Embracing Passion, the third and final book in the Passion
series, was released on August 18. Writing this series was a labor of love for both
myself and my husband, so I thought I’d share some of the backstory:
The series got its start over two decades ago, when I
learned that my father’s sister, a pioneering sex researcher, had died. I’ve
thought of her often – how proud she would be of what my husband and I are
writing, how advanced she was in her acceptance of all sexual orientations, her
openness to all sexual practices that do not cause harm, and her enjoyment of
erotic art. There’s probably not much out there in the world of sex that she
didn’t encounter across the many interviews she conducted.
In some ways, our culture has become far more open about so
many topics and practices that were still seen as taboo in her era. But many
stigmas still remain. In the Passion series, we wanted to give a nod to my
aunt’s heritage – research in sexuality –as
well as to provide erotic entertainment and a happy ending. We wanted to
explore the stigma that attaches to adults who have sex on camera for others to
view. How do they manage satisfying personal relationships, when their sexual
activities will never be exclusive to one person? Can they find a partner who
can accept what they do for a living?
In the first two books in the series, the partners who fall
in love already work for the fictional Center for Sexuality and Sex Practices. They’re
challenged to sort out the difference between great sex and true love, but they
don’t have to overcome a partner’s judgment. In Embracing Passion, the
hero is an outsider. In fact, he’s a cop, hoping to break up what he’s
convinced is a prostitution ring. He is in for more than a few surprises.
BLURB
Now in her late twenties, Rosanne
Falcon’s life has finally come together—a Ph.D., a prestigious research job,
and two exquisite lovers, one of each gender, to complete the package. The
intense bond she shares with Simone Stone was augmented rather than broken when
Simone met and married Boyd Roberts, and the three have forged a fulfilling
polyamory relationship. More would only be trouble.
Widowed by a tragic accident several years earlier,
Detective Thomas Walker is nearing retirement after twenty years on the police
force and ready to change careers. Fully convinced the hot redhead who meets
truckers at the rest area he’s staked out is a prostitute, he sets out to build
his case against her. He is dead wrong, but each layer he uncovers of what she
really does for a living challenges long held assumptions. Can he overcome his
deep-seated bias to make room for what’s possible?
EXCERPT
Attired in sleeping tees, Rosanne and Simone sat propped
against the headboard of Rosanne’s bed. Boyd had had the good sense to go on
home so his women could talk.
Rosanne scrunched her mouth at Simone. It wasn’t exactly
like she wanted to talk, but she didn’t want to be alone, either, and she’d
eagerly accepted Simone’s offer to sleep over. She’d prefer to languish in
Simone’s arms and make torturously slow love, but Simone seemed intent on
prying into her head.
“I still don’t think Tom meant anything by that porn
remark,” Simone insisted for the umpteenth time.
Rosanne shrugged. “At the very beginning, he thought I was a
call girl. You heard him call me a slut right here in this bedroom. He’s thinks
we’re making porn movies behind the guise of education.” She heaved a sigh.
“The irony is I interviewed a lot of fine women for my dissertation who
happened to be call girls. And I’m sure it’s equally true that many fine women
work in the adult industry, too.”
“One woman’s porn is another woman’s art,” Simone chimed in.
“Exactly.”
Simone laced her fingers through Rosanne’s. “Tom was raised
to be skeptical. Hell, he’s a cop.” Simone shook her head. “I never thought I’d
be coming to the defense of a cop.”
“Skeptical? That’s bullshit.”
“It’s true,” Simone insisted. “It’s ironic that you and Boyd
grew up in similar environments. I expect my community upbringing was closer to
Tom’s. We never quite believed all that shit about becoming whatever we wanted
to be.”
“But look at you. A Ph.D. sociologist, a competent, strong
woman. And Tom’s done well. He’s finishing his masters and could go on if he
wants to.”
“I didn’t mean to suggest we’re not successful, but I expect
our success shocked a lot of folks who knew us when. I knew I had a chance when
I didn’t die before twenty. Tom said something almost like that last night when
we were talking. He and I both have a couple teachers to thank who helped us
break through that wall of distrust. Tom went the community college route and
so did I, never quite believing we’d make it to the next step. Always wondering
where the next tuition money would come from. Scholarships were our meal
tickets out.” Simone narrowed her eyes. “Did you ever apply for a scholarship?”
Rosanne shook her head. “Not until my graduate fellowship.”
“I thought so. I’m sure Tom can point to teachers or maybe a
police captain who saw talent and supported him along his way. For me, that was
Harry. He recognized my prospects as a researcher. I’d never have stayed on for
the Ph.D. without his encouragement. And Melissa has done the most to help me
carve out a meaningful role at the Center.”
“They’re good people.”
“So Tom and I share a streak of skepticism. Don’t you
remember how weird I got once I realized Boyd was genuinely interested in me?”
Rosanne chuckled. “You were the last to know.”
“Exactly. Tom probably doesn’t know what to do with you.”
Rosanne crossed her legs at the ankles, determined not to be
persuaded by Simone’s logic. “He doesn’t respect me.”
BUY LINKS
Embracing Passion Universal Link
ABOUT ADRIANA KRAFT
Award winning author Adriana Kraft
is a married couple writing Sizzling Romantic Suspense and Erotic Romance for
Two, Three, or More. Whether readers open our romantic suspense or our erotic
romance, they can expect characters they care about, hot sex scenes, and a
compelling story. Our suspense stories deliver one man, one woman, danger and
intrigue. Our erotic romance is edgier and nearly always includes ménage or
polyamory, sometimes with two women and a man, sometimes with two (or more)
couples. We write our Erotic Romance stories to entertain, of course, but most
of all we write them because we believe in happy endings for all who fall in
love, whatever their gender, sexual orientation or numerical combination.
Website: https://adrianakraft.com
Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/AdrianaKraft
3 comments:
Good for you (and your husband) for writing what you do. Honestly, I have never understood why anyone would care what someone else does in their own bedroom if it's a consensual adult relationship. Long ago, I concluded that people who butt into other people's personal lives are simply deeply unhappy in their own and - as they say - 'misery loves company'. As far as this country has come in accepting people as they are (and were born), there are those who are trying to pull us back into the Stone Age. Let's make certain they don't succeed.
Congratulations on the new release, Adriana!
What a thought-provoking post. I had two initial thoughts, yet from different perspectives. First, putting myself in that role, as the parties involved in a relationship where one has sex on camera, I think it would be terribly difficult for most to carry on a long-term relationship like that, especially when, in my experience, most people have trust issues to begin with. It would take a lot of honesty, openness and maybe even confidence from all parties.
Second, as an uninvolved party looking in, I totally agree with Tina's comments, it's nobody's damn business!
Thanks so much, Tina and H K! My aunt is still my beacon. I just wish her perspective was more pervasive, and I, too, am terribly concerned each time our culture appears to be taking a step backwards. Troubling times.
Post a Comment