Radish

Radish is the new mobile app for serialised fiction, bringing you early access to original stories from brilliant authors. Escape into another world and connect with your favourite characters, no matter where you are.               

[radishfiction]

Radish Featured Week #66: Mermaids

It’s Mermaids Featured Week on Radish!

♫ Flipping your fins, you don't get too far... ♪

Oh, right. ‘Tis not the time to start singing. *ahem*

Sirens and mermaids, said to be minor goddesses of the sea and daughters of oceans.

They swim at a depth most would drown in.

Their voices are allure incarnate.

Their songs can make you...

Or, break you.

Beautiful, mysterious . . .

. . . and at times, downright mischievous. 

For centuries, tales of sailors and travelers paint them as saviors of those who are unfortunate to drown in the deep sea.

But sometimes, these pretty half-fishes act as harbinger of death.

But then, legends also said that these beauties are willing to trade their tails for legs in order to be with the man they love.

Even if these yearnings end up not quite the way they dreamed it would be.

But then, what’s stopping them?

If one finds someone who’ll accept you no matter what you are --

#oxygenplease #cantbreathe

Yep, definitely worth trading for.  

So what are YOU waiting for?

Prep up and be sure to have your non-waterproof gadgets stashed away from the salt waters. (You’ll need them later for a selfie *wink*)

Fear not as we dive into the ocean of magical tales. 

Of love and tragedies.

Of sirens and finfolks and merpeople.

Hold your breath as we plunge you deep down into the wonderful, and perhaps dangerous, world under the sea!

1. Coral and Bone by TiffanyDaune

Halen knows the sparks igniting under her fingertips are dangerous. She has spent her entire life trying to quell the tingly feelings that make her destroy things, but now that she is back in Rockaway Beach, where she watched her father drown, the flames have become impossible to tame. Halen is trying to hold on, but when she is thrust into a mysterious new world, the underwater realm of Elosia, she unravels the secrets of her past and can't help but ignite. As she explores Elosia, she realizes her life has been a lie. And when those who have deceived her come to her for help, Halen must choose—walk away or unleash the magick that could destroy them all.

2. A Thousand Salt Kisses (Book 1) by Josie_Demuth

Beautiful, ethereal Crystal White is the new girl on the remote Starfish Island. At a beach party one night on the mainland she goes for a midnight swim with other party goers where she meets the handsome, intriguing Llyr amongst the waves. As she swims back to shore she realizes that he is not behind her and that nobody at the party remembers him. Crystal can't seem to shake Llyr from her mind and returns to the beach in the hope of meeting him again. When she finally does, she realizes there may be more truth to the ramblings of the island folk than she thought. To add more drama to her life, Crystal's mother and her father are at war over a local power station that is devastating local marine life. Over a sizzling roller coaster summer, it becomes apparent that all these events are not entirely unrelated and Crystal finds herself both caught up in a deep mystical romance and at the center of an exploding environmental scandal...

3. Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling by NicoletteAndrews

Rin is a Kitsune, or at least she was until a witch’s spell turned her human. To regain her powers, Rin must make the lord’s son fall in love with her before the next full moon. She thought it would be easy, her kind have been seducing humans for centuries. But Hikaru is different. He’s handsome, intelligent, and kind –the opposite of everything she’s assumed about humans. The plan is to seduce him and get back her powers, there’s no room for love.

Hikaru never believed in the Yokai. In fact, he thought it foolish to believe in monsters. A lifetime of skepticism has guarded him from truths too painful to accept. And Rin’s mysterious arrival in his life challenges all his long held beliefs. She has bewitched him. Though he is drawn to her, he has to keep his distance. His father’s treaty depends on his marriage to another and even an innocence dalliance could ruin everything.

While they try to deny their attraction, they are drawn together as if by fate’s design. Falling in love is dangerous. Not only are they from different worlds, but their time together can only end in heartache. To break the spell Rin must betray Hikaru or be turned into a fox. But if they’re willing to risk it all, they may find a love to last lifetimes.

4. Untouched Water by renesmeewolfe

What if Cressa-la hadn't touched the water? How drastically different would things be? Well, her story would definitely have been different. ~ If you're wanting a happy fairytale, keep scrolling. This isn't he story for you. But if you're looking for a mythical story filled with dystopia and magic, both dark and light, keep reading. This story is one where evil is in every crevice of the world, and where one girl is destined to destroy it. But first, she has to choose that destiny. Every baby is killed beneath the waves--with one exception. The one-hundred thousandth lives. A long time ago, 1 in every 100,000 children born from a human was a mermaid. But now mermaids are the only ones that can survive in this flooded world. Every human child born is killed the moment they take their first breath. However, one in every one-hundred thousand is spared. These children are placed on the mountain-tops, the "islands", that poke up over the sea. The Earth has become warmer, making these islands habitable. The humans that survive through Mother Nature's fury have created Tribes, created rules. One of these rules is to not go near the water, to not touch it. And Cressa-la doesn't. Because she chose to follow the rules, could there be an even bigger consequence than when she had? 

5. Mermaid Bride by JMButler

Years of war between the Children of Air, Land, and Sea have exhausted the lives and resources of its people. Nobles and royals must spend twenty years at least serving as peace healers to those who were devastated during these conflicts. Ishana, the youngest of her sisters, remains alone in the old Fortress of Elspeem, preparing for her time to go forth and serve. But a young mermaid, Uaso, changes everything when she rescues a drowning man and turns to Ishana for help. Though barely thirteen years old, Uaso wishes to marry the man and begs Ishana for her help. Ishana finds herself conflicted because of Uaso's youth and her own feelings for the stranger. And a bad situation becomes worse when a fae princess is murdered at the time of the mermaid's shocking arrival and transformation.

But then, who says mermaids are only for ladies?

[radishfiction]

1. Mail Order Switch by Patty Devlin

Liz will do anything to get away from her evil guardian, and she was prepared to disguise herself as a boy and look for work as a ranch hand. When Caroline, a stranger on the train next to her, sees through her ""boy"" disguise, and begs her to take her place as a mail-order bride, Liz doesn't hesitate long before saying yes. It's got to be easier than working on a ranch, and as a married woman with a new name, she'll be out of her guardian's clutches forever. Wade Malone has been looking forward to his new bride for months, but when ""Caroline"" finally arrives, things don't exactly add up. For one, ""Caroline"" was supposed to be twenty-five years old; the woman who came off the train doesn't look a day above sixteen. He has a strong aversion to liars, particularly in a wife. But he's also a man who keeps his promises and whoever the woman is at his side, he's made a commitment. That doesn't mean he's not going to handle his new bride very firmly indeed. Then, against all odds, Liz starts to fall for the no-nonsense rancher and his family. How will she ever keep him from finding out the complete truth about the switch?

2. Mail Order Mama by Courage Knight

Morgan gazed out of the stagecoach window, struggling to keep her disappointment from showing. She'd traveled hundreds of miles to marry a man she had never met before - a widower with five children, a hundred and sixty acres, and a flock of sheep. It had sounded so romantic once, before the dirty, dusty reality sprawled before her in all its fetid glory. She scanned the crowd, wondering which of the paunchy, balding men would claim her. None of them, apparently. Mr. John O'Shea was nowhere to be seen. What's more, the townspeople try to convince her to leave, to give up her dreams without even meeting her intended. They believe he's not quite right in the head. Undaunted, she hires a driver to take her to his homestead. But when she finally meets the man who sent the poetic letters and fare for her passage, her dreams are shattered, for John O'Shea is little more than a child himself. Had she come all this way for nothing? Would she ever be a bride, or was it her destiny to be a mail-order mama?

3. Kayla and the Rancher by Paige Tyler

Rancher Cord Holderness needs a wife, but with few prospects in the Wyoming Territory, he decides that the only way to find a well-bred young lady is to get a mail-order bride. However, the girl that's supposed to be his mail-order bride gets cold feet and leaves it up to her new friend, Kayla Mathison, to tell him that she's changed her mind. But when the handsome rancher assumes that the fiercely independent and stubborn Kayla is his mail-order bride, she finds herself going along with it. Running from an arranged marriage herself, and desperately in need of funds to get herself to San Francisco, she decides to lead Cord on so that she can steal the money she needs from him. But as the days turn into weeks, she finds that the money doesn't interest her as much as it once did, especially when Cord starts putting her over his knee and spanking her whenever she becomes a little too willful for his liking. Much to her surprise, she discovers that she's fallen in love with him. Life on the ranch gets even more complicated when a ruthless land baron wants to take over every piece of grazing land in the territory, including Cord's, and will do anything to get it. Then, as if that weren't enough, Kayla's very determined fiancé comes to town looking for her. But Kayla has built this relationship with Cord by letting him think that she's someone else, and she can only hope that Cord loves her enough to forgive her when he find out she's not really his mail-order bride.

