Taylor Lee

U.S.A Bestselling Author

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Diamond is on sale this weekend!

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Have you had a chance to read Diamond?

It’s on sale this weekend!


Praise for Diamond …

“USA Today best-selling author Taylor Lee does it again! Diamond is the 4th book in Lee’s provocative new series, Ladies of the Night.

“Riley Davis, Code Name: Diamond, founded Ladies of the Night after she was fired by the third off the grid security firm for not being a “team player”. Riley filled her company with women like herself—former military hotshots who were tired of being dismissed by their male counterparts because of their beauty and independence. “

“The Ladies are covert agents in a highly secret, off the grid security organization. Highly trained fighters, they’re as gorgeous as they are dangerous. The only thing these formidable women are NOT is “ladies.”

 

•Partnering with the elegantly sexy Col. Ross on a covert operation, Diamond finds herself plunged into the cesspool of Washington Politics at the highest levels.

•When their client turns out to be the #1 suspect in the murder of the man running against him for the U.S. Senate, the two agents are caught in an untenable situation.

•A situation almost as conflicted as the one that has been brewing between Diamond and her attractive investor.

•In a deadly mix of murder, lust and politics, Diamond finds herself faced with losing her company or her heart—or both.

Pick up a copy today!

 Available from AmazonUS and AmazonUK

Want to be more creative, more confident, increase your brain power, make better decisions and feel good?

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What is the ONE thing you can do that is guaranteed to make you more creative, more confident, increase your brain power, make better decisions and feel good?

No, the answer isn’t ‘have more sex’. Although that helps too. NO, the answer is to get more sleep. Sleep deprivation affects our mood, our ability to focus, our very well-being. Researchers agree that only 30 % of people get enough sleep. A study in Science magazine said that for the sleep deprived, an extra hour or two of sleep each night can do more for feeling happy than a $60,000 raise. Professional athletes, scientists, writers, creative people of all types, are finding that an extra hour– or better yet, two, can have a profound difference on their quality of life. One researcher insists that cheating your body out of the R& R it needs can make you more prone to illness, stress, traffic accidents, and weight gain. He asserts that sleeping will actually do more to take off weight than exercise!” So resolve to purge yourself of your “sleep macho” habits and give your body the care and attention it deserves. Start with more sleep. Experts are proving that getting enough sleep is the single best way to improve your life. Go for it!!

P.S, I am/was a committed sleep macho. I’m slowly but surely increasing the amount of sleep I get and yes, it is making a difference. How about you? Do you get all the sleep you need? If not, why not? Let me know! Maybe together we can help each other.

P.P.S. Arianna Huffington’s new book Thrive has tons of excellent advice. I’m hooked on it and highly recommend it!

On the other hand, if you want a book that you can’t put down and read far to the night, check out my New Release: BETRAYED: Sizzling. HOT Detective Series; The Criminal Affairs Collection

Available from Amazon

The Case For BODICE RIPPER Sex Ed

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NEWS FLASH! We romance writers have been vindicated. According to none other than the Gray Lady herself, the New York Times: “Romance Novels Are The Best Sex-Ed”

Seriously, this is news. The January 21, Sunday New York Times featured a sensational article by contributing opinion writer Jennifer Weiner titled: “We Need Bodice-Ripping Sex Ed.” In a clever, insightful article Weiner claims that she got a smidgen of information about sex from her well-meaning parents. Another sliver came from junior high sex ed classes that named body parts and detailed all the bad things that can happen to you if you have sex. (Think hideous diseases and of course, the ultimate curse, pregnancy.) Fortunately for Weiner, like a lot of us, she was a reader. And what did she read? Yep, you guessed it: Romance novels.

Weiner throws a bone to the likely readers of the NYT when she concedes: “The literary establishment doesn’t have much love for women’s fiction, whether it’s romance, erotica or popular novels about love and marriage.” She adds, “Romance novels come in for an extra helping of scorn. Critics sneer that they’re all heaving bosoms and throbbing manhoods, unrealistic, poorly written and politically incorrect.”

