Adriana Kraft

When it's time to heat things up...

Suspense

A Pony for Christmas? Or some steamy romantic suspense horse stories? #Series #RaceHorses #RomanticSuspense #KU

by Leave a Comment

Does your little girl want a pony for Christmas?

THIS little girl did, as far back as I can remember. Or better yet, an actual horse. Growing up, I read every book I could get my hands on about horses. King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, Black Beauty, books on how to ride, horse breeds, the parts of a horse, how to care for them.

I even vaguely remember a book I read as a pre-teen about a girl my age at a horse related event who talked her father into buying each of them a raffle ticket for a beautiful horse. He promised if her ticket won, she could have the horse. He left both tickets with her while he went to purchase something, the drawing was held – and she switched tickets and lied and told him she’d won. I remember she eventually broke down and confessed what she’d done; I don’t remember what her punishment was.

I could never understand in those days why my parents wouldn’t let me get a horse. We lived on seven acres – never mind that none if it was fenced, none of it was “pasture,” we had no stable, no tack – and neither of them had ever had any experience with large animals.

Mr. Kraft grew up on a dairy farm, where when he was very little, his father kept a team of matched Belgians. When his father purchased his first gas powered tractor, he kept the horses a few more years to cross-check his rows of corn as he planted. There was no way a farming family was going to keep a pair of horses just for “riding.” They had to earn their keep. But Mr. Kraft kept dreaming anyway.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that In our middle adult years, we found a way to own horses off and on. For a while, some low-end race horses, which gave us an inside view of trackside life and the horseracing industry. Later on, the Arabian/saddlebred foal in the photo above. We poured that love and that knowledge into our four-book romantic suspense series, Riders Up.

All of the main characters in this series love horses as much as we do. Each story features danger, suspense, stunning race horses, courageous heroines, and the complicated men who love them. Each can be read as a standalone. And each story is definitely steamy ~ if you do have a little girl who wants a pony for Christmas, she might have to wait a couple decades to read this series…

All four books are available exclusively at Amazon, and all are free on Kindle Unlimited:

Riders Up Series Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CH2C33

Cassie’s Hope (Book One)

High stakes,

a fiery Irish redhead,

her stunning racehorse,

and a fiercely loyal half-blood rancher. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDWTUGY

 

Heat Wave (Book Two)

Hang onto the land – but at what cost?

Feisty widow hires ace racehorse trainer to salvage her family’s heritage.

Can they survive escalating threats to life and limb?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZ6GW6G

 

Willow Smoke (Book Three)

When the chips are down, there’s nobody there.

Apprentice racehorse trainer Daisy Matthews has survived the Chicago streets with this mantra but is unprepared for the much older Nick Underwood’s urgent pursuit. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N0DH13I

 

 

Detour Ahead (Book Four)

Threatened race horses,

city slicker attorney,

sexy California wrangler

—what can possibly go wrong?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RPT6YJA/

The Unmasking #TurningPoint #RomanticSuspense #LoveStory #Halloween

by Leave a Comment

It’s Halloween! All month long we’ve been featuring our romantic suspense The Unmasking, structured around the Celtic/Pagan calendar. The story opens just before Halloween/Samhain. After sharing That Kiss on Halloween night, Nancy and Matt develop a fun-for-now fling—at least, that’s what they’re thinking until this moment.

To write this scene, I ended up digging deep into my own experience. If you’re an author, do you ever write a critical moment from your own history into a book?

Last week I gave you a peek into our personal story with my Meet Cute post describing how Hubs and I met. I’d had my sights on him for a long time, but once we started dating, he got way ahead of me. Nancy’s dilemma in the moment below comes straight out of my history: I was afraid to say yes, but I was desperate not to lose him. Will Nancy take the plunge?

Matt has finally figured it out:

EXCERPT

“I love you, Nancy. And I don’t know what to do with you.”

Relief and fear swept over Nancy in such quick succession she couldn’t tell which was which. He loved her and he still wanted her – relief, she decided. That was a start. So what was the fear? Hold on. Take your time. Speechless, she searched his face, her eyes brimming with tears, the bare beginning of a smile playing at her lips.

Matt held her gaze. “Are you ready for an open, honest relationship? Wherever it leads? No secrets. No withholding. No trying to protect me. Tell me what you feel, what you want.”

There. That was the fear: he was too far ahead. Her smile froze in place. If she said no, she’d lose him. But she wasn’t ready to say yes, either. Could they wait it out? Where to start? Clearly, it was her turn to speak.

“I’ll try…”

…I hope you’ll read the book to find out if “I’ll try” is enough – but then it’s a romance, so you already know they’ll work it out. For Matt and Nancy, the secrecy and betrayals are far from over.

Oh, and what did I do? I said “yes” even though I was quaking in my boots. We had tough sledding for the next couple months, but I’ve never regretted my choice. Happy Halloween!

BLURB

Whose mask will crumble first—
the enigmatic professor of Celtic Studies,
the undercover cop masquerading as a co-ed,
or the campus stalker,
biding his time to strike again?

