When it comes to books that pack an emotional punch as well as steam and spice for days, we can’t avoid highlighting what is basically a finished series that embodies all of that. That is the Brown Family by Lauren Dane. 

Brown Family by Lauren Dane

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Meet the Brown Family by Lauren Dane

Many moons ago I stumbled across the Brown Family series by Lauren Dane.  I was barely dipping my toes into contemporary romances coming from my long standing love of paranormal stories.  Lets just say this wasn’t my “cup of tea” then.  Strange, I know.  But the connection I had with this series was instant. The stories all dealt with some hard and emotional topic, they dug deeper for me than what I was used to reading in contemporaries (my experience at that time was mostly Spice Harlequins and such, after all). 

Basically, I fell in love with these characters. Here’s a family that to this day I remember, and one of them is even an unlikely hero that I’m still in love with and keep on my list of book boyfriends.  Obviously what better series to feature than this one if you want to pick up something that’s completely finished and should be a breeze to read. Full of heart and spice. I think you’ll come to care about these characters as much as I did!

The Premise

We start off with 3 siblings. The oldest brother had to raise the younger two on his own. He became a successful tattoo artist and vowed to help them achieve all their dreams. They’ve gone on to chase their rock star dreams but never lost the core of what made them a family unit. Always there for each other. Their family grew along the way and now it’s your turn to meet them!

Brown Family by Lauren Dane Reading Order

The Brown Family by Lauren Dane encompasses several series and there is a recommended reading order that jumps around a few of them. Here’s how we suggest you dive in:

  1. Laid Bare (Brown Siblings #1)
  2. Coming Undone (Brown Siblings #2)
  3. Inside Out (Brown Siblings #3)
  4. Never Enough (Brown Siblings #4)
  5. Sway (Delicious #1)
  6. Tart (Delicious #2)
  7. Lush (Delicious #3)
  8. Laid Open (Brown Siblings #5)
  9. Drawn Together (Brown Siblings #6)
  10. Reckless (Ink and Chrome #4)
  11. Ignition (Ink and Chrome #5)

Brown Siblings series by Lauren Dane

Laid Bare by Lauren Dane
Under the Covers Top Read Seal of Approval

Laid Bare

“She knew who she was and what she was. There was no escaping it even if she wanted to. And she didn’t. If Todd Keenan wanted a woman comfortable with her sexuality, he’d come back.”

A few things stand out about the book.  It’s probably the one that tugs at the strings of your heart the most in this series because of what our heroine goes through.  It’s also the one that offers the bigger range of kink 😉  This is a triad, there’s some m/m scenes and it’s also a D/s relationship.  

Now on the trope side, this is my favorite.  A second chance romance.  It’s also in the rock star category, although not told in the typical fashion.  Erin and Todd are perfect and I really loved how they explored how they complemented each other.  But once you add in Ben to the mix, I thought this was done in a way that can feel realistic and I never felt he was left out.  Touching and hot.  One I have re-read!

“I hope you find a place in your life when you can let go and be happy. But I’m not a dirty secret. I’m not bad and wrong for being comfortable with myself, and I won’t let you make me feel that way.” 

read this is you want:

  • Polyamorous relationship
  • Second chance romance
  • BDSM
Amazon GoodReads

It’s been ten years since clean-cut, sexy-as-hell police officer Todd Keenan had a white-hot fling with wild, uninhibited rocker Erin Brown. What happened between them got under his skin—even if love wasn’t in the cards just yet…

Now that they’re back together, picking up where they left off is tough in light of Erin’s troubled past. As Todd earns her trust, their relationship takes an unexpected turn. Todd’s best friend, Ben, comes to play, arousing their deepest fantasies. The passion they share transforms Erin, but it may not be enough to face the evil she thought she had left behind.

“I love, love, love all of the characters!  After finishing this book, you will leave a bit of your heart with them.” ~Under the Covers

LAID BARE was one of my first true erotic romance loves.  Not the first one I ever read but one that truly captured my heart because of the story and because of the characters.  This story is so much more than the kink and the sex.

So when I saw that this series was being released on audio, finally, it was time for a re-read.  And the only thing I can say after now listening to it is that I was right the first time.  LAID BARE was just as amazing and engaging the second time around, even all these years and erotic romance books later.

This series revolves around family.  The Brown siblings have had a rough go of it.  Older brother Brody took care of the three of them and help raise them and provide for them (while working as a tattoo artist).  Sister Erin and brother Adrian wanted to pursue a music career.  So they formed a band.  This book starts in the past when they are still trying to catch a break and hit it big with their music career.  Erin is the whole package of what a rocker chick should be, tough and forward attitude, bad ass clothes and even dreads.

She happens to fall in lust (and love) with their hunky neighbor, Todd.  Todd is used to being straight-laced and not straying from what society would expect of him.  But with Erin he lets a wilder side of him free.  And that scares him.  So he has to let her go.

Fast forward to the present and after many years their paths cross again.  Back in their same town, Erin is back from her rocker days after tragedy changed her life.  Todd is back after a a divorce and an attempt to live that life he thought he should.

I love, love, love all of the characters!  After finishing this book, you will leave a bit of your heart with them. They’ve all been through a lot in the years they’ve been apart and those are the experiences that have put them where they are now.  Able to give their love a chance.  Able to fully enjoy life.

LAID BARE is such an emotional rollercoaster.  But through the ups and the downs it’s steamy hot.  Sparks flying and smoke coming off the pages.  Todd is a Dominant alpha male, intense.  Erin is his perfect match because she revels in being his submissive.  Then through Ben in the mix and things get even steamier.  Ms. Dane is one of the few authors I’ve read that can make a permanent menage seem like it really can work.  Through work and communication.

