Release Blitz, Reviews, and Giveaway: Forbidden Nights: Lauren Blakely

by - Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Forbidden Nights (Seductive Nights #5)
Lauren Blakeley
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Expected February 17th Now!
A smoldering and sensual standalone romance novel in the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Seductive Nights Series by Lauren Blakely...

Sinfully sexy hotel CEO Nate Harper knows exactly how to please a woman. He’s equally skilled in keeping his heart safe from the kind of hurt his ex inflicted on him years ago. But one thing he’s not so good at what-so-ever is getting his mind and all his dirty thoughts off the gorgeous, outgoing, and absolutely captivating Casey Sullivan, the new head of the Joy Delivered company. 

They’ve been friends for years now, and Casey trusts Nate completely. So it makes perfect sense to her to ask him for hands-on guidance when she finds herself in need of some of his romantic expertise.

The trouble is, his heart may be signing up for more than it bargained for when he agrees to help her learn to abandon her need for control in the bedroom. Because as she experiences what it means to let go, he’ll start to experience what it means to feel again… 

But what happens when all those forbidden nights turn into a deeper connection that’s much more than either bargained for? 

*FORBIDDEN NIGHTS is a standalone full-length novel in the bestselling SEDUCTIVE NIGHTS series following the love affair of Nate and Casey. You can read it on its own, but you would likely enjoy the other books too.*


Message from Lauren:

I'm so thrilled that the Seductive Nights erotic romance series is continuing with a new installment starring a new couple! This series has been such a joy to write since it started as a fan-driven series, with Julia and Clay, and then Jack and Michelle, and now this this new novel is about Nate and Casey. Readers requested that I write their story next, so I did! FORBIDDEN NIGHTS can be read without having read the earlier books.

(Though, why wouldn't you want to meet the other couples?!)
I can't wait to introduce readers to Nate Harper and Casey Sullivan. They’re a dynamic duo and many early readers are saying this is their favorite story yet! Nate knows exactly who, and what he wants, and is thrilled when the opportunity he’s dreamed about for years presents herself to him. Expect many steamy encounters between these two!




He threw the napkin on the table and reached for her hand. Her expression was one of complete surprise. “Dance with me.”
Her lips quirked up and she seemed to understand what he’d done. Given her an order. She nodded demurely and he led her to a small sliver of a dance floor, near where the woman with the microphone was singing a Billie Holiday number. He pulled Casey in close. She tensed briefly, as if unsure where to rest her hands, whether on his shoulders or waist. He planted them firmly on his shoulders, and wrapped his arms around her sexy, slim waist that fit perfectly in his hands.
“Just relax and let me lead,” he said, whispering in her ear, a waft of her tropical scent drifting by his nostrils. She shivered briefly against him, and that nearly did him in. He stayed strong, swaying gently, guiding her in slow, sensuous moves. “I’ll show you how to let go, but you have to trust me. And that’s where it starts. With trust. I’m not a Dom, you’re not my Sub—we’re not going to join a BDSM club, or sign a contract. But I can show you how good it will feel when you give up control.”
She breathed in sharply, as if acclimating to new air on a distant planet. “Why do men like a woman to give up control? What is it about the lack of control that men like so much?”
“It’s not that they like a lack of control. But a man wants a woman who gives herself to him. He wants a woman to melt into his arms, to get aroused from a kiss on the back of her neck,” he said, and traced a fingertip gently under her hair, watching her reaction as she drew in a breath. “It’s the hand on her arm.” He trailed his fingers down her bare skin to her elbow as he leaned in to whisper, “Or warm breath near her ear.” She gasped, and he kept going. “He wants a woman who’s so turned on, she’ll nearly beg for it. He wants her abandon. He wants to be the only one to make her feel that way.”
She parted her lips to speak, but he shushed her with his fingertip against them. God, he was so tempted to let her suck on his finger right now, to watch her simulate a blow job, to let her show him what she could do. But that would come later. He needed to kiss her first.
That is, after he teased her.
“At some point soon, some point very, very soon, I’m going to kiss you,” he said, watching the expression in her eyes shift to a heady kind of desire. Her fingers curved into his shoulders, holding on tightly to him. “You’re going to close your eyes,” he said, and then her lids fluttered closed. “And you’re not going to know when it’s coming. You’re going to want it. Your body is going to be crying out for a kiss,” he said, his voice husky and raw as her chest rose and fell, and she moved closer to him as they swayed. He cupped the back of her neck, watching her response to every touch, from the way her lips parted as he threaded his hands through her hair, to how she leaned back into him, almost relishing the way his fingers ran slowly through those soft, wavy strands. A sigh came next, a desperate needy sigh, and a barely-there arch of her back, her body seeking out more contact. “But I might not kiss you yet. I might run my hands down your arms,” he said, then did just that. “Or maybe I’ll stop telling you what I’m going to do.”
Lauren Blakely has set quite a standard for men in her Seductive Nights series...Clay, Jack, and even the hints to come of Brent...and she has done it again with Nate Harper.