Not so, says Weiner. In the central theme of the article, she insists as an information-hungry teenager the romance novels she read, “for all their soft core covers and happily-ever-afters, were quietly and not so quietly subversive. They taught readers that sexual pleasure was something women could not just hope for but insist upon. They shaped my interactions with boys and men. They helped make me a feminist.”

WOW! True vindication for those of us as teenagers hid in the closet gobbling up everything from Gone With the Wind (You know the scene on the stairs when Rhett apparently has his way with a blushing Scarlet…) to Judith Krantz, to Erica Jong etc., etc. Without understanding that we were being “brainwashed”, we romance readers came to believe that female pleasure was a must, something that we should insist upon.

Weiner explains, “Because these books were written for and consumed by women, female pleasure was an essential part of every story. Villains were easy to spot: they were the ones who left a woman “burning and unsatisfied.” She cites “Shirley Conran’s “LACE” that features a heroine telling her feckless husband that she used an egg-timer to determine how long it took her to achieve orgasm on her own and that she’d be happy to teach him what to do.” Weiner adds with what I’m sure was a grin, ”At 14, I never looked at hard- boiled eggs the same way again.”

Weiner takes her argument in favor of romance novels into the political issue of the day, the #Me Too Movement. She quotes Bea Koch, the co-owner of the Ripped Bodice bookstore who says, “Romance novels teach readers that all partners are equal participants in a sexual relationship….In some instances it can be a literal roadmap for how to bring up difficult topics with a partner. They give a roadmap to people wanting to experiment with their sexuality, or even get on touch with what they want and need in a sexual relationship.”

Are romance novels “just porn” as so many reviewers sniff? Given the rampant availability of porn, that is a worthwhile question to ask. One recent study found that “79 percent of men and 76 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 30 look at a pornographic website at least every month, another study says that three out of 10 men in that age group were daily viewers.” In contrast, those of us who read and write about a range of intimacy know that while “sex might be easy, relationships are hard.” Comparing romance novels to porn, Weiner says, “The book has the ability to paint a deeper picture. A 400 page novel can teach you more about relationships that any X-rated clip.”

In the current climate where so many people, men and women, are wrestling with crossed wires and mixed signals, Weiner concludes, “If we want men and women equally empowered to form real connection, to talk honestly and openly about who they are and what they want, there are worse places to start than curling up with a good book.”

Amen.

P.S. If you like your Bodice Ripper books with no holds barred, check out: JUDE: The Justice Brothers Series. Trust me.These guys and gals don’t need egg-timers.

Available from Amazon

Treasured Team – Debbie

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I am thrilled to introduce another of my Treasured Readers: Debbie Chew

 

One of the challenges we authors face is writing our hearts out and then turning our hard crafted characters over to you – our readers. Imagine shoving one of your daughters out into the world and asking all who met her: “Soooo, what you think of her?”

That’s essentially what I do every time I write a book and then ask my readers to write a review asking “Tell me. What did you think of it?”

Imagine how I feel when reading a letter like the one Debbie wrote below. To say that it makes my heart sing is an understatement. Connecting with Rita, Lexee, Debbie and my other Treasured Readers on a personal level allows us to acknowledge the special author/reader relationship we have. It’s like personally meeting a long lost friend. What a glorious gift for us both!

Dear Taylor:

I am 53 years old and will be married 30 years this July. I have one beautiful daughter who is an RN. My family means everything to me. I work in the medical field (30 years) on the Administration/Business Office side. I am also a Certified Professional Coder.

I have two fur babies that are spoiled rotten but they are so much fun. They are both Labs one is a chocolate and the other is a yellow. (see my pics)

Suzy

Buddy

My family loves to spend time together and we love to vacation at the beach. About 2 years ago my husband, daughter and myself took on the challenge of a healthy life style and it has really paid off we all feel so much better. (No pictures of the husband because he said “You know what I look like”) LOL!

