steam Hop posts, and enjoy!
Today’s excerpt is from our newest release, I Am Not For Sale.
A desperate espresso café owner, a determined coffee franchise rep, a quiet Midwestern town, anonymous threats out of the blue—where does the true danger lie?
EXCERPT
Set-up: Today’s excerpt occurs just after Kevin’s first visit to Nadja’s cafe. Her Aunt Ivett has been watching through the door that connects their two shops…
Ivett looked around, probably double-checking that they were alone. She leaned forward and spoke softly. “Maybe I shouldn’t have given you that crystal dildo two years ago. I gave it to you to tide you over—not to replace a man.”
Scowling, Nadja huffed, “You know I don’t like calling it a dildo. It’s my magical crystal wand.”
“Did you ever try the rabbit I gave you?”
“I don’t want to use anything mechanical. The crystal is natural and communicates its own vibrations. And I’ve told you before, I do enjoy it. It warms me.”
“Not as much as a man would. I’m sorry I gave it to you.”
“Don’t be sorry. Maybe I simply haven’t found a man who intrigues me enough to make time for him.”
BLURB
It’s nothing personal…
It all seems simple enough—Ukrainian immigrant Nadja Petrov is determined to hold on to her thriving new coffee shop, Nadja’s Literary Cappuccino, and Java Beans District Rep Kevin Langley is equally determined to move into her North Iowa town with a franchise and run her out of business.
He scopes her out, she keeps a watchful eye on him, and the sparring begins. But there are other players involved, and the web of intrigue soon threatens Nadja, her shop, and her aunt as well as Kevin, his potential franchise, and his son. Within this cauldron simmers a sexual attraction between Nadja and Kevin that catapults them to overcome their fears of intimacy and commitment. Their lovemaking is tender and raw. Their love is nearly lost in tragedy—can it survive doubts, fire, and even a death?
REVIEW
Five Stars from N. N. Light: “The romance is so hot, you may have to call the fire department. But it’s the character development throughout I am Not for Sale which makes this such an incredible story.” https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/i-am-not-for-sale-bookreview
BUY LINKS
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L7WQH12/
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1140503297
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/i-am-not-for-sale
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1115419
ExtasyBooks https://www.extasybooks.com/I-am-Not-for-Sale
GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59582104
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/books/i-am-not-for-sale-by-adriana-kraft
He chuckled, remembering how she’d wanted to get rid of him. He opened the book and studied numerous pictures of majestic, gilded onion-domed buildings and snow-covered fields. There were no words. He flipped to the back of the book and frowned. It had words all right, but in letters totally unfamiliar to him.
I was fortunate, however, to be able to attend a Ukrainian Ballet performance of Prokofiev’s Cinderella while I was in Kyiv, at the Kyiv Opera House, pictured here.