4. Gallows Pole by Eris Adderly

In 1716, a capital crime costs a man nothing short of his head. If the condemned can't come to the hangman, there's no need to worry: Old Jack Ketch will come to him. Emmat Bird does what she must to keep her parents under a solid roof and her fool brother out of trouble, even if those things are dangerous and most days illegal. Today, that involves forging a stay of execution from Judge Couch and racing it to the gallows before her brother's neck stretches. A fine mess, indeed, but the only solution she can think of to keep her parents from disowning her once and for all. She just has to get the executioner to buy it. Bartholomew Vane travels his country circuit, meting out punishments demanded by the law. Shunned to live on the fringes for the taint of death surrounding his post, he cares very little for the wants of others. Why should he? The world shows him no mercy, and he sees fit to return the favor. When the third rider in the same grey morning appears at the foot of Gallows Hill attempting to stay the noose of the witless convict he's about to hang, the executioner finds himself losing patience. But then the pieces fall together. The flaming red hair, the name. He knows who the final rider is. Reason leaves him, and in its place, a terrible plan takes shape. The hangman makes a bargain. Against her better judgment, Emmat accepts.

5. The Duke's Possession by Zoe Blake

Charlotte thought marrying a Duke meant expensive gowns, champagne and elegant balls. Her new husband had other ideas. Marriage to Lord Asherton, the Duke of Cumberland, will mean childish dresses, bottles of warm milk and an early bedtime in a nursery. When Lady Charlotte’s parents approached Lord Asherton about an arranged marriage with their spoiled, headstrong daughter, he readily agreed. The willful beauty is his perfect match. He looked forward to taming her temper tantrums and turning her spirited rebellion into a spirited response to his touch. Any defiance will be met with strict discipline at his hand. Lady Charlotte’s world is about to change. Will she accept the pleasure he offers only through submission, or will she continue to fight her body’s unwanted reaction to him, denying them both?

6. The Submission of Little Emmie by Zoe Blake

"I want you to listen very carefully. According to the law, I own you. I am responsible for every facet of your life. I clothe, feed and shelter you. You do nothing without my knowledge or permission. Some men treat a marriage as a partnership; I am not one of those men. This is not a partnership. For generations the men in my family have chosen to honor this responsibility by treating their women as little girls, controlling every aspect of their life. This is now your new life. You will be treated like my very special little girl. I will control when and how you will be bathed, what you will wear, when you sleep, what you eat. I will control everything. Do you understand me?" Such is Emily's introduction to marriage with the mysterious man who shows up to claim her from an unhappy home not long after her eighteenth birthday. Lord Richard Burkewood is not looking for a traditional wife, but a little girl that he can pamper and punish and train. Emily becomes Emmie under his care, and begins her path to complete submission at the hands of her "Papa" and nanny, Mrs. Pew. This sexually- charged Victorian age play by new author Zoe Blake is so richly detailed that readers can almost imagine themselves experiencing the erotic sexual pleasures and torments Emily faces as she relinquishes total control to the powerful Lord Burkewood.

7. Claiming Catherine (Montana Maiden Series #1) by Vanessa Vale

Branded a harlot for undoing a confining button on her blouse, Catherine Langton's finds herself rejected by the man she is to marry, leaving her in a predicament: mail order bride or the poorhouse. Her decision is simple and she arrives in Liberty, Montana to marry a man she's never seen, her only desire to be a pleasing wife. Jake Bridger exceeds Catherine's expectations at first glance. He looks as if he stepped from the pages of the Western romances she knows she shouldn't read. But she's about to find out that the men of Liberty are not like other men. Here, a wife is expected to make all of herself available to her husband, even parts a good girl like Catherine never expected a man to plunder. It's not an easy adjustment, but Jake isn't a man to take "no" for an answer, and sets about training his new bride using techniques that soon have Catherine wantonly eager for his attentions. But can Catherine live with her new husband's explicit requirements when it opposes everything she's known?"

8. How Miss West Was Won by Lexie Clark

Cordelia West, receptionist for The Incredible Western Life magazine, is shocked when her publisher suggests she pose as a mail-order bride for a story in his magazine. True, she’d always wanted to be a writer, but this was not exactly what she’d had in mind. Still, she agrees to the scheme, which includes a nice amount of money as an incentive. Eli Bannister has sought a mail-order bride in name only to get himself out of a sticky situation. He doesn’t want a bride now, or ever. Cordelia West is perfect for the job. All he has to do is stay “married” to her for a while and all his problems will disappear. But things don’t go as planned, and a woman who claims she was promised to Eli shows up and starts causing problems. Soon, Cordelia and Eli have a mystery to solve, one that involves strange happens in the world, and in Cordelia and Eli’s hearts. Will their marriage in name only turn into a love match? Or will one of them die before they can say I do?

9. Louisa Revealed (The Women of Wintercrest #1) by Maggie Ryan

The Lord of Wintercrest Manor has married the love of his life in Louisa Furniss. She is slowly learning the rules of his household; rules she never thought she could obey but her love and desire for her husband help her in her journey in submission as his child bride. Her lessons are suddenly halted when tragedy strikes. Her parents are killed in a carriage accident leaving her with only one living relative; her twin sister Lucy. Lucy becomes the ward of Edward Wintercrest and soon learns that being an identical twin no longer means she and Louisa live identical lives. Her life is turned upside down and she begins to question both herself and the choices her sister has made. Can the century old manor contain the passions of the sisters as its Lord begins his training of the Women of Wintercrest.

More about Blushing Books:

Blushing Books specializes in romantic erotica and spanking stories featuring courtly nobles, stern cowboys, elegant businessmen, no-nonsense spies, knights in shining armor, & other juicy plot lines.

Are you BLUSHING yet?

You can find their stories on their Radish profile here.

Check out their site: http://blushingbooks.com/

[radishfiction]

Radish Featured Week #65: Gangsters

It’s Gangsters Featured Week on Radish!

Are you ready to step into the world of the lawless?

Gangsters, mafia and yakuza, known as the rulers of the criminal underworld.

Cruel. Notorious. Dangerous. 

They are bad news. 

But when the mob boss is as hot as this . . .

... maybe it is worth the action, thrill and suspense.

Admit it, we do crave a little adrenaline rush.

Real men are FEARLESS.

Who cares if they are always on the run?

Yes, they are kinda scary and they have broken lots of laws. 

But hey, who says crime doesn’t pay? 

Mansions, planes, yachts, jewels, furs, cars and maybe even an island or two.

Imagine . . .

Unfortunately, it is a life-threatening existence albeit a fantastic one. 

But of course, we peace-loving fellas don’t advocate violence. 

Reading them is fine though. Reading doesn’t hurt anyone. 

Those delicious albeit shady-looking men in suits are just venting out frustrations, right? 

Sometimes, they have no other way out.

Sometimes, they just need someone who understands.

Or, maybe not.

Go scroll down and read. Just go, and don’t ask questions. It’s taboo to question the boss’ orders, 'coz heads are gonna start to roll. 

But then, where’s the fun in simply obeying, yah?

Just a friendly warning.

One wrong act, and you might lose your money, your freedom . . . and your heart!

1. A Mob Boss's First Love by royal8881

What happens when an innocent and kind-hearted girl becomes the first love of a boy destined to become a notorious mob boss one day? Will space and time make him forget her? Will he feel any different towards her when he sees her again years later, or will his love for her become even more possessive after years of waiting? This story takes place in the 1950s in America. Francesco and Costanzo were two brothers who were sent to live with their uncle Piero in a small town in Oklahoma. No one knew why they had suddenly moved to the town, and no one wanted to know. There were many rumours surrounding the Rosario family that made the locals wary. No one wished to get on the wrong side of this mysterious Italian-American family. No one questioned them. No one dared look at them the wrong way. Parents warned their children to stay away from the newly-arrived brothers. The boys enrolled in the local school, and no one dared get in their path. However, Adele and her brother Angelo were totally in the dark from the rumours and warnings since they were new in town themselves. Childhood friendship was formed and time went on. Events soon started to happen that increased fear towards the Rosario household amongst the small-town citizens. Secrets were slowly revealed, and the childhood friends gradually drifted apart due to events that were no fault of their own…only for them to be reunited years later.