What can I say?  If you haven’t read the series yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up!

LISTEN TO THE BOOK PLAYLIST (FROM THE AUTHOR’S WEBSITE)
Under the Covers Top Read Seal of Approval

Coming Undone

She was coming undone and there was nothing to do but let it happen.

Guys.  Honestly, there was a time I thought I made Brody Brown into more than he actually was in my head.  So I decided to re-read this book a few years back just to see for myself if this was true or not.  And he is,  to this day, one of those staple heroes in my book boyfriend list.  This is the man we all want to fall for.  

He’s an older hero (40), a tattoo artist with his own shop, and the one responsible for raising his younger siblings and making sure they got everything they ever wanted.  He made it possible for them, carried that responsiblity on his shoulders with a smile on his face and little care for himself.  And he’s sexy beyond belief.  Truly.  When he falls for his ballerina neighbor, who has an adorable and precocious daughter and you see him interact with her… All bets are off.  I can’t say enough about how awesome Brody is. 

“Baby, you two are my girls. I’ll protect you. I’ll protect you both.”

read this is you want:

  • Opposites attract
  • Single mother
  • Neighbors to Lovers
Amazon GoodReads

KEEPING IT TOGETHER
 
Brody Brown has always been responsible for others. After his parents’ deaths, he gave up a promising artistic career to care for his younger brother and sister. Now, with his siblings grown, Brody owns his own business, has a nice house, makes a decent living, and he’s finally on his own.
 
Elise Sorenson has come to Seattle with her young daughter to find peace. After years as a world-famous ballerina—and just as many years in a marriage gone bad—she’s looking for neither love nor attention. But she finds both when a handsome, honest man befriends her with no strings attached.
 
More than friends, Brody and Elise discover in each other what they need—wild, physical passion without commitment. But it’ll take a shadow from Elise’s past to make them look beyond what they need—to what they truly desire.

Inside Out by Lauren Dane

Inside Out

“I know he’s a nice guy, but he comes in bad boy wrapping paper.”

This series is not known for sexy bad boys.  It’s all about those sexy good boys.  And Andrew Copeland is just the perfect example of that.  He’s the good boy that will center our heroine Ella who is coming out of a bad and abusive relationship.  Although this wasn’t my favorite in the series as I think it lacked some of the depth of emotion I expected from the previous two, this was still a very endearing story with charming moments to be remembered.  If there’s one thing that always makes an impression in this series …  the heroes.  You definitely want to read just for that.  I also loved the romance of the letters/poems shared between Ella and Cope (including Pablo Neruda).  So sweet.

“I don’t have poetry like you do. I only know that I love how my sheets smell after you’ve been in my bed.”

read this is you want:

  • Epistolary romance
  • Cinnamon roll hero
  • Hero falls first
Amazon GoodReads

WORTH THE WAIT

Ella Tipton is a survivor. In the wake of an attack that left her nearly dead, she’s spent each day putting her life back together. Once vibrant and outgoing, she’s needed to reclaim the best parts of who she was while retaining the hard won lessons. There hasn’t been room for any romantic entanglements, even if she were ready. Still, it didn’t mean she had to stop sneaking looks at Mister Tall, Dark and Tattooed himself.

Security professional Andrew Copeland isn’t quite sure when his jones for the lovely and decidedly skittish Ella developed. He’s known her for years, has watched her triumph over the pain she’d been dealt. Cope is no stranger to women, but he knows the nervous flush he gets every time he talks to her is different than any attraction he’s had in the past. Determined to get Ella to let him in, Andy does the one thing he can think of to get close: he offers her hands-on training in self-defense.

While Ella’s sure he’s just being nice, the prospect of being able to touch him and gain the tools to push away the last vestiges of her fear is more than she can resist. Soon enough, Cope shows Ella his feelings are far more than friendly and re-ignites something deep inside her. Before long desire and love turn them both inside out.

It pains me to give this book only 3.5 stars! I really wanted to LOVE it, and it was still a good book, but it wasn’t what I expected from this series.

There were many positives that I loved. Let’s start with the hero, Cope *sigh* He is just dreamy. Hot, bad boy, player, funny, sweet, caring, writes poetry, can work with his hands, total fantasy material *I think I’m in love!* The glimpses we get into the lives of Erin/Todd/Ben and Elise/Brody were great! We also get to see a bit more of Adrian’s mind which is a great setup for the next book (Yay! I’m so excited to read it!) I also loved how Ella & Cope end up marrying 😉 That suits them!

The poems (I love Pablo Neruda’s work), the letters and the envelopes back and forth were really, really sweet. I thought it would be just a one time deal, and then there were more, and it was so cute! The last letter Cope wrote to her was emotional, as you can picture him writing it while she was sleeping. Now, I’ll have to go see what was in the playlist and have my own Andrew Copeland playlist in my ipod.

However, I’ve come to expect a lot of emotion in the books on this series, and this book didn’t have it at the same level as the others did. Ella’s hang-ups, when they came up, didn’t seem like a big issue to work through, Cope’s breakdown didn’t really convince me (I’m scared I’m going to lose her so I’ll leave first?). The most emotional parts for me where the tension between Ben and his father and the lack of acceptance from him for his new family; and Erin and her pregnancy.

Also in a not-so-characteristic of the Brown Siblings series, the sex scenes were not getting to me as much as in previous books (with the one exception when Cope was all dirty from his carpentry work *fans self*) This area could’ve used “a bit” more heat. Or, simply there was something missing in their chemistry! Don’t know exactly.

And there was no more drama other than the family issues. I kept waiting for Ella’s ex-boyfriend to get out of jail or something to happen, but everything was pretty mellow.

