Dangerous Desire

Please give a warm Island welcome to Diane Escalera!

Thank you so much, Desert Island Keepers, 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 have sold to Kensington Publishing and Lyrical Press. Dangerous Desire is my latest release. I’d like to tell you how it came about.

Ideas are funny little things. They can come from anywhere — the news, something I read, an overheard (eavesdropping) conversation. I have a curious (nosy) mind and tune into details that most people don’t pay much attention to. The simplest thing could spark an idea, but then, I have a pretty wild imagination.

When I set out to write Dangerous Desire, I wanted to do something different, a little more edgy than my previous books. I chose to make the hero a pet detective (No. He’s nothing like Ace Ventura!) because frankly, I hadn’t seen many tough guys with this profession. A love for animals softened his hard exterior. I found it attractive, and thought my heroine would too.

I knew who my hero was. How would he utilize his special skills? While I was brainstorming ideas, pro football player Michael Vick’s dogfighting scandal made headlines. Believe it or not, it spurred the plot for Dangerous Desire. See what I mean about a wild imagination?

I’m an animal lover, and I had strong feelings about dogfighting. Still, the story called out to me. I like to write about real life issues. Bad things happen, and I try not to shy away from something just because it might be unpopular.

But I digress… After all, Dangerous Desire is a hot romance! It’s a story about a second chance at love. The road to a happy ending may have some bumps along the way. It doesn’t stop us from trying to reach our destination.

Sometimes you have to lose one thing to find another.

Sienna Diaz is desperate to find her missing Beagle, no matter what it costs. She hires Cruz Santino, the best—and hottest—in the business. He’s an ex cop, dangerous on many levels, which comes in handy when all evidence indicates her beloved pet was snatched to use in a dogfighting ring.

Cruz will do whatever it takes to find Sienna’s lost pet, but he also wants results from the smokin’ hot attraction between them—and he isn’t above breaking his own hands-off-clients rule to get there. However, until he brings her beloved Beagle home safely, he won’t have Sienna's undivided attention...and affection.

Content Warning: Strong language, caliente sex, violence, and a dangerously hot rescue.

Dangerous Desire will be available on July 18th at Lyrical Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and digital bookstores everywhere. The Print edition comes out in October.

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