2. Uncovered (Burning Secrets #1) by TamaraLush

In the tropical Florida heat, a man with deadly secrets falls for a lovely, inquisitive reporter... After Luca Rossi lost everything to the Italian mafia, he used all his skills to write a stunning expose, and managed to put a key don on trial for his life. But now Luca must hide out on the Florida coast until justice is served in Italy. All is well, until he meets a lovely young American reporter who won’t stop asking questions about who he is. Soon he’s fighting the urge to hush her with a kiss … and much, much more. Skylar Shaw took a job with a small Florida paper determined to make her mark on the journalistic world. She may spend her days writing up alligator scares and human interest stories, but when she meets a handsome mystery man on the beach, she’s not afraid to dig into his past, and the danger stalking him from across the seas. There’s just one problem … will her efforts help Luca, or bring danger straight to him? Luca knows all too well the journalistic drive to keep digging. Can he trust his lovely Skylar to keep his secrets, or must he push her away to save both their lives? **This book is published elsewhere as HOT SHADE**

3. Aim for the Heart by mariehiggins

Monica Jewell is determined to find the man who murdered her stepfather—even if she has to work undercover to do it. She suspects one of Chicago’s top mobster leaders to be the killer. Justice needs to be served even if she does it herself. When she meets the mobster’s incredibly handsome chauffeur, Anthony Kelly, she worries he’ll become her worst distraction, especially, when he takes liberties with her and steals a kiss—a kiss that confuses her greatly. He works for the mob, which makes him a criminal, too. He’s already stolen her heart. What other crime will he commit?

4. Black Hearts by KHalle

From the New York Times Bestselling Author of The Pact and Sins & Needles comes a brand new romantic suspense duet for lovers of hot romances, mafia and cartels, and books that keep you flipping to the end. For Vicente Bernal, truth is all he's known. The son of an infamous drug lord, Vicente was born to help run the family business, which means he's been raised on a throne of sordid pasts and dirty laundry, violence and pride. But when Vicente stumbles across someone he's not supposed to know about - a woman from his father's checkered past - he sets out to California to find her behind his father's back. What Vicente doesn't expect to find in San Francisco is Violet McQueen, the woman's twenty-year old daughter. Beautiful and edgy with a vulnerability he can't resist, Violet tempts Vicente from afar and though he promised himself he'd stay away from her, curiosity and lust are powerful forces. Besides, Vicente has always gotten everything he wants - why shouldn't he have Violet too? Soon his wants turn into a sexual obsession, one that sweeps Violet into his games as they fall madly, deeply in love with each other, the type of first love that can drive a person mad. In a world of hot sex, raw love and damaging lies, these forbidden and star-crossed lovers are going to have to fight tooth and nail for their happy ending.

5. Stained in Red by nightimeshadows

It all started with her. The wars, the bloodshed; the loss all started with her. She stole my heart... I allowed her to steal my heart... I let her in. I let her into a world that was at once darkened by her and my families past. I let her open up the drapes to allow the sun's rays to fill the dark land, exposing the evil. Exposing our family's secrets. Exposing the blood that's splattered over both our families' names. My father calls her the devil's spy, but I call her an angel because only angels have the light to expose the evilness in the land. My mother told me to stay away from her, but I refused to listen. My brother despises her with all his heart; he tries to persuade me that she's only trying to ruin our family. However, none of them know what she's done to me; they don't know the love she's given and exposed to me. They only know that it all started with her; that their ruin started with her. Even I know that it started with her... my father's enemy's daughter. ------------------------------- "Holy? Doesn't this make us sinners?" a light laugh escaped past her lips. "If it's a sin for our lips to touch in such a way, then I've fallen in love with sin," Our lips danced together with passion burning in them. Who would've thought that I would fall in love with the enemy mafia's daughter?

On the other hand, despite what they do, either they be the don of a criminal Family or they are the boss of a syndicate, these men are both feared and respected.

Here’s a classic shot of The Don and his furry guest to complete your day. Meow.

[radishfiction]

1. Beyond Redemption by Melissa MacNeal

When Alexandrea spies sultry Billy Tripplehorn putting it to Miss Lucy–– right there against the church wall!––and then realizes he's being trapped as a daddy for the young girl's baby, Alex shanghais him to the Sisters of Samaria orphanage. Big mistake: the three Sisters immediately seduce Billy to appease their own nefarious needs. By the time Andrea gets her turn, Tripplehorn is spooked enough by Pandora, Perfidia, and Miss Pink to escape their lair and run back to town––to find himself charged with murdering Miss Lucy, who is the magistrate's daughter. Andrea must find the real killer...and meanwhile must maintain her double identity as Alex Moore, Redemption's male attorney, to keep Billy safe. But is anyone really safe from the wiles of three alluring vampires? And will Billy still swear his love for Andrea if he discovers her deception?

2. Blood Lust by Mona Whitlock

Mona Whitlock is a paranormal researcher committed to debunking stories of ghosts, ghouls and things that go bump in the night. So what's a committed skeptic to do when she is captured by real-life vampires? At first she wants to deny what's happening to her. But this strict, patriarchal vampire clan don't care whether she believes them or not. They need a "feeder" for Alastair, their handsome wounded leader - someone strong enough to sustain him until he recovers from injuries sustained in a battle with a rival vampire. But something strange happens to Mona as Alastair feeds on her. She begins to see into his past, and what she learns causes conflict within the ranks. The male vampires rule with an iron hand, after all, and do not like their females to know too much. Mona is seen as a threat. Will Alastair be strong enough to save her from those who think she should be killed? Or can she prove that she is worth more to them alive before Alastair faces his ultimate test?

3. Escape (The Vampire King Trilogy #1) by Kenya Wright

A domina’s only purpose in life was to birth vampire children for the Quiet King. Any human woman with the domina gene spent their lives in the castle under strict rules and the guards’ watchful eyes. Brie has been a domina for two years. After witnessing the slaughter of babies, she plans to escape and seeks help from Samuel, a vampire known for aiding many out of slavery. However, Samuel has only one policy. He won’t help dominas escape the king. The penalty is too high and their blood triggers powers in him that he doesn’t want released. So Brie is forced to lie about being a domina and Samuel is lured in by her blood. Something emerges within them that they can’t deny, overwhelming their every cell and igniting an all-consuming hunger that neither can flee.

4. Finn the Devourer by Loki Renard

Pale as the moon and a pretty dark imp, Finn is a subpar, mischievous, vampire. Left as a foundling outside the House of Lidran, she is tolerated by the long-suffering elders who regard her as something of an oddity. After all, what kind of vampire has violet eyes, prefers hamburgers to human blood, needs to sleep at least eight hours a day and doesn't remember how she came to be a vampire at all? But Finn isn't just an oddity, Finn is a vampire with a destiny, a destiny which is unexpectedly unleashed when Monsieur Leonard Chevalier, the devilishly handsome Deux Demain of the oldest and most powerful coven in Europe, pays a visit to his colonial cousins... Monsieur Leonard Chevalier knows who she is, knows WHAT she is--not a vampire--but a devourer, an eater and lord of vampires... More importantly, Leonard Chevalier knows how to curb her misbehavior--with a firm hand. But will that be enough to protect her from herself, and her re-found enemies?

5. Guilty Blood by Sharon Green

Leda, abandoned by the man she eloped with, is desperate, desperate enough to become a thief. But one cool Parisian night, she picks the wrong house... Etienne is not just another wealthy Parisian man. For one thing, he's five hundred years old. And for another, he has clear ideas about how to deal with saucy chits who steal from his study and then deny it. Vampire or not, he can wield a sturdy switch - a fact Leda soon realizes... and regrets. But in spite of her warm bottom, or maybe because of it, Leda is happy for the first time in years. And Etienne finds himself drawn to the cheerful young girl, in a way he's not felt in years. But evil intrudes - an unimaginable evil from Etienne's past. And when that evil begins to threaten Leda, a final showdown is necessary.

6. Millennium Falls by Robin Smith

7. Tears of a Vampire by Carolyn Faulkner

What do you do if you're a seven hundred year old vampire who's sworn off the raping and blood-letting that marked the majority of his un-life? You go visit an old friend. That exactly what Vlad Dracula does, showing up on the doorstep of his former manservant - who just happens to have a beautiful, stubborn, headstrong daughter that draws Vlad's attention like a lodestone. Elizabeth DuBois has no idea what kind of man courts her - she only knows that she's more attracted to him than any milksop of her acquaintance. Vlad can only hope their love will be enough to sustain Elizabeth when she discovers just exactly what kind of man he is.

8. The Prince’s Lash (Saga of the Eastern Crown #1) by Lauren Kess

Purchased by a dangerous, blood-thirsty Queen before she is even in her teens, Daniella joins the ranks of Queen Anca's "servantettes," charming and pampered young ladies-in-waiting. She uses her enchanting ways and cunning intellect to gain the Queen's favor and survive in a world gone mad. But when she comes of age, Daniella must face the ceremony required of all new adults in the Court of the Queen of Persia: initiation at the hands of the Priest of Discipline into the Order Sangre. She prays she can prove herself well enough to survive the dark and erotic ritual. But Daniella has a secret: her family still follows the Old Religion, and in a weak moment, she is unable to shield her mind from the probings of the Queen. Her worship at the Mass of her beloved Old Religion is discovered -an act of heresy punishable by death. From her childhood, Daniella has loved the Imperial Prince of the Eastern Crown, son of the Empress Regina. He is the one person Daniella has ever seen Queen Anca bow before, and the Queen's fear of Nikolai is the only thing staying her hand from requiring the ultimate penalty of Daniella, whom she now regards as a heretic. He has promised to return and claim her as his agonie aperitiv-his 'appetizer"" who derives pleasure from pain. He does return, but not before she experiences the greatest grief and loss in her short life. Worse, his rescue only delivers her to his mother, the Empress Regina, who insists she must birth an heir to the kingdom or be hanged. In a world full of fear and horror and blood, love scalds her with arousal and longing but no relief. Is the Imperial Prince Nikolai her savior, or has he only delivered her to a hell filled with treachery, religious wars, and a kingdom ready to revolt? Will she ever know love and peace in her prince's arms?

9. The Vampire’s Ball by Angela R. Sargenti

When Gregor the vampire goes out looking for a date to The Vampire's Ball, he finds himself torn between two lovers instead. On the one hand, there's the mature and submissive Regina, and on the other, there's the brash young Philippa. Can he tame them both with spanking, or will they drive him crazy before he ever even gets to the ball?

More about Blushing Books:

Blushing Books specializes in romantic erotica and spanking stories featuring courtly nobles, stern cowboys, elegant businessmen, no-nonsense spies, knights in shining armor, & other juicy plot lines.

Are you BLUSHING yet?

You can find their stories on their Radish profile here.

Check out their site: http://blushingbooks.com/

[radishfiction]

Radish Featured Week #64: Victorian

It’s Victorian Featured Week on Radish!

Ready to go back in time to when United Kingdom had a long period of peace and prosperity?

Come ooon, don’t be shy!

There you go! Atta, girl!

It was said to be the era of “refined sensibilities.”

It was the century with nonstop flow of ball gowns and tea parties.

It was the time when scandals were nothing but discreet.

Chivalry was also still a thing. *swoon*

Can you imagine falling in love in that era?

Prepare to travel back in time to when ball gowns, tea parties, and scandals were every lady’s favorite past time!

Go ahead and dive in to the past with these featured stories below!

1. Her Majesty's Necromancer by CJArcher

When bodies go missing from the cemetery, Lincoln and the Ministry of Curiosities investigate. But not Charlie. As a housemaid at Lichfield Towers, she doesn't get involved in Ministry business. Instead, she conducts investigations of her own. She searches for details about her real mother, and makes inquiries into Lincoln's background. What she learns has the power to destroy the fragile trust they've built, or bring them closer together. As secrets are revealed, and investigations don't go as planned, Charlie finds her necromancy sucking her into a whirlpool filled with betrayal, lies and danger that could jeopardize her friendships and her home.

2. The Ivanov Diamond by charlottenglish

Konrad Savast is the Malykant: foremost and most secret servant of the God of Death. His job? To track down the foulest of murderers and bring them to The Malykt's Justice. No mercy. No quarter. Konrad is called to the death scene of a simple baker, and he can’t understand why. According to appearances, Pietr Orlov’s death was a natural one. Except there’s one problem: there’s no sign of his ghost. When two more bodies turn up with missing souls, Konrad knows he’s got a strange case on his hands. But what could possibly connect the deaths of a baker, a manservant and a rich merchant’s wife? With the city police busy with the theft of a great diamond, Konrad must rely on the help of his one true friend to solve the case.

3. The Debt by janekiley13

Imogen O'Boyle is the daughter of a poor, Irish shoemaker. Upon her father's death, she learns that he had made a deal with the current Duke of Suffolk to deal with his debts. Imogen is to marry the next in line, Derek Goddard, the Duke's son in order for her future father-in-law to pay off the dead man's debts. Derek Goddard wants anything but marriage. He is a loyal soldier to the crown, devoted son, and heir to his father's title. The day he learns that he is to marry an Irishwoman, without a dowry, he is up in arms. He wants nothing to do with the Godforsaken woman. Then he meets her, and is completely taken by her, although he would never admit it.

4. The Lost Duke by LMoore

Willful, rich and clever, Lady Catherine Lytton believes she is in full control of her destiny after she inherits a large fortune. However, the return of Adrian Stowe to England will turn her world on its head. He is the last Duke of Halford, and has been missing for years after the gruesome murder of his family; he is also different than any man she has ever met. She does not expect to feel such a strong attraction to him, or to finally lose head and heart to a man with grim secrets. When he leaves for Constantinople on a mysterious quest she must follow, embarking on a journey of growth and change that will lead her to understand the meaning of true love.

5. Silence Breaking by RobThier

Family – the most important thing in the world, right? If it’s your own, maybe. But if it’s the family of the incredibly powerful, incredibly alluring businessman with whom you’ve been conducting a secret office affair, and they don’t yet know about the affair, things are a little bit different. Life is about to get real for Lilly Linton. All those stolen moments behind closed doors, those secret kisses and whispered words are about to catch up with her. As she and her boss, business-magnate Rikkard Ambrose, travel north to his parents’ palatial estate, she is about to discover whether she has the strength to step out of the shadows and change her fate forever.

How does reading stories set during the Victorian era make you feel?

[radishfiction]

1. Hell’s Little Angel by Loki Renard

"Caught halfway between angel and dragon, pretty blonde-haired, pink-eyed, fire-breathing Kaida has a knack for making most of the damned inhabitants of Hades look like model citizens. Whether she's committing accidental acts of arson or taunting furious dragons, she lives a life of near constant rebellion. Kaida is well on the way to an early grave when she is thrust into the arms of Edwin, an angel who has braved the very fires of hell to claim her as his own. Edwin is confident he can subdue Kaida to the useful and the good, but can Kaida learn to behave before she gets herself dead? Or will the Elysian Fields themselves go up in flames before she submits?"

2. Hunter’s Moon by Laura Smith

Caught halfway between angel and dragon, pretty blonde haired, pink eyed, fire breathing Kaida has a knack for making most of the damned inhabitants of Hades look like model citizens. Whether she's committing accidental acts of arson or taunting furious dragons, she lives a life of near constant rebellion. Kaida is well on the way to an early grave when she is thrust into the arms of Edwin, an angel who has braved the very fires of hell to claim her as his own. Edwin is confident he can subdue Kaida to the useful and the good, but can Kaida learn to behave before she gets herself dead? Or will the Elysian Fields themselves go up in flames before she submits?

3. Morogh the Demon by Maren Smith

To a power hungry wizard, Summer looked like the perfect sacrificial victim. God knows, finding a virgin in this day and age was damn near impossible, but when one intended to ask a demon for immortality, one had better be willing to pay the ultimate price. Naked, trussed hand-to-foot on an alter of stone, the only thought in Summer's panic-stricken mind was: This couldn't be happening to her! But it was, and when the shadows birthed forth an honest to God, sulfurous demon, Summer knew she had no choice but to try and save herself. Unfortunately, demons are harder to escape than rope bonds. Whisking her off to a deserted island, Morogh is willing enough to heal her injuries but his rescue doesn't come without a price. And whether she wants to or not, Summer will pay it...even if he must woo her into submission.

4. Packed: The Enforcer by Carolyn Faulkner

Tek Harlow and Mari Buchanan had been on again off again lovers for years, even though her family forbade it. When Mari came back to town – again – and decided she wanted to become more involved in her extended, intricate family’s life, that came with the restriction that she and Tek not see each other at all. But the werewolf pack’s second in command and the sister of the current pack leader found it nearly impossible to keep their hands off each other, until her brother discovered they’d been ignoring his rule all along. His ultimatum was harsh and succinct: either stay away from each other and be a part of the pack, or continue as they were and be shunned forever. Although they made the unenviable choice of deciding to remain within the fold, a near tragedy may prove to pave the way for them to come together permanently, with everyone’s blessing.

5. The Devil’s Bargain by Ellen Joyce

It began with a woman, a very special woman, one who could look into the heart of even the Dark Lord himself and see something redeemable, something worthy of love, even when she was given the means to destroy him. Dr. Jane Halloran's new psychiatric patient, Lucas Beal, interested her like no other. Whereas a God complex was relatively run of the mill, not many clients proclaimed themselves to be the Devil himself... and then proceeded to prove it to her, until the very prim and proper Ms. Halloran found herself willing to give up everything she had to be with him - with the being he had presented himself to her as. But Lucas knew that if she ever saw the reality of who and what he was, he would lose her forever, yet he had no choice but to do so by the terms of the bargain. So he took matters into his own hands to save the woman he had come to love from a fate worse than Death. He ought to know.

6. Forever His by Skylar Faye

Teri Pennington is a faery shape-shifter on the run from her family and duties she doesn’t want. She is weary of her current job as a photographer and ready for a change when she gets stranded in the middle of Kansas and meets her reluctant white knight. He wants to help her for the night and send her on her way the next day. But she isn’t that easy to get rid of…not when she’s attracted to the handsome, gruff, secretive cowboy. Yet she can’t stay with him for long and risk exposing her secret, something he could never understand. Seth Stevenson is an alpha werewolf without a pack, struggling to live a somewhat normal life as a rancher and keep his secret. He’s been successful, until a delicate woman so wrong for him suddenly crashes into his life. His protective instincts and his strong desire for her bring danger to his life. He can’t afford to fall in love with her and risk her learning what he really is. But how can he let go of the one woman he’s met that accepts the dominant side of him?

7. Wicked At Midnight by Melissa MacNeal

"I was so engrossed in watching Subi's erotic Oriental ritual through the keyhole; I didn't realize I was no longer alone. A hand caught me at the hip and another clapped over my mouth to muffle my surprised shriek, and then Ferral Graves pulled me back against his taut body. His beard teased my cheek with its delicious silkiness but the rest of him was very hard...very insistent, indeed. "Best not to roam these halls after dark, Caressa," he growled against my ear. "Here at Raven Crest, things get wicked at midnight." But Caressa senses she's already caught in a deadly love triangle with this lone wolf, as secret lives and a seductive killer are revealed."

More about Blushing Books:

Blushing Books specializes in romantic erotica and spanking stories featuring courtly nobles, stern cowboys, elegant businessmen, no-nonsense spies, knights in shining armor, & other juicy plot lines.

Are you BLUSHING yet?

You can find their stories on their Radish profile here.

Check out their site: http://blushingbooks.com/

[radishfiction]

Radish Featured Week #63: Shifters

It’s Shifters Featured Week on Radish!

Imagine having the ability to change into whatever shape you want.

You can be anything.

You can be anyone.

You will feel invincible.

So what are you waiting for?!

Get ready to shift to your heart’s desire and go on an epic adventure with these featured stories below!

1. Jaguar at the Portal by aimeeeasterling

Ixchel is a lonely veterinarian fleeing from her past. Finn is a were-jaguar hunting for his future. It starts as a classic case of boy-meets-girl, boy-holds-girl-up-at-knife-point, boy-and-girl-fall-in-love. But what should be a honeymoon-like jaunt through the ruins of pre-Columbian Mexico turns into an action-packed chase through moonlit forests and across crumbling pyramids. In the end, each member of the unlikely pair must make a decision that will change their lives forever. And if the two don't learn to work together, they'll soon lose the game that has turned into a struggle for survival.

2. Draykon by charlottenglish

Legends tell of creatures the size of houses, with wings as vast as the sails of great ships. Their scaled hides glittered like caskets of jewels, and from their massive jaws they breathed gouts of pure fire. The draykoni once ruled the skies of the Seven Realms, uncontested and unstoppable — so the stories say. But they are only tales. Aren't they? When Llandry Sanfaer discovers a new type of jewel, her life changes forever. Wonderful and terrible, the gem exerts a strange influence over those who behold it. Soon people are dying for it, and Llandry herself becomes a target. This is only the beginning. What is this starry jewel, that no one can resist? Who is the killer that stalks the night, stealing the gems from their murdered owners? And why does the gem call so powerfully, so irresistibly, to Llandry herself? Llandry's destiny cannot be denied. A shy jeweller is about to learn that sometimes, even the most far-fetched story might prove to be the plain, simple truth.

3. The Slayer Trio by PunkiePie

In the year 3020, the world as we know it now doesn't exist anymore. Instead of humans being the dominate species, we're over run by the monsters; vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and hybrids. And the only ones that can protect us are the groups of people known only as 'the slayers'. Slayers are typically witches or warlocks, but some humans have the skills necessary to fight the monsters. Lizzie, Annie, and Kasey are one of the best, and only, human slayer groups out there, and are part of the Colorado Guild, but they each have their flaws. Lizzie is too cold. Annie is too closed off. And Kasey is too naive. They are the only hope for the world to return to what it once was, however, with the human race becoming extinct and rumors of forced breeding going around, it won't be easy for any of them; especially when Annie refuses to believe there is such a thing as a good or decent monster.

4. Thousand-Year Cat by tewaters

Once upon a time, a cat fell in love with an ambitious man.

5. Misplaced by bkbennett

When upperclassman Trey Collins welcomes Nigel to Longwood High School, he senses something eerie about the odd young student. Chilling visions begin to haunt Trey's nights that point to the strange newcomer and dark times ahead. Two dodgy men in sloppy suits arrive in the small midwest town and ask questions about Nigel. Before long, the boy is missing. Trey and his closest friends soon find themselves on a dangerous road in pursuit of Nigel and answers they may not want to uncover.

Are you ready to shift?

[radishfiction]

1. Kept by Carolyn Faulkner

Who said being a dominant Sugar Daddy was going to be easy? 

Self-made millionaire Reed Douglas wanted a woman in his life, but he didn’t have the time for even the barest of social rituals. Tricia Barton flew down to spend some time with her cousins after the death of her mother, hoping a change of scenery would help her slough off the remnants of depression. 

She never expected to have her life turned upside down by her cousin’s undeniably hot and very dominant boss who didn’t hesitate to suggest that she let him keep her in a style to which she definitely didn’t want to become accustomed. But one of the few things left out of their very special arrangement was that she ended up finding herself over his lap more often than not!

2. The Boss of Her by Carolyn Faulkner

Annie Foster is known for being excellent at her job at Trask Corp, but her personal life is a mess. Her divorce is sucking away all of her money just like her former husband Shaun sucked away years of her life. So when her delicious boss (and the object of her spanking fantasies) Cole asks her to accompany him on an overseas business trip for extra pay, it is an offer she can't refuse. 

Cole Trask has been secretly obsessed with Annie for quite some time. He has always had a weakness for women who needed him and his discipline. This business trip is the perfect opportunity to get her under his hand and in his bed, but will Annie be able to accept not only his discipline but also his love?

3. Accepting His Terms by Isabella Kole

Jill Lincoln has the hots for her stern, hunk of a boss, Jarrod Baine. With his piercing steel-gray-blue eyes, hair as black as coal, and a body to be enjoyed, she wonders what it would be like to be his woman. But she’s only one of many who would give her eye teeth to be in his bed. The day Jarrod rescues her from a would-be assault by a young mail clerk; she finds that he is as attracted to her as she is to him. As the two begin a relationship, it becomes very apparent to Jarrod that Jill is a nervous, high-strung lady and he searches for the best way to ease her tensions. Together they begin to form a strong bond as they experiment with discipline. As the couple realizes their feelings run much deeper than an office affair, Jarrod asks her to be his wife. As they enter into a hot, passionate marriage, complete with the discipline, by mutual consent, a deeper emotional bond is formed that continues to grow much stronger over time. But when Jill suffers a heartbreaking miscarriage and Jarrod is not by her side, she retreats into a deep, dark depression, turning away from the one man who can save her. Will their bond be severed forever?

4. Fort Laramie by Courage Knight

Rules I Wish I’d Followed, by Carrie Carson: 

1. Don’t lie on your application, claiming to know things you don’t. 

2. Don’t sign up for a summer internship if the really cute, hot grad student in charge wants to date you, unless you’re ready for it. 

3. Don’t ignore your boss’s orders, even if it is hot and the river looks so inviting! 

4. Don’t get even with said boss by letting the air out of the tires of his best friend’s van. 

5. Before falling for the really cute hot grad student, always ask if he’s into anything kinky – like spanking his girlfriend whenever he thinks she deserves it. 

6. Don’t tell lies – not even small white lies – to boyfriends who spank. 

If you like new adult & college romances that are hot, funny, a bit naughty and with a happily ever after, then you’ll love this novel by Courage Knight.

5. Her Master and Commander by Anya Summers (Pleasure Island #1)

Jared leaves his homeland of Scotland with a broken heart and the desire to start again. With his untested skills, he forges a new life on a tiny spit of land near Nassau, building the premier vacation destination for those in the BDSM lifestyle. 

A few months later, Pleasure Island opens to much fanfare in the community and proves to be so popular, he is forced to hire more help. 

Naomi is fleeing a bad marriage. Her battered and bruised soul needs a place where she can hide away from the rest of the world – and where her abusive ex-husband won’t find her. A native of Miami, she takes an offer to work as a maid on a resort island far away from civilization. She never expected that resort to be an exclusive BDSM club. Nor did she expect to have all sorts of wicked fantasies about her new boss. 

Jared immediately recognizes the sweet submissive within his newest employee. What’s surprising to him is the desire he feels toward her. He sets out on a campaign to conquer Naomi’s hesitation and show her pleasure beyond her wildest imaginings. And when he catches her going through his personal belongings, what starts as a discipline session turns into one of the hottest, most erotic nights of his life. 

Jared sets out to convince the hesitant, sweet sub to submit to him for more than one night. But when Naomi’s ex-husband descends on the island and kidnaps her in the middle of a devastating hurricane, Jared will be forced to use every weapon in his arsenal to save her.

6. Her Secret Submission by Carolyn Faulkner

Lia Keene was the perfect secretary. She knew how her boss liked his coffee, that he hated breakfast meetings and he was allergic to shellfish. He was also ruggedly handsome, wealthy, powerful, and completely off-limits, but that didn't stop him from starring in all her fantasies! She really did not want to go on the mandatory business trip with him, and possibly risk revealing her secret infatuation with him. But how could she refuse to go? 

Bryce Tanner had never given his secretary a second glance, until now. She’d always just been there – in her boring work-appropriate business suits, with her hair wadded up in a severe bun – while she quietly and efficiently did whatever was needed without a word of complaint. Until now. He didn’t understand what the big issue was with this trip, but he needed her there. And he always got what he wanted. 

It wasn’t until he went to pick her up the next morning to take her to the airport, that he caught a glimpse of the real woman hiding behind the efficient façade. There were a few signs around her apartment that she was interested in a submissive relationship. Would she consider one with him?

7. Hidden Heart by Measha Stone (Windy City #1) 

Jessica Stanley is comfortable in her orderly life as a paralegal at a high end law firm. Having dated her fair share of liars and manipulators, Jessica views men through a pair of thick, cynical lenses. Men are good for one thing in her eyes, and one thing only. Her predictable life is thrown into a whirlwind of new experiences when she meets a dominating man at a casual dinner with friends. 

Royce Bradford is a man of intent and is used to getting his way. Until he meets Jessica. She is wound tight, and he finds himself yearning to unravel her secrets and her passions. Jessica declares their relationship casual. She’s tempted by his seductive tone and unusually powerful demeanor to give him that much. But for Royce, it’s not enough. He wants more. Except Jessica has built a secret tomb around her heart, and it will take a lot more than sensual play times and verbal commands for him to be allowed entrance. Royce never backs down from his desires. He takes up the challenge to seek out her Hidden Heart.

8. You’re My One and Only by Eve Spire

Annaliese tosses her career as a successful model aside for a summer adventure. Taking a job caring for horses at a camp for delinquents looked to be the ideal escape from her shallow life in fashion—and her haunting past—but her adventure becomes more than she bargains for when her new boss sets fire to her passion and is more than willing to warm her behind in the process. 

However, she is not ready to settle down yet. She wants to find her own way and make a difference. 

Sam is a no-nonsense sort of man. He has to be; he runs a camp for troubled teens. His own haunted past has stolen his ability to trust, leaving behind deep emotional scars. When he first sees the beautiful Annaliese, she triggers his ire—and his libido. 

His rational mind tells him not to hire her, but when he sees her application and remembers the beautiful but feisty woman, passion overrides logic and he offers her the job at Camp Horse Feather. Dreams are at risk... futures are at stake... and trust is something that Annaliese and Sam have forgotten how to do. 

But the summer just got hotter. Will the flames of passion grow and thrive, or burn hot and bright and fade as the weather cools?

9. His Golden Goose by Georgia St. Claire

Dr. Audrey Worthington has had remarkable success as a scholar, garnering several degrees and awards at an early age. However, her notable success in learning has been surpassed by her even more memorable failure at teaching. She seems to be completely unable to assign grades to her students’ efforts, and has been ignobly fired from three different teaching positions, each of them midyear. She knows that she is never going to find another teaching position again. 

Dr. Thornton Hamilton, ‘Rich’ to his friends, has his life exactly where he wants it to be. He is the head of the History Department at Wheatleigh College, following in his grandfather’s shoes. He and his best friend Marcus offer an exclusive spanking service to the general community and he has his psychological battle with the college president to keep his wits sharp. Yes, life is good, even though it is a little lonely from a romantic aspect and prospects are limited in the rather secluded location in northern New England. 

But Audrey and Rich suddenly have their worlds re-ordered when an anonymous benefactor offers Wheatleigh College an extremely generous donation if it will provide Audrey with a teaching position for a year, and a huge endowment if it keeps her on for five years. Simultaneously, a professor suddenly leaves the History Department, leaving a tailor-made teaching slot for her to step into. The college president, determined to have that endowment as the crowning achievement to his presidency, orders Rich to take Audrey in hand and make certain that she succeeds no matter what it takes. 

Audrey doesn’t like to be part of conflict and tends to be naturally submissive. But she has recently had a two year abusive relationship end and she is determined to never let herself be in that sort of situation again. How will she respond to the Dom who is her boss and has every intention of making her overcome her professional shortcomings?

10. A Maid for You by Sahalie Blue & Sterling Scott

Cleaning was never this much fun. This collection of five romantic spanking fantasies showcases the erotic adventures of lively, but errant maids in the employ of Tanya Sterling's house cleaning company: Sterling Maids. 

Tanya has promised exemplary service to her customers. When her sexy, spunky maids are delinquent in their work and derelict in their duties, Tanya and her clients have a special way of dealing with the business at hand. 

In story one, ""The Man of the House,"" maid Maria and Mark Sterling, Tanya's author husband, both find out how the boss-lady deals with lazy birds-of-a-feather when their work is not up to her standards. Will she tan their hides? 

In story two, ""Two Maids and a Feather Duster,"" maid Meg, her boyfriend Sam, and her best girlfriend Willow discover that pleasure can be found from a swish of the feather duster. Will the threesome enjoy the sensual delights of each other? 

In story three, ""Maid in a Tub,"" maid Madison finds a special thrill in taking a bath. Madison is up to her neck in trouble when Tanya discovers her up to her neck in bubbles. Will Tanya clean up? 

