Monday, June 13, 2016

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: NAUGHTY CUPID by Deanna Wadsworth--Includes Author Interview!


Book: Naughty Cupid
Author: Deanna Wadsworth
Release Date: June 6, 2016

Blurb

The name’s Lio, and you may have read the beginning of my story in A Cupid’s Wager. Well, hold on to your hats, because there’s more to tell about your favorite cupid working in the Gay Division of the Inter-Dimensional Association of Cupids.

Remember Ethan? That Aztec god of the winds who busted me shooting a closeted human with a gay lust arrow? Yeah, I haven’t been able to forget him either. Even though I have a rule against getting it on with other supernaturals—especially ones working for the Straight Division—my magic is drawn to Ethan and all his tattoos and piercings in a way I cannot control.

But after that night of mind-numbing sex, now I gotta face my evil ex-boyfriend and a suspension by the IDAC for “misplacing” arrows. They took my quiver, and I have to figure out how to get my arrow privileges back before they’re taken forever.

Ethan seems to think he can help me, but I don’t know how anybody can make this cupid believe in love again.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Pages or Words: 75,000 words, 178 pages

Categories: Alternate Universe, Erotica, Fantasy, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

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Excerpt
“You know the lust arrows only work if the person’s mind is open to it. I shot Raymond with a Class 4 gay lust arrow. They only have a little more juice than a few tequila shooters. They can’t make a straight man gay.”
“But that is what you are trying to do,” Ethan shot back.
“You know it doesn’t work that way.”
To prove my point, I materialized one of my long purple arrows.
Without warning, I stabbed Ethan in the heart with it.
“Oww!”
The arrow exploded in a burst of light and glittering purple dust, the blast blowing our hair back.
When the magic cleared, the stunned expression on Ethan’s face cracked me up. “Now, do you spontaneously wanna suck my c*ck?”
He gaped at me like I’d lost my ever-lovin’ mind. “What did you do that for?”
“Don’t get your panties in a wad. Class 4G lusts can’t make someone gay. You’re born that way. There’s even a Lady Gaga song to prove it.”
His big hand rubbed where I’d hit him. “You should not have done that, Lio. You have no idea what you just did.”
“I already shot an unauthorized arrow tonight, what’s one more? Besides, unless you’re gay, it won’t affect you.” I waggled my brows. “So what are you so worried about? Got sumthin’ you wanna confess?”
He actually growled at me.
“Build a bridge,” I told him. “If anyone has a right to be pissed off here, it’s me. The gaydar says Raymond is gay, yet you asshats over in SD decided to shoot him and a woman with true love arrows. Talk about a douche move. Forcing the man to lie to himself and everyone about who he is. And how is that fair to do to the girl? She’s a victim too!”
“The IDAC does not consider a gaydar to be a reliable source of information,” he said, completely ignoring the more-than-valid complaint.
Humans were born with a variety of sexualities, but there were only a limited variety of arrows to complement the IDAC’s narrow-minded ideas on sexuality. In a nutshell, there were gay arrows and the naturally more powerful straight arrows. Don’t get me started on the complexities of targeting anybody not gay or straight. I was glad not to be assigned to those fledgling subdivisions of GD because they often had to work with the jerks in SD. However, both primary divisions had arrows for love (red) and lust (purple), each with four different strength ratings—one being the most potent. In other words, the Class 1S love Ethan had been using was the highest strength straight love arrow—aka the most powerful of all arrows.
Hence his being so pissed at me.
“I’m not gonna sit here and argue politics with you. We both know I’m already in trouble for an unauthorized arrow launch. Make that two,” I amended, gesturing to his chest. “Why the f*ck do you think I don’t have love arrow privileges anymore? Hell, the sparks our collision set off will raise questions too. I’m already busted. Fine! I’m ready to face whatever comes my way. When I set out to do this, I knew there were risks.”
“Set out to do this?” he repeated, looking utterly appalled. “You mean you have done this before?”
I swallowed, feeling like a child being scolded. “Only on unattached people.”
“I cannot believe you would do that to someone! A person’s decision to come out is deeply personal. You have no right, Lio! None!”
Yeah, but the Fates did, I supposed. Who put those bitches in charge, anyway?
I didn’t know what Ethan’s big fat beef might be—besides the one in his pants—but I had to get my ass out of this sling. “Like I said, I’m already busted. If you think Raymond isn’t gay, let’s just follow them”—I pointed to my unauthorized mark and the guy with him, both of them deliberately brushing hips and shoulders as they walked down the street—“and see what happens. If he changes his mind, I’ll admit the gaydar is inaccurate, I’ll turn myself in for interrupting your mark, and you won’t even get in trouble.”
He glared. “And if your arrow works, I suppose you get to walk?”
“If I’m right, and those two dudes get their freak on, you can do what you want with me.” Too bad that wouldn’t be those full lips around my d*ck. “But you give me back the gaydar and you don’t tell anyone I have it or that I was here.”
Ethan looked at the device in his hand as if it would explode or jump up and bite his c*ck off. His expression would’ve been funny if this weren’t so serious. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind, and I felt his anger retracting. Still, an aura of incredible danger and masculinity wafted about him. My heart thumped wildly, both from nerves and the exotic spiciness of his skin. Knowing his ferocious appearance was tempered with an innate goodness made me a little hot.
Okay, a lot hot.
Though it went against every rule I made for myself, I couldn’t stop picturing Ethan naked. Sure, I was as horny as any cupid, but something about this Aztec amplified all of my senses far more than usual—especially the ones below the waist.
“I cannot believe I am saying this,” Ethan said slowly. “But I will give you one chance. One. But if you ruin that man’s life, your ass is mine.”
“Talk dirty to me,” I purred.
He lowered dark brows. “You are not funny.”
“I think I’m a really fun guy. Especially when I’m naked.” I couldn’t help myself and gave him a suggestive wink. “And whoever said a little d*ck up the ass would ruin a man’s life? Ever try it? The orgasms are un-f*cking-believable.”
Ethan curled his lip and growled at me like an angry cat.
“Jeesh, sorry I mentioned it.”
He seized my arm in a viselike grip. “Come.”
If I’d known going with Ethan would turn my world upside down, I would’ve grabbed my gaydar and run, taking my chances with my boss, the IDAC, and even the Fates. Because I wasn’t prepared for what was coming my way.
Not at all.