Is anthropology professor Matt Bayfield the Blackthorn College rapist, or a potential ally? Aloof and unapproachable, Matt has academic ambitions. He can’t escape Blackthorn College soon enough, and he doesn’t want any entanglements to slow down his exit.

Nancy Appleby would like nothing more than to solve the string of campus rape cases before Thanksgiving so she can go home. The last thing she wants is a relationship to complicate her life—but she’ll settle for a fling, especially when the sex sizzles.

The stalker has his own carefully crafted timetable, with a special date just for Nancy. Can Matt and Nancy force him out of his hidey-hole before it’s too late?

BUY LINK

Available exclusively at Amazon

Always FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited

#KindleCountdown $.99 now thru October 4 The Unmasking #Suspense #Samhain #RomanticSuspense #KU #MFRWAuthor

by Leave a Comment

It’s October – are you ready for Halloween? How about Samhain? Never mind that stores are already pimping their Christmas decorations. October – autumn – the pagan calendar – this is serious business.

Nancy Crane Appleby thinks so too. An undercover cop, she’s the heroine of our romantic suspense The Unmasking. She may not know very much about the pagan calendar, but she’s about to learn, more than she ever wanted to know.

We’ll be featuring The Unmasking all month long, starting with this Kindle Countdown. Grab your copy for just 99 cents, now through Tuesday, October 4th, when it goes up to $1.99. Of course it’s always free to read on Kindle Unlimited.

BLURB

Whose mask will crumble first—
the enigmatic professor of Celtic Studies,
the undercover cop masquerading as a co-ed,
or the campus stalker,
biding his time to strike again?

Is anthropology professor Matt Bayfield the Blackthorn College rapist, or a potential ally? Aloof and unapproachable, Matt has academic ambitions. He can’t escape Blackthorn College soon enough, and he doesn’t want any entanglements to slow down his exit.

Nancy Appleby would like nothing more than to solve the string of campus rape cases before Thanksgiving so she can go home. The last thing she wants is a relationship to complicate her life—but she’ll settle for a fling, especially when the sex sizzles.

The stalker has his own carefully crafted timetable, with a special date just for Nancy. Can Matt and Nancy force him out of his hidey-hole before it’s too late?

EXCERPT

Who will be the next victim?

Nancy Appleby scanned the co-eds in the small lecture hall. Each could be his next prey. Each looked much younger than she remembered being as a full-time student. Each woman hung on Professor Bayfield’s well crafted words.

Was it the topic, Celtic Myths and Rituals, or was it the aloofness of the tall, dark-haired lecturer with the strong protruding chin that mesmerized? He did command attention. Although his tone was mild, Bayfield played with his audience like a polished actor. Clearly he was in control. Though he gestured but rarely, he moved like an athlete, comfortable in his body.

Nancy jotted notes on a yellow pad pretending to be no different than anyone else in the room. She glanced up at Bayfield, whose eyes had settled on her; they were piercing and inquisitive. Then he shifted his gaze, but he’d noticed her, was thinking about her. Why? She’d done everything she could to blend in. He hadn’t seemed particularly troubled by her presence, just curious.

BUY LINK

http://www.amazon.com/ B00IDVB6KQ 

“…does that make this a date?” #MFRWhooks #RomanticSuspense #Romance

by 10 Comments

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?

Welcome to Book Hooks, a Wednesday offering by members of Marketing For Romance Writers to share a little taste of our work and entice you into wanting more! Click on the links at the end to travel to other Book Hook posts, and enjoy!

EXCERPT

Kevin curled his fingers around the car door latch and turned back to Nadja. “Hmm, kissing me on the cheeks—does that make this a date?”

She broke into a large smile. “I’m not positive. Don’t misread a European custom.” She hesitated, then leaned across the space separating them to brush her lips lightly across his. She settled back in her seat and quietly watched his eyes sparkling.

“That’s an American custom,” he said, “for ending a date.”

“Don’t be so narrow-minded,” she teased. “I believe that custom is fairly common worldwide for ending a first date. Good night,” she added quickly. “I’ll see you on Friday.”

“You bet you will,” Kevin said, opening the door.

She watched him until he entered the motel. She hadn’t planned on their evening turning into a date. But it had. How? When? Why?

It had seemed like such a natural thing to kiss him. It had only been a kiss, and not much of one at that.

So why did her lips still tingle?

BUY LINKS

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L7WQH12/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1140503297
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/i-am-not-for-sale
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1115419
https://www.extasybooks.com/I-am-Not-for-Sale

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.”

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?

CLICK TO TRAVEL:

Did watching me turn you on? #MFRWSteam #Suspense #Sale @ExtasyBooks

by 7 Comments

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!

All our back list releases at Extasy Books are on sale!

40% off, now through November 30

Forty erotic titles, and you can find them all HERE

The Merry Widow is the steamy story of a mid-life widow’s sexual awakening. Following a prologue to set the stage, it opens with an erotic scene between two women – the first ever in our heroine’s life. If this isn’t your cup of tea, no problem – you might prefer our Romantic Suspense books, all of which deliver one man, one woman, hot sex, and perilous danger.

