Anya Bast

Jaded releases in less than a month. I can’t believe it’s almost June!

Jaded is the sequel to Jeweled, which came out last November, and will end this short two-book series. Both books are menage a trois romances (M/F/M, in case you’re wondering). They are very hot and are both very romantic. There’s also a significant amount of worldbuilding in the books.

I am of the opinion that it is possible to write erotic stories that are both romantic AND are set in elaborate worlds. I think it IS possible to have it all. Honestly, I can’t write any other way because I get bored.

Jeweled and Jaded are set in a world flavored with the French Revolution with a dash of Russian Bolshevik uprising. Up until the beginning of Jeweled, only those with magick are privileged and wealthy. Those born into the lower classes who have so much as a breath of magick are whisked away from their families (willingly or not) and fostered at the royal palace.

If they pass a test of their magick at age eighteen, they are fitted with a precious jewel–in the small of the back for the women and the back of the neck for the men. Then they are considered “washed” of their low born status and fit for marriage into the royal family. This is, of course, simply a way to keep the royal family in control of the country.

Except the lower classes become fed up with this system that keeps them so impoverished. They rise up, storm the palace, and hunt down every member of the royal family and every one of the “Jeweled” they can find.

These books are historical fantasy, a setting you don’t see often in romance. The world has a Victorian feel, but, although certain technologies are beginning to be developed, I wouldn’t call these stories steampunk.

Jeweled features Evangeline, who hates her fall from grace. For her, adjustment from life as a celebrated “Jeweled” is very tough. The reader might not like her much at first, but stick with her, she changes and grows over the course of the novel.

Jaded has a much different type of heroine. Lilya is not magicked at all. She comes from a very rough background and has spent her life as a courtesan, one who is in charge of every aspect of her business–from the selection of her clients to what she does with them. All of that is turned on its head when two particular men enter her life and she is forced to confront her past and readjust her present. If she doesn’t, she’ll have no future.

I hope you all will enjoy Jaded. I’m getting very excited for its release!