Spotlight & Giveaway: Forbidden Lust by Karen Booth

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Karen Booth to HJ!

Hi Karen and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Forbidden Lust!

 
Thanks for having me! I’m always happy to have the chance to be here!
 

Please summarize the book a la Twitter style for the readers here:

Fifteen years is a long time to keep your pent-up desire for your brother’s best friend a secret. So if you find yourself alone on a secluded tropical isle with him? Might as well go for it.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Zane Patterson’s heart was hammering. His T-shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging to his shoulders. “I need to get out of this town. That’s all there is to it.” He dribbled the basketball with his right hand. Thump. Thump. Thump.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Part of the book is set on a private Bahamian island with pink sand. The pink comes from broken coral pieces, shells, and calcium carbonate left behind by foraminifera, tiny marine creatures. Science!
• At the beginning of the book, Allison moves out of her ex-boyfriend’s house, using a moving company I invented called Hunks with Trucks. Imagines exactly that…hunks, with trucks. I used it in another book, Holiday Baby Bombshell (2017). In Forbidden Lust, Allison’s ex complains because the women in the neighborhood are all stopping to take selfies with the movers. It’s a great way to get back at a jerky ex!
• This is Book 2 in the all-new multi-author Seven Sins series. Book 1 is Ruthless Pride by the amazingly awesome Naima Simone.
• Zane was a college basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill. That’s my team!
• Allison is horribly embarrassed when Zane reminds her of her high school style—Doc Marten boots and funky vintage dresses.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Zane and Allison have been fighting their attraction for fifteen years, since they were teenagers, but the essence of their initial attraction remains to this day. Zane is drawn to Allison’s fire and independence. She’s drawn to his loyalty and wants to fix his inner torment.
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe Hero and Heroine’s love affair?

Smoldering, complicated, hot, emotional, and true.
 

The First Kiss…

What in the world was he doing? Zane’s hands were on both of Allison’s magnificent breasts, and he knew the logical next steps—kissing, trunks off, bikini bottoms gone and what he could only imagine would be the hottest sex of his life. Up against a palm tree. Rolling around in the warm sand. As amazing as that sounded, there was part of him that was terrified to go there. The temptation of forbidden fruit was no joke—he already had an erection that was not going to go away without some effort on somebody’s part. He never should’ve started this by touching her, but the look on Allison’s face right now, eyes half-closed in absolute pleasure, was such a turn-on, he wanted to get lost in it.
“Allison, I want to kiss you.”
“I want you to kiss me.” Her reply was swift and resolute.
He sucked in a deep breath as the ocean breezes blew his hair from his forehead. He dipped his head lower and closed his eyes, not thinking about anything other than doing what felt good. His lips met hers, and it was like tossing a match on a pile of tinder—her mouth was so soft and sexy. So giving and perfect. It was everything he could ever want from a kiss as her tongue swept along his lower lip. She popped up onto her tiptoes and leaned into him, telling him with a simple shifting of weight how badly she wanted him. But to punctuate the gesture, she reached around and grabbed his backside with both hands, pulling his hips sharply into hers. His body responded with a tightening between his legs that left him dizzy.
Allison flattened both hands on his pecs and spread her fingers wide, curling the tips into his muscles while peering up at him. “I want you, Zane. I want every inch of you.”

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

Weathering the storm is a big theme in this book, and Zane and Allison have to do exactly that when a hurricane hits the tiny island they’re on. Spoiler alert: they make it out alive. This is right after they arrive back in Miami and are met by Allison’s brother/Zane’s best friend, Scott. This really shows the complexity of the competing allegiances these three have, and it’s also a little funny.

As soon as they landed in Miami and walked into the private terminal, Scott rushed forward and scooped Allison up in her arms. “Thank God you’re okay,” he said over and over, squeezing her tight.
Zane watched the exchange, remembering the many times Scott had recounted the stories about Allison’s cancer as a young girl and the havoc it had wreaked on their entire family. Scott had said many times that he’d never been through anything more difficult than that—life and death, wondering if his sweet and innocent sister would live or die. To hear Scott tell it, every day since then with Allison was regarded as a gift by their entire family.
“I’m fine,” she said when he’d finally put her back down on the ground. “Really. Zane took care of me. He made sure nothing happened.”
Scott clapped Zane on the shoulder, nodding in appreciation. “I owe you one for keeping her safe.”
The guilt Zane had feared was slowly starting to crush him. He’d only done what a good friend would do. But then he’d also done what a good friend wouldn’t do—he’d slept with his sister. “Honestly, I think she saved me more than the other way around. She would’ve been just fine on her own. She’s too resourceful and smart to get herself into too much trouble.” Zane shot her a sideways glance to let her know he had her back. He’d paid attention when they’d talked about this on the island. He understood that she was fighting for Scott to see her in a different light.
“You need to stop worrying so much,” Allison said to her brother.
“Plenty of smart people die in natural disasters,” Scott said. “Especially when there’s flooding.”
“She’s an unbelievable swimmer. You should have seen her the day we snorkeled over to Mako Island. I could hardly keep up with her. And she wasn’t tired at all.”
“You two went to Makeout Island?” Scott asked.
Zane wasn’t sure he’d heard that right. “Wait? What?”
Scott narrowed his sights on his sister and twisted his lips. “Didn’t Allison tell you? That’s where teenagers go if they want to hook up with someone and want privacy.”
Zane would’ve laughed if it didn’t make the two of them look incredibly guilty. “You told me it was called Mako Island,” Zane said to Allison.
“It is called that. Scott’s being childish.”

