Book Review: The Temptation of a Good Man by Delaney Diamond

I know some authors and readers like to talk bad about freebies on Amazon, saying that most are probably no good, anyway. But, I came across this freebie, and I really wish I could rate it higher than five stars...it was that good.

Synopsis: 

Can true love be found after one night of passion?

Celeste Burton goes out with her girlfriends to celebrate turning thirty and winds up spending an unforgettable night with the man of her dreams. One week later, as a favor, she attends a wedding with a friend as his date and is shocked when she sees Roarke again.

Roarke Hawthorne despises cheating. Cheating tore apart his family years ago. When the physics professor sees the woman he spent the night with show up at his sister’s wedding on the arm of his brother, he knows he should keep his distance. But because of the night they set fire to the sheets in his hotel room, he can’t resist the urge to be close to her–nor can he resist the temptation to have her back in his bed.

My Review: (left on Amazon & Goodreads)

OMG, this was such a great book. I came across it by chance..I saw it posted on another authors page as a freebie, and I'm so glad I clicked it. Delaney Diamond has a new fan. I loved the writing style, the detail in which she described things ..she made me feel as if I were Celeste...as if I was experiencing the sensual, passionate way Roarke made love to her; she made me want to be on the island, watching the dolphins while on the tour of the lighthouse. And I felt like one of the guests at the wedding. There was just enough drama...excellent storyline. I will definitely read the rest of this series, and all of her books. As an author myself, I say kudos. I wish I could rate higher than 5 stars.

Amazon Link: 

http://www.amazon.com/Temptation-Good-Hawthorne-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B005NIOJA6

Rating:

VLOG: Leaving Author Reviews...we beg y'all to leave them for a reason

Lunchtime

A crowded restaurant

Lunchtime

I catch his eye

Recognition

We smile at each other

He joins me

We exchange

"How have you been's,"...

"Long time no see's"

It's been years,

But he still makes me nervous..

And horny.

I bite my lip

Damn, he's sexy

He wants me..

I can tell

His eyes don't lie,

neither do mine

Sexual chemistry

Yeah, it's gonna happen

A nearby hotel

A room...a key...my ex

Lips, hands, mouths

All over each other

Clothes tossed on the floor

Lust in the air

No words need to be spoken

He knows what I want...

how I want it

He sexes me from behind-

hard, slightly rough, fast...

He flips my body over

Kisses his way down

Licks his lips

He tastes me...

Has me for lunch

I'm in another world

His tongue on  my clit

Moaning, squirming, panting,

Begging..."don't stop"

He enters me again

Strokes me until

We explode together

Shy glances and giggles

We get dressed

Say our goodbyes...

Just like that

he's gone.

Guilt

Washes over me

I'm married...

So is he.

Still...

I long for the next time

He has me for lunch.

Empire Season Premiere Live Blog

OMGeee, it seems like we've waited a year for the new season of Empire, but it's finally here. I'm so excited, I can't type straight, but I'll do my best. 🙌🙌🙌

Okay, I get the struggle of my people, but we're quick to rock t-shirts and hold rallies that say "FREE WHOEVER", even when we know good and we'll they're guilty as sin. 😒

Okay, wassup with King Kong????  Ooohhh okay, Cookie had me confused for a minute.

Aww snap, even got Al Sharpton on here. He's holding on to that press and curl. 💇

Someone please tell me exactly what Andre Leon Talley does...I only know him from Top Model.

Sang, Jamal!

Aww, poor Luscious. That orange jail suit ain't a good look for him.

No matter what song Hakeem sings, all I'll ever think of when I see him is Drip Drop....did he say Luscious ain't do it? Uh, what about Bunky????

Luscious looking a little thickums in that wife beater on the prison yard.

I just can't take Chris Rock or DeRay Davis serious as thugs...I keep waiting for a joke.

Hakeem say he telling mama...Lmao

Cookie said, "You didn't come see me either, so.."

Rhonda better chill before Andre snaps...ticking time bomb.

Wait, are Hakeem and Anika really together?? And why does she stay dressing like the First Lady at somebody's Baptist church with that damn cardigan on.

Jamal's boyfriend is soooo whiny, needy, and annoying.

No First Lady Boo Boo Kitty ain't twerking to trap music!!!😂😂

Wow..Ms. Lawrence...really?! His messy self be sangin though.

