Happy Wine Wednesday! Love is in the air this time of year, whether it's for a special someone, a glass of red wine or a steamy romance novel. This Valentine's Day Reads & Wine post is brought to you by Author Macrella Swann's When I Dream of You and Cara Mia Pinot Noir. This bottle and book look to be a very sexy couple. So settle in with a glass of Cara Mia for a steamy read. Happy Valentine's Day and, as always, happy reading!

P.S. Since this blog is all about books and romance I've included a couple more Valentine's Day themed novels for you to check out at the bottom.

I want him. More than anything. But he’s one bad boy.

The things he wants. They’re carnal, lustful things and I can’t get them—or him—out of my mind.

Devon Prescott knows how to impose his will.
He’s a viper in a Brioni handmade suit.
Ruthless in the board room, he’s even more relentless in the bedroom.
He’s a freakin’ Adonis. It scares me that I want him so much.

When I’m with him I feel safe. I feel love. I feel a yearning.
He knows that he rocks my world. That he is the stuff of my dreams.
So he wants things.
Things I’m afraid to give him.
He tells me I’m his in the most romantic of terms. That he worships my body.
That I must trust him.
I don’t deny it. Some of the things he wants stir me deep inside.
They’re sexy and dirty and forbidden.
Am I willing to be touched? To be shared?
Oh, god.
If I give into my dream lover’s deepest desires, will I lose myself in the process?


When I Dream of You is a full-length, 85,000-word standalone steamy romance.

Want more romance for Valentine's Day? Take a look at at some more books I found...

Marlowe turned. Her long hair was now fully black. She’d dyed it from the light brown it had been when they’d first met. Her eyes flashed his way for one brief second and he felt his own burn. That bit of blood that was more unnatural than anything else about his immortal ass boiled behind his near black irises as he caught her stare. When the same flare lit her gaze in answer, he looked away. Coward. A voice from out of nowhere whispered. He still couldn’t live up to what he’d done. Sweet Jesus, weren’t there any soul-sucking monsters somewhere for him to annihilate? He’d rather be anywhere right now but here.

Mankind and the gods alike have grown complacent and the restless forces of the Underworld are coming out to play. They will not stop until their thirst for vengeance is satisfied and all worlds have returned to pre-time chaos.
Ten lost kings—sons of Poseidon, rulers of a condemned land, are our last hope... if they can be found. Cursed by the gods after the fall of Atlantis, the kings have passed into anonymity with no memory of who they are. Forces both good and evil are hunting them. Poseidon needs them to win the war for the universe. Evil is bent on their destruction.

Happy Wednesday everyone! More importantly, happy Wine Wednesday! Is it just me or does it feel like  making it this far into the week this time around has been an epic journey the likes of which only a ring-bearing hobbit could truly appreciate? Never fear though. I have a treat for you on, this, our little mid week holiday. Today's wine / book pairing is brought to you by the mysterious and sultry, Intrinsic Cabernet Savignon, and my very own, Odile, Legend of the Black Swan. Both are sure to cast a spell on you. Together, this bewitching couple make for a very magical, very seductive reading experience. So find a cozy corner away from the world, pour yourself a glass of Intrinsic Cab Sav and "Enter the world of the Black Swan... "

Pale, cold mistress of the serpent’s lair, blood red lips and coal black hair…
 
Enter the world of the Black Swan, a dark and seductive tale where things are not always as they seem. Odile is the reviled villainess of Aarroughac, a castle inhabited by the evil wizard, Count Rothebart. After a sinister magic sweeps through the land and results in death, Odile is accused of the crime. Von Rothebart vanishes, leaving her to face the wrath of an entire kingdom alone until a mysterious stranger with powers of his own comes along.  
 
With vengeance as his guide, Lord Azarus di Caspari hunts an ancient curse. When he crosses paths with the Black Swan of legend, he immediately makes up his mind to use the temptress’s magic for his own devices. But when Azarus learns that the story of the sorceress might not be true, disappointment gives way to desire. Spells are cast and secrets are revealed, but can love exist in the shadow of two dark hearts such as theirs?
 
Are the tales of the Black Swan true? Is she a murderess and an evil sorceress to be feared or is she the only thing standing between true evil and the fall of a kingdom?  Only time will tell as the magical story of the Black Swan unfolds.
 
 
Odile, Legend of the Black Swan is a fantasy, fairy tale romance inspired by the legendary ballet, Swan Lake.
 
An Enchanted Lands Romance.