He's sexy, charming, successful, witty, and totally has the hots for his close friend, Casey Sullivan (who also happens to be the sister of his best friend, Jack). But he would never tell her. He's been burned badly in the past and does not plan on falling in love or being in a relationship again. Due to his trust issues, he  knows he can't be the man to give Casey everything  she deserves. So he plays the field and never gets emotionally involved.


"When it comes to women, you could say I'm an omnivore...I like everything. I'm equal opportunity."


Casey is a powerful, outspoken alpha female. She runs her company well, but her personal life is not as successful. She and her profession as a sex toy company CEO often intimidate men and her need for control makes men run or want to change her. Her past relationships have scarred her and left her doubting herself. But when a new man shows interest in pursuing her and hints at the fact that he would like be the one in control, Casey has a limited amount of time to try to learn how to not to be so demanding and let go of her need for control.

When Casey wanted something she went after it passionately with everything she had. Ironic that the strategy had worked well at her company, but her approach hadn't gone as swimmingly in her rather dismal personal life. A string of bad relationships trailed behind her. Yup, Laugh it up. She was the Sex Toy Princess who didn't get any action beyond the battery-operated kind."

Nate is Casey's "Best Guy Friend"  and one of the few men she completely trusts. They have a good rapport, similar work ethic, and truly enjoy spending time together. So she comes up with a plan that would help teach her to lose control. Little does she know it also allows Nate to act out some of his fantasies about her. Tutoring. No Strings. No commitments. All with the idea of ultimately preparing Casey for future relationships.

"I don't want lessons in seduction. I want lessons in submission."

Anticipation. Pleasure. Submission. Reciprocity. Spontaneity. Exploration...all in a safe environment among friends. It seems like the perfect solution. She needs to learn to let go. He needs to get her out of his system. What could possibly go wrong?

"Your whole body is a playground....For now until you learn to thoroughly give up control, it will be my playground. Isn't that right, Casey?"

Trust, intense chemistry and a sense of adventure lead them to explore each other in very intimate ways. And along the way their needs become more and more apparent. But they are crippled by fears, and lack of trust in their own judgment keeps them stuck in limbo between the friends zone and a real relationship. But in their middle ground they share some scorching hot sexy times. Will Nate's fear of relationships and Casey's need for a HEA  ruin any chance of more between them?

He was all wrong for Casey. She wanted love, and tenderness, she wanted commitment and the possibility of forever. Those were notions that had no appeal to him. He'd been there, done that and had the ugly scars to prove it.

I really loved these characters. Nate was the perfect Best Guy Friend who was sweet, understanding, and protective, but he also had a sexy, alpha edge. He had a vulnerable, broken part hidden under his charismatic, successful, playboy exterior. He was confused and conflicted, but he could surely be sexy and swoony too. You could tell how badly he was hurt and how it kept him from wanting to be that vulnerable again, but also how affected he was. He won over my heart. I really fell for Nate and loved his magnetic personality.

Casey was so sassy, strong-willed, and outspoken, but deep down she was insecure and just wanted to be loved for herself. She wanted to be able to have her own opinion and ask for what she wanted and not to have to be some docile version of herself for a man. But her need for a real relationship and insecurities made her more willing to change if she had to in order to find true love. I had a girl crush on Casey. She was such a dynamic heroine. And the fact that she could be so open about sex and toys due to her profession made it even more interesting.

I loved the fact that they were friends first and they had such a strong connection and could truly be themselves together. Their love scenes were hot and their connection was intense. But because they had so much already invested in their friendship, it was definitely a big risk.

Hope was risky, and led to things he didn't believe in. He didn't possess any hope himself, so it made no sense why he'd want her to think in bigger terms that went beyond the here an now.

