This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.
Click HERE for more tour information.
Welcome to The Wormhole and my stop on the tour.
It is my pleasure to feature Kym Grosso and Leopold's Wicked Embrace.
About the
Author:
Kym Grosso is the author of the
bestselling erotic paranormal romance series, The Immortals of New
Orleans. The series currently includes
Kade's Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 1), Luca's Magic Embrace
(Immortals of New Orleans, Book 2), Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New
Orleans, Book 3), Logan ’s
Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 4) and Léopold’s Wicked Embrace
(Immortals of New Orleans, Book 5).
In addition to romance, Kym has written
and published several articles about autism, and is passionate about autism
advocacy. She also is a contributing
essay author in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.
Kym lives with her husband, two children,
dog and cat. Her hobbies include autism advocacy, reading, tennis, zumba,
traveling and spending time with her husband and children. New Orleans , with its rich culture, history
and unique cuisine, is one of her favorite places to visit. Also, she loves
traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow-covered mountains. On
any given night, when not writing her own books, Kym can be found reading her
Kindle, which is filled with hundreds of romances.
Website: www.KymGrosso.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KymGrossoBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KymGrosso
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/kymgrosso/
Léopold’s
Wicked Embrace: Immortals
of New Orleans Book 5
Kym Grosso
Genre:
Erotic Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Independent – MT Carvin Publishing, LLC
Date of Publication: April 5, 2014
Number of pages: 412 print
Word Count: 100,045
Cover Artist: Cora Graphics
Book Description:
An erotic
paranormal romance...
Seductive and lethal vampire, Léopold
Devereoux, returns to the Big Easy to find a killer. His search leads him to a beautiful and
mysterious woman, who awakens desires and emotions that he’s long fought to
keep buried. After centuries of
self-imposed solitude, the billionaire philanthropist struggles to restrain his
growing thirst for the intriguing, lovely female who’s captured his attention.
Laryssa Theriot, an antiques proprietor
in the Vieux Carré, agrees to help the commanding yet debonair stranger, who
seeks her assistance. She withholds her
secret abilities, afraid to trust the man who threatens to unleash her darkest
fantasies. All the while, Léopold
consumes her thoughts, testing her limits and bringing her to new levels of
ecstasy. As the menacing force that has
stalked Laryssa for years finally catches up to her, she submits, putting her
life into the hands of the dominant vampire who offers his protection.
Deep in the heart of New Orleans , they embark on a perilous
adventure, forced to search for an ancient sacrificial relic that they hope
will save their lives. As they face
formidable challenges, Léopold and Laryssa surrender to the passionate intimacy
that possesses them. After hundreds of
years of denying himself love, will Léopold bond to the woman who has begun to
crack the impenetrable shell around his heart?
As evil draws near, will Laryssa survive the demon that has come to take
her soul?
Warning: This book contains several
erotic love scenes and is intended for adult readers only.
Excerpt 1
Laryssa had heard the
customer behind her, but the damn mirror wire wouldn’t seem to catch
right. It kept slipping and she cursed
under her breath, hoping she wouldn’t drop it.
If she could just hold it up a minute longer, she could get it to hang
squarely on the wall. She fingered the
hook that she’d just renailed into the wall and then moved her thumb over to
the thin metal string. With a final
shove upward, she attempted to flick it into place. But as the wire caught, it sliced into her flesh. A sharp sting threw her off balance, and her
pumps began to waver. Shit. Not again.
“Oh my God!” Laryssa
squeaked as she fell backwards, fully expecting to crack her head open on one
of the many sharp-edged desks that sat adjacent to where she’d been
working. As she felt strong male hands
slide up under her ribcage, grazing her breasts, she gasped. She wasn’t sure whether to thank the stranger
or call the police, but as she turned her face to try to see him, she
immediately recognized her rescuer.
“It’s you,” she
stammered, clutching his arms. Laryssa giggled nervously, realizing how once
again she’d foolishly fallen in front of the sexy vampire. And like last night, he’d caught her. She couldn’t believe how clumsy she’d all of
a sudden become. She tried to relax and
find her footing, but her heart was beating so fast that she could barely
think. What is he doing here in my
shop? How did he find me?
Like a story book
flipping pages, her mind whirled until she remembered what she’d done last
night at the club. She’d fought off the
asshole who’d grabbed her at the bar.
The feel of his hands around her throat had forced her fear into
overdrive. The knife had only been a few
inches away, but still too far.
Desperation had taken over as her power surged, calling the blade to her
fingertips. Jamming it into his neck was
as instinctive as breathing. Kill or be
killed, she’d always choose the former.
She’d run into the alley, refusing to discuss it with management. The only one who knew her was Avery and there
was no way her friend would have divulged her identity to the vampire. She’d be more likely to turn him into a three
horned sheep before she’d squeal. The
only way the vampire could have found her would have been if he’d followed her
home.
A brush to her breast
reminded her that she was still being held upright by him, and Laryssa felt her
face grow red. Arousal licked over her
skin. Cautiously, she rooted her shoes
on the floor and turned around, steeling her nerves.
“I’m so sorry,” she
said.
“My pleasure,
mademoiselle, but I suggest you avoid heights in the future.”
Surreptitiously, she
stole a glance at him, which reminded her how incredibly handsome he was. His short dark hair was perfectly
coiffed. His white dress shirt hung
casually over the waistband of his jeans.
