Pages

14 June 2015

New Release & Review ~ Taking Over (Love Projects #3) by S.J. Maylee


Contemporary Erotic Romance D/s Novella
Released June 10, 2015

Where you can find TAKING OVER:
When she’s forced to tell the man she loves the whole dreadful truth, she fears he’ll despise her more, but it may be the only thing that can melt his hate and reveal his love for her.


Blurb

Gina’s life was perfect, until the day she realized the man she loved didn’t love her back. Her charming life turned upside down as tragedy and cruelty struck her down. She learned to protect her family from those who could cause them pain, but she inadvertently ensured the perfect life would be forever out of her reach.

Marcus has hid his love for Gina for years. His assumptions about her have allowed him to be harsh, but underneath all the anger is a man deeply in love. The tough realities of her life put them in position to see themselves in a whole new light. The second chance is right there and it could take them over the edge into the love they’ve always wanted.

Be Warned: spanking, light BDSM, sex toys, public exhibition.


Excerpt

When he thought about it, Gina was the opposite of many of the people he knew, even Keller's latest hire. When Keller threw Janna into the deep end on her first day, just a couple of days ago, he figured Simon’s project would be toast. But she was smart as a whip and completely saved the day. Simon, a fellow Master at Club Voyage, was one lucky son of a gun. Not only was Janna an amazing project manager, but she was a submissive as well and the pair’s new working relationship seemed to be developing into something more. She was a brave one, for sure, to step into their environment. Marcus respected her and was determined to help her navigate the sometimes, treacherous waters.

He got up from his desk and went upstairs in search of Janna, figuring he'd check for last minute project issues and see how she was doing. When he entered the hallway to her office, she stood just
outside Simon's office, her arms pressed firmly to her side and her gaze fixed on whatever was happening inside. He stepped in behind her and found Gina perched on Simon's desk, positioned in one of her seductive poses. Her long legs crossed to raise her little skirt, showing off way too much thigh.

“Gina,” he said it sharper than he intended, but it got her attention. 

She turned and her gaze bore into him, cold and flat. She slipped from the desk and sauntered past him. He figured she would have spit at him if they hadn't been in the office. Even still, her enticing scent tried to shake him from his fury.

He clenched his fists and stormed down the hall in the opposite direction. Quickly gathering his things from his desk, Marcus figured it was best to call it a night before he called Gina out in front of the whole office. What could she have possibly been thinking? Everyone knew Simon had already taken Janna on as a trainee.

He got halfway across the parking lot when the door to the building opened behind him. He turned to find Gina strutting towards him. Fury bubbled over and he stopped, needing to say his peace. Enough was enough.

“What is wrong with you? Can't you let anyone be happy?”

“I have no idea what you're babbling about.” She traipsed past him.

“Stop it, Gina. I've seen you do it enough times to know it's your pattern. No one gets to be happy on your watch, huh?”

“You're an asshole.” She took a step towards him and pointed at him. “You don't know a thing about me.” She pursed her red lips and turned back around, moving away from him.

“Nice.” He should have let her go. Fighting with Gina would get him nowhere.

“What's your deal anyways, always the hero, never wrong. Is that it? Keller should commission a statue.” She turned again, hand on her hip. “Wouldn't it make things easier for you if I distracted Simon?

You could move in on the new little blonde of his you're always talking to.”

“What, are you jealous?”

“Not on your life. I just figured with Rob all settled and happy, maybe now you'll finally settle down.”

“I'd love to settle down, but it wouldn't be with Janna. We're just friends.”

“Whatever.”

“I'm not into breaking up happy couples. That's your thing.”

“Save it. I'm not interested in a lecture from the ignorant.”

“Oh, do I have it wrong? Please, enlighten me. Did you not cheat on your husband? Have you not tried to break up Lydia and Jake and now Janna and Simon too? Good grief, Gina. Isn't anything sacred to you?” Heat flared up his cheeks. Tension straightened his spine. It felt damn good to finally call her out.

“That's what you see.” She raised her purse strap higher on her shoulder and for a second he thought a confession was coming, instead she lifted her chin. “I'll tell you one more time. You don't know me. You never did, never bothered to see anything but your own observations. That's fine because it's what everyone else does, but don't think it makes you better than anyone. It only makes you shallow.”

He let her go. Stunned by her statement. What in the world was she going on about? He couldn't possibly have missed anything in her plastic display of a life.


Who is Marcus Martone?

I first met Marcus Martone on the day I spent delving deeper into what made Gina so angry. She’s my bad girl from the first two books in my Love Projects series. After I pulled back all the reasons she claimed to despise Marcus, I began to see what made him so complex.

He’s the type of guy who will bend over backwards for a friend, even sacrifice his own happiness. When he joined the team at Voyage Industries, he was one of the first to befriend sweet Janna Hall who was struggling in her new position. He’s the guy that looks out for everyone but what about Marcus?

