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The Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romance by Sydney Croft
 By AR Fun Congratulations to Andrea Becraft (comment #6) for winning a copy of this book! To claim your prize, please email your name and address to stacy AT accessromance.com (replace AT with @ sign).About the Book
23 passionate stories of hard-hitting love… Stirring romance featuring the heroes of the Navy SEALs, Delta Force, Air Force Pararescue, the Green Berets, the Army Rangers and other special forces: men and women who live and fight in extreme danger to preserve our freedoms, defenders and protectors of all we hold dear. This collection includes the work of bestselling romance writers such as Shannon K. Butcher and Stephanie Tyler and Larissa Ione, writing as Sydney Croft. Sydney Croft’s special forces couple, Annika and Creed, work for the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO), all of whose members have special powers, while Shannon K. Butcher’s hero is an ex-Navy SEAL. But these fighting men and women have a gentler, protective side; hard-edged weapons when on active duty, they can be caring lovers, of special forces teammates or the civilians they protect. By Sydney Croft · Running Press order at Amazon.com Read an excerpt after the break!
Annika Svenson loved her job. As a special operative for the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives, she was given awesome assignments — lots of danger, action, and really freaky situations. Because ACRO didn’t employ the average agent. No, ACRO specialized in people with unique talents, like Annika’s electric eel ability to shock the hell out of whoever she touched. Her skill, combined with the fact that she’d been raised to be a secret agent from the age of two, made her someone every ACRO operative wanted to work with. It also made her someone those very operatives avoided when they weren’t working with her. Annika wasn’t the nicest person on the planet, but she couldn’t care less what anyone thought of her. As long as she had Dev, ACRO’s big boss, on her side, she had all she needed. Her cell rang and, speak of the devil, Dev’s Carry on my Wayward Son tone jingled in her pocket. As she dug the phone from her jeans, she glanced outside the window of the East Seattle house ACRO had rented. The mansion across the street looked back at her like some kind of million-eyed monster, which was appropriate, since the man hiding inside was a beast in his own right. All was annoyingly calm, which was the first thing she said to Dev when she answered. “Nothing going on,” she said. “Mikey-boy hasn’t so much as opened the front door to get the paper in two days.” Dev sighed. “You tried to gain entry again last night?” “Yep. And I have a lump on my head to prove it.” Normally, nothing could keep her out of a secured building, but Michael Bender wasn’t your usual arms-dealing, bank-robbing, terrorist scum. No, this slimeball sold his services to the highest bidder, and he used the spirit world to do his evil work. Now that Annika had trapped him, he’d used those same talents to make his house impenetrable — anyone trying to break in was going to get their asses kicked by things they couldn’t fight…or see. Sure, Annika could charge her body up to dissipate a ghost’s energy, but apparently, the entities Mike had enslaved could actually manipulate electricity, and the last time Annika had gone up against them, they’d drained her power and whacked her on the head with a brick. “Understood,” Dev said. “I’ve got backup on the way. Play nice.” The way her boss had said, “Play nice,” sent tingles of both dread and anticipation up her spine, because she knew exactly who he’d deployed for this mission. “Creed,” she breathed. “You’re sending that—” “I know there’s no love lost there,” he interrupted, “but you two need to deal with it.” The sound of Dev tapping on his computer keyboard came over the secure line, followed by a curse. “Gotta go. Creed should be there any minute. Don’t kill him.” Don’t kill him. Yeah. Okay. Whatever. She’d tried once…the last time they’d worked together in a haunted mansion. Turned out that he was one person in the world who was immune to her electric surges. Which made him the one person in the world she could have sex with. Oh, she could control her power, but sometimes, like when she was startled — or when she had an orgasm — her body lit up like a neon sign and short-circuited whatever she was touching. Including people. Except Creed. Her cheeks heated as those memories roared back in excruciatingly vivid detail. He’d taken her virginity at the mansion, and afterward they’d barely spoken for weeks. Until last month, anyway, when he’d been sent to her for martial arts training, and they’d done just a little too much rolling around on the mat. And once again, they hadn’t spoken since, though not for lack of trying on his part. Their lack of communication was her fault, and she could admit it. She didn’t need him, didn’t want him, didn’t even like him. That crazy fluttering in her belly and skipping of her heart meant nothing. A heavy pounding on the back door made her jump. Dammit. She was never jumpy. “Annika?” His deep, low voice rumbled through her, and she resented the way it made her pulse race. Casually, as though she wasn’t trembling on the inside, she turned away from the window and the rainy Seattle evening. Creed stood at the entrance to the living room, the dim glow of the single candle casting more than enough light for her to get a good view of all six-foot-five of him wrapped in black leather from his biker boots to his pants to his jacket. His shoulder-length, dark hair fell in unruly waves against his face, the right side of which was covered with tattoos that decorated the entire right side length of his body. Her mouth watered as if getting ready to lick every one of them. “Creed,” she