Blog Tour & Review: Dining With Angels: Bits & Bites from the Demonica Universe (Demonica #17.5) by Larissa Ione and Suzanne M. Johnson

Join New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione, and USA Today bestselling Southern food expert Suzanne M. Johnson as they guide you through their favorite Demonica world inspired food and drink recipes. And don’t forget to spend some time learning a little bit more about the private lives of your favorite characters in all new snippets and short stories!

 

Title: Dining With Angels: Bits & Bites from the Demonica Universe
Series: Demonica #17.5

Author: Larissa Ione & Suzanne M. Johnson

Release Date: November 6th, 2018

Synopsis:

In a world where humans and supernatural beings coexist — not always peacefully — three things can bring everyone to the table: Love, a mutual enemy, and, of course, food.

With seven brand new stories from the Demonica universe, New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione has the love and enemies covered, while celebrity Southern food expert Suzanne M. Johnson brings delicious food to the party.

And who doesn’t love a party? (Harvester rolls her eyes and raises her hand, but we know she’s lying.)

Join Ares and Cara as they celebrate a new addition to their family. See what Reaver and Harvester are doing to “spice” things up. Find out what trouble Reseph might have gotten himself into with Jillian. You’ll love reading about the further adventures of Wraith and Serena, Declan and Suzanne, and Shade and Runa, and you’re not going to want to miss the sit down with Eidolon and Tayla.

So pour a glass of the Grim Reaper’s finest wine and settle in for slices of life from your favorite characters and the recipes that bring them together. Whether you’re dining with angels, drinking with demons, or hanging with humans, you’ll find the perfect heavenly bits and sinful bites to suit the occasion.

Happy reading and happy eating!

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Google Play

 

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About the Authors:

Larissa Ione:

Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.     

    

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Suzanne M. Johnson:

USA Today bestselling author Suzanne M. Johnson is family trained, a South Georgia native who's been cooking all of her life, creating not only some really unique food, but precious memories that re-occur every time she smells something simmering in the oven. In all of her books, Suzanne shows that making a delicious meal doesn't have to be complicated--it just has to be made with love. So go ahead, don't be bashful, dive right in. Who knows? You might just make a few memories of your own.      

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My Review:

If you are reading this review, you are probably already a fan of Larissa Ione and her incredible writing style. So I am not really going to delve into all the amazing short stories she wrote for this delicious book. What I am going to do is talk about all the finger-licking recipes that contribute to the awesomeness of this book :D

I've tried 4 of the recipes so far and I can honestly say that I was in taste bud heaven. Though my pictures are kind of limited as I kind of forgot to take them while cooking. I was that enthusiastic. The 4 recipes I tried were Spaghetti all'Angeliciana (Sinful Version), Strawberries with Black Pepper Balsamic Sauce, Caprese Chicken with Balsamic Glaze and Dark Chocolate Chipotle Brownies. Even only the names of this meals make my mouth water, so it is not a surprise that the are divine in my opinion.

So let's start with Spaghetti all'Angeliciana. I love pasta so it is not a surprise that this was the first thing that really caught my eye. And honestly, it is so easy to prepare. The sauce itself, is basically tomato sauce with some sinful additions. 

There are two options for the sauce. It could be made with prosciutto or with bacon. I did the prosciutto version and it was heavenly but I am pretty sure the bacon one will be divine as well.

Another interesting addition to the sauce is the spinach, blended with some of the canned tomatoes. In my case, I prefer my sauces smoother so I blended 2/3 of the canned tomatoes instead of 1/3 and I exchanged the last can of tomatoes with cherry tomatoes in tomato sauce. It worked out perfectly as well so I am definitely not regretting the small changes :D I did use whole wheat pasta just to go slightly on the healthier side but my sister-in-law made them with traditional pasta and they were just as delicious :D Of course I sprinkled with a lot of pecorino cheese on top and proceeded with devouring my portion :D

Next on my list was the Strawberries with Black Pepper Balsamic Sauce. Well, this was one of the recipes that I forgot to take pictures of. Never the less, it was delicious :D And it was super easy and fast to prepare. I loved the kick of the black pepper and the slight tang of the sauce. I've never tried anything like it before but it is definitely something I will prepare again and again. For an even more decadent version, I tried it with some ice cream. I used chocolate which just made the whole thing to die for but I am pretty sure it will be just as good with vanilla as well. I also had some of the strawberries for breakfast as a side to my toast and it was so refreshing. So, I put this one into the winning category as well :D

The next recipe I tried was Caprese Chicken with Balsamic Glaze and that's the other recipe I don't have any pictures of. This one is not as easy as the previous two and it does require some more time to prepare. The preparation of the chicken before the cooking was pretty easy with the exception of sealing the breasts with toothpicks. That took a while and I might try a different solution next time or simply try different brand of toothpicks that might be sharper :D Apart from that small snafu, everything else went according to plan and the chicken was simply out of this world. I did add some green salad as a side, though I am thinking it might work really well with some potato and apple salad as well. I will probably do that next time :D But even if I don't, I am definitely preparing the chicken again :)

The last recipe I tried was the Dark Chocolate Chipotle Brownies. I love brownies and I love the combination of spice and chocolate. So it was really a no brainer :D Similarly to most of the recipes I tried, it was pretty easy to prepare and cook and it was just delicious. The brownie has quite a kick as an after taste so if you are not into spicy things, you might want to reduce the amount of chipotle powder but apart from that, I am sure you would love it. I prepared it as well together with my sister-in-law and as she didn't have chipotle, I used chilli powder and decorated it with coconut on top. It was just as good and it was devoured within the hour :D I am thinking, next time I might try it with cayenne pepper as well. Just to see how it will taste :) But even without any changes, I am hotly recommending this recipe :)

So far, that's all I've tried but I am definitely not going to stop here. I have my eye on few more recipes that I am planning on preparing during the next couple of weeks :D With that being said, I think this book is a great addition to every Larissa Ione fan as the short stories are definitely a must read. And if you love cooking, be sure to check the recipes because they are so worth it :D

Blog Tour: Bar Bites (Man of the Month Series) by J. Kenner & Suzanne M. Johnson

   

Join Man of the Month creator, New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner, and USA Today bestselling Southern food expert Suzanne Johnson as they guide you through their favorite bar bite and drink recipes served at The Fix on Sixth. And don’t forget to spend some time learning a little bit more about the private lives of your favorite characters in all new snippets and short stories! Brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights, BAR BITES is now available! Grab your copy today!

Title: Bar Bites

Series: Man of the Month Series
Author: J. Kenner & Suzanne M. Johnson

Release Date: May 15th, 2018

Synopsis:

Before Austin’s hotspot, The Fix on Sixth, became known for its sexy and fun Man of the Month calendar contest, the fictional downtown bar had already developed a reputation for fabulous drinks and mouthwatering bar bites—exactly the kind of venue to take a date and strike up a romance. Now it’s your chance to see exactly what’s on the menu … and to get a peek at the private lives of the men and women who not only work at The Fix, but who’ve made it the place to be in Austin, Texas.

Join Man of the Month creator, New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner, and USA Today bestselling Southern food expert Suzanne Johnson as they guide you through their favorite bar bite and drink recipes served at The Fix on Sixth. Learn how to make the delicious bar bites that Tyree’s bar has become famous for. Whip up your favorite cocktail with the same flare as Cameron or Eric. And don’t forget to spend some time learning a little bit more about the private lives of your favorite characters in all new snippets and short stories!

Most of all, come share a drink, a bite, and a laugh with us! We’re so glad you’re here.

So pull up a chair, raise a glass, and dig in with your favorite Man of the Month characters, and meet a few new ones, too!

Cheers!

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Amazon AUiBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay

Excerpt:

Spencer Dean knew her better than anyone in the world, and in that moment, she knew that she didn’t have to explain. He got it. More important, he got her.

He reached down and she put her hands in his, relishing the comfort of their connection as he tugged her gently to her feet. “They’re gone,” he repeated. “At least for now. And I’m so, so sorry.”

It was that apology that finally got her mind humming again. That, and the simple fact that having him beside her had sent relief coursing through her with so much power that she didn’t have any room left inside her for the irritation and frustration.