There were so many fun cameos in this one and each one brought a big smile to face. So many crossovers due to friendships, business relationships and family not only in just the Seductive Nights series but from Lauren's other series as well. We especially got to spend more with Jack (Casey's brother/Nate's best friend) and Michelle (Nights with Him) as they were an integral part of the story line. I might have been most excited to see one of my favorites, Michelle's brother, Davis (Playing With Her Heart). And Nate's sister Kat and her husband Bryan (Caught Up in Us) were featured. But there were plenty more characters around for some visits and special events. It is always so much fun jumping back into the Blakely world and seeing how all of these characters fit together and see some progression in their lives. But it could easily be read as a stand alone story as well.

This installment has a bit different vibe from the other Seductive Nights books since this one is based on friendship first and is not as suspenseful or darkly emotional as its predecessors. But it has the same sexy banter, seduction, steam, and connection that the rest of the series has. I liked the more fun, playful feel of this one. And there were some tender moments that brought a tear to my eye as well. Lauren's writing style flows effortlessly and just sucks me right in and I become part of the story. It was told in both points of view that was so important as these characters struggled with their own fears and emotions, but had such a hard time expressing them, 

It was humorous, sweet, heartfelt, and passionate. It had two people who needed to learn to trust, not only in a partner but also in their own judgment. It was an exploration in the bonds of friendship, lust, love, and pushing boundaries while establishing trust. I was completely invested in Nate and Casey's story and loved getting more with the other characters. There was even a little tease for Brent's upcoming Vegas based story Sweet Sinful Nights . I can't wait! 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. I was also a beta reader for this title. Quotes are from beta copy and subject to change.


Casey and Nate have been friends for a very long time. Nate is best friends with Casey’s brother, and living in New York both as successful business people, their paths have crossed in work and casual capacities.

Casey is a strong-willed personality. She is direct and forthright, both in her business and personal relationships. When a long term boyfriend breaks it off with her claiming she’s too controlling in the bedroom, she begins to doubt her ability to please a man when she knows exactly what it is she wants in the bedroom.

When these two best friends turn their relationship physical so Casey can learn to be more submissive in bed the flames heat up so fast it was hard to believe neither had noticed the mutual attraction before that moment. They are hot, hot, HOT.

But they were also immensely playful, both in bed and out. As their relationship started as friends, they have that friendship to fall back on in times when they aren’t naked together, and even when they are it is clear that there is mutual attraction and more than just plain “like” between them.

Beyond the physical, they each had their own relationship hang-ups to get over before they could fully open their eyes to what was between them. Though their hurdles were different, they each carried pain inflicted by past significant others that clouded their perception of all other romantic relationships.

At a fundamental level, Casey is asking Nate to help her change her personality to fit what she thinks is expected of her. I loved the way that whole aspect was handled, as it could easily have been awkward, or lose authenticity as Casey went through her lessons. But Nate (and Lauren) handled Casey’s request beautifully and I loved him even more with each passing lesson.

Set within the world of Lauren’s Seductive Nights and Caught Up In Her series, many of the side characters are beloved friends and family members that readers of the series will recognize and appreciate.

This book was hot, hot, hot, and fun. I loved every moment of their friendship, their physical side, and the deeper emotions that ran underneath everything they did with each other.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Read all about the full Seductive Nights Series , Nights with Him, and Forbidden Nights on Lauren's website!

Seductive Nights Box Set Featuring First Night(Prequel), Night After Night, After this Night and One More Night(Clay and Julia's books) : Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks

Lauren Blakely


Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in her novel, FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers! Her bestselling series include Caught Up in Love, Seductive Nights, and Fighting Fire. She recently released Nights With Him, a standalone novel in her New York Times Bestselling Seductive Nights series that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. Her next book in that series is Forbidden Nights, releasing in early 2015. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, text BLAKELY + your email address to 678-249-3375 (please use the actual + sign)
 $25 Victoria’s Secret Gift Card for one winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Back by popular demand, Lauren Blakely has put together an extra special Forbidden Giveaway for her readers-The chance to win your very own Forbidden Night, Seductive Nights Style! This is your chance to create your own Forbidden Getaway! You'll have the opportunity to win a night at your favorite hotel and dinner at your favorite restaurant, and all you have to do to enter is take the Be Seduced Trivia Quiz about the Seductive Nights Series in the back of the novel! This is your chance to discover a Forbidden Night of your own!* Readers can access the quiz in the eBook version of FORBIDDEN NIGHTS, and will have until February 21st to enter the quiz. To be clear, the back of the FORBIDDEN NIGHTS eBook is the ONLY location with the link to the quiz.**

* Forbidden Getaway giveaway is for a value of up to $500 only.

**Paperback only readers can contact Lauren Blakely directly about how to enter the contest.



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