But if this appeals to you – hang on for the ride! Recently widowed and in her early forties, Merry Delany is about to plunge into a self-discovery journey that takes her places she’s never imagined, much less hoped for. Once passion is unleashed, can it be stopped?

In today’s scene, Jim and Merry have just completed a thorough search of her house to make sure it isn’t bugged. They’re on her patio, where she now knows he’s previously spied on her…

EXCERPT

“And what about last night? You seemed to have been in your perch—or whatever—again.”

“Oh, yeah. I’d just learned about the computer hacking and I was suspicious of your phones. So I’d raced over here to protect you—only you weren’t here, so I waited.”

“I see.” Merry bit into an orange, which squirted in Jim’s direction. He reached for a napkin and wiped the table. “So from where you sat”—she motioned toward the numerous bushes ringing her yard—“did it look like I needed protecting last night?”

“Not really. You’re damn good at asking questions, Merry. Now I have a few for you. Did you think I was out there last night? That I was watching?”

Merry tapped her lips with a napkin. “It did occur to me to wonder.”

“And did that turn you on—wondering if I was watching?”

“Maybe. Did watching me turn you on?”

BLURB

The millennium arrived with such promise—will it deliver for recently widowed Merry Delaney?

So much for all the anticipation about the new millennium. Merry Delaney’s life is still in a rut and shows no signs of changing. Sex? A fading memory, gone long before her husband actually died. Excitement? Hardly the hallmark of an accountant’s life. At forty-two, what can she look forward to?

Until her best friend takes Merry’s predicament into her practiced hands. One passionate kiss unleashes possibilities Merry never dreamed of—and she wants to sample them all. Men? Women? Young? Old? Ménage? Toys? Yes, to all, to pleasure, to making up for lost time.

Enter Chicago Detective Jim Barnes, who solicits Merry’s help with a mob funds-skimming case. Can the scorching passion that soon smolders between Merry and Jim survive the escalating mob threats of exposure? Having discovered a zest for sex, will Merry ever again be satisfied with one man?

BUY LINKS

$2.99 at   Extasy Books

Not only 40% off – it’s easy to download to your Kindle:

https://www.extasybooks.com/send-to-kindle-instructions

$4.99 elsewhere: Amazon   Kobo   Barnes & Noble

Other links: Goodreads     BookBub

Be sure to click on the links below to travel to more steamy excerpts!

No second thoughts? #MFRWHooks #MFRWAuthor #Suspense

by 4 Comments

Welcome to Book Hooks, a Wednesday offering by members of Marketing For Romance Writers to share a little taste of our work and entice you into wanting more! Click on the links at the end to travel to other Book Hook posts, and enjoy!

We’re thrilled to announce Extasy Books has re-released our erotic romantic suspense, The Merry Widow. Thoroughly revised and edited, this is the steamy story of a mid-life widow’s sexual awakening. Following a prologue to set the stage, it opens with an erotic scene between two women – the first ever in our heroine’s life. If this isn’t your cup of tea, no problem – you might prefer our Romantic Suspense books, all of which deliver one man, one woman, hot sex, and perilous danger.

But if this appeals to you – hang on for the ride! Recently widowed and in her early forties, Merry Delany is about to plunge into a self-discovery journey that takes her places she’s never imagined, much less hoped for. Once passion is unleashed, can it be stopped?

Today’s excerpt comes shortly after last week’s, in which Jim has noticed the butterfly figurine and asked Merry what she’s transforming into.

EXCERPT

“Sometimes you use words. And other times you’re silent, but your entire body is screaming. It’s a real turn-on for a guy to be with an expressive woman.”

“Well, I hope so, since you happen to be in bed at the moment with an expressive woman. I noticed you weren’t exactly the silent type in the throes of lovemaking either.”

“Yeah.” He downed more coffee. “That’s the way it is. No second thoughts?”

“What’s there to think about?”

“Coy doesn’t befit you this morning, Merry. When you came in with the coffee, you weren’t exactly a carefree spirit. You don’t know what to do with me. And you’re wondering what I’m expecting of you.”

“Having a guy sleep over and making love with him countless times does tend to complicate things.”

BLURB

The millennium arrived with such promise—will it deliver for recently widowed Merry Delaney?

So much for all the anticipation about the new millennium. Merry Delaney’s life is still in a rut and shows no signs of changing. Sex? A fading memory, gone long before her husband actually died. Excitement? Hardly the hallmark of an accountant’s life. At forty-two, what can she look forward to?

Until her best friend takes Merry’s predicament into her practiced hands. One passionate kiss unleashes possibilities Merry never dreamed of—and she wants to sample them all. Men? Women? Young? Old? Ménage? Toys? Yes, to all, to pleasure, to making up for lost time.

Enter Chicago Detective Jim Barnes, who solicits Merry’s help with a mob funds-skimming case. Can the scorching passion that soon smolders between Merry and Jim survive the escalating mob threats of exposure? Having discovered a zest for sex, will Merry ever again be satisfied with one man?

BUY LINKS

Amazon   Kobo   Barnes & Noble   Extasy Books  

Apple    Google Play

Goodreads     BookBub