“You don’t have anything to apologize for,” she said. “I’m the one who lost it.” She released his hands and dragged her fingers through her long, blond hair. “I tripped over my own damn feet and everything inside me just exploded, but it’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” He cocked his head toward the den, then pressed his palm gently against her back and steered her off the sunporch and into the house proper. She sat on the sofa they’d picked out two episodes ago. This was the first room to be fully finished, and as she settled back against the thick, comfortable cushions, she looked up at the high, tiled ceiling and the restored period molding. Not a detail had been ignored, and the room was a showplace now. And she and Spencer owed that to the television program as much to their own hard work and planning.

She drew in a long breath, then released it again. “No,” she said firmly. “It’s not your fault.”

“I’m the one who pushed for Mansion Makeover. I’m the one who made this show happen.” He sat down next to her, his thigh hard against hers. Then took her hand and twined their fingers together. She squeezed, relishing this connection to him. The man she loved. The man she’d lost once, but had miraculously regained.

“I want it, too,” she said. “I love this place.” The historic mansion had been stunning even in its dilapidated state, and slowly but surely they were bringing it back to life. It was work she loved with a man she loved. There was just that one little hitch. “It’s only…it’s just…I mean, I guess I finally reached my limit of being under the microscope. I don’t normally mind—I really don’t. I knew what I signed on for when I agreed to do the show with you. But they’re here all the time. And tomorrow—our engagement party? Except it isn’t even really our party because it was their idea. Molly and Adam’s.”

She sucked in another breath and leaned against him. “I know I sound whiney and ungrateful considering that once it’s over we’re going to have this incredible home. It’s just that every time I turn around it feels like someone from the production is behind me.”

“I get it,” he said, brushing his thumb along the curve of her jaw, the contact sending shivers through her. “I really do.”

Slowly, he kissed her. His mouth firm against hers. Tender at first, then with rising heat, until the ache inside her consumed her, so that she gasped with love and longing when he pulled away, his eyes shining with need.

“And Angel,” he said, “they’re not here now.”

       

About the Authors:   

J. Kenner

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures. Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries. J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Suzanne M. Johnson

USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Johnson is family trained, a south Georgia native who's been cooking all of her life, creating not only some really unique food, but precious memories that re-occur every time she smells something simmering in the oven. In all of her books, Suzanne shows that making a delicious meal doesn't have to be complicated--it just has to be made with love. So go ahead, don't be bashful, dive right in. Who knows? You might just make a few memories of your own.        

Website | Facebook

My Review:

Cooking is one of my favorite past times. Coming close only to reading. So combining great recipes with short stories by one of my favorite authors, is a winning combination in my book. If you are a fan of the Man of the Month series, you will definitely love the short stories that give you a little glimpses in the lives of some of your favorite couples: Reece and Jenna, Nolan and Shelby, Brooke and Spencer. And as a cherry on top, you will get one extra. The story of Tiffany and Eric. All these short stories are sweet, romantic, a little bit funny and just the right amount of sexy :) So be sure to check them out.

And if you love good food and great cocktails, then you should definitely explore the recipes in the book. I already tried a couple and I am definitely a fan of everything The Fix on Sixth has to offer :D And just so I don't leave you in the dark, I figured I will share with you the two recipes I tried. They are fast and easy and just sinfully good. So let's start with the salty one :)

Butternut Squash Soup

Products:

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups chicken stock

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

I started by pre-heating the oven to 400°F (200° C). After I diced all the ingredients, with the exception of the garlic. I like using a garlic press instead of mincing it because it saves me a bunch of time :) And it also makes the garlic into really small pieces. Not that it really matters when you are going to blend everything in the end but it is much easier to mix the ingredients.

Once everything was prepared, I mixed the vegetables with the olive oil and garlic. Once everything was well coated with oil and garlic, I put the vegetables in a single lair on a cookie sheet and seasoned with salt and pepper. I baked the vegetables for around 40 min but that will pretty much depend on your oven. Basically, you need to bake them until the squash is tender :)

According to the recipe, the roasted vegetables are put into a pot, together with the chicken stock and brought to a boil. So that's exactly what I did :) When the soup started boiling, I reduced the heat and left to simmer for another 10 min or so (the soup needs to thicken slightly). To be honest, I didn't wait for the soup to really thicken as I use my Vitamix to blend soups. The blender creates additional heat and thickens the soups additionally :) As it is, I actually needed to add some additional hot water because it became too thick. 

I served the soup with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese as the recipe instructed and it was so, so good. I just might reduce the garlic next time and see how that works. And I know this is a winter soup but as I live in the UK, half of our May was practically winter :D So I thoroughly enjoyed warming up in the evening while reading Tiffany and Eric's story :) 

Now it's time for the desert <3 As I was looking for something else fast and easy and most importantly a recipe in which I don't have to make substitutes (it's really a pain when you can't find the ingredients you need), I decided to make chocolate chip cookies :)

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Products:

1 stick (113g) butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

Chocolate chip cookies are a pretty straight forward affair. But finding a recipe with the right ingredients and proportions that will give you that crispy outside and chewy inside is definitely not the easiest task in the world. But this recipe creates exactly that elusive masterpiece of a chocolate chip cookie :) Yum!!!

So let's do the basics. Using a hand mixer, I creamed together the butter and sugar until smooth, then added the eggs and vanilla. Once everything was mixed well, I spooned in the flour, baking soda and baking powder and continued mixing until blended. In the end I added the white chocolate chips and cranberries and folded them into the batter with a spoon. I probably could've used the mixer but I didn't want to break the chocolate chips or tear the cranberries.

The recipe calls to place 1 tablespoon at a time on a greased cookie sheet but I prefer to use an ice-cream scooper. It helps make the cookies more uniform and for me it is definitely much easier than using a normal spoon. Just make sure you leave enough space between the cookies so you don't get one giant cookie in the end :D

The cookies need to be baked for 12-14 minuets (I baked them for around 13) at a preheated oven on 300°F (175° C). Once baked, I left them to cool down on a wire rack for around 30 min :) After that, I thoroughly enjoyed them with my morning coffee. Even brought some to work and now I have requests for more :D The only thing I might change in this delicious recipe, is exchange the white chocolate chips with a dark one but in the end, no matter how you make it, I am sure you will love these cookies <3

I so loved these two recipes that I can't wait to try few more as soon as I can, I have my eye on a dirty Martini with Blue Cheese olives ;)

 

Release Blitz & Excerpt: Master Bits & Mercenary Bites ~ Girls Night by Lexi Blake & Suzanne M. Johnson

Title: Master Bits & Mercenary Bites ~ Girls Night

Author: Lexi Blake & Suzanne M. Johnson

Release Date: November 28th, 2017

Synopsis:

From the creators of Master Bits and Mercenary Bites, New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake and Southern food expert and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Johnson, comes a new look at the Masters and Mercenaries world—Girls Night.

Join us for easy to cook, delicious recipes and stay for the stories of the women of McKay-Taggart. From slow cooker special dinners to cocktails that will elevate your game, Suzanne will show you that easy can be delicious.

Lexi dives into what happens after happily ever after. Charlie and Ian try to have a night out—but their kids prove that anything can happen when Taggarts are involved. Faith and Ten get a gift they never expected. Karina and Derek go on a stakeout. And Serena finds the meaning of Bliss. All these stories and more explore what it means to be a wife, a mother, a woman navigating love and responsibility.

Good meals, good times, good friends.

Bon appétit!

Purchase Links:

Amazon US |  Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Google Play |  Kobo |  Print

Excerpt from Rough Night:

“You taste better than any pie, my Charlie,” Ian whispered against her lips. His hands tightened on her and she felt one of those big palms stroke her thigh. “Why don’t you straddle me and let’s see what happens.”

She knew what would happen. She placed the tray of treats on the table beside them and gingerly shifted, twisting so she straddled her Master’s lap. Yes, there it was. His cock was right against her pussy. All she had to do was…

Ian groaned as she rolled her pelvis. “That’s right, baby. Now give me some of that sweet, sweet lemony goodness. Ride me and feed me. That’s what I want. Let me watch you come.”

“And if I can make you come?” It was a fun little game. She would try to see if she could get that big dick of his to go off before she did.