Warnings: lots of hot men (Copeland and Brown Brothers!), plenty of tattoos, nipple rings, a sweet kid, a pregnant Erin, family tension.

At the end, I think what made me give this book 3.5 stars was the expectation and comparing it to the previous books in the series. I’m really looking forward to Adrian’s book coming out. I hate waiting!

LISTEN TO THE BOOK PLAYLIST (FROM THE AUTHOR’S WEBSITE)
Never Enough by Lauren Dane
Under the Covers Top Read Seal of Approval

Never Enough

“She ruined him for all others, and that was fine since he didn’t plan to have any others but her.”

We finally get to the rock star’s book.  This is THE most anticipated book in the series in my opinion and I have to say it didn’t disappoint.  I am sucker for this kind of plot as well as the heroine of this story is the adoptive mother of a teenager and she finds out that Adrian is the biological father. She immediately wants him to have a place in his son’s life.  I admire Gillian as a woman and a mother, and I thought she complemented Adrian, the big shot celebrity with a heart, quite well.  There were some very hot moments in this book as well (I certainly remember a hot tub scene). In the end, Ms. Dane delivers sizzling chemistry with this one.

“That mama-bear, elegant-and-modest-on-the-outside, hot-as-all-fuck-on-the-inside thing was ringing his doorbell. And God help him, he knew it was beyond inappropriate to be making up fuck fantasies about this woman right then but he couldn’t help it.” 

read this is you want:

  • Rock star romance
  • Single mother
  • Opposites attract
Amazon GoodReads

From the national bestselling author of Inside Out–a sizzling story of insatiable passion.

Gillian Forrester spent her life running…until Miles came along. The moment she held her older sister’s unwanted newborn, Gillian stopped running and began building a life for her adopted son. Now, thirteen years later, Gillian’s sister reveals the father’s identity on her deathbed-a revelation that shakes Gillian to her core.

Adrian Brown is the epitome of the successful rock star. It takes a lot to shock him-but the bombshell that he has a son rocks his world. And Adrian is even more surprised when the buttoned-up elegant woman who’s raising him ignites his erotic and romantic attention-and engages his heart.

It feels as if I’ve waited for Adrian’s book forever. We’ve sort of fallen in love with him throughout the series as the reliable and steady presence. Funny, caring, a bit spoiled, but I really never saw him as THE stud of the series. Well, ladies be warned and prepared… Adrian Brown is amazing! He might just be Mr. Perfect for me! LOL With his tats, sexy arms, and more than talented ways, as well as pretty much no inhibitions when it comes to what he wants and what his girl wants.First of all, I’m actually really happy he gets to have a family. Even though this is really a ready-made family, because he apparently got a girl pregnant 13 years ago, and wasn’t aware of it. But to the kid’s benefit, the real mother didn’t raise him, but his aunt did, and she had actually adopted him.So Miles, who is now a teenager, has his own little band and is a wonderful kid, finally gets to meet his father, the famous rock star, Adrian Brown, after his real mother confesses to his adopted mother, Gillian, who the father is, right before she dies.

Gillian goes looking for Adrian because she wants to give her son the opportunity to know and spend time with his father. And after an initial shock and setbacks, Adrian falls in love with both Miles and his mum. She pushes all his buttons, and everything she does turns him on.

The whole Brown clan is pretty involved in this story, and even though at times they can be overwhelming, they love Miles and welcome Gillian into their tight knit family.

But Gillian has secrets and issues to work through, as does Adrian, before they can be happy together. Although, this book didn’t have a major event tearing them apart, and it’s mostly a happy relationship between all involved during the entire book, which is something I usually don’t like, it worked well for me this time. I didn’t feel the need to all of a sudden have a huge fight break out or anything like that.

Adrian has some ass moments, and in my opinion those were understandable being that he is a big celebrity and there are things they should always watch out for and be careful of, or a certain lifestyle they are accustomed to and they cannot understand why they can’t do what they want. But in the end his intentions were always good, he is truly a devoted father, a caring lover and he loves his family completely.

Gillian is the perfect compliment for him. She’s prim and proper, with her english background, and she’s an amazing mother. She is very grounded and that is exactly what Adrian needs. Like she said, she’s not his fan, she’s his lover and the mother to his kid. But behind that exterior she is just a WILD and DIRTY woman! And wow did that match Adrian to a tee.

These two steamed up the pages non-stop, in some extremely hot and creative ways. Adrian is very dominating, loves to dirty talk, and loves to please his woman! *fans self* He is definitely my second favorite man in this series now (of course, Brody still has the number one spot!)

Since we’ve gone through all the Brown Siblings I’m guessing the series is over now, but I can only hope there will be a spin-off since we didn’t get to read Raven’s story, and the girls needs to have a HEA and someone to fix her head a bit. But we also met some pretty cool girls that are friends with Gillian, Mary and Jules. We’ll have to wait and see!

Favorite quote: 
“She ruined him for all others, and that was fine since he didn’t plan to have any others but her.”

Laid Open by Lauren Dane

Laid Open

“His entire life was right there and it filled him with joy.”

This is a slice of life of our first triad in this series.  Erin, Todd and Ben take center stage again in this story to give fans a small taste of our beloved characters.  It also shows that not everything has to be perfect after the HEA but things that come up can be worked on and overcome.  It was nice to see Ben and Todd more comfortable with each other in this book as well.  As expected, this was sweet and emotional but smoking hot as well.

read this is you want:

  • BDSM
  • Menage
  • Vacation setting
Amazon GoodReads

Laid Open is a novella featuring Ben, Todd and Erin from Laid Bare. It is a continuation of their story and isn’t meant to be standalone.