I read when I was in High School and I started reading again when my daughter graduated High School because I finally had time…lol. Taylor was one of the first Authors I downloaded on my new kindle because a friend said I should read her books. I have found that reading really is my time to relax. (Great stress relief). I love to read while I am at the gym on the cardio machines also because it makes the time pass faster. I sure some team members can relate!

I like to read romance /romantic suspense the best, so Taylor is on top of my must read list. The All Fired up Series was what got me started on this road of reading. I really did enjoy it a lot but I must say I agree with Rita Sutherlan and the Justice Brothers series is my favorite if I had to pick one. I just feel like Taylor Lee books pull you in and keep you there from start to finish. I really want to thank Taylor so much for the endless hours she puts into giving us all a great escape from our daily routine and into her wonderful books.

Thanks for the offer to send out one of your books or series to someone. I would love to send The Justice Brothers series to my friend Amy because after all she is the one that introduced me to Taylor Lee books.

Thanks and Hugs to you, Taylor.

Debbie

Note: All Treasured Team members are eligible to become a Treasured Reader. Tell us about yourself and what you love about reading. I will send your favorite Taylor Lee Book or Series to anyone you choose. And because I Treasure you, all Treasured Readers will receive a $25 gift certificate!

 

Treasured Reader – Lexie

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I’m thrilled to introduce Lexee Toste, one of my Treasured Readers. Lexee is one of the reasons I created the Treasured Reader feature.  I wanted to let others get to know my terrific readers. Connecting with Lexee and my other Treasured Readers on a personal level allows us to acknowledge the special author/reader relationship we have. It’s like personally meeting a long lost friend. What a glorious gift!

 

My moms side of the family all together at a country concert.

Dear Taylor:

I am a 26 year old single woman. I’ve had some great role models for relationships. Looking at my parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle, I’ve decided that’s the kind of relationship that I want and I’m not willing to settle for less. My expectations have made it a little difficult in my age group to find that just yet, so I haven’t had much dating experience.

My spoiled dog. She’s a total sweetheart and cuddle bug

I have 2 dogs. They are family and completely spoiled. LOL! I work full time in the corporate office of Patrick James, a high end male clothing store, doing all kinds of things so what I end up doing daily changes. I also have my real estate license and work with my aunt and cousin doing that. I’m very close to my family and so spend a lot of time with them.

After skydiving with my tandem jump partner

Reading is an escape and a comfort for me. I love getting into a book and going on the adventures with the characters in the book. It’s my way of relaxing as well. I love to curl up with a good book and let go of everything else going on at the time.

I loved reading as a kid! I devoured books and was always reading different ones. I’m not sure exactly what my favorite children’s book was, maybe my mom knows but I was always curious about new ones and going on new adventures with them.

I love romance, all the subgenres of it but paranormal might have to be my favorite subgenre. I love it when the good guys and girls come out on top and there’s always a happy ending. There’s enough bad s*** going on in this world that when I read I want it to have a happy ending. It makes the journey and the hard stuff the characters face worth it when things turn out right in the end.

Enjoying time with my family at our cabin and out exploring

I love Taylor’s kickass heroines and their alpha men partners. I especially love kickass women and Taylor’s women always are. That doesn’t mean that these women don’t have vulnerable sides. But they are strong enough to hang with the guys and kick their ass. I think that’s what drew me to Taylor’s stories in the first place. I read one of the Grandmaster’s Legacy books. The way the hero worked with the heroine hooked me on Taylor’s books. I’ve loved to read them ever since that first one!

How spoiled she is…pillow and blanket lol

Thank you for offering to send someone special one of your books. I have to go with my best friend Kylie and the Grandmaster’s Legacy series. I love the way that the heroines in the series hold their own and come back from the challenging events that happen to them. I think that my friend would love these books. She has had some hard experiences in her life and I would love for her to connect to the heroines that keep fighting. My friend is a fighter and a survivor but she doesn’t always see herself that way.

Note: All Treasured Team members are eligible to become a Treasured Reader. Tell us about yourself and what you love about reading. I will send your favorite Taylor Lee Book or Series to anyone you choose. And because I Treasure you, all Treasured Readers will receive a $25 gift certificate!

