Today we are happy to welcome back to BLI Diane Escalera, author of steamy latino romances, who stops by to celebrate the release of her latest release Still Hot For You  (you can read my review here)! Read on to learn more about the story, read a muy caliente excerpt and enter to win a copy of Still Hot For You! So please give a true Book Lovers welcome to Diane! 🙂

Thank you so much for hosting me. I really appreciate this awesome opportunity!

Let’s start with a quick introduction: Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, I relocated to South Florida, a sultry paradise I instantly fell in love with. I’m married, have two children and a super cute dachshund I can’t get enough of. I write hot contemporary romance, and I’m published with Kensington Publishing and Lyrical Press. Still Hot for You is my latest release.

People often ask me about the challenges of writing romance. Probably the greatest difficulty for any genre is coming up with a fresh idea. But that’s where imagination comes into play. I try to find a unique twist to keep things interesting. For instance, my last book, Dangerous Desire, featured a dog fighting plot. This is something that has never been done in a romance. In my new release, Still Hot for You, the hero and heroine are already married. Naturally, an established relationship required a totally different approach from your typical romance novel. After all, the couple was past the want-to-tear-off-your-clothes phase. I know romance readers live for that rush of excitement. Nothing beats the feeling of finding true love. So why stray away from a proven formula? I thought it would be fun to write about what happens after the happily ever. Books rarely talk about it — not in a romantic sense. But can’t a married couple still be hot for each other?

Falling in love is easy. Going through the joys, trials and tribulations of a relationship and coming out still bonded in your love… now that’s sexy!

Take a peek into the marriage of Dylan and Shay LaCosta. Theirs is a hot and steamy union, with an even hotter couple. Just like in real life, relationships have problems. But when two people are meant to be, they fight with each other, and they fight for each other.

Still Hot for You
Excerpt

Shay’s heart rate kicked up a notch when Dylan entered her space. She looked at her husband. Poor guy. Worry filled those pretty blue eyes that five years later, still melted her on contact. He looked beat. But gorgeous.

Propped against the doorframe, he watched her suspiciously. His gaze lingered on her snug denim cut-offs. Slowly, his focus trailed up to her white, spaghetti-strap cami that did nothing to hide her erect tan nipples.

Shay held her breath. She titled her head to the side, and her smooth dark hair cascaded in lush waves over her shoulder.

“What’s up?” Dylan asked, in a husky tone.

Most days, she had already gone to bed when he got home from work. They rarely saw each other, let alone when Shay was dressed like that. “Hungry?”

She stepped into the light so he could see every inch of her sweet curves. Her husband flinched and she knew she’d gotten to him. Good. Because this was what he’d been missing.

Dylan dropped his work stuff on the kitchen stool. He looked at her, his gaze sweeping her up and down again. “You cooked?”

“Uh-huh.” She took in his handsome face. Did he still love her? “Shocking, huh?”

He nodded. “About as shocking as…” His chin pointed at her transparent top. “What is this? The calm before the storm?” His jaw tightened. He looked like he was waiting for a bomb to drop.

“It’s just shorts and a tank,” she said, shrugging it off. Underneath, her body felt tingly and nervous. Hopefully, she wasn’t making a fool of herself. What if he rejected her? Whatever. She had to give it a shot. “I’m just about done here. Why don’t you go change while I finish up?”

He stared straight ahead. “Okay.”

She watched him stroll away, his gait strong, fit and purposeful. She didn’t want to be angry with Dylan anymore. After months of mulish behavior, she’d rationalized her situation. At twenty-nine, she had plenty of time to start a family. It’s not like Dylan didn’t want kids. He did. He just had this need to secure their future first. The man showed tenacity, but didn’t she love that about him?

While he changed, Shay spread out the meal. She used the good china and lit a line of candles down the center of the table. Dimming the overhead lamp instantly transformed the mood to soft and relaxing. Barefoot, she sauntered over to the stereo and clicked on the CD player, already loaded with atmosphere music. She chose something not too romantic, just a light, melodic tune.

Back at the table, she tinkered with the wineglasses. She straightened a fork, aligned the salad dressing.

“Whoa,” Dylan said from the hallway.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled. Dropping into a tall, cushioned chair, she kept her eyes on him as he strode her way.

Faded jeans hung low on his waist. A white athletic undershirt smothered his hard upper body. Wide arms pressed against a V-shaped torso. Bright eyes contrasted with spiky dark hair. At thirty-two, Dylan was pure hotness. “Going all out tonight?” He checked out the glamorous display.

“Yep.” Her eyes raked over the tribal armband tattoo inked into his upper left arm. God, it was sexy. God, he was sexy. Almost as sexy as the first time she’d seen him in her father’s living room. He’d come with his own dad, a carpenter who’d been hired to work around her parents’ estate. It’d been an instant, mutual, heated attraction. Tall, dark and proud, he’d made a tool belt look like a sex toy. Blue eyes and a sinister grin–she had fallen hard.

Still Hot for You is available at Lyrical Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Digital Bookstores everywhere.

Please visit my website to learn more about my sexy tales. I love to interact with readers! Like my fan page on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~*~*Giveaway*~*~

Diane has generously offered an ebook copy of Still Hot For You to one lucky commenter!

All you have to do is leave a meaningful comment about her guest post, or answer Diane’s question and tell us: what do you think about Latin men?
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)

Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).

This giveaway is open to all!

Giveaway ends on Saturday, 7 April 2012; we will announce the winner on Sunday.

Good luck!!!!

About Stella

Stella is a proud bookaholic and a self-taught multilinguist in training. Besides reading, her other great passions are travelling and baking. When she is not globetrotting she lives in sunny Budapest, where she loves to spend her free time preparing (and feasting on) delicious cookies or devouring equally yummy books. Her favourite genres are urban fantasy and romance and she couldn't live without her daily dose of sunshine. Besides being the Latin Lover on BLI Stella also blogs about books and a bookish life on Ex Libris.

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