 18 and up

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ibooks and Kobo

www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF

www.books2read.com/u/3G9D2d

Today's the day... Odile, Legend of the Black Swan is live!

Get ready for a sensual, magical journey complete with sorcery, villains and legendary romance. Enter the world of the Black Swan...

Pale, cold mistress of the serpent’s lair, blood red lips and coal black hair…
 
Enter the world of the Black Swan, a dark and seductive tale where things are not always as they seem. Odile is the reviled villainess of Aarroughac, a castle inhabited by the evil wizard, Count Rothebart. After a sinister magic sweeps through the land and results in death, Odile is accused of the crime. Von Rothebart vanishes, leaving her to face the wrath of an entire kingdom alone until a mysterious stranger with powers of his own comes along.  
 
With vengeance as his guide, Lord Azarus di Caspari hunts an ancient curse. When he crosses paths with the Black Swan of legend, he immediately makes up his mind to use the temptress’s magic for his own devices. But when Azarus learns that the story of the sorceress might not be true, disappointment gives way to desire. Spells are cast and secrets are revealed, but can love exist in the shadow of two dark hearts such as theirs?
 
Are the tales of the Black Swan true? Is she a murderess and an evil sorceress to be feared or is she the only thing standing between true evil and the fall of a kingdom?  Only time will tell as the magical story of the Black Swan unfolds.
 
 
Odile, Legend of the Black Swan is a fantasy, fairy tale romance inspired by the legendary ballet, Swan Lake.
 
An Enchanted Lands Romance.

Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ibooks & Kobo

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF

https://www.books2read.com/u/3G9D2d

Only 1 day left before Odile goes live! Here is a tease from the book for your Teaser Tuesday.

“And the castle?”
“Abandoned.”
“So you took it over?” She asked. “Just like that? No one challenged you?”
Odile didn’t know much about the world but it seemed unlikely that one could simply take over a castle.
Azarus chuckled.
“You’ve seen the place. It’s hardly a gem among domiciles.”
She took her eyes off him to stare ahead with her arms crossed. She’d had enough of his vague tales.
“It resonated with dark spirits,” he said.
 She looked back at him, thinking of what Berthe had said of the Drudish and of the shadows she’d seen outside the Rose garden. “None dared go in or near.”
“But you did…”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgement then looked over the horses’ backs.
 “… because you are a dark spirit,” she went on. “Of course. A stormy, crumbling manor would be the perfect home for the feared Black Falcon.”
He really did laugh at that, throwing his head back, startling the birds from the trees. Then his ice-gray eyes fell on her. The sun lit them the way it did snow in winter and Odile nearly stopped breathing. Whichever of Hell’s demons had sculpted him, it had used pure beauty for clay. Every far place in her body reacted.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF


Barnes & Noble, Ibooks and Kobo:
https://www.books2read.com/u/3G9D2d

Here are some video clips from Swan Lake - the inspiration for Odile, Legend of the Black Swan. The first is of Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle dancing the rolls of Siegfried and Odile in the ballroom scene. You also get a couple glimpses of Count Von Rothebart. The second clip is American Ballet Theater's Gillian Murphy and Angel Corella performing the famous White Swan pas de deaux with a full corps. This is the ballet's "white scene" that I mentioned in my blogpost, The Story of Swan Lake

Beautiful!

Only 2 days left till Odile, Legend of The Black Swan goes live! Pre order your copy today

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF

Barnes & Noble, ibooks kobo : https://www.books2read.com/u/3G9D2d

Only 5 days left till the release of Odile, Legend of the Black Swan! Preorder your copy of this seductive dark fairytale today.

Pale, cold mistress of the serpent’s lair, blood red lips and coal black hair…
 
Enter the world of the Black Swan, a dark and seductive tale where things are not always as they seem. Odile is the reviled villainess of Aarroughac, a castle inhabited by the evil wizard, Count Rothebart. After a sinister magic sweeps through the land and results in death, Odile is accused of the crime. Von Rothebart vanishes, leaving her to face the wrath of an entire kingdom alone until a mysterious stranger with powers of his own comes along.  
 
With vengeance as his guide, Lord Azarus di Caspari hunts an ancient curse. When he crosses paths with the Black Swan of legend, he immediately makes up his mind to use the temptress’s magic for his own devices. But when Azarus learns that the story of the sorceress might not be true, disappointment gives way to desire. Spells are cast and secrets are revealed, but can love exist in the shadow of two dark hearts such as theirs?
 
Are the tales of the Black Swan true? Is she a murderess and an evil sorceress to be feared or is she the only thing standing between true evil and the fall of a kingdom?  Only time will tell as the magical story of the Black Swan unfolds.
 