 

What’s Almost Better Than Sex?

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Why food, of course! Remember, I did say “almost”. Next to writing sexy romantic thrillers, along with my very special guy, I enjoy, make that–lust after food. I love to cook it, eat it, discuss it, and frankly, play with it. Which for sensualists is totally understandable given that food in all its glorious iterations is sensuality personified. As Robin Leach says in his intro to Amy Reiley’s   terrific sensual cook book Fork Me, Spoon Me “Forget the bedroom. The new sensual spot is in the kitchen—the perfect foreplay to getting hot and steamy, at—or on—the counter.”

Face it. What can be more erotic than paging through glorious recipes featuring lusciously beautiful, tasty food in preparation for a special night—or morning or mid-afternoon with your special guy? To me, one of the best indicators of a man’s sensual “acumen” is how he relates to food. Does he eat for the pleasure of it as well to satisfy his hunger? Does he choose food based on color, taste, texture and aroma? And the real test, does he like to play with his food, eat with his fingers and of course to feed succulent pieces to you?

Two of my favorite cookbooks are InterCOURSES; An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge and Reiley’s Fork Me Spoon Me. Both books feature tantalizing recipes guaranteed to liven your tastes buds and stoke your hormones. They are encyclopedias to the time-honored aphrodisiac powers of various foods. The pictures alone are sensual visual treats.   So grab your favorite guy/gal and head to the kitchen—the new sensual hot spot!

And keep an eye out for our: Summer Heat Cookbook edited by Ruth Glick. Each tempting recipe is linked to a novella in the sexy new Box Set: Summer Heat, Love on Fire– a collection of sixteen sexy romances by New York Times, USA Today and other Bestselling Authors. Available on Amazon. http://bit.ly/SuHA .

Check out my NEW RELEASE: SEIZED: Book 2; Sizzling Hot Detective Series, The Criminal Affairs Collection. WARNING: Romance so HOT it singes the pages. HOT, tough, explicit. Not for the faint at heart. Definitely bring a fan!

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Pistachios, Decadent French Toast, Marinated Steak, Devil’s Food Cake, Beer-Steamed Mussels, Baked Apple with Custard Sauce, White Chocolate Cherry Scones. These are just a few of the wonderful dishes you’ll find in this unique cookbook.

The food is great, and each recipe will whet your appetite for one of the stories in the boxed set by giving you insights into the life of the author’s hero and/or heroine. So enjoy the fabulous food along with the outstanding prose from a seasoned group of authors.

If I were going to cut it, I might do this–  (But it’s almost 11:30 at night, so make sure what I’ve done makes sense.)

Cooking with the authors of Summer Heat is a free cookbook you’ll want to grab.  It’s full of tempting recipes like Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Decadent French Toast, Marinated Steak, Devil’s Food Cake, Baked Apple with Custard Sauce, and White Chocolate Cherry Scones. Each of the 32 recipes is linked to a novella in Summer Heat, a collection of sixteen sexy romances by New York Times, USA Today and other Bestselling Authors. Each recipe will whet your appetite for one of the stories in the boxed set.  So enjoy the fabulous food along with the outstanding prose from a seasoned group of authors.

Treasured Reader – Rita Sutherlan

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I’m thrilled to introduce one of my Treasured Readers. Rita Sutherlan has been with me from the beginning. She reads my books, gives me good advice and I can always count on her for a review.

Introducing Rita:

 

Dear Taylor:

 

I am a fifty-five year old woman. My husband and I have been married for almost 32 years. I have four children and three grandchildren. They are my life’s greatest joy. I love spending time with them. I have a sarcastic wit that all my children have inherited. It gets quite comical when we are all together–and intimidating for people who don’t know us well.

I enjoy long walks and early mornings–particularly when no one is up and it’s just me and my three dogs. I am the Installed sales manager for a large building materials company, so my job is quite stressful with long hours.

