On August 1, Headline Publishing in the UK will be re-releasing one of my favorite erotic romances–Paradise Rules–with a lovely new edition and cover. Whether you are in the UK/Australia/New Zealand area and decide to read Paradise Rules for the first time, whether you are in the U.S. and have never read it, or if you want to dig out your old copy, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate summer, beaches and primal Hawaiian heat than with Jason Koa…
She didn’t believe in paradise…
To most people Hawaii’s crystal blue shores are an inviting opportunity to escape reality. But for Lana Rodriguez who grew up there, the picture-perfect vacation getaway disguises the bitter truths she escaped years ago, and not without some emotional scars. Now a successful blues singer, Lana’s returning to Waikiki with a different outlook on the past, and a bold defiance when it comes to men, romance, and sex. This time, it’s on her terms.
Until she found it in him.
Local celebrity, businessman and island god, Jason Koa, may be every woman’s dream. For Lana, it’s not exactly love at first sight. Though their start is rocky, they can’t deny the passions they arouse in each other. Jason refuses to become Lana’s pawn. It’s time to show her who makes the rules on this island—and in the bedroom. But will Jason’s attempt at breaking Lana’s shell reveal secrets that neither are prepared to face, or will they allow themselves to get swept away by a tidal wave of desire?
Excerpt
“Jason?” she called out hoarsely.
Again, there was only silence.
She distantly heard the sound of water splashing. She walked over to the window and watched, her breath burning in her lungs, as Jason arose out of the ocean with a flex and bulge of defined muscle. He’d obviously taken an afternoon swim. He used his fingers to wipe water out of his face then casually swiped his hand over a ridged abdomen, making a stream of water splash off taut, sun-bronzed skin. Lana stood rigid, paralyzed by the sight of him glittering and flashing in the bright sunlight like an ancient Polynesian god.
She made a small, trapped sound of dismay—or was it longing?—when he suddenly went still and looked directly at her through the pane of glass.
* * *
Jason didn’t say anything, just went to the refrigerator, opened it, and took out a bottle of water. He turned to face Lana Rodriguez and cracked off the plastic top with a brisk twist of his wrist. The silence that ensued was tense . . . charged.
He chugged down half the water.
She still stood where he’d first seen her by the window. She wore a pair of cut off jean shorts, a fitted T-shirt, and white canvas tennis shoes. Her hair had been pulled back into a pony-tail. He didn’t see a trace of makeup on her face, but she didn’t need it. He’d been right. Her skin soaked up the sun like it’d thirsted for it forever. Her legs looked long, smooth, and satiny in the shadowed light.
He sensed her uncertainty . . . her anxiety, but he did nothing to soothe her unrest. The sight of her rattled him. That knowledge made him realize he needed every advantage he could get. Forget Hawaiian hospitality. She was going to have to sweat for putting herself in his territory.
Just like he did.
She walked toward him silently, her exquisitely chiseled jaw held high. Damn, that woman had a chip on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry for intruding,” she said. Her low, smoky voice made his damp skin prickle.
“The door was open and I . . . couldn’t find you.”
“Why?”
She flinched slightly at his harsh question, but then her jaw went up again. He saw anger ignite in her tilted hazel eyes.
“I wanted to hire you again. As an escort.”
He gave a bark of laughter before he chugged down the remainder of the water and tossed the plastic bottle in his recycling bin beneath the sink. “Give it a rest, will you? Angie—the hostess at Jace’s—told me you were there last night. Did you think she didn’t recognize you? She was telling everyone about her encounter with Lana Rodriguez, including me when I went in to close last night. You know I’m not really an escort for Hawaiian Nights. What are you really here for?”
Her backbone stiffened. “You don’t seem to have any problems with the fact that you blatantly mislead me.”
He shrugged. “It’s like I said the other night. I got what I wanted, and so did you. What if I did twist the truth a little?”
“Twist the truth?” she repeated incredulously. “I could have you arrested for what you did!”
“You could try.” He watched her as he used the towel around his neck to dry his hair. “But you’d have to admit you solicited sexual services from Hawaiian Nights. That’s not going to please the police any more than my little misrepresentation. I’ll just say it was a mistake that you thought I was a male prostitute.”
She stalked toward him, looking furious. He thought she was about to ream him out when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.
“Why?” The single word popped out of her mouth, seemingly against her will. “Why the hell did you do that?”
He paused before he let the towel drop to his chest. His cock stiffened to full, leaden readiness, as erect as it might have been after having a woman pamper it with her hands and mouth for long, delicious minutes.
All that from just the sight of Lana’s vulnerability, just the hint of her softness.
“I told you. I wanted you. When the opportunity arose to take what I wanted, I took it.”
She shook her head in amazement. “Just like that.”
“Yeah,” he growled as he came around the granite-topped island that set off his kitchen from the living space. He saw her eyes go wide as he stalked toward her. “Just like that.”
PARADISE RULES is the kind of hot/sweet romantic combination that I’ve come to expect from Beth Kery.
Book Binge
A flawless romance that is sure to stand the test of time.
5 Hearts from the Romance Studio
Romance with both eroticism and emotional conflict.
Recommended Read from Jane at Dear Author
I found it impossible to set this book down.
4.75 stars and a Top Pick from Night Owl Romance
Kery creates tension by weaving together a mystery and a happily-ever-after love story.
4 stars from Romantic Times
I definitely recommend PARADISE RULES.
All About Romance Reviews
Hot enough to melt the polar cap.
5 Stars from Genre Go Round Reviews
These two are volcanic together.
A “Desert Island Keeper” from closetreader blog
5 Angels and a Recommended Read from Fallen Angel Reviews
PARADISE RULES, available in the UK/Australia/New Zealand August 1, ebook and print.
Available now in the US, ebook and print book.