dark past | …And Everything in Between…

Title: Shuttered Affections
Author: Rene Folsom
Series: Cornerstone #1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 15, 2013

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NOTE: Purchase links will be available on my website the day of release. Visit http://renefolsom.com/shuttered on or after October 15th.

Synopsis

After escaping to a college town, Juliana Petersen was determined to put her troubled past behind her and make the most of life. She was satisfied with her current situation, or so she thought. It wasn’t until the day her new photography professor stole her parking spot that she realized there was such thing as lust at first sight. Now, she must struggle with the decision to break the rules and fall in love, or step back and let the chance of a lifetime pass her by—all while her past relationships come back to haunt her.

How many men will it take to break Julia’s hold on reality?

Warning: This novel contains sexual situations and is meant for adult readers ages 18 and up.

Review

Well, Rene Folsom does it again! She has created hot, sexy characters with an undeniable chemistry that has the reader clamoring for more. Folsom is the indisputable (in my humble opinion) Queen of the Tease. If erotica were burlesque, she would be the Gypsy Rose Lee.

The immediate chemistry between Julia and Aiden permeates through the book like pounding sound waves as Folsom deftly builds the tension. The characters are fantasy characters, but like any great writer, they are flawed and have had experiences that have brought them to where they are now. I obviously enjoyed the romantic and erotic aspects of Shuttered Affections, but I also enjoyed the alternative plot line that involves Julia’s past. Folsom has also developed serious subject matter in an acceptable and realistic fashion.

In addition, she has realistically painted a portrait of a fairly independent, yet insecure girl in her early twenties dealing with a new passion and an excruciating past that are about to collide.

I for one am looking forward to her second book in The Cornerstone series…. I need answers. And I need more of Julia and Aiden… and whatever Rene Folsom is dishing up in the sequel to Shuttered Affections.

Excerpt

The electricity in the air told me he was coming closer. Footsteps, barely audible, whispered along the floor behind me.

My hands fumbled for the canister. I needed to pop the top off and carefully remove the film.

I could feel him close behind me. He was really close. As I successfully removed the film from its canister, I could feel him move even nearer. I felt his breath by my ear and heard him gasp slightly as a curl fell forward and must have brushed against his face.

I was just about done putting the film around the reel when I felt his finger slowly push the tendril of hair back behind my ear.

I deftly finished coiling the film and placed it in the developing tank. Once the lid was in place, effectively protecting my film from light exposure, I spoke.

“Okay. I’m good.” My voice was barely a whisper. I didn’t seem to have the strength to muster any more volume.

“Mmhmm…” he moaned in my ear. “Your hair smells divine, Angel.”

I felt his hand brush against the back of my ear and push my hair to the side, exposing my neck to his touch. I felt his breath on me and, suddenly, it was as if all the oxygen in the room had been used up completely. I couldn’t breathe.

“You’re so beautiful, even in darkness,” he said adoringly and I felt the tickle of his breath on my neck.

Warmth sizzled through my abdomen, my clit pulsed, and my nipples hardened. His words whispered through my ears, seductive and alluring.

His body pressed against my back and he wrapped his hands around my waist, sticking his thumbs into the waistband of my jeans. His fingers gently touched my hipbones. His touch made me arch my back and tilt my head to rest on his shoulder.

His lips, hot as fire, brushed along the column of my neck. I wanted to turn my body and wrap myself around him, but he held me in place.

“Aiden, I thought we were going to try and behave ourselves,” I said breathlessly as he continued his assault on my neck.

“I don’t care,” he mumbled, clearly aware he was melting me to the bone.

Animalistic lust took us over. Grabbing my shoulders, he quickly turned me so my chest pressed against his and shoved my back up against the wall with just enough force to tell me he was turned on as much as I was.

As if attempting to control his urges, he let go of me and I felt his hands press against the wall on either side of my head, just above my shoulders.

“Oh, God. I want to touch you,” he said hoarsely. “I want to touch every inch of you.”

I could tell his lips were so close. The tip of his nose brushed against mine, causing me to involuntarily tilt my head upward, attempting to close the gap between our lips. As if he sensed me pouncing, he turned his chin up, causing me to meet the scruffy facial hair on his jaw.

