Book Talk shares where two different books have recently taken me, same place in different genres

I've recently read two different genre books and enjoyed them both for the same but different reasons.  During my break I read The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing by Tarquin Hall and when I was trying to get back into the swing of things, picked up Captive But Forbidden by Lynn Raye Harris.

Hall's book is part of an open ended series with Vish Puri, India's Most Private Investigator, solving mysteries with a taste of the real India and all it's heat, spicy food and extended families.  There are only two books out so far and I've enjoyed both, the third - The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken - will be out next Tuesday and yes, I have a kindle version ordered and look forward to it surfacing on my reader.

The other book, Captive But Forbidden, is a Harlequin Presents book of which is my go to line of books that I purchase when I have little time to read, but really want to be entertained for a couple of hours.  I have never read any of Harris's books and so was eager to see how it went.  Well, I couldn't put it down and I know why - it was the hero!  He was fabulous!  Called himself a mutt with no home because he was and Indian/American born in England and raised in America.  The fresh path this book helped keep my previous trip between the pages to India alive, although in a very different way.

Isn't reading and all the places it takes us wonderful?!?

And for those who are wondering, yes, I'm still reading Catherine the Great by Robert K Massie - loving it!  What an incredible woman.

Snakes + Jewelry + Book Talk = read on!

On Saturday I was flipping through the April issue of InStyle when I came across a page full of jewelry, snake jewelry.

Normally a crowded page doesn't make me pause, but it did this time and I laughed thinking about the one piece of reptile jewelry that I've had a character wear.  It was a ring and Bodhi Burke, the hero from India in the An Invitation to the World 2 series - oh, and it didn't go on his finger :-)

You can buy An Invitation to the World 2: China and India at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid│All Romance│BN

Ellora's Cave Bollywood Bash at RT brought memories of...

our trip to India.

I haven't talked much about the trip, other than it helped shape An Invitation to the World:  India, but let me tell you it was a spectacular three weeks.  There was so much to see, smell, taste, hear, as well as learn, and after seeing a few pics from last night's party on Twitter, I wanted more of what I remember of India.

There was a wedding we went to while in Chennai and if only I could share the scents as well - everything was a true experience of the senses.  However, what I remember most is how wonderful everyone was to us, I even had a Bollywood actress help me with my hair.

Anyway, here is the couple in a swing decorated in flowers, and while I can't remember all that is going on and why - we always had someone come up and explain what was happening and why, told you they were sweet - there is throwing and cleaning going on, as well as some great music.

Another bit that was delightful where the meals - yes, meals, as the ceremony stretched over many days although we only made it to two.  A banana leaf was laid out in front of you while servers walked down the aisles with big bowls of goodies and ladled a portion onto your leaf to eat.  Okay, I'm not going to share me finally being able to use all five fingers to eat, but the woman next to me had a good laugh.  Seriously, all your life you're told don't use your fingers, and suddenly that's the only way you can eat and all five need to be used - I'm tell you, it's tricky stuff!

Something else we learned during the meals was when we were done and offered another helping, just say no!  I would say, no thank you, and get another dollop of something delicious.  Last words said is what they were going by.  Bloody hard to just say no, guess the polite thing is in me to the bone.

Oh, by the way, no napkins although there was the great wash basin outside to use.

All in all, a great trip, and all the senses were given treats to enjoy.

Best of Torrid Teasers Vol. 2 - Tilly Greene's excerpt #4

AN INVITATION TO THE WORLD:  INDIA [Contemporary Erotic Romance]

Bollywood starlet, Sati Chaudhari, has had most her life controlled by her uncle, except for one thing. He can’t manage who she loves. While away from his authority, she meets and eventually marries Bodhi Burke, a hotel mogul. Unfortunately, their need for secrecy continues, and their busy lives keep them apart. Not satisfied, he buys a private island, a place for them alone.


Excerpt (G-rated)

Chapter One

"What a beautiful day. I can't believe it's deserted out here on the Theosophical Society's grounds. It's a national holiday and the city is bursting at the seams with people, but not out here. I'm happy we have it all to ourselves. It's so peaceful sitting here beneath this big old banyan tree."


The young couple had eyes only for each other as they prepared to take a major step in their lives together.

"Are you sure with what we're about to do, Sati?"

"Oh yes, Bodhi, most definitely. I love you, belong with you and will have you as my husband."

"My heart, you know your remaining family, your uncle and his clan, will no longer claim you as a Chaudhari."

"I understand. Yes, I'm grateful they took me in when I was young, but there has never been any love or respect for me as a person. Up to this point my uncle has dictated my life. It's time for me to take control and make my own decisions. I'm responsible for choosing where I go for the rest of my years and it's with you." She reached over and stroked her fingertips across the masculine stubble decorating his cheek.

He was a strikingly handsome man, which made her a very lucky woman to possess his heart.