Oh Erin, Todd and Ben…how I’ve missed you!  LAID OPEN is a snippet into the lives of three of my favorite characters.  We saw them meet and fall in love, then we saw them grow as their relationship became stronger.  They even had a baby.  And when little ones come into the picture, there’s less time to focus on the grown up relationship.  Especially with some of the more extreme requirements these three have.

So they are going to Fiji.  And I can really just summarize this review by telling you O.M.G. that was freaking HAWT!!!  In such a short amount of time this novella had me burning up.  Todd and Ben are a lot more comfortable around each other and with each other.  They have all adjusted to each other.

Things are not always perfect and there is a little bit of conflict, but it shows how vulnerable they still are.  How human they are.  And for the record, Erin is a lucky bitch and I’m jealous as hell.I do believe this puts a good ending to the Brown Siblings series and it makes me even more anxious to continue the Delicious series.

Drawn Together by Lauren Dane
Under the Covers Top Read Seal of Approval

Drawn Together

“There was no denying it. No denying this woman brought so many things to the surface. More than need, which he nearly drowned in. More than lust and sexual hunger for her. He wanted to dominate her in all the best ways.”

The book I thought I didn’t want to read.  The heroine in this story is the character I loved to hate throughout the whole series.  Yes, I was glad she didn’t snatch one of the Brown siblings because I would’ve thrown a fit.  But I also wasn’t sure I would respond favorably to seeing her get an HEA after everything she’s pulled.  

I should’ve just trusted Ms. Dane.  After all, I did a 180 here and I couldn’t have been happier.   Starting off with the hero who is a dominant to die for. As much as I loved the hero, Raven was really the hit for me.  Even though I disliked her before, I think that’s what made this even better when I connected with her in this one.  Job very well done and expectations met.

“You have flaws, no lie. But you own your shit and a hell of a lot of people don’t. Just let this guy love you. Understand you’re worth loving. Because you are.“

read this is you want:

  • BDSM
  • Redeemable character
  • Opposites attract
Amazon GoodReads

Beauty is more than skin-deep…

Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.

With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.

Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.

But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…

“A highly anticipated book that lives up to all my expectations! ” ~Under the Covers

I have gone through a lot of stages and emotions with Raven in this series.  She started out as a very standoffish character for me.  She’s troubled and at the beginning of the series I couldn’t care less what her issues were I just wanted her bitchiness to go away and stop causing problems.  But as time went by I started to soften up a bit, just as she did as well, and wanted to see her get an HEA and some healing.  That being said, I’ve waited years for it!  As soon as I could get my paws on this, I dropped everything else.

And Ms. Dane did not disappoint me.  I felt an immediate connection to DRAWN TOGETHER.  The chemistry and just perfect pairing of Raven and Jonah was magical.  Jonah is everything Raven has needed to help her come out of her shell with enough of a stern attitude to keep Raven from acting out.  They were truly meant for each other.

I also loved seeing that Raven was able to shake up an otherwise methodical life that Jonah thought was all he had to live.  He’s lived by society and his family’s expectations for a long time and has suppressed a part of him.  I have to admit that Jonah might’ve shot up to my list of fave heroes in this series.  Maybe not more than Brody yet.  But I think a re-read of the whole series is due now so I can make an informed opinion, since it’s been so long.  Jonah is a very alpha man but tender and not pushy when the situation didn’t merit it.  He’s actually the type of dominant hero you wish to have for yourself in real life!  Gahhhh!

But I think that not only are you going to fall in love with Jonah, you’re going to fall in love with Raven.  I connected with her in this book more so than I thought I would.

It was a little bittersweet to read this book because we are coming to the end of the Brown Siblings.  One of my favorite series and I’ll miss seeing all the characters.  I care for each and every one of them!  Ms. Dane did a wonderful job at giving us a glimpse of all of them in this book and updating us on what’s going on in their lives.

DRAWN TOGETHER is a highly anticipated book that lives up to all my expectations!

Hi Lauren, welcome to Under the Covers!  I have to admit I’m SUPER excited to have you here with us today and to have you as our Author of the Month.  You were one of the first romance authors I truly fell in love with and started my addiction.  So thank you for your wonderful and touching stories.

Thank you for having me! It really makes my day to hear I’ve been able to turn people on to reading romance;)

DRAWN TOGETHER is finally here.  Seems like we’ve been waiting forever to get Raven’s story.  Was the wait to write it as terrible for you as it was for us waiting to read it?

I have always wanted to write her story but I wanted the time to be right. I wanted the hero or heroine to be right. As we see her through everyone else’s eyes, she’s slowly changing, but I didn’t want to rush it.

When Jonah came onto the page in Sway I knew he was the right one. Their story came pretty quickly after that.

Raven has gone through so much growth throughout the series.  How was writing her book different or special from the others?

I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted the reveal of Raven’s backstory to be just right. Not too fast, not too slow. I wanted the way it came across to readers and to Jonah to be organic. It took a lot of time to get that right. I cried—a lot—as I wrote. Raven’s backstory has been with me for years at this point so in some of the scenes with Erin when Raven is panicked and really scared, those were ones I wrote as I ugly cried.

It was really important for me to be true to Raven as a character. She wasn’t going to be a different person at the end of the book. She will always be defensive and blunt and bitchy. But I wanted readers to know why and I wanted Jonah and the way her walls came down to be her personal revolution.

Really, Alexander was the key. It was seeing Raven in her interactions with the kids, especially Alexander who she loves so deeply, where we glimpse her in another light entirely. How she can love so unreservedly because she’s not being judged and feeling uncomfortable.

