BY PRIVATE INVITATION – Stephanie Julian
Berkley Heat
ISBN: 978-0-425-26287-0
January 2013
Erotic Contemporary Romance

Adamstown and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Present Day

Attending a New Year's Eve party at the luxurious Haven Hotel in Philadelphia, antique dealer Annabelle Elder's life is about to change when she crosses paths with one of the owner's of the hotel, Jared Golden. An instant attraction has Annabelle giving in to a fling for one night with Jared, which includes an invitation to join in at his exclusive sexual fantasies party where anything goes, including ménages.  But her world comes crashing down the next morning when Annabelle discovers Jared is after the pin she wore on her outfit. Did he only bed her to get that? Angry, she walks out on him. Then he shows up in Adamstown…

Jared doesn't normally become obsessed with a woman, but Annabelle brings out something in him. She's beautiful, mysterious, and apparently is the owner of several rare paintings by a renowned erotic artist. Both Jared and Annabelle have a passion for erotic art, so the two share something besides great sex, but why does an antiques dealer in a small town have so many rare paintings? What is Annabelle hiding? While Jared has his own secrets, he's determined to get to the bottom of Annabelle's.

Annabelle's deep secret (which comes out early in BY PRIVATE INVITATION) is the fact that she is the daughter of the late erotic artist, a man who was involved in a ménage relationship with Annabelle's mother and another woman. But when she was a child, the trio was tragically murdered, which created a scandal that dragged Annabelle's name through the tabloids. Her grandfather changed her name and buried her past, or so she thought until Jared uses his influence to start digging.

Jared's sensuality pulls Annabelle into his arms for an unforgettable kiss—and more. She even allows him to bring in another man to share her with. While she's no prude, even she's stunned by her reaction. Jared isn't afraid of sexual experimentation, and she meshes well with whatever they do. But as they grow closer, she begins to think of a future with him, which she can't allow or he'd learn the truth about her past. Jared is not only wealthy in his own right, but he belongs to a prominent family. Yet wealth doesn't prevent the dysfunction in Jared's own family. His father is a serial wife cheater and his mother has mental issues that so far have been kept from the public. Dare he open up to Annabelle about his own family problems?

The sex in BY PRIVATE INVITATION is super hot, even as the red-hot chemistry between Jared and Annabelle singes the pages. They can barely be in the same room before they're having sex. Jared created a “By Invitation Only” club where masked members are allowed to explore their sexual fantasies without fear of being exposed to public knowledge. Jared has enjoyed these “parties” and going from woman to woman, but the moment he meets Annabelle, any other woman pales in comparison. He has to build her trust, and if he does confirm what he suspects about who Annabelle really is, will it ruin their tenuous relationship because she's afraid to reveal her past?

A highly sensual contemporary tale that is sure to warm you up, grab BY PRIVATE INVITATION for some seriously hot reading.

Holly Tibbs