In story four, ""A Helping Hand,"" maid Jocelyn falls under the strict supervision of proper British butler and former prefect Malcolm Chippingham. He trains her in the art of housekeeping and of lovemaking. Will his helping hand—and his cane—correct her nervous, inept ways? 

In story five, ""To Catch a Maid,"" maid Kelly is a catch for any man. When she is accused of stealing a family heirloom from Mr. Grant's house, Tanya must expose the real thief to prove Kelly's innocence. Will Mr. Grant fall for Kelly, crook or no?

More about Blushing Books:

Blushing Books specializes in romantic erotica and spanking stories featuring courtly nobles, stern cowboys, elegant businessmen, no-nonsense spies, knights in shining armor, & other juicy plot lines.

Are you BLUSHING yet?

You can find their stories on their Radish profile here.

Check out their site: http://blushingbooks.com/

[radishfiction]

Check out our curator's pick, Whitehall by @serialboxpub! She must win the love of a king – and a country! Will she succeed? 😏 . #ReaditonRadish #amwriting #amreading #booknerd #bookworm #books #stories #reading #writing #fiction #historical #romance #politics #kings #royals #royalty #queen #country #nation #kingdom

[radishfiction]

Radish Featured Week #62: Wizards

It’s Wizards Featured Week on Radish!

Are you prepared to enter the world of magic?

Exactly! Who doesn’t want to be a wizard?

Deep in our hearts, we have been waiting for that particular school letter to arrive since we were eleven years old!

#iykwim

We wish to study magic at a special school for wizards.

We want to fly on a broomstick and zoom in to the moon.

We dream of waving our wands and casting spells.

If you’re powerful enough, you might not even need a wand!

Of course, we have to hide our real powers from our mortal friends. So instead, we subtly let them know of our ‘hobbies’ without actually telling them.

But even if we’re not full-blown wizards who can cast a spell whenever we want to or go to a school where they teach us about magical creatures...

We are still special... because believe it or not, we all have magic inside of us.

So let’s dare to make our own magic with these featured stories below!

1. The Gifted by ciarmichae

Something terrible happened in the World of Magic & everybody's talking about it. A fatal day at the prestigious Academy of Magic & Magical Studies ends with the loss of innocent life and a mystery in need of solving. While the World of Magic attempts to rebuild after the tragedy, many fear that the darkness is not all in the past. And they're right. When a strange tattoo appears on eight seemingly ordinary students, secrets and dark threats decades in the making are brought to light. While they attempt to balance the everyday struggles of high school, these students must discover the truth before it's too late. And what they uncover will change the Three Realms forever.

2. Highfire by AlinaKG

In the kingdom of Highfire, you can pack an entire house into one suitcase, grow a vegetable in a second, and have an intriguing conversation with a tree that is four times your size. If you are Aurelie Dranoir, the chosen heir to the Highfire throne, you might not find all these things as appealing as they sound.

3. Marked By Fortune by anngimpel

Magic levies a steep price on anyone brave enough or stupid enough to dabble in it. Wizards never forgave Ned for not being one of them. They didn’t exactly come out and say his life was expendable, but they didn’t have to. He figured it out fast enough when they conscripted him into their long-running war the second he was old enough to fight. Isolated, different, he puzzled out how his brand of magic worked on his own. When he’s finally, finally sent on a solo mission, he vows to make the most of every single moment of freedom. Fleeing the tide of doom wiping out humanity, Amanda and her family escape to a remote corner of California, where they eke out a hardscrabble existence. With her parents at each other’s throats and her brother mysteriously gone, Amanda runs up against malevolent power beyond her wildest imaginings. Captured by the undead, she’s about to join their ranks when Ned shows up. Attraction ignites—hot, urgent, delicious—but celibacy may well be the price of Ned’s magic, and he can’t risk his power. Or can he? Even though he stands to lose everything, Ned doesn’t hesitate after Tantalus—one of the insidiously beautiful dark gods—kidnaps Amanda. Defying a direct order from his wizard battle lord, he goes after the woman he loves. Even if she can’t ever be his, he’ll be damned if he’ll leave her to the dark god’s whims.

4. Creatures of the Night by StellaPurple

Arsene is not a bad person — but she can't say she's good either. She has to witness a friend's death, reunite with her old teammates and family, and face an engagement that's literally forced on her hand. Magic, chaos and death ensues.

5. Orlind by charlottenglish

War has broken out between the humans of the Seven Realms and the long-lost draykoni race. Llandry’s home city is under attack, its defenders scrambling to find a way to fight the draykon enemy. The outcome of the conflict seems certain – until the draykoni vanish. Where could they have gone, and why? Lady Eva Glostrum is convinced that this means bad news. The Lokant sorcerer Krays is still at large, and his mysterious projects centre on her world – and the draykoni. Could he have something to do with their disappearance? If so, why? And what will it mean for the Seven Realms when the draykoni come back? As Llandry fights to defend her home, Eva sets out in pursuit of Krays. Determined to learn the truth, she’ll go to any lengths to prevent him from damaging the Seven. Her quest will take her right into the heart of Krays’s Library – and there she will uncover another long-kept secret.

Can you feel the magic?

[radishfiction]

The day has finally arrived, everyone! Silence Breaking by RobThier has officially LAUNCHED! 😍 What are you waiting for? Go on to the Radish app now! ❤️ . #amreading #amwriting #radishfiction #fiction #historical #romance #silenceisgolden #silencebreaking #intheeyeofthestorm #stormandsilence #ambrose #linton #lilly #rikkard #robthier #thesirrob

[radishfiction]

1. Elspeth by Vanessa Brooks

Bombay, India, 1870 and Elspeth Merryweather has lost both her parents. She has two choices: return to England, to a homeland she has never visited, or marry the devil, in the form of Captain Henry Wooten. She chooses the latter; marriage to the captain. She quickly regrets her hastily made decision, especially when she finds herself sent back to England alone and unescorted. She is wholly unprepared to meet another man, Professor Adam Beresford, who is returning to Britain with a mystical stone in his possession. On the voyage, Adam proves himself to be everything her husband is not – he is firm but kind, and Elspeth soon learns the difference between Wooten’s abuse and Adam’s loving correction. A woman is made up of many aspects of personality and Elspeth is no exception. A young Victorian woman whose character has been formed by necessity, she is lifted from despair and given hope, but then a cruel twist of fate changes everything. A simple courageous act on her part leaves her with total amnesia. Remembering nothing of her previous life, she awakens in a void, with no memories of the cruelties she has suffered or the love she has recently found. Can Elspeth, a lost waif, survive the rigors of poverty in the harshness of Victorian London? Turning to mudlarking as a way of survival, can she create enough strength to sustain her through these desperate times? Will her loving professor find her before it is too late? Will Elspeth have enough personal courage to become her own person and rekindle the passion she once felt for her lost love, even when she cannot remember his name? Can an emerald, the mystical Shiromani, help bring them together to form bonds that were lost? Vanessa Brooks brings you her new Victorian melodrama, one that will enthrall you and carry you on a journey spanning the distance from India all the way to Victorian England during the 1870s. This is an epic tale that encompasses betrayal and a lasting love that knows no bounds.

2. Biddable Brides by Coleen Singer

Four puzzled husbands. Five mischievous young wives. Justin Burke’s secret sweeps through their homes to restore domestic tranquility. Justin Burke’s family had a long and distinguished reputation for domestic tranquility. His father, and his father before him, believed a good spanking properly delivered was the secret to a happy marriage. He just hadn’t had the opportunity to introduce it to his new bride, so when he returned from a business venture to wild tales of how his wife had infiltrated the gentlemen’s club in his absence, he knew he could not put it off a moment longer. What he hadn’t anticipated was that his friends would want to know his family’s secret. As discretely as possible, he would show them and his bride later that evening. Each husband then rises to the challenge. Benjamin’s bride is a bit of shrew. She speaks with disrespect and barely acknowledges her husband at all. Christopher’s bride is a flirt and a shameless tease. Jeffrey’s bride spends money outrageously. Darren has been married the longest of the five friends, nearly five years. His wife doesn’t have any one particular habit that needs to be addressed, yet their relationship is in more peril than any of the others. He had been ignoring her many annoying little habits, until the buried resentment threatens to pull them apart. Follow along with the friends as they each interpret the Burke family secret to their own situation. And after months of new instruction, what happens when the five wives all get together to enjoy a perfectly scandalous day trip?