 

My favorite hobby is reading. It’s my greatest way to escape life’s stresses. It allows me to escape into a world that demands nothing from me but my enjoyment. My favorite genre is romantic suspense because it combines my most enjoyable reading: love stories and exciting mysteries. I love strong Alpha males with a soft gentle side. They are tough but respect the strong independent women that capture their hearts.

In order for me to love a book it needs it to capture my attention from the start. It has strong plots and people that make me want to turn the page and keep reading. I also love reading sexy scenes that are like secret fantasies that I won’t admit to. LOL.  (This is the reason that I love Taylor Lee’s books!)

 

I love all of Taylor Lee’s books, but if I have to pick just one, it would have to be The Justice Brothers Series. The brothers are so much bigger than life. They are strong but gentle and caring with the ones they love. They also have a passionate side.  Family means everything to them. I want to give The Justice Brothers Series to my sister Reba. I would love for her to discover Taylor’s books. I haven’t convinced her how good they are because she thinks I don’t read anything but fluffy books. I know if she read just one Taylor Lee book she would be hooked.

As for silly things I have done, I have always been a shy person at heart and never want to put myself as the center of attention, I have always envied people that can put themselves out there and just do what they want and just be silly without worry of what others would think.

 

Thank you letting me participate and be your guinea pig. I love doing this for you. Thank you, Taylor, for the hours I’ve spent enjoying your books. You Rock!!

 

Note: All Treasured Team members are eligible to become a Featured Reader. Tell us about yourself and what you love about reading. I will send your favorite Taylor Lee Book or Series to anyone you choose. And because I Treasure you, all featured readers will receive a $25 gift certificate!

 

I hope you enjoyed learning about Rita.

*****

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All you need is love AND CHOCOLATE

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“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Charles M. Schulz

Valentine’s Day has come and gone but if you’re a Romantic Suspense writer like I am, love and romance is a 365 day a year adventure. While science and romance may seem to be at odds I love it when science studies issues critical to those of us who write (and love) Romantic Suspense. The scientific study below (reported by Diana Herrington@DancinginLife) asks: Which is a more powerful sexual turn on – a piece of chocolate or a kiss from the person you love most? Think you know the answer? Read on.

“According to a study at Mind Lab, chocolate stimulated the brain more intensely than a kiss with a partner. They had 6 couples in their 20s wear heart and brain monitors. Each person in the study placed a piece of dark chocolate on their tongue and let it melt without chewing. Later, the couples kissed in the way they normally would. What the study found was that when the chocolate melted in the mouth, all areas of the brain were stimulated far more intensely. Their hearts even beat faster for longer after the chocolate than the intimate embrace.

Chocolate is famous for containing a ‘Love Drug’ because it triggers feelings of attraction, euphoria and excitement, mimicking the brain chemistry of a person in love. Dr. David Lewis, one of the researchers at MindLab, said: “There is no doubt that chocolate beats kissing hands down when it comes to providing a long-lasting body and brain buzz. A buzz that, in many cases, lasted four times as long as the most passionate kiss.”

Chocolate contains approximately 380 known chemicals, some of which promote serotonin production which boosts our mood and eases depression. They give a hormone rush that is similar to the rush of love-making as the pleasure center of the brain is triggered somewhat similarly to the peaks during an orgasm.

Chocolate has had a reputation as being an aphrodisiac throughout history. This dates back to the Mayan period from about 250 AD to 900 AD. The Mayans were chocoholics and highly valued the cacao bean. A man could hire a prostitute for eight to ten cacao beans. Rumor has it that the Aztec emperor Montezuma, known for being a hot lover, drank 50 cups of cacao a day before heading off to his harem.

Nonetheless, the actual truth is cacao has never been fully proven to be an aphrodisiac. It does have the chemical composition, but in quantities so small you would need to consume as much as the emperor Montezuma did (which is not recommended).

Without question, chocolate has been proven to be a “Feel good food.” Research proves that its ingredients help relax us mentally and physically and brings a sense of wellbeing which can promote sexual interest. Since chocolate improves mood, it can improve sex; but it does not need to strictly be an aphrodisiac.”

