Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Ella Frank of Exquisite and Entice

Today, I'm excited to have Ella Frank, author of Exquisite & Entice on Waves of Fiction!  I am a huge fan of Ms. Frank's, and I am beyond excited to have her on the blog!

First, let me share a little bit about this amazing series if you haven't already checked it out!  Make sure to read all the way to the bottom as we have a very special surprise for our Waves readers!

Entice (Exquisite #2) by Ella Frank

Published January 29, 2013

Purchase: Amazon

About the book

What if everything you think you want isn't what you actually need...

Dr. Shelly Monroe is a woman who doesn't shy away from going after what she wants, but lately good sex has been hard to find. Shelly's become increasingly frustrated with the men she's been dating and the men she believes are the right choice.

Joshua Daniels is certainly not even close to the right choice. In fact he is exactly the wrong choice. For one thing, he's Mason Langley's best friend and best man. Second he's too much of a risky complication for Shelly to even consider.

Then why can't she stop thinking about how delicious he looked that first night she met him at Exquisite? Why is it so imperative to keep her lusty desire for a man that doesn’t meet her preconceived mold hidden from Lena and Mason, her trusted friends?

It seems unreasonable that being with a man completely wrong in theory could somehow feel so right. Then why is it the more she sees him the more enticing he becomes?

My Thoughts:

Exquisite was one of my favorite books last year, so you can imagine my excitement to read the next book in the series, especially when it was released early! And I'm happy to say I was not disappointed!

What's wonderful about these books is they can be read as stand-alones, as they don't leave you hanging in the end. Not to mention Ms. Frank knows how to write the perfect man and love story!

Dr. Shelly 'Man-Eater' Monroe is a confident, sexy woman who thinks she knows what she wants. And what she thinks she wants is a boring, respectable guy to settle down with and make her dad proud. But boring isn't what she's attracted to.

"That woman is hotter than hell, but I'm not touching her. She'll burn me to a crisp."

Enter, Josh Daniels, aka Delicious Daniels. And delicious he most certainly is. Owning his own construction company, he's come back to Chicago to work on the building expansion to Exquisite, his friend Mason's restaurant. All he wants is to find a sweet girl who's not out to milk him for money, and settle down. But instead he encounters Shelly and everything he planned goes right out the window.

They have such an intense connection that it sizzles off the page. And even though they spend a lot of time fighting it - they start to realize it's a lost cause. But Shelly has demons from her past that are keeping her from letting down her walls completely, and it will take the amazing Josh some time and patience to finally break through.

"Take a chance, Shel. I'm not going to hurt you, use you or take any part of you for granted. I'm falling for you so hard that I can feel the scrapes on my knees as I'm brought to them."

We get a glimpse of the real Shelly halfway through the book, and when I wanted to smack her in the beginning for being so shallow and ridiculous, I quickly forgave her once I understood her background and what she was dealing with.

And I can see where this book would be frustrating for some because, in their journey to find out what they want from life and each other, there is a lot of angst and heartache - and you want to just scream at them to GET TOGETHER ALREADY! But I think that's what made the book so wonderful - how they slowly fell in love. It never felt rushed. It felt realistic. And the sweet and incredible way that Josh treated Shelly just made my heart melt. He was every woman's dream-come-true.

What's also great is that we get a glimpse into what's going on with Mason & Lena from the first book. And see a glimpse into the next book about Mason's sister, Rachel. The supporting cast in this series is awesome.

I have to admit that during many parts of this book - I was singing 'Man Eater' by Nelly Furtado. And there were parts of the book that made me think about the movie, You've Got Mail - which is one of my favorite movies ever.

This was such a romantic (and hot) read that I highly recommend.

4.5 Suns

Author Interview
Do you have a favorite scene or line from the book?

I always like my women sassy and strong so when Shelly strikes her deal with Josh and tells him exactly how she wants to seal it – I like that part, always makes me smile.

What influenced you to start writing and publishing your novels?

Nothing really influenced me to write – I have always loved to write, however an article from the very talented Colleen Hoover opened my eyes to Amazon and self-publishing.

What is it about the contemporary romance genre that attracts you the most? Would you ever consider writing in a different genre?

I love contemporary romance because it is set in modern times and it has the potential to get nice and steamy. The only other genre I see myself writing right now is erotica.  I couldn’t do YA, because I cuss too much and would have teens doing inappropriate things, not something I would be proud of.

When you're not writing, what do you like to spend your time doing?

Reading or watching movies. I love music as well and I am currently hooked on Mad Men

What are you excited to read next?

Hands down – Lover at Last by JR Ward, there is no other competition for my attention this year.

Do you have a favorite book that you recommend to people or friends?

The Blackdagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward, my ultimate favorite. 

Ella thank you so much for stopping by and answering my questions!!

About this Author

I am happily married and mother to a crazy cat. I’ve been writing ever since my Grandma handed me a book of Sandra Brown’s and I fell in love with, falling in love.

I’m lucky enough that I get to write full time and think up all these wonderful characters to bring to life for you.

At any given time you will find me with a book in my hand, or my bag, and a recommendation for you.

Currently I reside in the Southern portion of the United States of America with my wonderful hubby.
I love to hear from people so feel free to contact me!

