Laid Bare With Flair – Day One!!!
Jul
3
2009

In this erotic universe, passion knows no rank…

Since the first settlers came through the portals from Earth, fifteen Families have held the rule of the Federated Universes in their hands. There’s never been a better time than now to throw out the old and usher in a new order. Give voice to the unranked. Abbie Haws has spent her life battling the system. A fighter, she’s always been too busy and driven to pay much attention to finding love. But when she’s granted audience with Roman Lyons, the head of House Lyons, who stands for everything she hates, her instant attraction catches Abbie off-guard…

It’s common knowledge that the Known Universe revolves around Ravena–and that Ravena revolves around Roman Lyons, bred to lead since birth. Roman dreads his meeting with a defiant–if stunning–rabble-rouser. But, sometimes, headstrong personalities in the conference room make for hot-and-heavy, guilty trysts in private….

Now, Abbie will show Roman the parts of her world he wouldn’t otherwise get to see. And he’ll give her a glimpse of the Families’ age old tradition and unleash a sexuality he’d never given rein to before.

Just a glimpse of Abbie and Roman’s connection here:

RELENTLESS by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2009, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, Penguin Publishing Group

The woman looking back at her in the mirror started as she took herself in. “I look like I just got fingered like a nineteen year old in her boyfriend’s parents’ house,” she mumbled as she wet her hands to get her hair back in order. Which made her laugh because she had been a nineteen year old girl who got fingered in her boyfriend’s parents’ house, in the dark, in their family room after an hour of kissing.
Who kissed for an hour anymore? She’d like to kiss Roman for an hour, maybe two. Languid kisses because they had the whole day to do nothing more than that.

Her knees were still rubber from the interlude. How completely unexpected it had all been. Him touching her like that, shoving her sleeve up to see the bruise Kerrigan had left. And when she saw his hand there something slipped its moorings inside her and she rushed at him, shoving him to the carpet, wanting to harm before she could be harmed.

But he’d been still, looking up at her through eyes that saw right to her soul. Some part of him had seen her pain and he’d responded to that. And then when he’d caressed her thighs, good great gods! It’d been enough to ram the sense back into her enough to jump from him and get some distance. But then he’d uncoiled himself like a great, male predator and moved to her with kind eyes.

She’d attacked not just a Ranked male, but the Ranked male and he gently moved the hair from her face. Not as if she was so fragile she’d break, but as if she was precious. And then he kissed her and she couldn’t resist, couldn’t even recall the reasons she’d had for staying away from him to begin with.
She’d gone up there upset and afraid but now something else had passed between them. He’d touched her physically, yes, but emotionally as well and the dark edge of craving began to sliver through her.

At first glance, Relentless is about opposites attracting, but once you scratch the surface, you see that despite class differences, Abbie and Roman are not so very different when it comes to being passionate about the things they believe in. It’s a story about passion, committment, connection and love – and what happens when sometimes those things conflict and you have to choose.

Today’s prize (announced tomorrow at noon pacific) is a copy of Relentless and a pair of very pretty earrings from one of my favorite ETSY sellers!

All you need to do is reply here and tell me what song or CD you’re listening to most these days. I’ll choose a winner from the entries tomorrow! Winners have three days to claim the prize so you’ll be responsible for checking back here!

DAILY CONTEST NOW CLOSED FOR ENTRIES

80 comments to “Laid Bare With Flair – Day One!!!”

  1. Lea
    July 3rd, 2009 at 2:48 pm · Link

    Hey Lauren!

    Thank you for the awesome contest! I am so looking forward to “Laid Bare”.

    I am listening to John Mayer’s “Continuum”, these days as well as a selection of iTunes from Joshua Radin.

    Thanks
    Lea 😀



  2. Karin
    July 3rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm · Link

    I am listening to Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond singing What Does America Mean to Me as I get ready for July 4th.



  3. Lisa F.
    July 3rd, 2009 at 3:30 pm · Link

    I’ve been listening to Blue October’s new CD, Approaching Normal because I love the song My Never.



  4. Anne Jones
    July 3rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm · Link

    I tend to stick to audiobooks for listening, no music at the moment. The cover for relentless is great.



  5. stacey smith
    July 3rd, 2009 at 4:18 pm · Link

    I’m sad for the lost of Michael Jackson which I have been listening to 25th anniversary of thriller It was my fav as a kid and a lot of his other songs.
    sasluvbooks@yahoo.com



  6. Kainani
    July 3rd, 2009 at 5:06 pm · Link

    Currently I have two songs I’m constantly lisitening to: She Is Love by Parachute & The Wind Blows by The All-American Rejects.



  7. Diane Sadler
    July 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 pm · Link

    I love country music and right now I keep listening to Carrie Underwood’s I told you so that is a remake of Randy travis’ song



  8. Collette
    July 3rd, 2009 at 5:21 pm · Link

    I’ve been listening to The Killers Hot Fuss and Kings of Leon (assorted albums) lately. In the car, I’m a horrible station flipper. Joe can’t stand it but fortunately Gabe doesn’t seem to mind yet!



  9. Amy M
    July 3rd, 2009 at 6:13 pm · Link

    I’ve been listening to a lot of Leonard Cohen lately.



  10. Booklover1335
    July 3rd, 2009 at 6:24 pm · Link

    Hi Lauren,
    I have been listening alot to Missy Higgins, especially my fav song “Where I Stood”. Funny enough I first learned about this singer from one of Megan Hart’s itunes playlists, and I absolutely love it.