As she defied convention by touching him in public, she thought about her life. She had worked very hard and the result had been her reputation as a beloved Bollywood starlet. It was only business, she understood that. Still, she'd been pleasantly surprised when her agent, Vasin told her how the name Sati Chaudhari on a marquee was sought after. It meant millions upon millions of rupees earned for those with their fingers in the pot.

There was often a downside to success and hers was being overworked. A while back she'd been on a set, filming and the press had started to speculate about the cause of her apparent exhaustion. Not wanting to have anything negative associated with her or the film, Vasin had pushed for a break.

Thankfully, an opening for a spa weekend at the exclusive Raj Lake Palace floating on Lake Pichola in Udaipur had been found. She'd headed straight there, looking forward to the peace they offered in the beautiful setting. Unfortunately, once she stepped into the lobby a guest had recognized her and the restful weekend looked impossible. After having gained her autograph, he'd begun to make a nuisance of himself. Then her future husband had stepped around the corner and into her life.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Her query was barely heard over the rustling leaves.

"How could I forget? You appeared so fragile in the lobby as that fan was trying to push in on you."

"You stepped out from around the corner and took my breath away. So very handsome and, like a knight in shining armor, you escorted me away from the chaos and handled everything personally. You made me feel so special."

She smiled with fond memories over that first weekend. It had been full of confidential meetings where they'd talked about their likes and dislikes, dreams of the future and the horrors of reality. By the end her break, they'd made plans to meet up gain, and then again. Eventually their secret rendezvous led to even more interludes.

It would be fair for people to believe he was obnoxious, arrogant and snobbish, being born into a family of privilege, yet she'd never found him to be any of those things. In fact he was the direct opposite.

Bodhi Burke was a confident and open-minded man who worked hard in the family hotel business and was determined to take the company around the world. With an Englishman and half-Indian woman for parents, he mainly took after his Anglo father. Very tall, physically fit and handsome, yet his mother's genes were definitely in the mix with his silky soft, rich brown hair and light hazel eyes.

Fixing her eyes to his, she thought how the surrounding thick, long black lashes would be the envy of many women. Suddenly, she felt nervous and Sati looked for assurances.

"Do you have doubts?"

"None." There was no change in his direct gaze, nothing in his body language that showed any hesitation. He was as sure as she that their decision was the best one for them both. "Sati, my love, have I told you today what a beautiful bride you make?"


Now available from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

eBook Talk!

I'm watching a show on French Polynesia/Tahiti and Paul Gauguin was how the show started. Even though it's a food/travel show [truly enjoy Anthony Bourdain's books and tv series No Reservations] the host talked about Gaugiun's desire to drop out of European society and submerse himself in the local life.

This immediately made me think about multicultural mixes and did you know I've written a few of those? Guess what? I have and truly enjoy doing them. Cultural differences tickle my imagination. So, let me tell you about a few of them.

I've mentioned this one before, in the tattoo/piercing blog, but in An Invitation to the World: New Zealand has Kiri Kanawa, half Maorian and half Anglo, Timu Tuhaere, a Maorian hunk of a rugby player, and Luke MacAlister, also a rugby player but an Anglo with blond hair and blue eyes. This threesome makes for a unique triumvirate.

The other story in the first book is Russia. Vasiliy Beketov, or Vasya, is a Russian and his soon to be lover is Zura Girard, a French-American.

Now, I imagine you believe the second duet in the An Invitation to the World series is also multicultural. It isn't, at least not like the first set is. India has Bodhi Burke, and English-Indian and Sati Chaudhari, pure Indian, and China has Yi Burton, a Chinese American, and Jia Li, pure Chinese.

On top of the characters in this series being a mix, the settings are as well, although they all end in the same place. New Zealand and India start in those countries, China starts in San Francisco, California, and Russia is pretty much set in the final location for all these stories. The lovers all make there home on a private island [shaped and located in the archipelago like their homeland] in The World is located in the Persian Gulf, Dubai, UAE.

An Invitation to the World 2: China and India is OUT!

Ever wondered how wild and kinky life can get on a private island?

The World is an exclusive enclave of 300 manmade islands, laid out to resemble the continents, set in the Arabian Gulf, and a paradise for lovers.




China tiptoes through the dangerous backlash of someone who chose to live outside the law.

On a busy summer’s day, Jia Li is kidnapped off a busy street in San Francisco's Chinatown, and wakes up on an airplane. Her ex-boyfriend Yi Burton is determined to save her life and bring her back into his, will they rekindle their love affair while hiding out on a secluded island?

India dabbles into the world of Bollywood film stars and businessmen, and the fulfilling personal lives they seek.

Sati Chaudhari is a beloved Bollywood starlet who falls for and secretly marries Bodhi Burke, a hotel mogul. Busy lives pull them apart but a private island paradise offers them a chance at reconnecting, creating new rules for their future. Is it too late to save their love?

Get your passport and pick up a copy of Tilly Greene's An Invitaion to the World 2: China and India. If you want to see more of the world, then read An Invitation to the World: Russia and New Zealand, also currently available at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid.