Review: Longing by Lilly Avalon

Longing by Lilly Avalon 
Series: Resist #2
Published: January 27th, 2015
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Erotic romance
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It's been two months since Allegra walked out of Devlin's hotel room. Well, two months and five days, but she's not counting. She needs to move on, but before she can, Devlin shows up again...as her new coworker.

Seeing him at work every day is enough to make her lose her mind. Allegra tries to stay away from Devlin, knowing the effect he has on her, but she can't. The more she's around him, the more she's tempted to have something more with him. After everything that's happened in the past, it's a slippery slope that may land her in a place she never wants to revisit. Something is happening to her heart, though. A longing is building up that isn't one-sided...and doesn't feel temporary.

He wants her. She wants a forever. Is it possible to have it all?
 

In Lilly Avalon’s Resist, we got a taste of Allegra and Devlin’s story. The chemistry between them sizzled on the pages, but I was left wanting more. I wanted to know more about Allegra - her past, her motives, and her reason for running. I was sure there could be more between these two, so I was thrilled when I found out Lilly was writing a continuation of Allegra and Devlin’s story, and that it would be a full-length novel.

There’s so much to love about Longing. Allegra is smart, sassy, and snarky. Devlin is basically sex on legs, but there’s surprising depth to him that made me love him. Together, these characters are something special. Their interactions ranged from sexy to sweet to heartwarming to giggle inducing.

Allegra’s growth through the novel amazed me. I felt like I was watching a friend who kept tripping over the crap life threw at her, but also kept getting up and fighting. I was so proud of her. She learned a lot through the course of the book - some of it on her own, some of it with the help of her best friend, and some of it with Devlin’s help.

I loved that while Longing is categorized as erotic romance, it had so much depth to it. There were plenty of sexytimes, but there was also a lot of character growth, and real life situations that were relatable. Sexy, funny, romantic, and emotional, Longing is another winner from Lilly Avalon!

   

Have you read Longing? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of Lilly's other books? Do you read erotic romance? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway ~ Longing by Lilly Avalon

Title: Longing

Series: Resist #2

by: Lilly Avalon

Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Cover designed by Marie Landry

It's been two months since Allegra walked out of Devlin's hotel room. Well, two months and five days, but she's not counting. She needs to move on, but before she can, Devlin shows up again...as her new coworker. Seeing him at work every day is enough to make her lose her mind. Allegra tries to stay away from Devlin, knowing the effect he has on her, but she can't. The more she's around him, the more she's tempted to have something more with him. After everything that's happened in the past, it's a slippery slope that may land her in a place she never wants to revisit. Something is happening to her heart, though. A longing is building up that isn't one-sided...and doesn't feel temporary. He wants her. She wants a forever. Is it possible to have it all? 

*Longing is a full-length erotica novel, and the sequel to Resist*

Here All Along (Here All Along #1) Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble  

Resist (Resist #1) Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble 
More Than Words (More Than Words #1) Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble

Lilly Avalon is the author of the erotic romances Here All Along and Resist, and the upcoming novella More Than Words. 

She's somewhere in the midst of her twenties and lives mostly in the stories in her head. When she's not enveloped in the worlds she creates, she's out in the real world making stories happen. That or reading other romances. It's a toss-up.

Find Lilly online:

{Website || GoodReads || Facebook || Twitter}

Giveaway

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5 Things About MORE THAN WORDS by Lilly Avalon + Giveaway

Today I have my friend and fellow author Lilly Avalon on the blog to share 5 things you may not know about her newest release, More Than Words, which came out last week. AND she has a super awesome exclusive giveaway just for you guys! 

First, here's a bit about More Than Words...

More Than Words

by Lilly Avalon

Published: October 24, 2014

All of her friends know her as Dana Darling, the clean romance writer. She's never written a steamy novel, not even in her head, but now her publisher needs her to write one. It doesn't appear too difficult at first, but then Dana's lack of sexual knowledge creates writer's block.
That's where her friend Landon comes in. She needs pointers on positions and dirty talk, and he owes her a favor. They agree that it's strictly business and clothes are mandatory, but once they get to work, it's another story entirely... one that's being written between the sheets and not on paper.

*More Than Words is a standalone erotica novella*

5 Things You May Not Know About More Than Words

1. I wrote the whole first draft in 12 days. The word count broke 12,000, so that means I averaged about 1,000 words a day. It was a milestone for me as a writer: consistent high count writing days and fastest I've written a whole story. What was even more amazing about it is that I didn't have to change or add much when I edited.

2. I didn't choose the title until I was done writing. Usually I have to have a title before I write, but this time nothing was clicking. When I was almost finished, I started considering a few different titles. Then I wrote a line in the story that included the words "more than words" and I knew I had my title.
3. I didn't expect to write this story until some time down the road. I wanted to focus my attention on Longing, the sequel to Resist, first. Of course, no matter what your intentions are as a writer, inspiration has other plans. More Than Words just fell into place one night. I pretty much wrote a bare bones draft in my phone of about 2800 words the first night. The path of the story from then on out flowed until the end. To be honest, it was magical.
4. The character of Landon took the whole story to flesh out. At first he was just a sweet guy, then he started to tell me more about himself and that just added to his dynamic and the friendship he has with Dana. I have a soft spot for men with a strong sense of humor, and Landon really made me swoon because of that (and other more sexy reasons...obviously).
5. When I contemplated writing this, it was going to be a short story. I guessed maybe a little over 5,000 words. But when I started actually writing it, I realized how much more needed to be said, how much more there was to the story. I couldn't deprive Dana and Landon by not telling their story the way it needed to be told.

Interesting, huh? I love knowing behind the scenes facts about stories I've read. More Than Words is my favourite book of Lilly's so far, and I highly recommend it. You can read my review here. Hopefully that, plus Lilly's post and the amazing giveaway will convince you to buy the book, which you can do at any of the following retailers:

Amazon || Amazon UK || Amazon CA ||Barnes & Noble || Kobo

~About the Author~

Lilly Avalon is the author of the erotic romances Here All Along and Resist, and the upcoming novella More Than Words. She's somewhere in the midst of her twenties and lives mostly in the stories in her head. When she's not enveloped in the worlds she creates, she's out in the real world making stories happen. That or reading other romances. It's a toss-up.

Find Lilly online:

{Goodreads ||Website ||  Facebook || Twitter}

~GIVEAWAY~

Lilly has donated an amazing, exclusive prize just for readers of Ramblings of a Daydreamer. It's so cool I want to enter myself, but I guess that's not really fair, is it? ;-)

One lucky winner will get this More Than Words themed pack of goodies:
*3 mini composition notebooks
*5 bangle bracelets
*1 tiny tiger plushie
*1 compact mirror (with the quote "Well behaved women seldom make history")
*book swag

~Open internationally~

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Have you read More Than Words? If you haven't, is it on your TBR? Have a question or comment for Lilly? We want to hear from you! ;-)

 
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Release Day Blitz: More Than Words by Lilly Avalon

Cover Reveal ~ More Than Words by Lilly Avalon

Hi guys! Today I'm excited to reveal the cover of Lilly Avalon's upcoming erotic novella, More Than Words. Lilly is a pal of mine, plus I designed the cover, and I'm not gonna lie, I do love showing them off. ;-) I had the pleasure of  beta reading More Than Words, and let me tell you, you're going to want to read this one. It's hands down my favourite story of Lilly's so far. Keep an eye out for it later this month, but in the meantime be sure to add it to your TBR!

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Publication date: October 24th, 2014

Add on GoodReads

All of her friends know her as Dana Darling, the clean romance writer. She's never written a steamy novel, not even in her head, but now her publisher needs her to write one. It doesn't appear too difficult at first, but then Dana's lack of sexual knowledge creates writer's block.

That's where her friend Landon comes in. She needs pointers on positions and dirty talk, and he owes her a favor. They agree that it's strictly business and clothes are mandatory, but once they get to work, it's another story entirely... one that's being written between the sheets and not on paper.

Lilly Avalon is the author of the erotic romances Here All Along and Resist, and the upcoming novella More Than Words. She's somewhere in the midst of her twenties and lives mostly in the stories in her head. When she's not enveloped in the worlds she creates, she's out in the real world making stories happen. That or reading other romances. It's a toss-up.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Lilly's other books:

 

Here All Along ~ GoodReads || Amazon

Resist ~ GoodReads || Amazon

Want to see the other covers I've designed (including the ones shown above)? Check out my album here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think of the cover? Do you read erotica? Have you read any of Lilly's books?

 
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Cover Reveal: Resist by Lilly Avalon

Today I'm excited to be part of the cover reveal for Lilly Avalon's upcoming erotic novella, Resist. Why? Well, Lilly is a pal of mine, plus I just happen to be the cover designer. ;-)

Ready??

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Resist
by Lilly Avalon
Resist #1

Cover designed by: Marie Landry
Publication Date: August 26, 2014 
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica, New Adult, Romance 

Add to Goodreads

Allegra Maxwell is sick of the monotony of life. It's all work and no play, and right now she wants to play. She shows up at her company's yearly meeting with one goal in mind: have a one night stand with a stranger. What she didn't count on is Devlin Pierce walking through the door. 

When Allegra first met Devlin, she knew he would be nothing but trouble. After he proved her theory true last year, she made a vow to avoid him at all costs. He's the last person she wants to see, and he knows it. He refuses to leave her alone though. As much as she tries to fight it, the pull he has on her is undeniable. Her ability to resist him proves impossible when Devlin makes her an offer she can't refuse. 

One night. That's all he asks. That's all she wants. Or is it?

~EXCERPT~

I let out a groan of exasperation. “Excuse me.” I turn on my heel to the elevator. 

“We're not done yet, Allegra,” Devlin calls out after me. 


“Oh yeah, why's that?” I ask as I press the button to go up. The elevator slowly makes its way down. 


