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Harlequin Spotlight: Midnight Special by Tawny Weber – Review/Giveaway/Excerpt

 

MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

by Tawny Weber

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Tawny will be awarding a bookmark goodie package to one commenter at each stop (bookmark, signed cover flat, post it pad, magnet) and a grand prize of a $25 Amazon / BN (or other bookstore of the winner’s choice) GC to one randomly drawn commenter during this tour and her other Book Blast on May 14th.  Leave an email and a comment for Tawny or about the Harlequin Spotlight.

 
Tour Schedule Link

BLURB:

 

Somewhere on the train is a key witness for a crime involving arson, murder and a high-profile businessman. And reporter Marni Clare will do whatever it takes to get the story—even if it means crashing in a sleeper car that’s she’s not sure she’s reserved. But when she wakes, she finds herself curled up with the man she’s seeking…and he’s hot enough to derail all her plans!

FBI special agent Hunter won’t complain about the wickedly hot blonde in his arms. And maybe it’s the medication he’s on, but he’s even agreed to share his room for the entire journey….

It’s a long trip in close quarters, and within days their berth becomes the scene of some steamy railway romps. But is Marni just having fun…or is she taking Hunter for a ride?

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EXCERPT

 

MARNI SHOULD BE OUTRAGED. Shocked, even.

 

But she was too busy visually gobbling up the delicious view.

 

Oh, sweet baby. What a body.

 

“I didn’t sneak into your bed,” she finally responded, her tone more absent and offhand than angry and dismissive.

 

“No? My bed.” He pointed to the bunk, then shifted his finger to her. “You. Since I didn’t invite you in, I’d say sneaked in is a good term.”

 

That cut right through Marni’s foggy passion. Irritation chased back desire. Not away. There was no chance of not feeling desire when a guy as gorgeous as this one stood naked in front of her. But her brain was starting to override her body. Or, at least, trying to.

 

“Let’s think about this,” she said, sitting up straighter and offering a chilly smile. “When I arrived in this cabin last night, mine was the only luggage here. There was no sign of anyone else using the room. When I climbed into bed, it was empty. You weren’t here. I’d say that makes you the one sneaking around, don’t you think?”

 

His laugh was as appreciative as it was sardonic.

 

Then he turned his back toward her. She couldn’t quiet her approving moan at the site of his perfect—not just great, but perfect—butt. Her gaze slowly meandered up the golden planes of his back, and since he wasn’t looking, she wiped her lower lip to make sure there was no evidence of drool.

 

Then her eyes landed on his shoulders.

 

His shoulders!

 

Her drool dried up, the lust in her belly replaced with a different kind of excitement.

 

It was him.

 

Those were the shoulders.

 

She’d had a little early morning delight with the very man she’d told her cousin she was chasing down for a hot, sexy time.

 

Funny how those things worked out.

 

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Disclaimer or Harlie’s opinion:

As most people know, I love my Harlequin’s.  I’ve been reading the Blaze line since its inception over 10 years ago.  I started with the Temptation line that eventually became Blaze.  Yes, I’m that old and yes, I still have some pretty dog-eared copies of Temptations that I will never part with much to my husband disdain.  🙂

All that said, I’m offering my opinion on the Blaze line for your amusement today.  Feel free to email me off blog if you agree or disagree.  🙂

Blaze is the spicest line that Harlequin offers now.  They used to have the Spice line that I devoured and still miss to this day.  Spice offered classy, intelligent erotic romance if I needed more of a boast than Blaze could offer me.  I mean, I started with Lauren Dane and Megan Hart through Spice and never looked back. 

For me, Blaze is and will forever be the best line that Harlequin offers readers who want it muy calente with their characters.  Some authors write it more sensual and then some are balls to the wall.  Blaze doesn’t discriminate either when it comes to their characters.  They can be rich, powerful, ordinary, plain, military etc.  What draws me to the line is the emotional depth that Blaze authors offer every month.  Yes, the sex is sizzling and sometimes still make me blush (which considering what I review on the blog is something 🙂 ) but it the character driven plot and ordinary circumstances that the characters are put in that I can identify with on a daily basis.  No, I’m not rich, powerful, or even sexy and young.  I’m a middle-aged, married woman with a kid that sits in a carpool line every morning and afternoon.  I’m the baseball mom that will scream at the umpire but still not get kicked out of a game.  I’m the friend that you can cry to and I don’t judge.  Hey, we all have our problems and issues.  I’m also the woman who really, really hates Walmart but knows it’s a necessary evil. 

What I’m saying is that Blaze has always been the line that I read if I want to remember what it was like when I was younger.  Yes, I was young once.  I remember when my career was more important than love and my friends were my life line.  I was uninhibited and carefree.  Remember it was the 80’s.  LOL!  But most of all, I remember what it was like to fall in love and having to either make sacrifices or take a new direction in my life to make love work.  That’s the beauty of the Blaze line and I look forward to reading it for years to come.

