Hero: Matt. Grower of roses. Heir to his family’s rose valley in France. This valley is everything to Matt. It’s his. Growly. Roars when angry. Blushes A LOT. Torments his cousins. Feels the weight of responsibility.

Heroine: Layla. Burned out music star. Inherits a house in France from an unknown relative. A house in Matt’s valley. *cue roaring* Matt doesn’t like to share his valley with strangers. Realizes quickly that Matt blushes and turns on the adorable flirting.

The scent of roses reached her from his hand, mixed with the apples of her shampoo, and she closed her eyes against a wave of hunger. It didn’t help. Closing her eyes meant that all she could do was feel—his hand shifting in her hair, his breath brushing over her lips, the cool shade of the street after the sun of the fields, and the press of a knocker against her back. The silence of the stone seemed to hold her safe in it. A gentle echo sounded of someone walking down another cobblestone street below. She wanted him to talk again, into her darkness.

“Are you going to kiss me?” she whispered.

“Yes.” Just that one deep vibration of his voice through her, while his hand sank deep enough to cup her skull at last, cushioning it from the hard door as his mouth closed over hers.

Pleasure curled like a smile through her body, this sensual happiness that relaxed her lips to his. His mouth was just right. Not too hard, not too grabby. Not too soft, not hesitant. His fingers tightened gently against her skull as he fit himself to her, the silk slide of his lips taking hers, exploring hers. The heat of her own body overwhelmed her so fast, melting her everywhere just at a kiss. Her hands rose up to sink into his hair—oh, yes, those half curls were so silky, exactly like they looked, and her fingers slid through them and found purchase against his head, down over his neck and muscled shoulders, back up to that glossy hair. Every part of him was so enticingly touchable that her hands kept moving up and down, sinking into him, trying to get more of his textures, as their lips met and slid, as the kiss grew deeper and deeper.

She discovered she was climbing up him, pulling herself up and into his body, and finally fell back, breaking the kiss. “Oh, wow,” she whispered. Her heart beat so hard it almost scared her, and she ducked her body in against his chest to find refuge there, her head tucked down so they couldn’t start that bewilderingly overwhelming kissing again. “Oh, wow.” She pressed her cheek against his heart, which thundered against her ear. The gorgeous rhythm of a strong heart beating hard and deep just for her.

I’ll call this “Kiss Scene Sunday,” just teasing you with a tiny taste of this book.  I’m a huge fan of Laura Florand and this is the first book in a new series in which I can only assume Matt’s cousins will also get books (they better!). It’s a little more light than her Chocolat series, in terms of the hero. He is still intense, but it’s a different setting with growing roses vs. all-star chef. It’s a lovely, lovely book with an amazing hero, heroine and supporting cast (and sooo sexy!!.)

Per Laura’s Facebook Page it comes out this Wednesday 1/28. I don’t see buy links yet but keep an eye on her website and Amazon! Highly recommend.