Tag Archives: pride of amsterdam

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A Box Of Lions

Box sets are great, aren’t they? They let you binge all your favourite things in one go. or they let you catch up on something you missed the first time round without that impatient wait for the next part of the series. Well, some of the books I had the most fun writing – the Lionhearts series for Pride Publishing – are being released in two box sets, and the first is out now. The series, set in a world where lion shifters live alongside humans, not always without problems, was originally inspired by a plaque commemorating a brewery that once stood on the Brouwersgracht in Amsterdam. It expanded into six books, tracing the fortunes of interconnected lion shifter families, and the human lovers they are fated to meet, and focusing on shifter prides in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, England and America. If you like tales of murder, obsessive stalkers, weird cults, secret treasures, paranormal investigators and lost loves, they’re all here.

Book One contains the first three books in the series – The Pride of Amsterdam, Taming The Lion and Vintage Pride, and is available from the Pride Publishing bookstore, Amazon US and Amazon UK. Part Two is coming soon. So that’s your next binge sorted…

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I’m Taking Part In The AllRomance Massive October Giveaway!

It’s the massive October Give-away at AllRomance.com, and I’m giving away an ebook copy of my male/male paranormal romance The Pride Of Amsterdam as part of the fun. The contest is now under way and this year they’re giving away over 3000 prizes. They have hundreds of ebooks, thousands of dollars in gift certificates, signed print books, lavish gift baskets, eReaders, tablets, and more, and all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is visit the AllRomance bookshop and make a purchase. Click on the banner below to be taken straight there.

are official sponsor

There are also prizes for people who don’t want to shop, as you can also enter the giveaway here. (Please note these entries are limited to one per person.)

Prizes are given out at random, and don’t worry, they’ve made sure they won’t run out of goodies before the end of the month.

Good luck!

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Happy Koningsdag!

The Dutch royal family by Erikt via Wikimedia Commons

Here in London it’s just another (rather chilly) Monday morning, but in the Netherlands it’s Koningsdag, or King’s Day, and most people will be enjoying the day off, celebrating King Willem-Alexander’s birthday.

In Amsterdam, events take place in all the major squares and parks, while the canals are jam-packed with boats full of people drinking and partying. According to iAmsterdam.com’s list of fun facts about King’s Day, the average Amsterdammer spends 26 Euros on a costume for the day, and sales of the cream cake known as a tompouce go through the roof. (Because what’s not to enjoy about pastry, cream and icing?)

But some people still have to work, and Kees, the hero of The Pride of Amsterdam, is one of those people. He’s working to track down the cyber-criminals who threaten his lion shifter lover Arjan’s latest business venture, and being alone in the office gives him the perfect opportunity to get on with some work, even if it means experiencing King’s Day at a remove…

From the break room, where the tea and coffee-making facilities were kept, he’d been able to hear the sound of merrymakers on the street outside. The King’s Day celebrations were in full swing. Bunting and strings of balloons hung from the balconies of almost every building he’d passed on the way here, and people strolled by, their faces painted with the red, white and blue of the Dutch flag. It seemed like everyone was dressed from head to foot in orange, whether that be T-shirts and tracksuit bottoms, pretty prom dresses or replica football shirts. Kees had even seen one man walking along in an orange ballgown, accessorized with elbow-length opera gloves and a necklace made from carrots. A Chihuahua wearing an orange tutu, a tiny tiara perched on its head, had trotted alongside him on a lead.

Later, there would be bands playing and DJs setting up in the big public squares, but Kees doubted his work would be finished in time for him to catch any of the festivities.

But King’s Day isn’t entirely a waste of time for Kees, because… But that would be telling. Get hold of The Pride of Amsterdam to find out more – wearing orange while reading it is not compulsory!

The Prinsengracht on King's Day by A. Bakker

The Prinsengracht on King’s Day by A. Bakker

 

 

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It’s Springfest At Long And Short Reviews…

…and I’m joining in the fun with a post about Easter in Amsterdam. From what to eat to where to enjoy the best in Easter choral music, it’s all in my handy guide. Click on the banner below to read the blog:

Spring blogfest banner 2 copy

I’m also giving away an e-book copy of The Pride of Amsterdam, the first of my Lionhearts male/male shifter romances. To enter, just leave a comment on the Springfest blog post and I’ll announce the winner after the closing date of April 4th. Good luck!

 

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Paranormal Love Wednesdays – The Pride Of Amsterdam

Today is the weekly Blog Hop at Paranormal Love Wednesdays – one of those sites that does exactly what it says on the tin. You can find links to lots of hot paranormal romance fiction, both published and unpublished, and it offers a showcase for those who want to get their witches, werewolves and all manner of otherwordly creatures a run-out.

As part of this week’s hop, here’s a short but sweet extract from The Pride of Amsterdam.

“So what happens now?” Kees had become aware of a growing tension as they discussed their shared past. The feelings of hurt and regret were fading, replaced by an atmosphere he could only describe as sexual. He looked at Arjan’s fingers, long and elegant, and wished they clutched his cock rather than the almost empty wine glass.

“theprideofamsterdam_800Now?” When Arjan smiled, a hint of the beast within him seemed to emerge. “Well, I did plan for dessert. I have a nice butter cake in the kitchen that I picked up from a little bakery on the Keizersgracht. But, with your permission, I would very much like to take you to bed instead. Reacquaint myself with that gorgeous body of yours. Prove to you that all I have told you is true.”

Kees knew he should refuse. Tomorrow, he would be starting work on the Excelsior project, and he ought to be getting back to his own apartment. After all, he hadn’t as much as unpacked his case yet. Just like that first night with Arjan, things seemed to be moving a little too fast for him. Did the man really think that after fifteen years, a few words of apology, however heartfelt, could erase all the pain? All the nights of lying awake, wishing and wondering what might have been, if only things had worked out in a different fashion?

Yet he didn’t make his excuses and reach for his jacket. He stood, pushing back his chair, and said, “I’ll let you lead the way.”

Blurb: When an ancient enemy is summoned to destroy his pride, a lion shifter must fight to protect the man he loves.

Kees van der Veer has never forgotten the mysterious stranger who seduced him on Millennium Eve and who promised that when the time was right, they would be together again. Returning to Amsterdam after fifteen years away, he is reunited with that stranger, entering into a world of love and danger he could never have imagined.

Arjan is a lion shifter, part of a pride who has lived in Amsterdam since its Golden Age. He has spent fifteen years regretting the need to drive his destined mate away after one night of blissful passion. But only once they meet again can he reveal to Kees the truth of his heritage. When an old enemy is summoned to destroy the pride, Arjan must act to protect not only his family but also the man he loves.

Find The Pride of Amsterdam at Totally Bound, Amazon and AllRomance.