 
Odile, Legend of the Black Swan is a fantasy, fairy tale romance inspired by the legendary ballet, Swan Lake.
 
An Enchanted Lands Romance.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF

Barnes & Noble, iBooks, KoBo: https://www.books2read.com/u/3G9D2d

Only 6 days till Odile goes live! Pre order your copy today!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF

https://www.books2read.com/u/3G9D2d

“I wish there could be a thousand nights like this one, here in this magic place with you.” She murmured against his chest.
“Never wish beyond a ripe, perfect moment, mistress. Enjoy the sweetness of this instant fully, at its most complete with no diluting thoughts of tomorrow. Man’s most elusive gift is now. It burns too hot then fades out quickly without ever being lived if one is not careful. I won’t let any of my moments with you slip away, my love.”

!Coming January 30, 2019

Happy Wine Wednesday everyone! I hope you are having a fabulous week. If you are reading this blogpost  hoping to find the perfect book and bottle reading experience than you are in luck. This week's pairing features New York Times Bestselling Author Karina Halle's The Swedish Prince and a gorgeous bottle of Smoke Tree Chardonnay. A good part of The Swedish Prince does take place in a royally charming Swedish setting but at least half of the book details the prince's incognito stay in California so, voila, Smoke Tree, a Sonoma County wine. I read this book a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It was a super fun, sexy read. If you love Royal Romances, don't miss out on The Swedish Prince. And of course you'll want to enjoy it with a glass of Smoke Tree Chard. Be sure to let me know what you think of both. Happy middle of the week and, as always, happy reading!

I never believed in fairy-tales.

Never held out for Prince Charming.

Growing up poor in small-town California as the oldest of six siblings, I knew I would never ride off into the sunset with anyone. That was even more apparent when a senseless tragedy took the lives of my parents, forcing me to become the sole guardian of our dysfunctional household at the mere age of twenty-three.

Then a fateful encounter literally brought Prince Charming to my doorstep.

At first I thought Viktor was just your average businessman passing through, albeit obscenely handsome, six-foot-five, blue-eyed, and mysteriously rich.

But soon I discovered the truth behind Viktor’s façade.

Beneath his quiet, enigmatic gaze and cocky charm, is a man who is running away from who he really is. A role he’d rather not fulfill.

He is Viktor of House Nordin, His Royal Highness, The Crown Prince of Sweden.

Yet uncovering Viktor’s secret was only the first step.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with him.

I didn’t expect to have my whole life turned upside down.

When you’re from two different worlds, can your hearts meet somewhere in the middle?

Or do happily-ever-afters only exist in fairy-tales?

WARNING: The Swedish Prince is oh-so sweet, enchanting and funny, but it does contain foul language (lots of the F word) and graphic sexual scenes (lots of dirty talk). Reader discretion is advised for those who are sensitive.

www.amazon.com/dp/B07BMYY366

... a short background for Odile.

 
    I know we probably all have an inkling of an idea about the story of Swan Lake (Barbie made a cartoon out of it for cripes' sake, so there's that). But I thought I would give you the real love story from a ballet perspective - the short version.
   I mean, it’s a freaking FOUR act ballet people! I get it. Even a ballet lover such as myself starts to squirm and think, 'alright already—get to the good part' or 'when is intermission, I hope they didn’t run out of my wine out in the theater lobby.' But, ohhh the white scene! For those of you that I’m just now introducing to ballet speak, all classic ballets of the Romantic era can be identified by one particular, common scene—the white tutu scene. This is the magnificent part of these stage productions where the corps de ballet of sixteen, thirty-two or sixty-four dancers, as well as any demi-soloists and the principals are costumed all in white. For Nutcracker this is the Snow Scene, Giselle has its willies, La Bayedere its shades and in Swan Lake this is when the ethereal namesake creature of the ballet takes over the entire production.
    And  where the romance begins...

    (disclaimer for any very proper ballet police officials out there that have a strict adherence to a certain version of this story: this is a rundown of my favorite telling with some nods to the German and Russian fairy tales that probably inspired the story. Jury's still out on exactly which written version of the folktale led to Tchaikovsky's ballet but the theme remains. Boy meets swan and the rest is history... kind of... anyway...)