Laryssa forced herself to look away, trying not to stare at the
masculine features of his face. Straight nose, square jaw and perfectly
kissable lips… lips that were smooth talking and way too articulate, teasing
her with every word he spoke. Beads of
sweat broke out across her forehead. It
felt as if someone had turned up the heat, her skin was on fire. She noticed his eyes were no longer on hers
and had dropped to her chest. They
lingered only a second, and then he met her gaze and smiled. She looked downward and noticed that several
buttons had come undone in her fall, revealing the edges of her white lace
bra. Could this day get any more
embarrassing? Laryssa’s fingers shook as
she buttoned her sweater.
“I’m so sorry. I just…you just…I just…” Great, first I’m a klutz and now I can’t
speak. She bit her lip, paused and then
took a deep breath before starting again.
“Thank you for catching me.”
“Again.” Léopold watched her as she adjusted her
clothes, wishing to rip the rest of the pearly buttons from their fragile
seams. But he refused to let the beast within take what it wanted. No, he’d find out what the hell she was
before showing her his true nature. “Yes, thank you…again.” She smoothed down her skirt, trying to
pretend she hadn’t just fallen into his arms and let him feel her up in the
process. Business, think business. Her pulse slowed and she willed herself to appear
nonchalant.
“We met last night,
remember?” he pressed. Léopold smiled and ran his hand over the colorful
marquetry in rosewood that scrolled through a seventeenth century
secretaire. Interesting that she could
deliberately control the flow of her blood.
It further piqued his concern about her species. What was she?
Laryssa’s eyes met his,
widening at the confirmation that he knew exactly who she was.
“Yes, yes I do. But I’m afraid I didn’t catch your
name.” Vampire. Big bad vampire. Laryssa watched intently as he fingered the
furniture, trailing his thumb over the symmetrical scenes as if he was
caressing a lover.
“Lovely.” Léopold flashed his eyes to hers.
“What?” Laryssa realized that he was toying with her,
purposefully trying to make her nervous.
“I said, it’s
lovely. The neoclassical architectural
structures. The white marble top. Doré bronze mounts.”
“Is there something
specific I can help you with?”
“You get directly to the
point?” Léopold had intended to play
with her a bit, throw her off her game.
Yet his little rabbit wasn’t frozen in the field like he’d
anticipated. No, she rebounded nicely,
and now stood confidently like a wildcat, poised to attack.
“I don’t really have
time to waste. So yeah, I’d like to know
why you followed me from the club. And I
really want to know what you are doing in my shop.”
Léopold merely laughed
and crossed the room to admire a chair and matching settee.
“Circa 1775?”
Laryssa walked over and
placed her hand on the elegant Louis XVI chair. “Yes.
How did you know? It’s a very
special piece. It has the mark of Versailles Palace on it.”
“Indeed.” Léopold sat in the chair, wrapping his
fingers around its arms. “Nothing but
the best. Fit for a king.”
“And I suspect you’d
like being a king.” She put her hands on her hips, waiting for him to respond.
“Ah, a king I never
was. But I’ve dined with kings, and I
can assure you that while they enjoy the extravagances of the rich, they often
lose their heads. Easy come, easy go.”
“Why are you here?”
Laryssa brushed her hair back, attempting to regain her composure. “Are you
looking for something specific?”
“Oui, pet. But not an antique. While I do enjoy shopping, this is hardly the
time.” Léopold lost the smile, allowing
his eyes to pierce hers. “So I shall get to the point. What are you?”
Laryssa lost her ability
to rein in her pulse and her heart began to fiercely pump hot blood through her
veins. Her lips tightened, and she
clenched her jaw. How dare he ask about
her? What the hell did he want from her
anyway? Dear God, she had enough issues with the darkness on her tail and now
he was asking about her origins.
“What do you mean, ‘what
am I?’ I’m the owner of this store. Does
that answer your question?” Laryssa
asked, her voice growing louder. “Who
are you?”
“Léopold Devereoux. That’s who I am. I can be your angel or nightmare, depending
on the day. So listen up. What. Are. You?” Léopold didn’t make a move. He sat completely still, anticipating her
answer.
I am a huge Kym Grosso fan, so the chance to read and review another of her books was thrilling. She builds wonderful characters and sets them into a world that the reader falls into. This story was just as good as the others.
I have been waiting for Leopold's story and am so excited that his time came. It's as if I have an attachment to him even though he is fictional. Laryssa is an incredible addition to the series and the perfect challenge for Leo. The growth of their relationship throughout the story is both entertaining and intriguing - oh and so steamy (NOT a YA read).
Dimitri is another amazing character and his role in this story is not what I had anticipated, but I found myself alternately laughing aloud and shaking my head at his involvement. The development of Leo and Dimitri's friendship is heartwarming. I can't wait for Dimitri's book.
The story pulls you in, holds you in your seat and keeps you turning the pages. Filled with great friends, powerful emotions, steamy romance and fiery conflict - you will enjoy every page and be looking for the next story as soon as you reach the end.
This book could stand alone, but you would be missing out on how the characters came to be where and who they are by not reading the series in order.
OTHER BOOKS IN SERIES – PURCHASE LINKS
Immortals
of New Orleans
Book 1
Immortals
of New Orleans
Book 2
Immortals
of New Orleans
Book 3
Immortals
of New Orleans
Book 4