Wednesday, February 5, 2014

It's Definitely Intense -#MFRWhooks

12:00 AM 0 Comments
MFRW Authors Blog
 ~~~Today's hook contains mature themes~~~

On select Wednesdays, get hooked with short but sweet snippets of romance tales you'll want to put straight onto your TBRN (To Be Read NOW!) list.

This week's book hook (slightly modified for length):
Their Secret Paradise
by J. Rose Allister

Hook:
David’s eyes moved over Gina with a deliberation that deepened the pink on her cheeks and jack hammered his pulse. “Life in the public eye has done you good.”

“Thank you, but this weather hasn’t been great for sunbathing. I’m not usually this wet.” Her pink cheeks went downright scarlet at the slip. “I mean, it’s not usually this intense—you know, the season.”

His eyes locked on hers, and his stomach started a slow boil. “I know what you mean. It’s definitely intense.”


About Their Secret Paradise:
Parapsychology graduate Gina Munson knows better than to fall victim to the special “charms” at her uncle's resort, especially since she's been burned by the island's supernatural passion before. But when muscled building contractor David Gilroy accidentally discovers Gina sunbathing, her summer in paradise explodes with a desire she may never recover from. For where the gods Love and Lust reside, noone will leave untouched.

Check out these other Book Hooks!


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ 
J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Facebook. She loves talking to people.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Croque Madame -Guest Beth Barany

12:00 AM 2 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious! Today I'm happy to have special guest Beth Barany, author of  Touchstone of Love. She's here sharing her recipe for Croque Madame. Take it away, Beth!



CROQUE MADAME

I love France and have lived there twice. No wonder I set one of my stories there. (And more to come!) I love much of the food you can get in the lovely cafes in big cities and small. One thing I enjoyed when I lived in France was the croque-madame, a sandwich, usually with eggs, cheese, and ham. It’s a variation of the croquet-monsieur, a ham and cheese sandwich, without the egg.

Origin of the name “croque madame”: “croquet” is from the French verb “croquer” which means “to crunch,” since the dish is fried. I’ve read that the “madame” comes from the fact that the egg on top of the sandwich looks like an old woman. (Thank you Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croque-monsieur.)

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 thick slices white bread
2 slices ham
1 egg

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ready in 15 minutes

Directions
      Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the cheese once the butter has melted. Dip each slice of bread into the melted cheese, coating both sides.
     Heat another skillet over medium heat. Place one slice of bread into the skillet and top it with 2 slices of ham. Place the second piece of bread on top. Fry until golden on each side, then remove from the skillet and set aside.
      Fry the egg in the hot skillet to your liking: easy, medium, or well done. Place the fried egg on top of the sandwich and serve. Salt and pepper to taste.

Notes: I prefer French bread. A sweet baguette tastes best and mimics what you’d get in France. If you want to use cheese that the French typically use, try Emmental or Gruyère cheese. Lastly, since I now eat gluten-free, I make this with tortillas.


Enjoy!


Touchstone of Love
by Beth Barany

When a thunderstorm transports software expert Rose Waldman to thirteenth century France, she meets hunky stonemason Julien, who is secretly creating a gargoyle in defiance of his master mason. Can independent gadget loving Rose trust her life and heart to Julien, and can she really never go home again?

About the Author
Beth Barany writes magical tales of romance and adventure to transport readers to new worlds where anything is possible. Her favorite city is Paris in the summer.

In her off hours, Beth enjoys capoeira, traveling, and watching movies with her husband, bestselling author Ezra Barany, and playing with their two cats, Kitty and Leo.

Beth’s online home:

You can also connect with her on:

Review snippets for TOUCHSTONE OF LOVE
“…a unique take on gargoyles which I thoroughly enjoyed. I highly recommend!” — Karysa Faire
“…The story was really romantic and the two of them together are just pure magic. It is rare that I find a couple rather than a single character really making a story worth while, but this one does just that.” — Kathy Horseman
“… recommend this novella to anyone who is looking for an entertaining read for the night or weekend.” — Lisa


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