Unable to see my prey, I reached out and dug my nails into his strong back, pulling him closer to me and lightly sinking my teeth into his jaw. If he wasn’t going to offer his lips to me, I was going to take whatever part of him I could get between my teeth.

As if on cue, a rumble echoed from his throat. His hands snaked down my body, grabbing my ass and pulling me against him.

The move was so bold; I thought for sure he was going to kiss me. Instead, he tilted his head up, exposing his neck to my nibbling assault.

His body, hot and hard, pressed me against the cold, concrete wall. His hands, still on my ass, lifted me slightly so I was forced to the tips of my toes.

I felt his mouth on my neck again and couldn’t help voicing my pleasure.

“Oh, Aiden. Kiss me now,” I begged. I didn’t know why I had to beg this man to press his lips against mine. I only knew I needed more. So much more.

“Tell me, Juliana. Do you want me?” he asked softly, caressing my ear with his lips.

“Christ, yes!” My answer left my mouth before I even had time to process what I was saying. I was quite simply speechless.

“Then you shall have me… eventually.” With that, he let go, opened the door, and walked out.

I was left standing there, completely overwhelmed, and aching with desire.

About the Author

Rene Folsom, author of paranormal romance and erotica, lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. She has officially diagnosed herself with creative ADD and, if it weren’t for her day job as a web programmer, she would have a million and one writing projects going at once. In addition to web design, she is also a graphic artist who loves to create custom book cover designs for indie authors. She is definitely an artist at heart and would love nothing more than to be elbow deep in clay during her waking hours.

Rene believes that all fiction is based on some form of reality—otherwise we would never have the inspiration or knowledge to dream up the realistic situations we portray with our words. She is proud to say that her personal experiences have been inspirational, though perhaps not always identical to that of her fictional characters. Where reality and fantasy diverge, however, must remain her little secret…

AN INTERVIEW WITH RENE FOLSOM

Hi, Rene!! Thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions. I loved Shuttered Affections, and I know that you have said several times that most of what you writehas been influenced by “real life”. What in Shuttered Affections was influenced by Real Life experiences (that you’re comfortable sharing with us, of course)?

In Shuttered Affections, most of the classes Juliatakes and the locations she talks about were based on real life experiences. I did go to college and majored in fine arts. Maddy is also a real friend of mine I met in photography class and I still keep in touch with her to this day (although, her name isn’t Maddy). However, the hot teacher situation is completely fabricated along with the club Julia works in.

This series has been several years in the making. Do you feel as though you’ve changed as a writer or artist since you first started writing The Cornerstone Series?

Most definitely. I learn new things each time I receive edits back from my editor and I learn something new from each reader who has valuable feedback for me.

I have dubbed thee the Queen of the Tease, because in my humble opinion, you are just that. You excel at building tension and electricity between your characters and I think that permeates to the reader. Is that something you do for story pacing or just to torture all of us reading your work? It’s lovely torture, but still torture all the same.

The only way I can describe it is, it’s what I would want to read. I don’t want a character who doesn’t feel. I want to read, and write, something that makes my stomach flutter.

What is the hardest part about being a writer for you?

The time involved in meeting writing deadlines—that, and, the nerve-wracking days after releasing a new book.

Do you have any rituals when you’re writing?

Not really. I just need quiet.

Are any of your characters inspired by real people in your life?

In Shuttered Affections, only a few characters are inspired by real people.

You mainly write romance and erotica, but do you have any aspirations to write any other genres, or mash-ups genres?

Shuttered Affections is considered romantic suspense, so I guess you could say I mashed up a few genres with that. But, as far as venturing away from romance, I don’t plan on it.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me today. Before you go, is there anything else you’d like to let anyone know? Maybe when the next Cornerstone book is due out or any other upcoming releases?

The tentative release for the second Cornerstone novel, Exposed Affections, is mid-November. I have several other projects in the works at the moment and unsure exactly which I will be working on next.

Thanks again, Rene and much success!

Thank you, Shannon! ❤