ground out, more angry at her body’s response to him than at the fact that he was here when she’d told Dev she didn’t want to work with him ever again. He strode into the living room like he owned the house, and he scanned her from head to toe as though he owned her. “Nice seeing you, too.” Arrogant jerk. She wasn’t going to let him get to her this time. No way. “I hope you brought your little ghost tagalong with you, because we’re going to need all the help we can get on this one,” she said crisply, all business. “Wow. You’re eager to get to it, aren’t you?” He smiled, the cocky one that made her want to slap him. Or kiss him. Maybe both. “I’m always eager to work.” She turned to the table next to her, where she had the plans for Bender’s house laid out. “As you can see—” Creed’s hand came down on her shoulder and spun her around. “Oh, I can see,” he said, in a husky, rich voice. “I can see that before we take down this scumbag, we’re going to have to get something out of the way.” Swallowing dryly, she took him in, his dark, heavy-lidded eyes, his full lips, and the eyebrow piercing that inched up the longer she stared like a dolt and said nothing. Finally, she cleared her throat and said with a calm she didn’t feel, “What do we need to get out of the way? Do you need me to kick your ass? Because that, I will happily do.” “Always with the attitude,” he murmured, as he thrust his hand into her hair and held her immobile more with the force of his will than his grip. “This is what we need to get out of the way.” Before she could protest, he lowered his head and kissed her. 81 Responses to “The Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romance by Sydney Croft”Leave a Comment |
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May 13th, 2010 at 6:07 am
Oooo I’ve heard a lot about these mammoth book romance anthologies and would love to get my hands on one
Thanks for having the giveaway!
May 13th, 2010 at 6:36 am
I haven’t read any Sydney Croft books, but I love Larrissa Ione. And the expert sounded really good.
May 13th, 2010 at 6:59 am
I love this series and this is one of my favorite female character in said series. I’d love to win this one.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:19 am
Love the Sydney Croft books. Look forward to reading this short story!
May 13th, 2010 at 7:29 am
Sydney Croft, 23 special romance stories by a great group of authors, and a reminder not to forget those who serve our country–what could be better? Truly a “Mammoth Book of Romance” :whistle:
May 13th, 2010 at 7:30 am
I have the paranormal mammoth books but not this one! I love the excerpt it sounds great! :happy:
May 13th, 2010 at 7:35 am
I’ve read a couple of the other Mammoth books and really enjoyed them. I would love to read this one. Special Op’s stories are some of my favorites.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:42 am
I’m a huge fan of Larissa Ione! I can’t wait to read this book.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:58 am
I love Sydney Crofts books their one of my favorite series. Looks like there’s a lot of great authors in this book. Please count me in I would love to win this book.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:58 am
I’m a Sydney Croft fan. So excited about the Mammoth Book of Special Ops!!
May 13th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Loved the excerpt. I would love to read this book.
May 13th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Ive heard thesee books are really good! Id loto experience it for myself! Our local library seems to be lacking in the romance dept lol….
May 13th, 2010 at 8:18 am
Love anthologies, especially one with so many stories in it! Count me in please!
May 13th, 2010 at 8:47 am
I love this series from Larissa Ione. Plus I love anthologies! Even better. Count me in.
May 13th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Special Ops Romance is my fav! Larissa and Stephanie can write some of the hottest alphas! *whew did it get hot in here*
This is one I would love to win!
Thank you!
May 13th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Sigh
What a wonderful, and utterly fabulous excerpt! Have to throw my hat in the ring such a fan of Larissa!
May 13th, 2010 at 9:20 am
I love the Sydney Croft Acro books. Can’t wait to read the short story.
May 13th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I want I want!
May 13th, 2010 at 9:30 am
This sounds like a fabulous read, please count me in!
May 13th, 2010 at 9:34 am
i would love to read this – i love sydney croft and shiloh walker and kick ass men in uniform :angel:
May 13th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Sounds like a great read!
May 13th, 2010 at 9:50 am
Can’t wait to read this. I love Annika and Creed.
May 13th, 2010 at 10:06 am
May 13th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Before she could protest, he lowered his head….
REALLY?? Your going to end the excerpt there?? Jeesh….
Wonderful chance to read a snippet, I’ll be checking out the “Mammoth Book..”
May 13th, 2010 at 10:28 am
Wow what a collection… 23 stories! Sounds great! :biggrin:
May 13th, 2010 at 10:31 am
I’ve been hearing alot about this one, sounds good!
May 13th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Count me in! It sounds great! :cheerful:
May 13th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Wow, 23 stories. Must be some long book or really short stories. I like samplers like these because I get leads on new authors to try.
May 13th, 2010 at 11:11 am
Enjoyed reading the comments. I have yet to read a book by this author so would love to win a copy
May 13th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Sounds like a fun read! Will have to add to TBR list if I don’t win.
May 13th, 2010 at 11:32 am
I’ve never read this series, but i would love to try it. ^^
May 13th, 2010 at 11:53 am
This book looks great. Count me in, please.
May 13th, 2010 at 11:58 am
Oooh, I may very well have to check out this Mammoth anthology. I have one of the vampire mammoth books.
May 13th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
I was looking at this for my Nook the other day. I love anthologies where some of my fav authors appear and usually I find some new authors to try too!
May 13th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Oohh… please, please!
Thanks much for the contest!
May 13th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Looks like another great “mammoth” book to read. :biggrin:
May 13th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Can’t wait to read this! :cheerful:
May 13th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Hi Larissa. Dropping by from your website. Ve :devil: ry nice excerpt. Defo need to be put on my must read list. Thanks for all the tidbits you keep sharing with us readers. It is very much appreciated.
May 13th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
WOW – sounds like a terrific read!
May 13th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
can’t wait to read this!!!
May 13th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Great excerpt. You’ve got me hooked.
May 13th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Thanks for the excerpt. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the whole story.
May 13th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
So many great authors! Count me in!
May 13th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
This would be perfect summer reading!!!
May 13th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
please enter me
May 13th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
I love anthologies! :heart: A great way to get a taste of your favorites while you wait for the full novels and good way to find new favs! :biggrin: Please enter me in the contest. :tongue:
May 13th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
These compilations are always good to find new authors! Love them!
May 13th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Oooooh… Summer is coming – perfect summertime reading. Besides, I love Annika and Creed. And Larissa and Stephanie! :wub:
May 13th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Love Anthologies and really enjoy all of Sydney Crofts books!
Robin V
hitonafarms@hotmail.com
May 13th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Wow, so many great stories to look forward to.
May 13th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
I just love these two!
May 13th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Oh wow does this ever sound like a mammoth book and a mammoth read.. I want.. please..:biggrin:
May 13th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
I just finished all of the Demonica books and can’t wait to start on the Sydney Croft stories. Larissa Ione is, by far, my most favorite novelist now. I can’t put her books down!!!
May 13th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Love the Mammoth books! :heart:
May 13th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Thanks for having a contest. Hope everyone has a good weekend.
May 13th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Sounds like an awesome Mammoth book!
May 13th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
The Mammoth books sound like a great read and a super way to discover new authors to follow!
May 13th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I’ve loved the other mammoth books and would love this one too.
Thanks for the give away!
May 13th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Creed sounds like quite the take charge kind of guy. Would love to read more of him.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:33 pm
I would love to win this book! Stories from some of my favorite authors!
May 13th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
I would love to win this book! This is a honey of a book! I love the Mammoth Book!!!! :silly:
May 13th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
I love all Larissa Ione’s books and this one sounds amazing too
May 13th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
I love these books.
May 13th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I love Larissa Ione’s other books and her Sydney Croft books look great too!
May 13th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
23 special ops romances! yes! I’m in!
May 13th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Ph my this looks soo yummy! :silly: :wub:
May 13th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
I love Sydney Croft’s ACRO stories. I want a hot paranormal hunk of my own! :devil:
Can’t wait to get a hold of the anthology and the next ACRO novel, out later this year!
May 13th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Oh, I would love to win this. I am a huge fan of this series and I hate to miss anything that is written by you! Thanks so much for the great giveaway!!
May 13th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
This is one anthology that I’ve been itching to get my hands on!!! Count me in!!!
May 14th, 2010 at 3:22 am
I have a fascination with all women who go into the military. I wouldn’t have the courage to do what they do. Independent, intelligent, courageous women WOW! I’d love to read about the men they choose to love.
May 14th, 2010 at 4:22 am
It sounds awesome! I can’t wait to read it!
May 14th, 2010 at 6:25 am
One books with a great set of authors..
Congrats on the release…
E.H>
May 14th, 2010 at 9:38 am
This is already on my to-be-read list – would love to win it!
May 14th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Awwww, man. What a way to leave a girl wanting more! I would love to get my hands on the rest of that story. Great read!
May 14th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
Would love to win it!
May 15th, 2010 at 4:33 am
Nice information, many thanks to the author. It is incomprehensible to me now, but in general, the usefulness and significance is overwhelming. Thanks again and good luck!
May 16th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
I love Larissa’s books (Gena Showalter pimped her) and since I am quite new to her books, I had no idea she was writing as Sydney Croft with Stephanie Tyler. YIPPIEEEEE!!! More books on my TBR mountain(it went past pile a long time ago!!)Winning one would sure help, but I’ll probably buy in the next few months if I don’t win.Thanks for the chance. Happy reading!!! :biggrin:
May 18th, 2010 at 6:31 am
Valuable information and excellent design you got here! I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and time into the stuff you post!! Thumbs up
May 18th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
I love Annika and Creed together, a very electric couple. Larissa’s demonica series are some of my all time fav books, but the ACRO books are also super hot! Can’t wait for the next one!!! :w00t:
May 20th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I love these books. keeps me sane
May 22nd, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Just discovered these anthologies. Am dying to read them all. :cheerful: