Spotlight & Giveaway: Dangerously Delicious by Denise Swanson

Posted November 9th, 2018 by in Blog, Spotlight / 60 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Denise Swanson to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Denise and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Dangerously Delicious!

 
Hi! Thank you for hosting me. I’m so excited to be able to share my new book with your readers.
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Dr. Sage DeSantis, a dedicate wildlife veterinarian treats the animals in her cared as if they were her babies. Marco Thorne is determined to open the hottest spot in Las Vegas. When their goals clash, someone’s going to end up with a thorn in their paw. A sweet, sexy romance that proves that no matter how much a man and woman may snarl at the idea of a relationship, love always wins.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Sage DeSantis held the rifle loosely in her arms. Charlie had gotten free again. The old rascal had somehow learned to pick the lock on the ranch’s gate and had taken to strolling along the side of the highway. The last time he’d escaped, he’d wandered up to a man who had had the misfortune of having a flat tire near the property. The poor guy had taken one look at Charlie and fainted dead away.

 

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

  • The first glimmer of an inspiration for this book was when my husband and I visited the lions at the MGM in Las Vegas. I held onto that idea until I found the perfect heroine.
  • I love to write about small town girls who end up whether by choice or circumstances in the big city so setting this book partially in Las Vegas and partially in the rural areas that surround that city gave me the best of both worlds.
  • All my heroines are strong women and it was a challenge to keep Sage strong with such an alpha hero as Marco Thorne

 

Please tell us a little about the characters in your book. As you wrote your protagonist was there anything about them that surprised you?

I knew that my heroine Sage DeSantis was a wildlife veterinarian and that she worked at an animal sanctuary, but when she revealed that her parents were basically opportunist whose only loyalty was to each other I was shocked. I had pictured them as goodhearted country folks.

As for my hero Marco Thorne, I knew he was opening up a jungle themed nightclub, but was totally caught off guard when he revealed that the owner of the club was a woman who was hitting on him and wasn’t taking no for an answer.

 

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why?

 

“When Nico told me the three of you were going out tonight and asked me to join you guys, it was a wonderful surprise.” Marco’s smile was blinding. “I didn’t expect to get to see you again so soon.”
His husky voice shot arrows of desire through Sage’s already overheated body and she blurted, “We shouldn’t do this.” Staring at her sparkly sandals, she said, “How about I bow out and you have a nice evening with your brother and Deanna?”
“Why?” Marco moved closer. “Why shouldn’t we go out?”
“You know why.” Sage stepped back until her butt hit the porch rail. “Things get too complicated when business relationships get confused with personal ones.”
“Complicated can be interesting.” Marco advanced, standing toe to toe with her.
“Not always in a good way,” Sage protested. “Besides, we have nothing in common.”
“Wrong.” Marco put his hand on hers and his look said he wasn’t giving up. “You’re afraid that if you come with me tonight you’ll find out that we’re a lot more alike than you want to admit.” He brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “You might have to acknowledge that there’s something happening between us. That we just might be a perfect fit.”

 

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

My goal for this book was to have a hero and heroine with opposite goals and lifestyles end up being the missing pieces of each other’s souls. I would be thrilled if readers took away that in order to find your one true love , you might have to travel out of your comfort zone.

 

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

The next book in this series is tentatively titled Undeniably Delicious, It will be Sage’s friend Sydney’s story as she takes over as the football team psychologist for the Las Vegas Long Shots.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: Giveaway: $10 Amazon gc + eBook copy of Sinfully Delicious

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Do you like heroine’s who aren’t necessarily beautiful by today’s standards? Ones with curves?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Excerpt from Dangerously Delicious:

Marco stared down into Sage’s gorgeous cognac eyes and lost his train of thought. Last night had gone even better than he’d expected. He’d been hoping to spend time with Sage, but hadn’t anticipated that he be able to get her alone. Hadn’t imagined he’d get to kiss her.
And for once, she hadn’t been angry with him at the end of the evening. She allowed him to walk her to her truck and even waited for him to open her door. Their goodbye had actually been good.
Now for a repeat performance—getting to know more about her and another kiss. Noticing that her gaze had gone from dreamy to worried, Marco hurried down the stairs, coming to an abrupt halt when she put up her palm.
“Rapid movement toward any wildlife is a bad idea,” Sage said, a tiny smile on her luscious lips. “And don’t turn your back.”
“Really?” Marco glanced at the huge lion leaning against Sage.
The animal certainly didn’t appear to be concerned about Marco’s approach. If anything, he looked as if he might fall asleep at any moment.
Following his gaze, Sage said, “Odds are that Charlie would be fine, but he is by far the tamest of the animals that will be here.”
“Okay.” Marco respected Sage’s expertise and certainly wanted to make the wildlife experience at the club as safe as possible. “If you give me a list of rules, I’ll announce them before each animal walk.”
“Good idea.” Sage stroked Charlie’s mane. “You can approach us now.”
Marco walked slowly down the remaining three steps, stopping about a foot away from Sage and the lion. “Is this too close?”
“Perfect.” Sage smiled. “Uh, were you done with your calls?”
“Calls?” Marco had forgotten she’d overheard him talking on the phone. “Right.”
He needed to be careful. If it had been Courtney or one of the club employees, he’d be in trouble.
“So are you finished?”
Great! Now Sage was looking at him as if he were a total idiot.
“Yep.” Marco wished he could touch Sage, but he was a little afraid her lion might morph from pussycat to man-eater.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 

Book Info:

Take one dedicated wildlife veterinarian who treats her animals as if they were her babies, add an impossibly handsome nightclub manager who’s determined to open the hottest spot in Las Vegas, and what do you have? A sweet, sexy romance that proves that no matter how much a man and woman may snarl at the idea of a relationship, love always wins.

