Guest post: Zara Stoneley and Riding High

Today's guest post is from writer Zara Stoneley.  I love the book cover of Riding High.....Over to you, Zara.

Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for having me here!    

They say you can choose your friends but not your family… and there is a lot in this book about families, and how the actions of our parents can affect the way we live and the decisions we make.

I’ve always been very interested in the nature versus nurture debate – does who we are (genetically), or how we are brought up have the greatest influence on us? My personal feeling is that both play a part, and the balance depends on a lot of factors such as our friends, associates and the major events that happen in our lives.

In ‘Riding High’ Saul and Roisin have both been affected, in different ways, by their backgrounds. They have issues to confront, and unless they do their relationship won’t be going anywhere. 

I guess my message is that you can’t run away from who you are - all you can do is learn and adapt, and take responsibility for your own actions. And at the end of the day, whatever our family does, we still (usually), deep down inside ourselves love them and want everything to work out right.

Riding High

 ‘Have wild crazy monkey sex with the first man you bump into.’ Roisin Grant hadn’t intended to follow her best friend’s advice – but, sometimes, what you expect from life and what you get don’t match up. She never expected her husband would have a stash of home-made porn movies, with him in the starring role, or that he would die and leave her bankrupt. And she never expected to be faced with asset-stripper Saul Mathews and a choice. Walk away from her home and equestrian business, or call his bluff and help him deliver riding lessons of an altogether different kind.

An erotic novel with mixed themes including m/f, menage, sex in public and voyeurism.

Excerpt from Riding High

She was glaring, her whole body tensed for a fight, but he knew she believed him deep down. She knew. ‘And what was last night about, then? A time-filler, or does it turn you on shagging the person you’re just about to –’ she paused ‘– shaft in another way?’

‘Phew, that’s below the belt. That’s not fair, and you know it.’

‘Do I? What do I know, Saul? It seems like you’re the one with all the answers.’

‘Last night was just – it just happened, but believe me if I’d known who you were I would never have even stopped for a drink. It was just bad timing, or good timing if you like.’ He could feel the corner of his mouth tip and suddenly she looked like she might hit him.

‘Oh fuck off.’ She flicked the horse’s reins over its head and it shied away, almost bumping into him. Which he couldn’t blame her for.

‘Look, I’m really sorry about this, but I’m not sorry about last night.’ He stepped up closer, met her glare, because it seemed important that she believed him. Last night hadn’t been about business. Last night had been – something else.

‘Stop saying you’re bloody sorry, unless it’s going to change anything.’

‘It’s not going to change anything.’

Her eyes were bright and she was gnawing at her lip, but not in the “come and shag” me manner of last night. Which made him feel a shit. Again. ‘Look, I’ll go through the documents with you. That’s why I’m here. And if you can come up with some kind of proposal to pay a proper rent on the place then I’ll listen.’

‘I need to sort my horse.’ She flicked behind the horse with the whip; it stepped forward automatically, brushing past him, leaving a fine coating of sweat-covered hair on his arm. Fine, so she was spoiling for a fight. But he didn’t want to fight. Not this time.

He followed slowly behind as she walked toward the stables, studying the property on auto-pilot. Assessing was something that was second nature to him, even if now it didn’t seem right. When he’d pulled into the yard he’d only had time for a quick look round, taking in the tidy but tired air of the place, the look that said it would cost a fortune to update. He grimaced; there was a good-sized house, which he was sure would be in a state, but there were plenty of people around with money who wanted the genuine article, a country estate. Chic, not shabby. The riding stables didn’t have much going for it as a business proposition, but the property, the land, did. Which was why he’d bought it. At a knockdown price that he’d thought had meant he couldn’t go wrong.

His gaze drifted back to the pert bum and he had a horrible feeling that something, or someone, was about to screw up his plans.

Available from - Xcite Books,  Amazon (UK),  Amazon (US)

About the author

Zara is a writer and lover of all things romantic, from the sensual to the sexual, who knows that naughty can be nice. She lives in the UK, but whenever she can she heads off in search of some sunshine and inspiration for her stories.

She love sexy high heels...good food....good wine....music...coffee (lots and lots of coffee)... and Italy. All things Italian from the countryside to the culture, the wine to the food...and of course the sexy men.

She's been a consultant, a teacher, a mother, a wife, a lover... and has always been a writer and she'd love to hear from you.

Where you can find her-

Blog: http://zarastoneley.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter:  @ZaraStoneley

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ZaraStoneley

Email – zarastoneley@gmail.com