They just pass Anika around to everybody..lol

Luscious says he's still running things. Checkmate, bitches!

*Side-note* I looovveee Morris Chestnut, but Rosewood just didn't hold my attention. 😩

DeRay spilling all the tea. 🍵

Jamal and that falsetto... 🎵🎼💜

Cookie said save the pillow talk for your prison boyfriend.. 😂😂

Why do I feel like Luscious knows all about Frankie...I just don't trust him

Whew...Luscious had me worried for a minute. He loves him some Cookie...even if he does hate her ass.

Welp, bye Chris. Finna get shanked. RIP

Jamal smelling himself, huh!!!

Aww man, is it over already??? Well, until next week..I'll holla (Cedric The Entertainer voice)

#Freebie

It's #HumpDay and I'm feeling generous...

Grab your kindles and head over to Amazon to 1click my short story, The Head Mistress for FREE today. Synopsis and Amazon link below. Happy Reading! 

Synopsis:

**An E-short**
By day, Ebony Williams runs a very successful soul food restaurant in the Windy City, but after hours, she becomes Head Mistress Ebony, operating a high-end, male members only, secret society brothel in The Basement of the same restaurant.

Ebony is all about getting her coins and not much else, but she does like to indulge herself and get her feet wet, from time to time. She sets her sights on Terrence- one of the newest members to be accepted into her private establishment- and offers to personally fulfill his sexual desires, under one condition- she is to be his ONLY other woman, in or outside of The Basement. Sexually frustrated and staring his fantasy come true in the face, Terrence eagerly accepts Ebony’s offer, and so begins their steamy affair. However, he soon breaks his promise to Ebony, and get’s himself another side-chick.

Once Ebony finds out that Terrence hasn’t kept his word, she vows to make him pay for breaking his promise to her. She knows- all too well- that promises are meant to be broken; but lying to her has much more serious consequences, which Terrence will soon learn…but will he learn a little too late? 

#FreeBook #Freebies 


http://www.amazon.com/Head-Mistress-J-L-Sapphire-ebook/dp/B00X6A4JM6

#WriteMotivation

Don't write what you think other people will want to read, or what you think will sell. Write what's inside of you. I often use my real life experiences in my books, adding a personal touch to the story. It makes the story and characters seem more relatable. 

#WritingTip #IndiePub 

#MovieReview The Perfect Guy

By now, most of us have seen #ThePerfectGuy starring my #MCE (man crush everyday), Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Lathan, and Michael Ealy. I was sold on this movie from the moment I saw Morris Chestnut would be in it. I'll give the synopsis of the movie, and then my thoughts.

**Contains some spoilers, so if you haven't seen it yet, you might not wanna read this**

Leah and Dave (Morris) have been together for two years. Leah feels her biological clock is ticking fast, and wants to go ahead and get married so Dave can put a bun or two in her oven, before she gets too old. Dave is dragging his feet, but not for the reason that you think. He's worried that with the high divorce rate among members of his family, he doesn't wanna end up in the same boat. Leah basically gives him an ultimatum: marry me now, or you can get to stepping...and Dave steps right on out the door. Fast forward about two months, and Leah meets Carter (Michael) while waiting in line to buy coffee. He's handsome, charming, and makes Leah feel some type of way. So begins their relationship.

Now, here's my thoughts of the movie: While some critics have given the movie negative reviews for being predictable and having a story line that's been done a few times already (girl meets guy and thinks he could be the one...guy starts trippin', and she realizes he's definitely not the one...girl realizes guy is a nut, and doesn't want to see guy anymore...guy starts stalking her and acting a damn fool- popping up out of bushes and stuff..girl goes to police to complain, only to have police tell her they have more important things to worry about than her being stalked by a crazy man...unless he actually kills her, then they'll do something about it), I thought there was still plenty of action, suspense and shocking twists. Carter was just crazy...and not regular crazy, but bat-shit crazy.Leah was so mesmerized by those eyes of his, she really didn't take the time to get to know him at all before she fell head over heels for him, something she definitely comes to regret later on. 