3. Lord Barrington's Minx by Alyssa Bailey

Lady Amelia Blackwell embarks upon her first London season where she is presented to the Queen and the rest of proper society. Everyone, including Amelia herself, expects that she will find a husband amongst the new, eligible gentlemen that she meets during the whirl of social activities. Lord Morgan Barrington has known Amelia her entire life. No longer the high spirited little girl whom he had to rescue from various scrapes, Amelia is now the beautiful, enchanting woman he has waited for her to become. Will Amelia be willing to give up her freedom for the strict rules and expectations of Lord Barrington? Will he be able to convince her that true freedom comes from submission? 

4. Jacks are Wild by Cora Montgomery

After the death of her husband, Lady Olivia Carter returns to her childhood home to live with her twin brother, Oscar. One night, while exploring the attic of her childhood home, she finds her brother’s stash of naughty books. Reading these racy, exciting stories awakens a need and a hunger in Olivia that must be satisfied. Now she secrets herself in a hidden nook in the wine cellar—book in hand—and finds pleasure in fantasy. Satisfied at last. When Oscar hosts his friends for a week of drinking, cards, and wild nights out, Olivia plays lady of the manor by day, but continues her hidden activities by night. One evening at dinner, she catches the eye of handsome Jack Laughtry, Earl of Warrington. The look she gives him is full of promise and heat. He’s a goner! Jack can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous widow. Looking to dull the aching need in his pants, he heads to the wine cellar one evening after the card game. There, he finds more than a bottle of wine. Much more. When these two meet, passions ignite. Deep, dark fantasies come to life. And neither of them will ever be the same. 

5. Abigail's Earl by Starla Kaye

Lady Abigail Remington has always been seen as the faultless daughter, the biddable one who never caused her family problems. Inside she is dying from the stress of putting on such an act. She longs to let her daring, adventurous side out. She has finally found the perfect outlet to her yearnings, Amberly's Ampitheatre of Arts. If only she can find the courage and find a way to be allowed to perform. What she doesn't want is to be tied down in marriage. She will be happy as a spinster leading the life she desires, never having to answer to a demanding man. James Ranborne, the confident and determined Earl of Saliston, has always known his place in society, trained almost from birth to hold politically powerful roles. Widowed after losing the woman he'd married by arrangement and losing his heir in childbirth, he has put off marrying again. He has no time for love and romance, neither of which he believes in. But he has a duty to his family and his position to find a proper woman to marry and to give him the heir he must have. What he will not do is give her his heart. He believes marrying Lady Abigail is the answer to his needs.

6. The Road to Pemberley by Emma Woodhouse

Two hundred years after its initial publication, a spiritual descendant of Jane Austen has penned the definitive sequel to Pride and Prejudice. For all the generations of readers who thought that matters had been left not quite settled within the Bennet family at the finish of the novel, this young writer has herein described and narrated for her readers the further comings and goings of the Bennet girls. In particular, the author has taken special pains to describe not only the domestic disciplinary skills of Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley, which skill most discerning readers were convinced could not choose but follow, but also the sudden awakening of Mr Bennet, himself, to exactly this sort of long-neglected duty regarding his offspring, as well as his own Mrs Bennet, whom we all know needed bringing up short on occasions too numerous to mention. So do, please, come with Emma Woodhouse as she escorts the reader upon a tour of English houses and countryside as they were in the dimbright glory of the Georgian past. She will show you the men you always loved in a way you never thought you would see them—with the sweet and lovely girls and women of Austen’s imagination finally and firmly upended so as to have their undraped fundaments soundly corrected.

More about Blushing Books:

Blushing Books specializes in romantic erotica and spanking stories featuring courtly nobles, stern cowboys, elegant businessmen, no-nonsense spies, knights in shining armor, & other juicy plot lines.

Are you BLUSHING yet?

You can find their stories on their Radish profile here.

Check out their site: http://blushingbooks.com/

[radishfiction]

Red, the color of blood and fire, is associated with meanings of love, passion, desire, heat, longing, lust, sexuality, sensitivity and romance. . #amreading #amwriting #comingsoon #radishfiction #fiction #stories #books #bookworm #booknerd #nerd #reading #writing #romance #red #love

[radishfiction]

Can you guess which series this is? 🙊 . #stories #books #booknerd #bookworm #radishfiction #amreading #amwriting #series #sinner #comingsoon

[radishfiction]

RobThier Answers Questions From #AskRobonRadish!

Dear Sirs and Madames,

Last week, we held a coin giveaway contest and gave you a chance to ask our dear Sir Rob about his works!

Alas, we have fantastic news! 

Your long wait is over!

We are pleased to inform you that Sir Rob's answers are finally here!

We know you cannot wait to read more about lovely Lilly and Mr. Ambrose!

So without further ado, here is Sir Rob’s interview!

#AskRobonRadish:

1. Was Ambrose’s personality always like this? Or did something happen to him and make him like this? 

(from @JasmiineGrey  - akanexkouha)

I don't think anyone could be like this from birth – or his parents would probably strangle him before his second birthday. ;) No, there are very good reasons why Mr. Ambrose grew up to be the man he is, and we'll find out more about them in the coming book.

2. What did Lilly do with the ring at the end of In the Eye of the Storm ‘their fake wedding ring’? 

(from @AfifaSiddiqui5 - Afifa)

I must admit that I didn't give much thought to the matter at the time. But, Mr. Ambrose being Mr. Ambrose, he probably demanded it back and pawned it. ;)

3. Was Lilly and Mr. Ambrose based off anyone you know in real life? 

(from @YalookLikeATaco  - supersonicfan)

Definitely not. Most of the people I know are much more harmless.

4. Are we gonna expect Lilly to dress like a lady in Silence Breaking? 

(from @sweetanna27 - sweetanna27)

Oh, yes. Lilly will need to fight with the weapons of a woman as well as those of Mr. Linton.

5. When and how did you get inspired to write the Storm and Silence series? How long did it take you? 

(from @no_need_names - bookbutterfly1999)

My inspiration came during my university studies, as I read about the fascinating personalities involved in Victorian feminism, suffragism, and imperialism.

6. Was Ambrose ever in love before he met Lilly or is there a mysterious girl we don’t know about? 

(from @Yolo6543211  - yolo654321)

There was a girl, but not one he was in love with. Check out "Before the Storm" on Radish if you'd like to know more.

7. Will we see Ambrose being emotional in the fourth book? Since he will be going back to his past home and life. 

(from @DaisyFromMars - daisynerd)

Dare I say it...perhaps, possibly, maybe yes, he might. ;)

Are you satisfied, or did that leave you with more questions in your mind?

Better wait for Silence Breaking and read it to find out more!

Want to see RobThier live on video? Click on the Radish Fiction Vlog HERE!

Robert Thier is a German Historian and writer of Historical Fiction. His particular mix of history, romance, and adventure, always with a good deal of humor thrown in, has gained him a diverse readership ranging from teenagers to retired grandmothers. For the way he manages to make history come alive, as if he himself had lived as a medieval knight, his fans all over the world have given him the nickname “Sir Rob.” For him, Robert says, becoming a writer has followed naturally from his interest in history. “In Germany,” he says, “we use the same word for story and history. And I’ve always loved the one as much as the other. Becoming a storyteller, a writer, is what I’ve always wanted.”

Besides writing and researching in dusty old archives, on the lookout for a mystery to put into his next story, Robert enjoys classical music and long walks in the country. The helmet you see on the picture he does not wear because he is a cycling enthusiast, but to protect his literary skull in which a bone has been missing from birth. Robert lives in the south of Germany in a small village between the three Emperor’s Mountains.

You can find all of his works on his Radish profile here.

Subscribe to his upcoming fourth book in the Storm and Silence series, Silence Breaking, HERE!

[radishfiction]

LOOK! Radish just received a letter from Mr. Ambrose! 😍 Silence Breaking by RobThier is almost here! Don't miss out and mark your calendars! . #amreading #amwriting #historical #romance #intheeyeofthestorm #stormandsilence #silenceisgolden #silencebreaking #ambrose #mrambrose #lillylinton #lilly

[radishfiction]

Who says book nerds can’t be punny?