    Prince Siegfried, at the beginning of manhood, is out partying with his boys and doing what medieval male types did back then for fun, one of the only things they could do —they went out to hunt and cause a ruckus in the forest one last time before Siegfried had to give into parental demands and tie the knot with some zealously, over-eager princess from a, hopefully, rich and powerful land. Because that’s how things went back in the day. So at the ripe old age of twenty-one cough, cough (work with me, people died young back then), Siegfried and his entourage boy-band went hunting. Getting separated from the group, Siegfried finds himself alone on the Owl Wizard, Von Rothebart’s, land. Through the evening mist he sees a beautiful white swan in flight. Thinking the bird would make the ultimate trophy, he takes aim with his crossbow and shoots.
    Once Siegfried tracks down his prey he finds not only that he has missed the shot but that the swan has transformed into a lovely maiden, all in white. He becomes instantly infatuated and approaches the maiden, Odette, learning from her that she and the other white swans on the lake have been enchanted by the wizard. A spell on the maids has rendered them destined to swim the lake as swans by day only to transform into human women at night. Here, in this scene, comes the famous white swan pas de deux—a beautiful dance between Siegfried and Odette amid the corps of white swan ballerinas. It's gorgeous!
    The pair fall magically in love during their evening on the lake together. Odette tells Sigfried that the only way to break Von Rothebart's curse is for him to pledge his love to her. Before he can do this, Von Rothebart appears and the swans have to hide the young prince’s departure to save his life. Still, the stage has been set and Siegfried pledges to never love another, telling Odette that he will find a way to break the wizard’s curse so that they can be together.
    In the third act, a grand ball takes place at the castle where Siegfried resides. (Castle Eldwith in Odile, Legend of the Black Swan) It has been planned by the prince’s mother. Its purpose is to introduce the young prince to all the eligible maidens in the land in order for him to find a wife. There Siegfried is at this stuffy ball, forced to smile and nod at the pretty maids all in a row vying for his royal bank account, er... attention, when what he really wants is to sneak off to Swan Lake and his true love Odette again.
    Enter the Black Swan. Now here things get a little sneaky in the dance world because in recent decades the roles of the black and white swans are danced by the same ballerina. It’s a dual role that is the absolute coveted diamond of all roles by any prima with aspirations of greatness. It shows off the dancer’s virtuosity and theatrical ability as well as her talent and strength. Anyway, back to the story (this is what I was talking about last week where sometimes the storytelling loses out to ballet’s athleticism and general show-offery. But, hey, it's one of the things that makes it so enjoyable to watch. ) So there Siegfried is, bored out of his mind and ants-in-his-pants anxious to get the heck out of the castle when who should appear on the arm of the evil Count Von Rothebart but his love, Odette. Only it isn’t Odette, it’s Von Rothebart’s daughter, Odile, wearing the spelled feathers of the black swan and disguised as the girl of Siegfried’s dreams.
    The prince is ecstatic that his love is at the ball and claims her as his choice of wife right then and there in front of the whole ballroom. Only the White Swan, Odette, appears outside at the ballroom window. Brokenhearted and trying to warn Siegfried of Rothebart and Odile’s treachery, she flaps her swan wings desperately and rattles window. Immediately, Siegfried realizes his mistake and runs out of the castle to find Odette.
    The whole kingdom is then in an uproar but Siegfried doesn't care, he hurries to Swan Lake to find Odette. In the ballet version, Odette and Siegfried end up jumping into the lake together and sacrificing themselves to break the wizard's evil spell on all of the swan maidens. In the very last scene, their spirits rise up together into the heavens with all of the swans watching. A tragic ending to this timeless love story.

    As an author, I have taken some liberties with the retelling of this tale. In my choosing to take on the story of Odile, the  co-conspirator of Von Rothebart, I have eluded to the idea that there were many secrets within this classic fairy tale that were not revealed in the ballet version. Did Odette and Siegfried's love really endure through the mystic after-life as the ballet suggests? Is Odile the cold hearted villainness that everyone assumes she is? Will Rothebart ever be truly defeated? These questions are all left somewhat open ended in the stage version of the story. But you can read all about what happened after the dramatic ending scene of  the ballet  in Odile, Legend of the Black Swan and find out for yourself.
    In Odile, the unlikely romance between two dark, mysterious characters is told. Odile, the supposed Black Swan sorceress and Azarus, lord of stars and legends, enter a world of magic, spells and true love together. Read this after-the-curtain-closed look at a classic fairy tale to continue the journey of Swan Lake.

You can find Odile, Legend of the Black Swan on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and KoBo. Be sure to find it in the "Books" section of this website too!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML6X6KF

https://www.books2read/u/md0ojw

*Photo sourced off Pinterest - Jack Vartoogian / Getty Images