I don't want to give too much away, but while the movie was predictable, I saw it as just another warning to women everywhere to make sure you get to know a man before you invite him into your heart and into your bed. Stop being fooled by handsome faces, muscular bodies, sexy smiles and eyes...because all of those things will be the very thing that have you fighting for your life and/or end up on an episode of Fatal Attraction if you mess around and hook up with the wrong person. Speaking of hooking up- my latest book, The Hookup- which was released August 17th and is available on kindle and paperback on Amazon- has a story line similar to this one, actually...which is another reason why I could almost guess the ending to this movie. (side-note: yes, this was a shameless plug, but it fits so well with what I'm talking about, I had to) 

In the end, the message is still the same- these days, you can't just be meeting some strange guy in a coffee shop and sleeping with him the next day. You pretty much have to Google every potential mate, do a background check, or something, you might have to be an online stalker yourself, before you get too comfortable with folks. Even if Morris hadn't been in this movie, I still would have enjoyed it, and even plan on going to see it again. I give it 5 stars and two thumbs up! 

Write Outside The Box

Lately, I've come across several posts where authors are mad about other authors stealing their work. The thing is this: Nobody's idea for a book is an original one. Whether you're writing about vampires and werewolves, dope boys and queen pens, Thot's (such a stupid word) infidelity, interracial romance- somebody else has written that story years before you thought about writing. What will make your story unique and different is how you put a different spin on it. On a daily basis, as I'm scrolling down my timeline, I'll come across five different authors who have posted about their books. The covers are nearly identical, the storylines sound the same, the titles sound the same, give or take a few words. It's hard to tell one book from the other.

Sad to say, this topic comes up more among African-American authors. It's like some (not all) are in competition with someone else. But when everything looks and sounds the same, it's easy to see how they would think someone stole their idea, slapped their name on it, and published it. When I  started writing, I knew I didn't want to write subjects that were expected of me as an African-American author. I didn't want to be known for only writing one certain subject... I wanted to try my hand at different genres. And I'm not- nor was I ever trying to be- in competition with anybody but myself- challenging myself to make each book better than the last one I wrote. 

World famous author, Stephen King once said: "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot," he says. Read widely, and constantly work to refine and redefine your own work as you do so." I don't think he meant copying someone else's work, word for word. If people are literally copying and pasting others words into a document, changing a few words in the title, and publishing it, you'll never get too far. You'll never win playing dirty. As a good author, why would you even want to put out a book that sounds almost word for word like someone else's, anyway? Don't be a copycat. It's not a good look, and you'll be found out, sooner or later. Write outside the box! 

'Til Death by J.L. Sapphire

Lonely

Unwanted

Un-needed

Unloved

If I die today,

Nobody would weep for me

What is it about me?

My looks?

My body?

That's it-

I'm not pretty enough,

Not sexy enough.

If I change myself,

Will they want me then?

It's worth a shot.

Try on a different personality,

Dress more provocatively.

Lips painted fire-engine red,

Super freak in bed.

This isn't me

I feel stupid,

Desperate,

Like a slut...

But, men like 

Stupid, desperate sluts, right?

Unless she's me-

They still don't desire me.

I'm still not good enough,

Not sexy enough.

A booty-call

A homegirl

But never good enough

To be seen on his arm

I know,

I'll become

His humble servant,

His sex slave

Cater to his every want

Need,

Desire,

Be his stupid, desperate slut-

Only his.

Look straight ahead,

No talking to other men.

Don't speak,

Don't smile.

Isolation

He's my only friend,

The only one who

Wants me, needs me, 

Loves me

Unless I smile-

He hates it.

To see me smile means

He's not in control.

He despises my smile,

My happiness,

Rebukes it in the name of Jesus.

It's my tears that he loves.

My fear that he craves.

My sadness that brings him joy.

For only then,

Does he feel in total control of me.

He relishes in my loneliness,

My sadness, my fear,

Drinks it up

like cold spring water

On a hot August day.

My fear excites him,

Nourishes him,

Empowers him.

I want to be free

Demanding,

Domineering,

Controlling, is he.

"Your jeans are too tight."

"Your shirt is too low."

"Why do you have on makeup?"

"Take it all off."

Other men may look at you,

Want you for themselves,

To be their stupid, desperate, slut.

"Is that what you want?"

The fear of losing me,

Intimidates him.

Beatings from his fists,

Threats from his lips,

It's the only way, 

he can make me stay.

I'm his loyal pet,

He's my daddy.

Be a good girl,

Rewarded with hot,

Passionate sex.