 

Review:

What really caught my eye about Midnight Special was the overall theme in the book.  Take two career focused people with their plan set, throw them on a themed train ride across country, see which one of them blinks first.  Plus the fact that Ms. Weber is one of all time favorite Blaze writers.  🙂

Marnie is one woman with the career plan set in stone.  Yes, she beautiful but also extremely smart and good at her job.  Marnie is me when I was her age.  The truth hurts when your career takes over your life and then you realize what life.  Marnie was a hoot in the book in the beginning.  Batting her eyelashes, flirting with Hunter and then making the biggest career AND life decision that she would ever make made me want to hug her and then high-five her, too.  By the end of the book, I wanted to cry with her and tell her that whatever decision that she made would be the right one.

Hunter, to me, was the typical FBI hero that thought nothing about putting himself in harm’s way, loving women and wanting to further his career.  He, too, had his career path all set and nothing, not even a hot, sexy and smart blonde wasn’t going to derail his ambitions.  One problem with Hunter…once he got to know Marnie and realized that it was more than sex for him, he didn’t know what to do.  The case didn’t matter, only Marnie mattered.  Was he written has the Neanderthal type?  No, he was written with true emotional depth and layer upon layer that I really appreciated from Ms. Weber.

Ms. Weber writes her Blaze books with emotional depth and deep understand that the sex while AWESOME, isn’t the basis for every relationship.  The train scenes and the sexual build up were marvelous.  I could imagine being on the train trying to solve the murder mystery.  I’m a sucker for trains…

As for the sex scenes, they are spicy and completely Blaze-worthy but also written realistic and sweet.  While they were connected with their bodies, they were also connecting emotionally.  They just didn’t realize it at first.  Oh and the scene at the hotel, up against a wall…DAMN!  Sorry…dang that was hot as hell and emotionally set the stage for both Marnie and Hunter to realize what was really important in their lives.  *wipes brow*

I can’t impress upon you to read Midnight Special by Tawny Weber.  She writes her characters with emotional depth, realistically and just sexy enough that even this middle-aged woman can I identify with.  Great job and I can’t wait for Ms. Weber’s next book.

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007.  A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking and hanging out on Facebook.

 

Readers can check out Tawny’s books at her website or join her Red Hot Readers Club for goodies like free reads, complete first chapter excerpts, recipes, insider story info and much more.  And for a limited time, she has a few open spots on her Street Team!

 

 

Social Links:

Website – http://tawnyweber.com

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/TawnyWeber.RomanceAuthor

Twitter –  https://twitter.com/TawnyWeber

Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/tawnyweber/

Midnight Special link:   http://tawnyweber.com/books/midnight-special/

 

Purchase Links:

–    All About Romance

–    Amazon

–    Barnes & Noble

–    Books-A-Million

–    Harlequin

–    Powells

–    iTunes

 

38 thoughts on “Harlequin Spotlight: Midnight Special by Tawny Weber – Review/Giveaway/Excerpt

  1. I agree about trains. The only way I’d travel if possible. Adventure!! Murder, mayhem, love, lust!!

  2. I am so loving re reading the excerpts from this book such a great story 🙂

    Have Fun
    Helen

  3. Thanks for all the info about the Blaze line, it was fascinating to read!

    tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com

    1. Tammy, I love that you love Blaze 🙂 I do too!!! And I’m so excited that you’re going to check out Midnight Special – can’t wait to hear what you think!

  4. Loved Tawny’s seals-if you haven’t read them you should-and can’t wait to read this one. Carolyn

    1. Shelly you are my winner for the swag pack! Congratulations and GF will be in touch.

      Thanks for coming to the blog and supporting Tawny!

      Harlie

  5. Congratulations on the publication of Midnight Special! Sounds like a thrilling book. Thanks for sharing the excerpt and thanks for the great giveaway.
    bhometchko(at)hotmail(dot)com

  6. Oh wow! First off, thank you SO much for having me and featuring Midnight Special today! I really appreciate that. And now to ME blushing 😀 What a lovely review!! Thank you so much! Can I quote you *g* 🙂

  7. I haven’t read Tawny’s work yet either. Thanks for your review. Can’t wait to read the whole book.

  8. I have to admit that I haven’t really read many Harlie Blazes -something I clearly need to fix (I tend to read their other lines) – that said – the cover is fantastic for Ms. Webers book and I love knowing it’s a well written romantic suspense with a litte more heat! Thanks for the spotlight, review and giveaway!

    junegirl63 at gmail dot com

    1. Thanks so much, Maria 😀 I’m admittedly biased, but I love the Blaze line and hope you’ll check it out. And that you’ll take a peek at Midnight Special, of course 😀

  9. I’m with Marnie – Love a great butt! Great description of the Spice line and well done review. Cannot wait to read it!

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