    I would love to win a copy of Relentless. I just got Undercover so would be great to get this one so I can read them together. Congrats on the countdown to Laid Bare’s release!



  11. stacey dempsey
    July 3rd, 2009 at 6:48 pm · Link

    right now it is the new GREEN DAY album good from front to back



  12. Caffey
    July 3rd, 2009 at 7:20 pm · Link

    Hi Lauren, I too love how she’s reflecting back to those teenage years. Then I started to think of them too!

    I’d love to be in for RELENTLESS! I’m deaf so can’t give you anything I listen to, but just the other day I was looking up the lyrics to Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. Its a favorite of my hubbys and I remember him putting the speakers on the floor, this was when we were dating, and he had written out the lyrics and then had me feel the music through him and the lyrics. Loved that one, and a beautiful memory too!



  13. Mary G
    July 3rd, 2009 at 7:37 pm · Link

    Caffey
    That’s so romantic. Somebody ought to write a book. Do you ever read Mouth to Mouth by Erin Mccarthy. One of my fave books by her.



  14. Marjana Kaly
    July 3rd, 2009 at 7:52 pm · Link

    I’m listening to Beyonce and Britney Spears and of course Micheal Jackson



  15. Vanessa
    July 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 pm · Link

    I have been listening to music online lately. Quite a few of my fav authors have started putting either a soundtrack list on their website to listen to with their books – or even the music itself!!



  16. Mary Preston
    July 3rd, 2009 at 9:06 pm · Link

    I have been listening to & mulling over the fact that no-one (in reality) is immortal. RIP Michael Jackson. No matter if we loved or hated you – you have left a lasting impression on us all. Your music will outlast us all.



  17. Jennifer F.
    July 3rd, 2009 at 9:45 pm · Link

    Hi Lauren, I’ve been listening to Matt Nathanson’s album. And no need to enter me for Relentless I bought it right away and LOVED it!



  18. Pamk
    July 3rd, 2009 at 9:50 pm · Link

    i normally listen to the radio. It’s hard to find the time for cd what with work and whatever.



  19. Pamk
    July 3rd, 2009 at 9:51 pm · Link

    forgot to say don’t enter me in this contest. already have it and read it and loved it.



  20. Audrey A
    July 3rd, 2009 at 10:02 pm · Link

    I’ve been listening to 3OH!3’s new CD, WANT.



  21. Afshan N
    July 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 pm · Link

    The song I’ve been listening ot is Battlefiels by Jordin Sparks….I absolutely Love This Song!!!
    And I’ve pulled out all of my Micheal Jackson CD’S and have been playing them non stop.
    R.I.P. Micheal

    ~Afshan
    Afshan522@aol.com



  22. ANNA SHAH HOQUE
    July 4th, 2009 at 12:53 am · Link

    HEY LAUREN, LATELY I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO NKOTB’S “THE BLOCK” A LOT.



  23. Michelle B.
    July 4th, 2009 at 2:39 am · Link

    Hello Lauren,

    Well, do to my niece & nephew being addicted to the Twilght dvd (me too!!!) I have been listening to Supernatural Blackhole by Muse ALOT!!! Even printed out the lyrics for my nephew who loves music (he is 10yrs old) and he has been singing it most every night when I get home from work. When I go to the computer to check my emails he pulls up a seat & asks me to pleeeaasse put on my itunes & start Supernatural Blackhole & sing with him. So, I know all the words as well as just listening to it.

    Michelle B. 🙂



  24. Virginia Campbell
    July 4th, 2009 at 5:13 am · Link

    “Hold Back My Heart” by Michael Johns. Michael is the gorgeous Aussie who should have won American Idol Season 7!



  25. Amy Mowers
    July 4th, 2009 at 6:23 am · Link

    Lady Gaga is a big one for me right now. But I also listen to the Wicked Soundtrack a lot too. Those would be the top two 😀

    Thanks!
    amy m



  26. Melissa Conatser
    July 4th, 2009 at 6:43 am · Link

    Much to my husband’s dismay, I am not all that much into music. I like it, if it happens to be on the radio in the car. However, I will not go out of my way to listen to music. It seems that lately, I have been listening to Michael Jackson alot, because my brother was a huge fan, lives with me, and plays music in his room at all times.



  27. Ivy D. Truitt
    July 4th, 2009 at 7:34 am · Link

    Got it right now, not enough caffeine I guess..
    I’m listening to a mix I created on play list….But in the car it’s Nickelback they’re latest Dark Horse and the one before it. They’ve definitely improved over time…did I get the postings right or are they visa-versa? Hope I didn’t screw up! Have a great day & thanks…love your books btw, The Chase brothers series is the one that hooked me. Love the southern setting, makes me feel like I’m home again…
    TC, Ivy
    by Ivy D. Truitt July 4th, 2009 at 7:28 am



  28. Andrea
    July 4th, 2009 at 1:18 pm · Link

    Hi Lauren,

    At home I’ve been listening to Rascal Flatts, Unstoppable. In the car it’s been Martina McBride, Shine.

    Have a great day!
    Andrea



  29. Lori T
    July 4th, 2009 at 2:51 pm · Link

    Again, I cannot believe that I missed the first couple days.

    Right now, I am listening to Green Day…it is my son’s favorite. So, we listen to it alot…between that and the 80s rock that he likes.

    Happy Fourth of July!



  30. Renee C.
    July 7th, 2009 at 2:15 pm · Link

    This question makes me realize I need to update my cd collection. I am currently listening to top 40 music such as The Fray, Nickelback, and Daughtry.