* * *

Marco Thorne was hired by Club Wilde’s owner to open up the newest, most outrageous venue yet. He is absolutely certain that he can handle all the competition Las Vegas has to offer until his overbearing boss contracts with Lions and Tigers and More sanctuary to have live exotic animals present in the jungle-themed club. Still, he has no choice but to go along with his boss’s idiotic scheme, even if he thinks it’s the worst idea he’s ever heard.

Dr. Sage DeSantis’s entire life is devoted to keeping the animals under her care in the sanctuary healthy and happy. After the sanctuary’s owner announces that he’s renting out some of Sage’s babies to Club Wilde, she’s sickened that they will once again be exploited.

When Marco and Sage meet, the chemistry between them nearly knocks them off their feet. Although they both have experiences in their past that make them leery of love, and Sage is determined to guard her heart, Marco is all in. But will Marco be able to convince Sage to give them a chance?

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Google |
 
 

Meet the Author:

New York Times Bestseller author Denise Swanson was a practicing psychologist for twenty-two years. She writes the Delicious Love and Change of Heart contemporary romance series, as well as the Scumble River, Devereaux’s Dime Store, and Chief-to-Go mysteries. Her books all feature small-town heroines with lots of heart.

Denise’s books have been finalists for the Agatha, Mary Higgins Clark, RT Magazine’s Career Achievement, and Daphne du Maurier Awards. She has won the Reviewers Choice Award and was a BookSense 76 Top Pick.

Denise Swanson lives in rural Illinois with her husband, classical composer David Stybr.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads |
 
 
 

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60 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: Dangerously Delicious by Denise Swanson”

  7. John Smith

    “Do you like heroine’s who aren’t necessarily beautiful by today’s standards? Ones with curves?” If we mean the ladies who are morbidly obese and who think that’s OK, no.

  9. janinecatmom

    I think it makes them more realistic. I can also relate to them more. I sometimes get tired of reading about perfectly fit 20 something year olds.

  14. laurieg72

    I like heroines who aren’t perfect, whether that means curves or flat-chested doesn’t matter to me. I find them to be more natural and more realistic. Very few people look like Miss America or want to look like Miss America. I like intelligent heroines the best who go after what they want and attain it without hurting others along the way.

  17. Victoria

    anyone who can do save a life or do something heroic has my respect…. doesn’t matter what they look like!

  20. Joanne B

    People come in all shapes and sizes and all are not “beautiful” in every eye and so should heroines.

  22. clickclickmycat

    I love a heroine no matter how she looks. Being a heroine makes her beautiful.

  25. kermitsgirl

    Yes! And I wish there were more heroines out there who were “curvy” WITHOUT overly generous T&A. Not all bigger girls have the bigger assets to go with it.

  26. Cherie J.

    Yes, I don’t mind. Every woman is different and that reflects the variety of differences.

  29. Natalija

    I live normal everyday heroines. Everyone loves and is deserving of love.

  36. Didi

    I love unconventional heroine, curve and all. They made the heroine more real and relatable to readers.

  39. Jeanna Massman

    I love heroines who look like real, normal women and not Barbie Dolls.

  41. Nicole (Nicky) Ortiz

    Yes! Because I could relate to them
    Thanks for the chance!

  44. Mood Reader

    I love them!!!! Maybe because I have curves too & it helps me relate more! 🙂

  45. Kay Garrett

    Absolutely love it when the heroine isn’t toothpick thin but with curves or with weight on them. Not everyone is petite or thin so why should all the heroines be?

    Enjoy reading Denise Swanson’s books and can’t wait for the opportunity to read “Sinfully Delicious”.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

  49. Debra Branigan

    I think that characters should be realistic in nature. This can include women who are curvy.

  50. BookLady

    I enjoy reading about heroines who are realistic and not supermodel perfect.

  51. Terrill R.

    I like atypical heroines, as well as heroes. More importantly, I like to connect to the characters because of their realistic qualities.

  54. Anita H.

    Oh yes! Love heroines of any size, doesn’t matter what they look like on the outside, it’s the inside that truly counts!

  55. Laurajj

    Oh I do love when when the heroines come in all shapes and sizes!!!! More down to earth!

  57. sam m

    I love them. I feel that I am not beautiful by today’s or anyone’s standards for that matter . I tend to connect with them.

  58. sam m

    I dont see where my message went? I said that I do like those kinds of heroines. I connect with them. I feel that I am not beautiful by anyones standards.

  59. bunnyclem

    I honestly have no preference, as long as the heroine is a strong, likeable character. Thanks for the giveaway!

  60. Debra Woloson

    Heroines come in all shapes & sizes, & the same for heroes also. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, we need to get back to that belief.