“THE ANTI-HEROINE”
I’d like to offer a
big thank you to N.J. for hosting me today. I’m excited to be here.
Recently on social
media, I heard another author pal bemoan having to read about yet another
“perfect heroine. You know the type. Flowing locks, perfect skin, no visible
imperfections and a bland personality. I found myself completely in agreement
with this author. I like my heroines realistic. When I pick up a new book, I
want that heroine to reflect traits I might find in my friends or (gasp)
myself.
And I ain’t perfect.
I’ve never identified
with Barbie doll girls. I certainly don’t resemble one. And for as long as I
can remember, I’ve craved book characters who are more like the people with
whom I associate every day. I like them flawed and I like them to look like
real people.
In writing Predator’s
Rescue, the seventh book in my Gemini Island Shifters series, not only did I
want to give my readers an imperfect leading lady, I wanted them to wonder if
she was even redeemable. You see, heroine Fleur Bissette is a former bad girl.
In a previous book in the series, she torments the good guys. However, we learn
why and I believe the readers will feel true sympathy for her. Yes, she is a
shape shifter and is blessed with many physical talents, but Fleur is very real
as well.
Fleur grew up on the
wrong side of the tracks (and I mean wrong). She has made many mistakes as
well. Hero Jani calls her “petulant.” She doubts herself, and her journey to
self-confidence is a tough one. This is a young woman who wears scuffed sneakers and shirts from rock concerts. No glam factor here.
But on the other side, she is tough and brave and fights like a trooper. And
when she falls in love with Jani, there is no going back.
Even anti-heroines
fall in love and when they do, they fall hard.
I hope you’ll get a
chance to explore this series.
PREDATOR’S RESCUE BY ROSANNA LEO
BLURB AND EXCERPT
Blurb:
Tiger
shifter Jani Fodor should have washed his hands of Fleur Bissette long ago.
However, when she disappears from the shape shifter sanctuary on Gemini Island,
he can’t forget her, and launches a fraught two-week search to find her. He
thinks she’ll be grateful but the petulant she-wolf resents his intrusion in
her life.
Jani
recently liberated Fleur from a vicious cult of shape shifters, where she was
brainwashed by the sadistic August Crane. The wolf shifter terrorized their
friends at the Ursa Fishing Lodge and Resort on Gemini Island. Labeled a “bad
girl” all her life, Fleur knows she’ll never fit in with the good guys at the
Ursa, no matter how much Jani tries to convince her of their regard. Besides,
she can’t stay with Jani. Although he’s the closest thing she’s ever had to a
friend, their chemistry is explosive in the worst way.
When
a new menace arises, in the form of a vicious drug dealer with a grudge, Jani
is adamant Fleur accept his help to rehabilitate her addict mother and remove
her from the influence of her dealer. Fleur accepts Jani’s assistance but as
they work together, friendship erupts into passion. Neither can deny their
lust-struck spirit animals and before long, they realize their connection runs
deeper than they ever expected.
Despite
the threats posed by the drug dealer, the worst danger of all dwells inside
Fleur. Haunted by the spirit of August Crane, Fleur is inundated by visions
that torment her. She is consumed by guilt and plagued by old hostilities. Can
this bad girl make good? And is Jani’s love enough to save her from her demons?
Excerpt:
Once
again, Jani’s temper flared but he swallowed his simmering rage. He stood and
raised his voice so he could be heard over Loretta Lynn’s tinny warbling as it
emanated from the jukebox. “Now I’m going to ask everyone in this shithole one
more time. I’m looking for Fleur Bissette. Where is she?”
There
was a crash and a feminine cry from behind one of the closed doors. Jani didn’t
hesitate. He launched himself off his stool and toward the door, already on the
verge of shifting. His tiger hairs danced in anticipation under his skin, ready
to burst through his pores.
The
two men who’d approached him grabbed him by the shoulders and hauled him back.
“Hey,
asshole,” the grizzly man shouted. “You’re not allowed back there. Private
parties only.”
Jani
glanced at the hand on his shoulder and then at the man. “One warning. Take
your hands off me.”
The
idiot snorted and looked at his pal. “Why waste your time lookin’ for Fleur
anyway? That girl’s nothing but trouble. Trouble loves her. In fact, she’s
probably spreading her legs to trouble right now.”