Follow this Author

Website  |  Goodreads  |  Twitter

Now for the surprise!  Ella has graciously offered  to send one lucky winner an eBook copy of BOTH Exquisite & Entice!  Good luck everyone!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Exquisite by Ella Frank

Exquisite (Exquisite #1) by Ella Frank

Published October 8th 2012 by Ella Frank

About the book:

Her heart was guarded…

Tormented by self-imposed guilt, Dr. Lena O’Donnell has spent the last nine years in survival mode. Struggling through days that seem to blend together and battling her way through each horrifying night, she’s determined that this is what she deserves…

Until he tore down the walls…

Mason Langley’s life is going exactly the way he planned it, until her. A confirmed bachelor and the successful owner of the hottest restaurant to hit Chicago, he never expects to be blindsided by an angry woman in a pair of scrubs. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to shake the doctor, and he finds himself liking the way she makes him feel.

Almost over night Lena finds her world turned upside down by Mason and the sexual desire they discover together. Slowly, she lowers her guard and invites him inside but when tragedy strikes she begins to believe that sometimes it’s better to be alone and safe than to love and lose.

My Thoughts:

This book was not what I was expecting and it completely blew me away. I went into it thinking it was just going to be a spicy, fun read - but what I got was a gut-wrenching, emotional, WONDERFUL story.

There are certain elements I look for in an amazing book and this book had them all. Sizzling hot chemistry and romance. Humor and wit. Awesome dialogue. Strong characters. Wonderful supporting cast. Emotion, angst, and suspense. It was the perfect blend of everything that had me sucked in from the first chapter, devouring it in two days.

Lena is a pediatrician who has lived with the pain of her sisters death for nine years, not allowing herself to find love or get close to anyone. The guilt she feels over the accident has left her emotionally crippled and angry - making herself a rigid bitch everyone steers clear of (except her best friend, Shelly).

Mason is owner and head chef of his own restaurant, Exquisite. With a reputation as a Casanova - he doesn't have any interest in settling down, unless the right woman comes along. His first encounter with Lena leaves him infuriated, but he can't seem to get her out of his mind. Then she walks into his restaurant and he innocently blackmails her into going on a date with him, even though the last thing she wants is to give this guy the time of day.

The banter back and forth between these two as they get to know each other is funny and witty. I absolutely loved the slow build up of their relationship and Mason not giving up so easily. He was drawn to her for a reason and determined to break down her walls. I loved that Lena didn't fight it too much. Normally a girl with the type of issues Lena has fights the relationship and it drags on forever in the book, making me angry. The author dealt with it early so other stories could develop and take a turn in a direction I never expected. She kept me guessing and had me in suspense and I loved that.

Mason was also very close to his family - his sister helping him run his business and his sweet mother who played a very important role in this story. The added bonus of these supporting roles made the story even better.

Mason was the ultimate swoon-worthy guy, with the patience of a SAINT. When Lena was bitchy and rude - he just kept coming back for more. He put up with a lot from her and it was so endearing. Most men would walk away when he pushed forward and ultimately saved her from herself and her grief.

"My dad once told me, the day I meet someone who drives me so crazy I want to strangle her and yet never would because I can't bare her to be gone, that's when I know I've met a woman worth keeping."

"It's time to feel again. Let me save you from yourself. You were drowning when I found you, but I'm not letting you go without a fight."

And Lena had her endearing qualities - fighting for their love and proving to him that she wasn't going away when he went through the toughest time of his life. This story just continued to surprise me as each event unfolded.

Most importantly was the incredibly sexy SIZZLING chemistry and sexual tension between these two.

"WARNING, smoking hot chef. May be detrimental to women's panties."

Some of the best scenes I've ever read. The 'Peaches' scene was HOT. But beneath all of that passion and lust was something deeper and meaningful that unfolded. It was truly a beautiful story of love, loss, and forgiveness. With a VERY happy ever after!

5 Suns

Another book cover was released and I'm not sure which one I like best.  You be the judge!

Waves of Sunday #2

Welcome to our second edition of Waves of SUNday where each Sunday we'll be spotlighting a book that has been making waves in the book scene or has simply caught our attention causing a riptide on our TBR.

Today we're excited to spotlight:

Exquisite by Ella Frank

Published October 8th 2012 by Ella Frank

Purchase: Amazon

About the book
Her heart was guarded…

Tormented by self-imposed guilt, Dr Lena O’Donnell has spent the last nine years in survival mode. Struggling through days that seem to blend together and battling her way through each horrifying night, she’s determined that this is what she deserves…

Until he tore down the walls…

Mason Langley’s life is going exactly the way he planned it, until her. A confirmed bachelor and the successful owner of the hottest restaurant to hit Chicago, he never expected to be blindsided by an angry woman in a pair of scrubs. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t seem to shake the doctor, and he finds himself liking the way she makes him feel.

Almost over night Lena finds her world turned upside down by Mason and the sexual desire they discover together. Slowly, she lowers her guard and invites him inside but when tragedy strikes she begins to believe that sometimes it’s better to be alone and safe than to love and lose…

Arlene's Thoughts 

Wow! Just reading the description makes me want to jump right into this book, which I definitely will. Exquisite seems to have it all... beautiful cover, a tormented character, and hopefully the right man that will break through this girl's barriers of resistance. I've been seeing a lot of buzz on this book and I have it waiting for its turn on my eReader, so stay tuned because I'll be reading and reviewing this very soon!

Crystal's Thoughts
I agree Arlene this looks fantastic!  I can't wait to find out why Lena has walls up and I definitely can't wait to see Mason tear them down!  This formula is always a hit for me and I have a feeling I will be so in love with these two characters.  And um well I hope we get a steamy restaurant kitchen scene *giggles* I am looking forward to reading this as well!

Well we hope you enjoyed this edition of Waves of Sunday. If you decide to pick up Exquisite, be sure to share your thoughts with us! Happy Reading!!