Guest Post & Giveaway: MELT INTO YOU by Roni Loren

Hi Everyone. Please help me welcome Roni Loren back to AsianCocoa's Secret Garden today! Roni is here to talk about her latest novel Melt Into You.

I’m a Reunited Lovers Story Junkie

So apparently I’m a sucker for a reunited lovers romance. I didn’t plan on writing two reunion stories back to back, but I can’t seem to resist the layers of emotion that come with having history with someone. In CRASH INTO YOU, the reunion was a little more straightforward. The hero and heroine had dated in college, something pulled them apart, and then they run into each other ten years later--a very unwelcome surprise for my heroine.

However, in MELT INTO YOU, the situation was more complicated, and the reunion was even more of a shock for my dear hero. The previous relationship was brief, but very complex (for reasons I can’t reveal because it would be a spoiler), and happened when they were teens. And they didn’t “break up”. Evan, the heroine, ran away. Jace had no idea where she disappeared to or if she was even alive. So when he stumbles upon her twelve years later and she’s all grown up, it’s the shock of his life.

I loved being able to write that reunion--the surprise, the mixed feelings, the hurt and anger, the guilt Jace has felt all those years believing that he was the reason she ran. And I tried to write this book without showing the previous relationship on the page. After all, prologues and flashbacks are often frowned upon in books and some readers skip them. However, I couldn’t get the scene out of my head. So after getting about halfway through the book, I went back and wrote about the night Evan ran away. And the prologue was born. It turned out to be my favorite chapter of the book. So I hope readers don’t assume it’s a pointless prologue and skip it! lol

And if you’d like a little sneak peek of said prologue and a glimpse into Evan and Jace’s previous relationship, here you go:

MELT INTO YOU Excerpt:

Twelve Years Ago

Most of the time temptation climbs into your lap and straddles you, demands you deal with it immediately. Give in or deprive yourself. Choose your adventure.

Jace’s general stance: deprivation was overrated.

But he’d never faced this kind of temptation. The kind that seeped into your skin so slowly you didn’t even notice until you were soaked with it, saturated. To the point that every thought, every breath seemed to be laced with the desire for that thing you shouldn’t have.

And right now that thing was nibbling flecks of purple polish off her fingernails.

Jace shifted on the rec room couch, pretending to look for the remote control, even though he could feel the damn thing digging into his hip. He had to do something to get her calves off his lap. Otherwise, she was going to feel exactly how much he hadn’t been concentrating on the horror movie. Or she’d assume he’d gotten the monster hard-on watching the teens get butchered on the screen. Though, thinking he got off on blood and guts might be preferable to the real reason he was sporting wood.

She tucked her legs to her chest and set her chin on her knees, staring at him with eyes so pale blue, they looked like silver dimes in the flicker of the television. Thunder rumbled outside and her gaze darted to the window behind him. Wary. “Maybe we should’ve watched that Jim Carrey movie instead.”

He hit Stop on the VCR, cutting off the eerie music to the closing credits, and resisted the urge to scoot closer to her, to curl around her lithe body and slay her fears like the dude in the movie had done for the heroine. Well, up until the guy’s head was lopped off. That he could skip. “See, I warned you it would freak you out. I shouldn’t have even let you watch it. It’s rated R. Too old for you.”

She snorted and shoved his thigh with her foot. “Said the nineteen-year-old who just finished his third beer.”

He glanced at the empty bottles on the side table. Yeah, he was batting a thousand on the responsible adult thing tonight. “I’m in college. Beer is part of homework.”

“Whatever. I’ll be rated-R approved in three months anyway.” She grabbed her Coke off the coffee table and sipped, drawing his attention down to her heart-shaped lips and the way they drew the liquid slowly from the bottle. “Hell, I’ll be porn approved.”

Fuck. That’s the last image she needed to paint on his brain. “No, you won’t. Gotta be eighteen for that.”

Lightning reflected off the silver ring in her arched eyebrow. “You would know, I’m sure.”

“I’m a guy.” Which should be enough of an explanation. “And don’t you dare watch any of that shit until you’re like thirty.”

“Oh, please. I’m not that innocent, Jace,” she said, yawning and setting down her drink. She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, smudging her heavy kohl eyeliner until she looked like some gothic angel.

***

Alright, can’t go any further without spoiling it for you. ;) 

So how do you feel about reunited lover stories? Do you skip prologues?

Melt Into You
by Roni Loren
Publisher: Berkley Heat
Release Date: July 2, 2012

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 when they got engaged. And with her ticket to The Ranch, an exclusive resort where any fantasy can be satisfied, 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 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.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

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

Giveaway Time

Roni will award an eBook copy of "Still Into You" to one randomly drawn commenter at every tour stop.

She will also award 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). 

To Enter:

Answer Roni's question from the post or leave a comment or question for her and include your email address. Good luck!

Be sure to visit the other blogs on this wonderful tour. Click on the tour banner below for a list of participating blogs.

Click here to see Roni Loren’s  Guest Post about The Ranch.