Jani
reached for the man’s arms and spun him around. “What did you say?”
“It’s
all the bitch knows how to do. That’s all women like her are good for anyway.”
Jani
reared back and let his fist fly, cracking it against the man’s face. The
grizzly shifter flew across the room, hitting the back wall, collapsing to the
floor. The grim satisfaction of seeing the man crumple overrode any pain in his
knuckles. In fact, it felt so good to hit the jackass he had to hold his hand
behind his back so he wouldn’t hit him again.
No
one, no one, insulted Fleur. The man
was lucky Jani didn’t kill him for the slight. Fleur had been called too many
names in her time, and he’d made it his mission to see she was never belittled
again.
Jani
nodded toward the other men. “Don’t even think of stopping me.”
He
tried the closed door, relieved to find it unlocked. He flung the door open and
his tiger senses homed in on her immediately.
Fleur
had clearly been serving drinks to the small group of shifter bikers inside,
but one of them had gotten a little too close to the new waitress. Her tray of
drinks lay on the floor, smashed, and one of the men had her over his lap. His
large hand caressed her ass as she squirmed in his grip.
As
time seemed to freeze for Jani, Fleur turned to glance at him. She mouthed his
name.
The
silent plea made his heart twist in his chest. Had she actually spoken aloud?
He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t hear her voice. His ears were ringing too much as
his tiger roared her name.
Her
dark eyes seemed to grow darker, black with emotion, but he didn’t take time to
analyze the sentiment flitting behind her irises.
With
a noise that must have sounded more animal than man, Jani raced toward her and
pulled her off the man’s lap. He moved her toward the door, so she wouldn’t be
hurt in the melee. He then turned to the shithead who’d grabbed her, a growl
emanating from his furious core.
The
biker, startled and likely drunk, didn’t react quickly enough to shift. Jani
hauled him off his chair and thrust him toward the wall.
“Jani,”
Fleur called, her voice loud and clear now. “Don’t. You don’t know what you’re
doing.”
“His
hand was on your ass. I know enough.”
One
of the other men was foolhardy enough to try to stop him. He tried to yank Jani
away but Jani snapped his arm back, using his elbow to hammer the man in the
face. Cradling his bloody nose, the man retreated.
Jani
turned his attention back to the shifter who’d groped Fleur. “That was the last
time you ever touch her.” Bracing himself, he head-butted him. A sickening crack sounded in the room. The man
moaned, his eyes rolled back, and he dropped to the floor.
Ignoring
the pain exploding through his forehead, Jani marched toward Fleur, picked her
up, and hauled her over his shoulder.
“Hey.
Put me down! You have no right.”
No right. He might have laughed if he wasn’t
concerned about getting her out of there in one piece.
Holding
out his free arm to warn off any others who might consider having a go at him,
Jani carried the writhing Fleur out of the room and out of the bar. His heart
thumped against his chest just from holding her. Granted, he hadn’t quite
envisioned holding her like this, her ass high in the air near his face, but it
pleased him more than he cared to admit out loud. Something about the scenario
made his inner caveman very happy.
Buy
links:
Liquid
Silver Books: http://www.lsbooks.com/predators-rescue-p1125.php
Google
Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rosanna_Leo_Predator_s_Rescue?id=ffSaCwAAQBAJ
Barnes
& Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/predators-rescue-rosanna-leo/1123469527?ean=9781622103386
Goodreads
link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28451478-predator-s-rescue
Author
Bio:
Rosanna
Leo is a multi-published, erotic romance author. Several of her books about
Greek gods, selkies and shape shifters have been named Top Picks at Night Owl
Romance and The Romance Reviews.
From
Toronto, Canada, Rosanna occupies a house in the suburbs with her
long-suffering husband, their two hungry sons and a tabby cat named Sweetie.
When not writing, she can be found haunting dusty library stacks or planning
her next star-crossed love affair.
A
library employee by day, she is honored to be a member of the league of naughty
librarians who also happen to write romance. Rosanna blogs at
www.rosannaleoauthor.wordpress.com
Author
Links:
Amazon
Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rosanna-Leo/e/B007X5P4I8
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/rosannaleo/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/rleoauthor1
Twitter:
https://www.twitter.com/LeoRosanna
2 comments:
Thanks so much for hosting me , NJ! I'm excited to be here.
It's my pleasure. :)
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