Caridad's Contests | Caridad Pineiro® Romance Author

I want to wish a very Happy Book Birthday to my friend and fellow author K.M Fawcett who is visiting with me today on the release day for her new novel Wilde Temptation. Welcome, K.M. and thank you for sharing your new release with us!

K.M. Fawcett Romance Author

Thank you, Caridad for inviting me to the blog today! I am super excited to share my new release WILDE TEMPTATION with your readers. Writing small-town contemporary romance has been a fun and exciting change from my usual science fiction and paranormal romances—though there is a little taste of paranormal to the story, as the heroine owns a New Age shop called Witchy Woman where she reads tarot, palms, and apple peels! She also has visions (but isn’t quite successful with them at first). The book is set in the fictional small town of Candlewood Falls, NJ. The Candlewood Falls series a shared-world series in which two other authors (USA TODAY Bestselling Author Jen Talty and Author Stacey Wilk) also write in. Our characters and businesses show up in each other’s books, which is super fun! This was my first time writing in a shared world series and I had a blast collaborating with Jen and Stacey. Their books Rivers Edge and Taking Root are also available on Amazon. After the blurb, enjoy an excerpt from WILDE TEMPTATION.

Would you be tempted?

Plant geneticist Sam Wilde has spent his life savings engineering a unique apple variety that increases happiness. But when fortune-teller Faith Shields mixes Sam’s new apples into an Old World recipe, the result does more than make people happy—it makes them hot for love!

As the small town of Candlewood Falls hungers for the forbidden fruit, Sam and Faith experiment with their arousal hypothesis and soon discover their test subjects aren’t the only ones tempted by desire. Is the impassioned pair’s attraction a byproduct of the aphrodisiac or do they have true chemistry?

Add into the equation the only investor who could save Sam’s orchard from foreclosure—Faith’s jealous ex-boyfriend—and Wilde Orchards is about to live up to its name.

Wilde Temptation Excerpt

Sam knocked on Faith’s door half an hour before his normal tutoring time, as requested. What did she want to discuss in person that she couldn’t over the phone or in front of Lily?

She opened the door, breathless, her cheeks pink and glowing. Wisps of long brown hair that didn’t make it into her braid curled around her face. She wore the same pretty floral shirt she’d had on in the shop that morning.

Did she have any idea how beautiful she was?

The tightness in his chest reminded him to breathe. “Hi—”

Faith grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the apartment. “I’m glad you’re here. There’s something awkward yet important I need to tell you.”

Was she interested in him? Did she want to tell him she liked him? He bit down on a smile and repressed the urge to confess his feelings before she did.

“It’s about the chutney.”

As if stuck in mud, his body suddenly grew heavy. Of course, it was. Beautiful women weren’t interested in lanky, redheaded apple nerds. He was an idiot for even entertaining the thought. “What’s wrong? Are you ill? You look a little flushed.”

“No. I’m fine. Come with me.”

He followed her into the kitchen, pausing at the refrigerator to check out Lily’s artwork and homework stuck to it by glass stone refrigerator magnets. Something spicy permeated the air, making his mouth water. “Smells delicious.”

“I’m cooking chutney.”

“Great. Everyone at Wilde Orchards Market wants more.”

“That’s not all they want,” she muttered.

“What do you mean?”

She flitted around the room, getting out a small bowl and a spoon, and ladling a scoop of chutney. She didn’t meet his eyes when she blurted, “They’re all horny.”

“What? Who?”

“The customers. They’re all horny. It’s an aphrodisiac.”

Did he miss a part of the conversation while distracted with her beauty? “What is?”

“The chutney. It’s an aphrodisiac. That’s why it’s such a hit. People are eating it and getting turned on.”

He laughed. “That’s ridiculous.”

“That’s what I thought at first, but it’s true. Did you eat any?”

“Not yet.”

She thrust the small bowl and spoon into his hands. “Try it.”

“Uh, okay.” He slid a heaping spoonful into his mouth. Delicious sweet and spicy flavors danced across his taste buds, without a trace of bitterness. He swallowed and licked his lips. “This is really good.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean it. Nice texture and taste.” He took another spoonful. No wonder it sold out at the market. It was a flavorful product and a welcome change from all the sweet goods they made at the orchard.

Her hands clasped in front of her mouth, she watched intently, as if waiting for him to turn into the Hulk or something. “How do you feel?”

“I feel fine.”

“I mean, are you turned on?” Her brown eyes sparkled with anticipation, and his mouth dried.

If he wasn’t before, he was now. “I, uh. Is this a trick question?”

“No, it’s a straightforward question.”

It was forward all right. She was a unique woman, but this was odd, even for her. “I don’t understand what’s going on here. Are you… flirting with me?”

Her head flinched as if he’d jumped out of the closet yelling surprise. “Of course, not.”

Too bad. A little flirting could’ve been fun.

“I told you. It’s the chutney. It makes people horny. Are you horny?”

Well, damn, when a woman you have a crush on asks—with breathy eagerness—if you’re horny, your penis can’t help but answer the question for you.