Carra's Review

So, here's a little review spoiler for you-I just finished this book and I already want to re-read it.  Naughty Cupid was fantastically entertaining, and I read the whole book in a single sitting...I just did not want to put it down.  It's filled with plenty of sarcasm, snarky dialogue, laughs and great pop culture references:
"You can time travel?" I cried.  "But you don't even have a TARDIS or a flux capacitor."
He scrunched up his face in confusion.  "A flux...a what?"
It's also filled with plenty of passion and emotion-not to mention some pretty darn steamy scenes between Lio and Ethan.  

Lio was a wonderfully funny, quirky character who you can't help but love.  Yes, he's a pretty naughty cupid and he likes it that way.  Ethan is totally straight-laced and by-the-book, and gets easily frustrated with Lio.  The more time they are together, the hotter things become.  But Lio is terribly conflicted when it comes to Ethan, and desperate to keep from totally giving himself over to his soul mate in an attempt to keep some semblance of control in his life.  And just when it seems he's reconciled everything in his head, he discovers something-through his nasty jerk of an ex no less-that puts him into a tailspin and shakes his trust once again.

 From the cover you might think that this is just another lighthearted romp, but Naughty Cupid is actually a powerful tale about giving oneself over to another person-mind, body and soul.  It also send an equally powerful message about labels and equality, and simply following your heart.
"You love who you love, and your perceived sexuality does not always play into it."

 While there's a lot of fun, teasing and a ton of innuendo, there's also a serious side to this story-and the scene near the end in the courtroom is one of my favorites from any book (and definitely my favorite in this one).  There's lessons to learn for the characters, and a message of love and tolerance for everyone.

 Naughty Cupid was a 5-star read for me, and I highly recommend it to fans of M/M romance, especially if you like fantasy/paranormal.  This is for those 18+ due to adult language and explicit M/M sexual content.  And yeah...I'm seriously wanting to re-read this and it will probably be one of those annual re-read books for me ;-)




Meet the author

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. She has served multiple board positions at her local RWA chapter and with Rainbow Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and can often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.


Author Interview


Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Deanna Wadsworth author of Naughty Cupid.

Hi, Deanna, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Do you buy a book because of the cover, the blurb, or something else?
A great cover is like the lure that draws you in but the blurb is what sells it. But as a writer, I have come to know so many of my peers that I often buty their books just because I want to support them LOL

What does ‘romance’ mean to you?
Romance is looking like crap, feeling fat and laying around in your jammies on a Sunday morning and your husband glances over at you, takes your hand and gives you a smile that travels all the way to his eyes as he says, “I love you, baby.”
THAT is romance

What are your current projects?
Well, I am currently in the middle of planting my vegetable garden, so that takes up a TON of my time, but I am managing to work on a new novel I hope to finish this summer. It’s one I wrote years ago, but I am retelling the entire thing. Same two guys, whole new plot. Bisexual tattoo artist knocks up his gay best friend’s sister….and they are all on the same reality TV show. It’s gonna be intense!

What is the most difficult part of writing for you?
Time. I have ideas coming out the ying-yang, but I have other responsibilities, ya know? LOL But emotional distractions can also hinder my writing. If I’m upset or obsessing over something, it’s difficult to write until I am ready to channel that emotional baggage into my book. That’s why books like NAUGHTY CUPID go from silly to dark at times. My emotions fuel my characters.
Or is it the other way around? My characters are depressed so they bring me down?
Who knows? Kinda like the chicken or the egg, huh?

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people.
I like being by myself. I am pretty extroverted, but that drains me. I need silence, solitude and time to meditate and pray. That’s probably why I love to garden ☺


Rafflecopter Prize: A print copy of ‘Naughty Cupid’





Tour Dates & Stops: 
5-Sep: Molly Lolly
12-Sep: Cathy Brockman Romances
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