This story puts the final closure on the Brown Siblings.  Will we continue to see more of them in the Delicious series or are we slowly going away from them?

Eventually I will return to the Browns/Keenans/Copelands and write the next generation but that won’t be for a while. Next up it’s the Hurley Boys. A series with HQN that will give Paddy, Ezra and Vaughan Hurley their well-deserved HEAs. Those are out in September and December of 2014 and March of 2015.

It’s also in my plans to do a series for Levi and Jonah’s brothers. But again that won’t be until 2015 at the earliest.

What’s the one scene in DRAWN TOGETHER that you love the most and would never cut?  If it’s too spoilery, you can share one from a previous book in the series.

Oh wow, that’s a really hard one. I think it’s the Thanksgiving scene where Raven has dinner with Jonah’s family. I loved her dialog with Liesl Warner and also the way she’s really out of her element but she does it for Jonah and might even have enjoyed herself a little bit.

Every book and character an author writes holds something special and dear.  What have you taken away from writing each character in this series?

I love the interconnectedness of these characters as an intentional family. I have loved watching them grow and change. I’ve loved writing them have their own families and take on new challenges. It’s so much fun for me to come back to them as I write the newest book and know they’re in the world, growing and being happy.

LAID BARE is still to this date a book I think about and smile because it was such a beautiful story.  Even more beautiful as I re-read.  Did you always plan for it to be Todd, Erin and Ben or is that something that happened as you were writing their story?

Originally Ben wasn’t supposed to be a permanent member of their relationship. First it was supposed to be Cope and it was supposed to just be fun. And then Ben came into the story and he sort of pushed into that first threesome and then he didn’t want to leave and it seemed wrong to kick him out when he fit with them and they needed him too.

Do you have a writing process? Do you have to listen to music, have complete silence, write only on a full moon?   

I always listen to music. Music is really interconnected with my process. It helps me keep the mood and the feeling of the story. Otherwise, I try to write 3-4k a day. I don’t have a muse or anything.

We are always curious to know what our favorite authors read.  Who is your favorite author and what is it about their work that resonates with you?    

Impossible to name just one! There are so many authors and books I return to over and over for different reasons. Neuromancer by William Gibson is a perfect book. He doesn’t waste a single word. It’s stripped down to the bones. The world is dark and gritty and he tells me more in those short pages than most people can do in 800 pages.  JD Robb’s Naked In Death is such a fantastic leap into this new world with a character who is all sharp edges on the outside but wounds and pain on the inside. I pick it up to re-read at random at least once a month. Frank Herbert’s Dune is a huge, epic world filled with religion and politics but yet the story is also a small one. I love it to pieces. Jennifer Crusie’s Welcome To Temptation is filled with humor and sexiness from characters I think are brilliantly built. Flawed and messed up but totally compelling and in spots so tender.

You are hosting a dinner party. If given the chance to invite characters from other series, who would you invite?

From another author’s series? Hm. Either Lucas and Sasha from Nalini Singh’s Psy books or Phin and Sophia from Jennifer Crusie’s Welcome to Temptation.

And what would you be drinking at this party?

Margaritas!

WILD DARKNESS is coming out next month (excited squeee)!  What can you tell us about it?

Wild Darkness is the final book in the Bound By Magick series and it’s Helena and Faine’s book!  The stakes are pretty high as the anti-Other groups begin to clash with Others worldwide. The government is dealing with some important legislation that would rescind basic civil rights from the Others.

So as Senator Toshio Sato works within the law to stop these horrible bills (he’s got a secondary romance in the book too), Helena is doing all she can to protect the Others working to defend themselves. She and Faine are both warriors so they’ve got a heavy duty attraction, but once they act on it, it’s pretty hot and heavy, even as everything they hold dear is threatened.

Lots of action in this one!

Anything you have in the works that you can share with us?

After Wild Darkness in November, I’ve got the next Goddess book, Blade to the Keep out with Carina in December along with the There All Along duology I’m in with Megan Hart. My story is Land’s End and it’s sort of a mash up of The Gunslinger/Firefly/Mad Max only with hot sex.

Next year I’ve got the Hurley Boys series, a new Petal, Ga book, Count on Me and a self pubbed anthology with Vivian Arend and Kit Rocha called Marked. My story is the first in a new series I’ll be self publishing. It’s an earth set futuristic, erotic romance, ménage called All That Remains.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and share with us today.

Thank you! And thanks for making me Author of the Month

Originally posted on Under the Covers Book Blog October 2013

Delicious series by Lauren Dane

At this point, we introduce the spin off series Delicious. This follows friends of Gillian, the heroine in book 4 of the Brown Siblings. I recommend you read these as per the recommended order above before continuing with the Brown Family by Lauren Dane books as there are cameos that help setup books in this series. And why would you want to miss these anyway?!

Sway by Lauren Dane

Sway

Cal interrupted. “He’s got to be forty or so. He was ahead of me at UW. He and I both went to law school there. What’s a forty-year-old man want with a twenty-four-year-old?”
Daisy indicated her body. “Dude. I mean, come on. Twenty-four-year-old boobs.”

Levi Warner is an established, older man – wealthy, powerful, and above all, respectable. Then Levi meets Daisy, an uninhibited 24-year-old dance instructor and artist, not exactly the kind of woman Levi is accustomed to. But the young, free spirit, brings out something in him he only experienced in fantasies. When their scorching affair turns into something unexpectedly deeper, Levi finds himself torn between preserving his reputation, and exploring a wilder and much more satisfying kind of life.

read this is you want:

  • Age gap romance
  • Take life by the balls Latina
  • Tortured past hero
Amazon GoodReads

Sway is a novella that appeared in the CHERISHED duology that released in 2012. Sway is the first installment in the DELICIOUS series.

I am soooooo excited that we are getting a spin-off of the Brown Siblings!  I love how the characters are always artsy, tattooed, pierced and just not your average Joe or Mary.  The Delicious series will basically follow the women that we met during Never Enough, Gillian’s friends.  First up is Daisy.  She’s a beautiful latina, she’s a part time dance instructor and a full time artist who works alongside her grandmother in their own shop.  She’s not the typical woman you would think a well to do man would want to bring home to meet the parents.  She’s outspoken, she has a lot of tattoos, and some piercings in interesting places.  She’s also young. 

All this is going through Levi’s head when he meets Daisy and fate keeps putting her in his path.  Their attraction was instant!  They accidentally meet at a dance class and sparks start flying in all directions.  Levi has a bit of a dark and repressed past.  Things he had to deal with from his ex-wife and his family.  And then there’s the issue of him being older than her. 

There are many things I liked about this story.  Obviously the connection between the characters made the whole “couple” believable.  They were obviously perfect for each and incredibly compatible.  I also LOVED Daisy.  I fell in love with all of Gillian’s friends in Never Enough and I can honestly say I still adore them.  Daisy is no exception.  She takes life by the balls and does what she wants.  And instead of overthinking the whys she shouldn’t be with Levi she kept moving forward and doing what her heart told her to. 

I also really liked that she didn’t jump into bed with him right away.  The respect she has for herself sets her apart from every other woman Levi has known before.  What got a little on my nerves was Levi.  Yes, his attitude made sense for who he was and what he’d been through in his life.  That doesn’t mean I had to like it.  Other than that he was extremely hot, especially when he let go of his preconceptions and let his wild side free.

As a reader of the Brown Siblings series I loved all the cameos and I think I see a setup for one of the girls in this upcoming series with maybe one of Levi’s brothers.  It might happen.  I am definitely excited to read TART.

Tart by Lauren Dane
Under the Covers Top Read Seal of Approval

Tart

She looked like an ad for soap, or something else equally wholesome. But she was so dirty beneath it drove him crazy. He’d had no idea what lay just beneath the surface until he’d drawn the curtains and she’d gotten naked with him.

Jules has crushed on her best friends’ oldest brother, Cal, since forever. But he’s dated men and women right in front of her and never made a move. When his best friend, Gideon, moves back to town to take care of his grandfather’s farm and starts dating Jules, Cal knows he has to stake his claim too. On both of them.

read this is you want:

  • Polyamorous relationship and bisexual characters
  • Small town vibes and a sweet bakery
  • Best friends’ brother
Amazon GoodReads

USA Today bestselling author Lauren Dane serves up a sweet, sensual, and hot-to-the-touch novel in which one woman’s most intimate desires are stirred by two very special ingredients…

Juliet Lamprey is having the time of her life running her successful bakery, TART, when Gideon Carter comes back into her life. Returning home to help his grandfather run the family farm, Gideon is back for good. When they meet again, the spark between them is immediate, and it isn’t long before the former childhood friends play catch up—in bed.

That’s not good news for local lawyer Cal Whaley. Though the sexually open but strictly monogamous Cal has loved Jules for a long time, he’s hardly ever taken it further than friendship. When he sees her start to fall for Gideon, he knows he has to make his move or risk losing her forever.

Who would have anticipated that all three of them would connect on such an intimate level? The trio’s scalding liaisons take them places they’ve never dreamed. But such an intensely passionate and unusual relationship comes with equally as complicated emotions, and when Jules must suddenly leave town, she wonders if she’ll have a choice to make when she returns…

Ms. Dane has done it again.  TART is everything I was anxiously awaiting!  There’s a wonderful new set of people in this series and women that have a close friendship and now it’s their turns to find love. You’ll feel right at home in their lives just as we did with the Brown Siblings.

Starting with Juliet.  We read about her in the CHERISHED anthology.  She owns a pastry shop and is a very independent woman, always used to doing things for herself and succeeding at them.  She doesn’t have the love and support of her own family either.  But she’s also the type of woman that will do anything to help others and sometimes that can get in the way of her own happiness.

She’s had a crush on her buddy Cal for years, but then she thought Cal was gay, and then we he started dating both men and women she kind of gave up on the hopes that he would ever look her way.  So when hunky cowboy Gideon comes into town and she’s doing business with his grandfather’s farm, she acts on the sizzling chemistry she feels with Gideon.  Of course that’s just what Cal needed to kick start him into action because Juliet should’ve always been his.

I like how Ms. Dane starts this series off in sort of the same way as her Brown Siblings, with a permanent menage.  And it works.  They all care about each but their individual connection with Juliet was cemented perfectly.  She’s the anchor that makes the relationship work and when permanent menages can be hard to imagine working, Ms. Dane has a talent for making me believe that they can.

And just as the relationships and love were perfectly and independently developed, the sex was as well.  I can’t say there’s one thing she didn’t explore and I loved every minute of it.  There’s Gideon and Juliet, Cal and Juliet, Cal and Gideon and all three together with different roles.  It was hot and had me bothered! 😉

Then there’s the familiar faces we love to read about.  I love the Brown siblings and I’m happy to report there’s a lot of them in this book.  Erin, Todd and Ben are around and offer support for their menage relationship.  Erin and Juliet develop a close friendship which was nice to see.  Gillian and Adam are also getting married so they are going through the stress of that as well as the excitement.

I have to admit I might’ve gotten almost teary eyed at some parts and while this book is hot as hell and perfectly written as far as the relationship goes, it’s also a bit emotional and sweet.  I can’t wait to read more from this series!!  Wonder who will be next?