Disobey,

Out comes the fists,

Followed by

A verbal ass-whipping.

His words hurt,

So much more than his fists.

He beats me so I won't stray,

So I know my place.

Mixed emotions,

He loves me one minute,

Hates me the next.

Unless, of course,

We're having sex.

How can I break free?

I'm a prisoner- 

Locked in his violent world.

Emotional Rollercoaster

I love him.

Love has turned to fear,

Fear has turned to hate.

My fear excites him

How can I break free?

I'm his stupid, desperate slut

"I'm sorry, baby; I need you."

"I'll never hit you again."

Apologies and gifts,

Make me stay where I belong.

The pain doesn't last long

Makeup hides my bruises,

My pain.

He'll love me tomorrow.

I am his,

He is mine,

Forever.

'Til death do us part.

And he loved me to death,

Literally.

Free spirit

Death was the only way

I could get away.

A handful of pills

Peaceful, calm

The pain doesn't last long.

I am finally free.

#Fall

September

Early sunsets

Red, orange, and yellow-

The colors of fall

Wind blowing

Leaves swirling in the air

Autumn is near.

Goodbye, summer...

Hello, cool weather

Hot chocolate

Halloween

Trick-or-treat

Scary movies,

candy, and sweets

Snuggling, cuddling

In your lovers arms

Goodbye, hot summer

Hello, fall charm.

Cozy sweaters

Football

Romance

Late nights,

Even later mornings

I don't know about y'all

But I'm so ready for fall.

Monday Inspiration Quote:

What's for you is for you...

#MondayMotivation #OprahQuotes 

Book Review: A Stranger In My House by Natisha Raynor

The saying, "You get what you pay for," applies to this book, unfortunately. I was looking for something quick to read while at work, and I came across this one for $0.99 on Amazon. Not to say that there aren't some good books for $0.99 on there, but..

Synopsis:

After only a few months of dating Rasheeda, Kevin notices that she is mentally unstable and cuts her off. Rasheeda's grief causes her to do things that eventually lead to her untimely death. The apple doesn't fall far from the mental illness tree and someone close to Rasheeda decides to make Kevin pay. Even after he's found love and happiness with Destiny, troubles awaits in the shadows and is allowed to slip into their home.

Review:

I have to say, the storyline was good. The author knows how to tell a story. This story was about two people who live in the same building and decide to start dating, despite the fact that neither of them planned to settle down. Kevin is dating Rasheeda, a cute girl with a tick...the crazy kind, and it starts to show after he tells her that he only wants to be friends. As the synopsis states, Rasheeda dies tragically and suddenly, and someone sets out to take revenge out on Kevin. 

The story was very interesting. However, the editing (or lack thereof) made the story hard to enjoy. Commas were needed often, and the lack of them made the dialogue and sentences run together, making it hard to understand which character was speaking; then, there were commas in some places where they weren't needed. Also, there were several instances where characters were being called the wrong names in the wrong scenes- such as Destiny was talking to Rachel, but calling her Tamara. If this author had an editor, she definitely needs her money back. Even if she had proofread the book, she should have caught a lot of the mistakes. For this reason, I couldn't rate this book higher than a 3. I know there will be some errors in a book here and there, but there were just too many. The book ended abruptly, leaving us to wonder what happened with Rachel, so I assume there will be a part two, but unless the writing improves, I won't be interested in reading it. I really wish I could have rated it higher, but I have to be truthful in my reviews. 

Rating: 

#MagSwag President Fitz, First Lady Mellie, and Olivia Pope on the cover of Entertainment Weekly

It just doesn't get any hotter than this. Shondaland has taken over Entertainment Weekly, by having the casts of all of her shows- Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How To Get Away With Murder on the cover. 

The Scandal cover features President Grant, First Lady, Mellie, and the infamous Olivia Pope on the cover. Can't you just see the chemistry between Tony and Kerry, a*k*a* Fitz and Olivia? I love to see these two in scenes together. He looks at her the same way Edward Cullen looks at Bella, with such love and admiration, regardless of what happens. However, I hope we'll see Jake this season, as well. And please, for the love of God, pleeeaassseee let Papa Pope finally get what he has coming to him. I love a villain as much as the next person; but him always having the upper hand is getting boring. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 

Watch the season premiere of Scandal on Thursday, September 24th on ABC. #TGIT.