“Then I’ll walk around for the rest of the night a bit on the uncomfortable side,” he replied, his hands finding her hips. He shifted and she found herself with her clitoris in the perfect position. “But that’s not going to happen. I know exactly how to make you moan, Charlie baby.”

She felt her phone vibrate. Charlie winced. “It’s another text.”

He pumped his hips up against hers. “Answer it. If it’s anyone except Malone telling us one of the children is missing, I’m texting them a dick pic and asking them to leave us alone. Let’s see if you can text while I do this.”

His erection slid over the perfect place and Charlie could feel the orgasm starting to build. How could he still do this to her? All he had to do was start touching her, using that deep Dom voice on her, and her whole body was ready to comply to his any and every whim.

Did she have to answer? It probably wasn’t anything important. Was anything in the world as important as the way this man made her feel?

“Give me a taste of that tart, baby. Or better yet, pull those pretty nipples out and let me taste them. Let me lick and suck and bite on those sweet nipples.”

Her vision was going soft as he hauled her close.

And her phone vibrated again.

“Ian,” she started.

“Do what you need to,” he replied as he licked her collarbone. “I’ll do what I have to.”

She was going to kill whoever was texting her. It was probably Malone, trying to figure out where the damn marshmallows were.

She bit back a groan and reached for her phone. It better be so good because she was getting close, and the minute Ian started sucking on her breasts she wouldn’t be able to hold…

Do you have a fire extinguisher?

“What?” Charlie shifted, trying to get a better grip on the phone.

And the chair under Ian kind of exploded.

Charlie hit the floor, her knees knocking on the tile. Ian had gone backward but he’d managed to twist his body so he landed on his shoulder instead of knocking the back of his head against the windowsill.

Panic flooded Charlie’s veins. She scrambled to find her phone. “Ian?”

“I’m fine,” he groaned. “Call him. Damn it. Can’t we have one fucking night out without the world coming to an end? Ah, yeah, this is going to hurt.”

Had he thrown out his back again? She couldn’t stop and find out. Sarah Stevens was here somewhere and she was a nurse. Surely she could help.

Charlie grabbed the phone from the midst of the now fallen lemon tarts. The tray had turned over, but there were still several that had landed on the table. She would have to shove those in her purse if they were about to flee home. With shaking fingers she dialed the number for Michael.

“Hey, Charlotte, I think I got the fire out. Boomer stopped, dropped, and rolled on it. That did the trick. The girls thought it was hilarious, but we’ve got another problem now,” Michael was saying.

“There was a fire?” She practically screamed the question.

“Tell Boomer to sit on it,” Ian said from the floor. “Put him on speaker.”

She didn’t need his sarcasm, but he had the right to listen in. She clicked to go to speaker. “Where was the fire, Michael?”

“Well, you see when I told the girls we could have a campout in the living room, I kind of thought we would build a fort made out of sheets, you know what I’m talking about,” Michael continued, his Texas drawl slow and steady. “Damn, Charlotte. I didn’t think the girls would take it so literally.”

Her girls took everything literally. “The girls tried to start a fire? In my living room?”

“It was minor,” Michael promised. “Mostly because they couldn’t take apart the furniture to burn. That was their plan. Apparently Ian taught them how to use whatever’s around to stay warm in case they find themselves out in the woods at night. I saved the sofa, but they did manage to get that wicker basket of yours to burn. Kala said she had to use it because she couldn’t get to the hatchet.”

Charlie turned to her husband. “Why would our daughters know how to use a hatchet?”

He was a nice shade of pale and his shoulder seemed weird. “You told me to teach them some life skills.”

She was going to kill everyone.

About the Authors:

Lexi Blake:

About Lexi Blake: NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Amazon Author Page

Suzanne M. Johnson:

Suzanne Johnson is family-trained, a south Georgia native who’s been cooking all of her life, creating not only some really unique food, but precious memories that re-occur every time she smells something simmering in the oven. In all of her books, Suzanne shows that making a delicious meal doesn’t have to be complicated — it just has to be made with love. So go ahead, don’t be bashful, dive right in. Who knows? You might just make a few memories of your own.