Roni Loren - On Rules and Rule Breakers - Melt Into You Book Tour

I'm so happy to welcome Roni Loren to my blog today to talk about breaking rules, and her new book -

 MELT INTO YOU.

Her first love has returned, and he's brought a friend...

After running away from home and the boy who broke her heart, Evan Kennedy has kick-started the perfect new life with her celebrity fiancé. So what if said fiancé prefers guys? She knew the deal. And with her ticket to The Ranch, an exclusive resort where any fantasy can be satisfied, she knows she can find someone to fulfill her less-than-traditional desires on the side.

She just never expected that man to be Jace Austin, her old heart-breaker—all grown up, hard-bodied, and holding out a collar. She knows it’s probably a world-class bad idea—especially since Jace has brought along his buddy Andre, who’s every bit as irresistible. But if they can stick to the no-strings rules, so can she.

Too bad Jace has never been so good with rules. Evan is convinced “forever” is a word used only in greeting cards, but Jace and Andre have one last fantasy of hers left to fulfill. It’s time to go big or go home. And neither man has ever been a fan of going home.

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On Rules and Rule Breakers

First, thanks so much for having me here on the blog! Roz pointed out to me that many of my stories tend to have rule breakers in them and wanted me to talk about that a bit. What’s funny is that before she said anything, I’d never really thought of it that way. But looking at everything I’ve written, it seems to be true, lol. Apparently, I love a rebel.

Part of it is because I write BDSM romance and just having characters in that lifestyle in general requires rule-breaking personalities. It’s not exactly socially acceptable to want to tie up and whip your lover. But the other reason is--what is interesting about someone who always follows the rules and the prescribed path? (Although I’m currently writing a book that is going to play with that idea because I have a pretty straight and narrow hero--an anomoly for me, lol.) I want people who haven’t been sheep in their lives, people who aren't afraid to forge their own path and do their own thing.

And in MELT INTO YOU, I have taken that rule-breaking concept even further than I have in the past. Jace, the main hero, has never met a rule he didn’t want to break. He’s the black sheep of his family and pretty much gives the finger to anyone who tries to control him or label him. Of course, underneath his rebellious bad boy self, he’s got a soft, vulnerable side. But you’ll have to read the book to find out what really keeps Jace up at night.

Then I have Evan, the heroine, who has lived on the streets, been through hell, and is now marrying her gay best friend on purpose, even though he’s in love with someone else. She’s definitely walking her own road.

And finally, there’s Andre--Jace’s roommate, a dominant, and a cop. A cop who happens to like sharing women with his best friend and may possibly be in love with his aforementioned best buddy.

None of my characters have ever felt like they fit in with the rest of the world...and they don’t really want to. I think that’s what appeals to me most about rule-breakers. It takes a certain confidence to not want to be like everyone else. Plus, I come from a family of do-your-own-thing-and-who-cares-what-others-think people, so it may be in my blood, lol.

These characters sound wonderful, Roni. I do love people who color outside the lines! 

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Here's an excerpt from MELT INTO YOU.

“Stop fighting or you’re going to drown us both.” The rumbling male voice came from behind her, and the grip on her arms tightened. “We’ve got to get out of the undertow.”

Her heart jumped into her throat, but she forced herself to stop struggling so the stranger could help. His breath was warm on her neck as he pulled them both backward, but he didn’t say another word. The water seemed to be fighting their progress, and the man adjusted his hold until he had his arms hooked beneath her armpits. She wanted to tell him to let her go, that she knew how to swim, but her thigh was burning like a swarm of wasps had attacked it and her head was spinning again.

A few hard-fought minutes later, packed sand scraped against her heels, and she sucked in a deep sigh of relief. The man dragged her another few feet until they reached dry land, then set her down and kneeled next to her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his broad chest heaving beneath his soaked T-shirt.

She lifted her gaze to the concerned eyes staring down at her, an odd sense of déjà vu washing over her. “I, uh . . .”

“I heard you scream. Are you hurt?” He touched the side of her head, evaluating her.

She wet her lips. “My leg . . . Something stung me . . . I lost my balance.”

He glanced down the length of her—the mostly naked length of her. Shit. She shot up into a sitting position and scooted backward, but his hand locked over her knee as he stared down at her upper thigh, which was still burning like she’d roasted it over an open fire.

“Damn, it got you good.”

“What are you talking about?” She tried to jerk her leg from beneath his grip, but he held her firm as he examined her.

“Jellyfish,” he said, frowning at her. “Your whole thigh is striped. That must hurt like a sonofabitch.”

She stared down at the red tentacle-shaped lines around her thigh. “Well, it doesn’t feel awesome.”

He chuckled, the rich sound seeming to vibrate from deep within his chest, and something stirred in the back of her brain. He climbed to his feet. “Here, let me help.”

“Don’t you dare pee on me,” she said, the words slipping out before she could rethink them.

He tilted his head back in a full laugh this time, the sound echoing down the beach.

She cringed. “I’m sorry, I—”

He raised a hand, his eyes still lit with humor. “Don’t worry. The urine thing is just an urban myth. And I’m definitely not going to ruin my ‘just saved pretty girl from drowning’ hero status by taking a leak on you. I’m not that stupid.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, a hero, huh? So this is all a big pick-up routine? Find drowning girls and ride in on your white horse?”

“Absolutely.” He grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it off, revealing miles of taut skin, sinewy muscle, and tribal-style ink running across his shoulder and down one arm, rendering her momentarily speechless. Water dripped off his soaked hair—which looked to be blond, though it was hard to tell in the moonlight—and slipped down his now bare chest. Her gaze locked on the tiny droplets, tracking their path down to the band of his shorts until they disappeared. Oh, blessed Lord.

He cleared his throat, no doubt catching her in her perusal, and squatted next to her. His hand slipped under her knee. “Here, seawater actually helps the sting. Let me wrap this around your leg, and then we can go to my room. We’ll get you feeling better.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Oh, really. Might want to tap the brakes there, Rico Suave. Despite my state of undress, I don’t just go to strangers’ hotel rooms. I’m not quite that easy.”

Dimples appeared as he fought a smile. “Oh, not quite that easy, but easy. Duly noted.”

Here's where you can get MELT INTO YOU.

Amazon  (ebook)

Amazon (print)

Barnes & Noble

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Meet Roni 

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. She is the author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Website: www.roniloren.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/roniloren

Facebook: www.facebook.com/roniloren

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/roniloren

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Roni will award an eBook copy of "Still Into You" to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop and a Book Grab Bag - Autographed copy of CRASH INTO YOU along with these books: Raziel by Kristina Douglas, Blood Stains by Sharon Sala, The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons, and Deadly Valentine by Justine Davis and Cindy Dees to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour (US/Canada only). 

Wow! Those are some great prizes!!! Leave a comment below to enter your name in the drawing, then click here to continue on the tour!

What do you think about rule breakers? Who is your favorite rule-breaking hero or heroine?