Excerpt originally posted on Under the Covers Book Blog November 4, 2012 with permission from Berkley Romance

“What’s going on?” Gillian walked in to Tart four days later with a look on her face that made Jules suck in a breath and steel herself.

“Um. A clue perhaps? What do you mean?”

Gillian put a hand on her hip and glared. “You won’t return my calls. Your texts are boring and lack even a basic amount of snark. Cal is moping around. Mary says you’re not here when she arrives in the afternoon and Gideon called my house looking for you. What in God’s name is going on?”

Jules sat in a nearby chair and told Gillian everything.

“Well, I can see why you needed the space to think. But why you wouldn’t come to me to let me help, I can’t imagine.”

“You have enough going on in your life. This is just . . . it’s . . . I don’t even know.”

“Don’t be daft. Enough going on. Sure, a wedding and a bossy fiancé and a teenaged son who is at turns sweet as pudding and then surly. But you’re my best friend, it’s my job to listen to you. Also, really to deny me the story of how two ridiculously gorgeous men offered to share you? Mean.” She fanned herself. “Well, are you interested? You know in both?”

“The thing is—and I’ve been thinking on this nonstop since that damned kiss—I’m with Gideon. I chose him when I went to his place to tell him about the kiss. But then he was all, hey, take us both and now I’m torn.”

“Torn because you’d rather have just one than both? And if that’s true, that’s okay too, you know. I’m not sure I could manage two men at once. Adrian gives me more than enough to do.”

Jules wiped a counter down to keep moving. “Do I want them? Individually? Sure. Look at them! It’s more than their looks, of course. I’m falling in love with Gideon in a big way and I’d be a liar, liar, pants on fire if I denied how long I’ve loved Cal. But together? At the same time? I don’t know.”

“Is it the overabundance of penis? Or worry that they’re not interested in your parts best?”

Jules laughed and then hugged Gillian tight. “Thank God for you.”

“I say this about you all the time.”

Jules was so glad Gillian had come in. She needed this so badly. Needed the support and honesty she got from her best friend.

“Gideon loves you. I admit that I’ve got a natural bias toward Cal. I’ve known him longest. He’s like family. But since I’ve met Gideon he’s been nothing but good to you. And you do deserve to be happy. If you can’t imagine being with them both, then don’t do it. Cal will get over it. He’ll have to.”

“What kind of flesh-and-blood woman with a pulse wouldn’t imagine being with them both? I’m only human, Gillian. I’ve imagined it all right.” So much her wrists hurt from masturbating so often.

Gillian grinned and cocked her head. “Have you thought about talking to Erin? I know she can be sort of bold and wild, but she’s a wonderful listener. She puts a lot of work into her relationship with Todd and Ben. It can work if you do it right and you have the right combo of people.”

“Honestly if you were telling me this story, I’d yell at you to get out of here and jump both men. You’re very patient.”

“You love them both. I know this about you. You’re thinking this over because it would change everything. No matter what decision you make, everything will be different. There’s no way around it, I’m sorry to say. Once Cal kissed you, things were thrown onto a wholly different path.”

“I know.” She paused and then blurted it out because she needed to say it. “It was a really, really good kiss. If he’d kissed me like that six months ago, we’d be happily together right now. He’s quite a dumbass for a man who looks as good as he does.” Jules chewed her lip a moment and then just said it. “I’m afraid Gideon will think the same thing about his kisses and they’ll get sick of me. It’s stupid and petty and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Gillian made one of her polite little growls of annoyance. “He’s a fool for waiting so long. As for the kiss? I’m glad. I mean, I figured it was. You two, well, there’s years and years of built-up stuff between you. But back to the threesome thing. I don’t think this is about them both secretly being totally gay and then they’ll find out and dump you. I can understand why you’d worry. But they both want you. I’m telling you the total truth when I say I’ve watched Cal watch you for years. He’s in love with you, Jules. Not with anyone else. Same with Gideon.”

Delicious: TART by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2012, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

Lush by Lauren Dane
Under the Covers Top Read Seal of Approval

Lush

He held her there for some time. Teasing. Taking. Seducing her. He wanted her to want him to come back. Wanted to see her again after he went home to Oregon. Wanted to burn himself into her skin so she needed him as much as he needed her.

A down to earth, good girl heroine and a hot one night with a sexy ladies man rock star. Mary is a chef and takes great pleasure in cooking for others. She’s a strong, independent woman running a supper club, catering on the side and looking to published her cookbook. She’s NOT however looking for a relationship. So when she’s not immediately clingy to Damien after their time together, he can’t help but be drawn in. This is the perfect book if you’re in the mood for a take charge woman who knows what she likes and has no reservations in getting it. Humor, romance and plenty of steam!

Note: This book is also tied into the Hurley Boys. Damien’s story was the only one that didn’t get an HEA within that series. But if you read this here and want to read more of them, you can read that series too!

read this is you want:

  • Rock star romance
  • Reformed bad boy
  • Foodie romance
Amazon GoodReads

USA Today bestselling author Lauren Dane delivers a second serving of sexy in her new Delicious novel, in which taste and temptation make up a sweet recipe…

Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.

Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.

What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

“I LOVE THIS SERIES.  Lauren Dane can really do no wrong when it comes to the world of the Brown siblings and beyond.” ~Under the Covers

Can I just say first and foremost, I LOVE THIS SERIES.  Lauren Dane can really do no wrong when it comes to the world of the Brown siblings and beyond.   LUSH is the perfect example of why I love it so much.  It’s got a perfect blend of sensuality, mixed in a dose of hot rocker and tattooed hero and with a dash of strong and independent heroine.