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would be absolutely crucial to include?

Zane and Allison are not getting along at all. Things got very physical (and naked!) the day before this scene, but Zane called things off. He can’t bring himself to betray his best friend, Allison’s brother. Now there’s a storm coming and they’re about to seek refuge, but first want to leave a sign down at the dock so that anyone who returns will know they’re still there. Allison decides to tear up her sarong and tie the strips of fabric to the dock pilings. It’s a scene that’s a both funny and tortured.

Allison ran back along the dock, but lost her footing at the very end. With a definitive thud, she landed on her butt. Pain crackled through her hip and down her thigh.
“Dammit!” She scrambled to her knees, embarrassed, frustrated and several other unpleasant emotions. She attempted to stand, but the weathered wood planks were like a skating rink, and the ocean wasn’t playing nice either, sloshing water in her face.
“Let me help you.” Zane threaded his hands under her armpits and lifted her to her feet with what seemed like zero effort.
“I can take care of myself.” She twisted her torso and leaped up onto the sand.
“I’m well aware of that. It doesn’t mean I can’t still help you. If anything ever happened to you, Scott would never forgive me.”
Allison was so tired of this. She turned to Zane, planting a single finger in the center of his chest to put him on notice. “I don’t want to hear one more word about what my brother will or will not forgive you for. If I die in this storm, which, for the record, I know I will not, I will take all of the blame. You are officially recused of your bro duties.”
He grabbed her hand with both of his. “But you’ll be dead, so I will definitely get blamed.”
“Then my ghost will haunt you and Scott and make sure you both know it was all me. Now come on, let’s finish leaving our trail of fabric.”

Readers should read this book …

for the white-hot yumminess of unrequited love fulfilled 15 years later!

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

I have three more books for Desire this year, a trilogy called The Sterling Wives. It’s about the two ex-wives and one current wife of a very wealthy and eccentric man who dies unexpectedly. The three wives have every reason to dislike each other, but they’re given shared controlling interest in his company. They have to work together if they’re going to keep their power. Book 1, Once Forbidden, Twice Tempted, is out in September. It’s about Tara, the first wife, and the dead husband’s best friend and business partner, Grant. They’re competing for control of the company while fighting their long-simmering attraction. Books 2 and 3 come out in October and November.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Signed paperbacks of Mills & Boon UK editions of A Bet with Benefits by Karen Booth, paired with Power Play by Anna DePalo, and A Christmas Rendezvous by Karen Booth, paired with The Rebel by Joanne Rock. Intl: eBook editions of A Bet with Benefits and A Christmas Rendezvous.

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Zane and Allison have crushed on each other since high school. Who was your first crush?

 
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Excerpt from Forbidden Lust:

“We’re so far away from it all,” Zane said.. From everyone. From responsibility and expectations. From family and our jobs. I had no idea it would be so freeing.”
Freeing. This scenario they’d found themselves in should’ve felt freeing, but they didn’t have true freedom, and they wouldn’t unless she finally shook loose the words buzzing in her head and forced the conversation. “We could do whatever we want, you know. Nobody can say a thing.”
Zane was quiet for a few heartbeats, and Allison braced for a reprimand about being suggestive. “So true. We are the extent of the society on this island.” Just then, an iguana jumped up onto a rock a few dozen feet away. “Well, us and that guy.”
“He won’t care what we do. We could scream at the top of our lungs if we wanted to and nobody could say a thing.”
“Or you could sing too loud. It might drive out the wildlife, but you could do it.”
She smacked him on the arm. “Hey. I’m not that bad a singer.”
“Let’s just say that fifty percent of the people on this island disagree with that statement.”
Allison swiped at him again, but this time, Zane ducked away before her hand could connect with his arm. He popped up on to his feet. Allison did the same. He ran into the water up to his knees and she followed in close pursuit. Before she knew what was happening, he turned, and with both hands, delivered a tidal wave of a splash, dousing her.
“Hey!” Allison protested, but she loved the playful turn Zane was taking. “That’s not fair.” She ran into the surf up to her waist, furiously broadcasting water back at him. He joined in and they splashed each other like crazy for a good minute, laughing and trying to outdo each other. “Okay. Okay. Truce.” Allison sucked in frantic deep breaths.
Zane relented and straightened to his full height. He was like a god standing there in the crystal-clear sea, tanned and glistening with water. “I’m officially soaked.” He walked several steps into the shade of a palm tree over the water, still standing in it up to his knees.
“Me, too.” Allison was determined to not make the first move, even when ideas of what do with wet bathing suits were whizzing around in her head. Still, she wasn’t going to avoid him. She inched closer, stepping out of the sunlight. Their gazes connected, and she reckoned with how apparent his inner conflict was. It was all over his face. It hurt to see it—he had good and valid reasons for not wanting anything physical with her. She admired those reasons. She also wished they didn’t exist, or at the very least, that they could set them aside for a while.
“You’re pretty when you’re wet.”
Something in her chest fluttered—the physical manifestation of years of wanting to hear words like the ones he’d just uttered. “Thank you. You don’t look bad yourself.”
He cleared his throat, and a blush crossed his face. He looked down at the water. “Your brother would kill me for what I’m thinking right now.”
Her heart galloped to a full sprint. “And he’s not here.”
Zane returned his sights to her and tapped his finger against his temple. “Unfortunately, he’s here.” He then pointed to the vicinity of his heart. “And in here.”
“That’s so sweet. And I get it. I do.” She shuffled her feet ahead on the sandy bottom.
“Do you? Really?”
“I do. You love my brother. He loves you. I admire the hell out of your friendship.” She sucked in a deep breath, hoping that she could summon the courage to say what she would always regret if she didn’t let it out. “But I also know that I’m incredibly attracted to you, Zane. And judging by what you just said about the thoughts going through your head, I’m reasonably sure you’re attracted to me. If I’m wrong, you could save us both a lot of time by saying it. Then we can go on with the rest of our vacation as nothing more than friends.”
“I’m attracted to you. A lot.”
She was thankful for the forward progress, but she wanted more. She needed to seize this moment. “I’m glad. Relieved, actually.”
“You had to know that.”
She shrugged. “A girl likes to hear that she’s pretty. That a guy is attracted to her. It’s not rocket science, Zane. I’m glad you confessed what you’re thinking.”
“Do you want to know what I’m really thinking?”
Words seemed impossible. All she could do was nod enthusiastically.
Zane then did the thing she’d been waiting a decade for. He gave her a sign that he wanted this, too, by taking a single step closer. “You’re so beautiful. I just want to see you. All of you.”
Goose bumps blanketed her arms and chest, even in the warm breeze. She swallowed hard. Without a word, she reached back and pulled the string on her bikini top. As the knot fell loose, she lifted the garment over her head and tossed it up onto the sand. “Like this?”
It was his turn to move closer again, his eyes first scanning her face, then shifting to travel all over her body, looking hungry, but he would likely never know that whatever lust he was feeling for her wasn’t even a fraction of what she felt for him. “Yes. Like that.”
She took another step. Mere inches separated their feet. Their legs and stomachs. Her breasts were only a whisper away from his unbelievable chest. “Do you want to know what’s going through my head?” She loved the way his lips twitched at the question.
“It would make my life so much easier if you told me.”
A tiny laugh escaped her lips, but there was no mistaking the gravity of this moment. “I want you to touch me.” The words came out with little effort. She’d been practicing them in her head for eons.
He raised his hand slowly, his palm facing her breast. Her nipples gathered tight in anticipation. He breached the sliver of space between them, his warm and slightly rough hand covering her breast. This was not sex, not even close, but it caused such a rush of heat in her body that she gasped.
“Like this?” he asked, gently squeezing.
“Yes.” Allison’s need for Zane made her breasts full and heavy. Electricity was buzzing between her legs. Now that the floodgates had been opened, she didn’t merely want him anymore.
She needed him.

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Giving in to desire
with her brother’s best friend…

Next stop, paradise—

With the man of her forbidden fantasies?

A secluded island resort is the perfect romantic setting for the night of passionate abandon Allison Randall plans to share with Zane Patterson. Her elder brother’s best friend has always been off-limits…and Zane is determined to keep it that way. But when a storm strands them together, neither can hold back. Everything Allison dreamed of is finally in reach…until unwelcome revelations threaten a rude awakening!
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Karen Booth is a midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on ’80s music and repeated readings of “Forever” by Judy Blume. Karen writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction, almost always about the dreamy guy you never thought you’d get. Her stories are full of breathless kisses, tearjerker moments, family dynamics, and more than a few things she’s glad her mom hasn’t read.
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