He stands in front of me, blocking the elevator. “Jack sent me out here to make sure you were okay.”


Stepping closer to him, I press a finger to his chest. “You can tell him I was feeling out of it and had to go back to my room.” I lift my hand away only to have him catch it in his. Holding my hand over his heart, his fingers curl around mine. My palm soaks in the heat of his chest through his clothes. A powerful sensation spreads down to my toes and I suck in a breath. My heart skips a beat, and the intoxication of his scent holds me there.


“Is that the truth?” he asks, his eyes searching mine. “Or is it something else?”


I stare into the deep pools of his eyes. There's a shift in the atmosphere. I'm barely aware of him moving in closer, leaning toward me, toward my lips. My eyes are closing of their own initiative, completely ignoring the warning siren blaring in my skull. It's not loud enough. I'm no longer listening. It isn't until the elevator chimes that I realize what is happening. I jerk away from him, yanking my hand from his chest. The spell is broken and I'm not going to let him drown me in it again.


I give him a slight shove to push him out of my way and walk into the empty elevator. I press the button for my floor and look at him. He blinks a few times. I say, “I'll never tell. It's been fun, Devlin.” The doors close, leaving him hanging by a thread.

About the Author

Lilly Avalon writes new adult and erotic romances. She's in her twenties and lives in a cute little apartment in a small city. She loves reading romantic stories as much as she loves writing them. Her favorite things include dancing, watching scandalous television dramas, and autumn. Lilly Avalon is a pseudonym.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Cover Reveal: Here All Along by Lilly Avalon

Today I'm excited to be part of the cover reveal for Lilly Avalon's debut short story, Here All Along. Why? Well, because I designed the cover! This is my first cover of 2014, and my ninth altogether. 

Here All Along
by Lilly Avalon
Publication: February 14th, 2014
New Adult Erotica

Every time Hazel Bell goes on a date, she returns home unhappy and disenchanted about love. At least her best friend Adrian Williams is always there for her, even more so now that they're roommates. After both of them have a bad night out, they decide to just relax and forget the world for awhile. It's been a long time since they've been alone together. They certainly weren't counting on the close quarters bringing out hidden desires. Now it appears their platonic friendship is being put to the test—one that neither can resist. By the end of the night, will it be the end for Hazel and Adrian—or a new beginning?

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Lilly Avalon

Her Website | Twitter | Goodreads

My name is Lilly Avalon and I write new adult and erotic romances. I’m in my twenties and live in a cute little apartment in a small city. I love reading romantic stories as much as I love writing them. My favorite things include dancing, watching scandalous television dramas, and autumn. Lilly Avalon is a pseudonym.

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$10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card {INT}

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Cover reveal organized by

 

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Review: The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

Series: Fairwick Chronicles, Book #1

Published: December 27th, 2011

Publisher: Ballantine Books

450 pages (ebook)

Genre: Adult urban fantasy/paranormal

Acquired this book: From NetGalley

Warning: May contain spoilers

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Note: This book is not YA

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.

 

The Demon Lover was much different than what I expected. It didn’t feel like your typical paranormal book - it was like a mixture of paranormal, fantasy, erotica, and romance. The author builds a fascinating world of supernatural creatures, along with a story that kept me guessing while madly turning the pages to find out what happened next.

In most respects I liked Callie as a main character. She was believably flawed - often so wrapped up in her own dramas that she didn’t see that the people around her were suffering or having problems, and she often missed things that should have been obvious. However, there was something relatable about her that drew me to her and made me accept her, flaws and all. Her voice was very authentic, making it feel like a friend was relating a story to me. 

Even though the plot was slow moving at times (my only complaint about the book is that it was too long), I don’t think the story dragged. I kept wondering where the story was going and found myself thinking ‘I can’t imagine how it goes on for another 200 pages…100 pages…50 pages…’ etc., but there was something compelling about it that made it nearly impossible to stop reading. It was captivating and unique, and while I had a couple things figured out, I was anxious to see how it all played out and figure out the mysteries that eluded me.

One thing I’d like to point out: this story was HOT. If you’re easily offended by graphic sex scenes or don’t enjoy a lot of sex in books, you’re going to want to skip The Demon Lover. The sex scenes start from the very first chapter and get hotter and hotter throughout the book. I’m sure some people will argue there was too much sex, and while it did seem a bit gratuitous at times, at least it was well-written and fun to read! I think I’d rather read a book like this than straight-up erotica because the story itself was so good.

Overall, while The Demon Lover is hard to peg down and even harder to describe, I enjoyed it very much. An interesting cast of characters, great setting, unique spin on supernatural creatures, beautiful yet simple writing, and a romance that leaves you yearning for book 2; I would recommend The Demon Lover to any fan of the paranormal.

 In accordance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No money or compensation of any sort exchanged hands. I review books to share my love of reading, and I'm always completely honest in my reviews, good or bad.

*Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book for review.*

Have you read The Demon Lover? What did you think? What are some of your favourite adult paranormal series?

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