Ms. Dane can write some of the most real characters.  You just want to get in their heads and their lives.  Mary and Damien were just that for me.  I wanted to be her and be with him.  Mary is successful, she doesn’t need a man to make her happy or pay her bills.  She’s got a great group of friends and a full life.  Damien just adds to it, he doesn’t take over.

And then Damien, well, who doesn’t love a reformed bad boy.  He’s got a ladies man reputation but all that changes when he meets Mary.  He knows she’s a good girl, a girl that you have a relationship with.  Their attraction was sizzling from the very beginning.  I especially loved the fact that it is the bad boy hero that tiptoes around Mary to get a relationship and something serious out of her. Totally in love over here.

Their problems were real and they came to a good solution.  No quick fixes, and no superfluous problems just to keep them apart.

The few glimpses of the Browns that we do get are never enough to appease me, but I’ll take what I can get.  We also hear from Raven and Jonah, who will be getting their book soon and, can I just say, I am so excited to finally read her story!  She was a lot more personable in this book, almost cheery.  Even though she still had her trademark personality, but she seemed nicer somehow.  LOL  I really cannot wait to see what’s going on with her and Jonah and how that’s going to work with his family.  Ohhhh boy!

LUSH was just another winner for me!

Ink & Chrome series by Lauren Dane

The latest addition to the Brown Family by Lauren Dane comes as part of the Ink & Chrome series. This is the second generation, the kids of our favorite couples in the previous books!

Reckless by Lauren Dane

Reckless

read this is you want:

  • Rock star romance
  • Childhood friends
  • Forced Proximity
Amazon GoodReads

Bright Lights…

Harlow Martin is a rock star’s kid. She’s wanted to be a musician her whole life and at last, she and her band, Above Me, will be the opening act on chart topping mega-stars, Earthquakes upcoming US tour.

Miles Brown started Earthquakes straight out of high school, and after years of working his butt off, the band was headlining an arena tour. Multiple platinum albums, some music video awards, commercials, print ad work and a few movies had taken Miles from an unsure teen into a confident, charismatic man, absolutely certain of himself.

And then Harlow bounded back into his life. Though he’d grown up backstage with her when their dads had played festivals together, he’s not ready for the immediate sensual punch in the gut grown-up Harlow was. He’s absolutely captivated by her and though he knows it’s reckless, he can’t deny the temptation of her lips.

Rock and Roll…

Harlow is an independent, accomplished musician. Her confidence on stage is something she can put on like a dress. The tour has raised Above Me’s profile and sent them to the next level of success. Her relationship with Miles continues to deepen each day and as she gets to know him, falling for him is inevitable. He knows her, sees right to the heart of her and loved her for it. She knows what a gift that is. Even when it took work to keep her gorgeous, spoiled and caregiving alpha from rolling right into her life and taking over.

Miles thought he knew what love was, but once he finds it with Harlow, he can understand what a pale imitation he’d had before. He loves her fire and her poet’s soul. Loves the way she’s dedicated and loyal to her closest friends and family. Loves the way she trusts him and brings out the best in him. Even managed to love his bossiness.

When an old heartache is bruised anew and Harlow’s peace is threatened, Miles needs to walk a path between help and control, while vowing to protect her beautiful heart.

Ignition by Lauren Dane

Ignition

read this is you want:

  • Rock star romance
  • Polyamorous relationship
  • She’s a mechanic at a bike shop
Amazon GoodReads

Xander…

Alexander Copeland Keenan is a second-generation tattoo artist. He’s got a reputation as a rising star and a six-month waitlist to prove it.

He’s been focused on work and family, not looking for anyone or anything serious, but suddenly there’s more. Suddenly there’s everything when he meets Pippa Hall.

Neither is ready for the bolt of instant attraction, or for the intensity of the days and weeks to follow as their chance meeting develops into an exclusive—and very intense—relationship.

Hamish…

To most of the world, Hamish Wilson is a talented, hard living, hard loving singer-songwriter. Most people don’t know the real person behind the mask. From their first meeting a year prior, Pippa saw right to the heart of him and hadn’t judged. Even better, she’d been his safe harbor, and a true friend.

He tells himself he’s not worthy of a committed romantic relationship with her, but fate—and Xander—intervened. Pippa wasn’t the only one either man had history with, and after an unplanned beginning, the three embark on an exclusive triad.

Pippa…

Pippa Hall grew up in a family whose idea of discipline sent her and two of her sisters fleeing to start a new life in Seattle. She’s got an excellent job as a mechanic at Twisted Steel, a custom car and motorcycle shop, a close relationship with her sisters and several dear friends, and then…

She wasn’t prepared to fall head over heels with two very bossy men whose focus was her well-being and pleasure. Pippa is loved. Deeply.

Ignition…

In the midst of their happily ever after, the shadow of Pippa’s past casts a threat on the happiness and security of their lives. It will take more than love to overcome the fear. The three must stand, united to defend what is theirs.

In Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for an emotional ride that centers friendship and family, or you want the spiciest of romance book series, the Brown Family by Lauren Dane is the one for you. Full of hot alpha men that protect their women fiercely, intense romances, emotional healing and bonds that tie them all together. This is the type of series that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading them. Somehow they just become like part of your family.

Originally posted September 8, 2016 | Last Updated February 6, 2024

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Sharing our love for books as Under the Covers Book Blog since 2011 and Romanceopoly since 2019. Books have the power to unite people and that is exactly what happened with us! Our love for books have brought us together and we’ve become good friends in a short amount of time. We “met” online through Goodreads and decided to share our passion of books with fellow book lovers.

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