At the beginning of Taking Over, he takes on Gina’s bad attitude and Dominates her in a way that finally gets her to let go. Taking Over is their story. It’s where you’re reminded love is on the other side of hate. It’s where you’ll find the strongest of characters melting for the love they can no longer deny.

I fell in love with Marcus’s sweet side first, but this strength and determination has made him a hero I’ll always love and I hope you do too.



Bad Girl Gina Fontaine

I’ve dealt with mean girls in my life and when I first started writing Taking Chances, the first book in my Love Projects Series, I pulled from my own experiences to create my own bad girl, Gina Fontaine. Each time Gina pushed her way into my heroine’s lives, she touched on their fears but she also dared them to go after what they really wanted.

The more I got to know her, the more I wanted to know what drove her. There had to be more to her story. Could it be possible that she cared for anyone besides herself?

I soon discovered there was one person Gina loved more than anyone else, her mom. She has deep love and respect for her mother. In fact, some of the poor choices she’s made were chosen with the sole purpose of protecting her mom.

Also, Gina may no longer be in love with her ex-husband, but she still cares for him. She’s even tried to scare away the woman he was dating when she worried they wouldn’t make a good match. Yes, she’s my bad girl.

Although she won’t admit it, Gina is still in love with the first man she ever loved. That same man despises her. He’s also the hero of Taking Over. Oh boy.

This is a story of friends, to enemies, to lovers, to … I dare you to give his bad girl a chance.


Review

When SJ first told me that she was going to write a story about Gina, well let's just say I was very skeptical. Gina was defiantly not my favorite person and the way she treated my favorite heroines, well that didn't bode well for Gina. To Gina say was my least favorite person would be the understatement of the year.

As can be expected, when SJ told me to expect this story in my inbox, I was part excited and part scared. Excited to finally get to know Marcus and scared because it was Gina. But I promised to go into this story with an open mind, after all I do adore SJ.

So after reading it, did I like it?

Short answer..... Yes.

Long answer..... Gina surprised me, in more ways than I anticipated. The reasons that she acts the way she does proves that she has a heart.... a really big heart. Although her actions are not be condoned, I get it. And for this I have to, albeit reluctantly, admit that I like and respect her.

Marcus has he's hands full when he decides to get to the heart of Gina. He's the Master with a heart of gold. He's techniques are very provocative and alluring. I love that he never gives up on Gina, even when her stubbornness gets in the way. And it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes.

What a great surprise to see so many familiar faces in this story. It's like seeing old friends and catching up with them. I would have loved to have been sandwiched between all those seductive men at one table. Someone get me a fan!

In short, this was a very sensual tale of longing for someone from afar and then getting the opportunity to finally act on those feelings. A story of hope, courage, and second chances. A story that proves you can't judge a book, or a person in this case, at face value.

Well done my friend! You took the bad girl we all loved to hate and made her someone that we can love and care for. I didn't think it was possible, but you are Gina's personal miracle worker!




Taking Chances (LP#1)


A shy technical writer, chosen by a dominant team leader to help save a vital project, discovers the inner strength to open her heart and take a chance at love.

Where you can find TAKING CHANCES:

Blurb

Lydia’s father walked away from her when she was eight. She’s struggled to not let him affect her, but fears she wasn’t loveable enough to make him stay. Jake wants to love one woman, but after scaring the last woman he met outside of the club, he doubts he deserves the right. She protects her heart by sticking with her fantasies and he lives by a set of rules that excludes women who choose a vanilla lifestyle.

The two will be kept in a conference room working together until their special project is complete. If Lydia and Jake hold tight to their bland lives, they’ll always yearn for love that is out of reach. Together they find common ground, passion, and a reason to take chances. Once they discover the grand possibilities of the love they desire, they find themselves in the very place they tried never to be again, facing unguaranteed loved.

Be Warned: spanking, BDSM, public exhibition.



Taking Courage (LP#2)


When her new life threatens to break apart, she must decide if it’s best to run home or to stay and battle for the career and man she doesn’t want to live without.

Where you can find TAKING COURAGE:

Blurb

Janna’s ready to make over her life and get out from under the controlling thumb of her father. She doesn’t want another failed arranged marriage. She’s ready to do whatever it takes for the career she wants, enter the lifestyle she craves, and to earn the trust and love of the man that has captured her heart, but heartbreak and career hiccups seem to be her destiny.

Simon’s still recovering after his last submissive lied her way into his life. He’s not ready for Janna and how she pushes against his prejudices. He needs to decide if he’s willing to lose her or if he’ll fight for her love and submission.

Be Warned: sex toys, spanking, BDSM, public exhibition, anal sex.


About The Author


S.J. Maylee fell in love with storytelling at a young age and with it came a deep-seateddesire for everyone to find their happily ever after. She’s finding the happy endings for her characters one steamy story at a time.

When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her caring for her garden, laughing with her two young sons, or dancing to her husband’s music. She’s a PMP (Project Management Professional), Nia instructor, and coffee addict.

As a writer she has a tendency to break hearts, but she always glues them back together.

Author Links

Where You Can Find Books by S.J. Maylee


No comments:

Post a Comment