Back to the question: “Which is more powerful —a yummy piece of chocolate or a kiss from the person you love the most?”  My answer:  Why choose?  Double your odds.  Have them both!

 

What makes you likely to order dessert when you’re dining out?

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Is your waiter making you fat_

I admit that I am an exercise addict–seven days a week without fail. That’s my good side! However I’m also a confirmed sugar-holic and am always on the alert for ways to beat my sugar cravings. I love good food and eat out at least four nights every week. So what makes me unable to resist the high calorie menu entries determined to blow my daily calorie count? According to a research study I saw it’s not the gorgeous pictures or the lusciously erotic descriptions of that salted caramel indulgence. Are you ready for this? It’s your waiter! And not because he’s trying to inflate your check.

Nope, according to a study published in the journal Environment and Behavior in Dec 2015, the research found a link between your waiter’s body mass index and how much you’ll order. Researchers observed “497 interactions between diners and servers in 60 different restaurants for the study. They found that diners ordered more menu items when served by a server with a high BMI—specifically, they were four times as likely to order dessert, and they ordered 17 percent more alcoholic drinks.”

“No one goes to a restaurant to start a diet. As a result, we are tremendously susceptible to cues that give us a license to order and eat what we want,” lead researcher Tim Doering said in a press release from the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, which funded the study. “A fun, happy, heavy waiter, might lead a diner to say ‘What the heck’ and to cut loose a little.”

Now you know to request unhappy, non-smiling, obnoxiously skinny waiters, if you want to survive your meal without binging on dessert. But you also should know that eating foods prepared away from home on a frequent basis has been linked to obesity, higher body fat and a higher BMI—and women who eat food prepared away from home more than five times a week were found to consume an extra 290 calories a day on average.

BTW, even reading the above study I thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate mousse cake I ordered last night with the salted caramel topping oozing over the plate. And yes, my waiter was a riot–fun, happy and delighted when I told him about the study….

Okay, sign up my newsletter and I’ll give a $10 dollar gift card to the person who ordered the most outrageous dessert. And do tell us if your waiter was fun, happy and heavy…

6 Reasons You Should Sleep Naked

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sleeping-naked1-1024x535

Being a Romantic Suspense writer with more than a passing interest in what makes for a healthy libido, how could I pass up Jordyn Comier’s article in the latest CARE2 HEALTHY LIVING that describes six “sort of” scientific reasons why you should sleep naked? Read the following excerpts and, if like me, you find them compelling, give naked sleeping a try tonight!

Comier says: “If you regularly sleep sans pajamas, you’re in the minority. The vast majority of us sleep swaddled in some sort of clothing, be it shorts, a tee shirt, or a full-on onesie. According to a national sleep survey from 2012, only 8 percent admit to sleeping naked. But did you know that sleeping naked is actually great for you? Here are 6 ways nixing your pajamas will improve your health and happiness.”

  1. Reduce insomnia. As you sleep, your body naturally dips in temperature. It’s beneficial for the body to cool down, and it encourages deeper, more restful sleep. If your body is overheated, wrapped in thick socks and pants, you may not be able to release excess heat, which could rob you of a solid night’s sleep. 
  2. Improve metabolism. Reduce excess belly fat by balancing cortisol levels, your stress hormone. Cortisol levels drop between 10pm and 2am, so if you’re not getting enough sleep, you may have excess amounts of stress hormones in the body upon waking that could encourage excess belly fat.
  3. Age more slowly. When you sleep well, your body produces melatonin and growth hormone, both of which act as anti-aging agents in the body. Sleeping in a cool (ahem, nude) environment encourages better, deeper sleep.
  4. Improve relationships. Skin on skin contact with your significant other increases the amount of oxytocin your body produces. Oxytocin is a powerful hormone that increases bonding and feelings of attachment.
  5. Your sex organs will be happier. Exposing vaginas, naturally damp and warm places, to unobstructed air flow every night can help to reduce the growth of yeast and unwelcome bacteria. On the other hand, testes are meant to be cooler than the rest of the body. Testicles that are kept cooler by sleeping in the nude are apt to produce healthier sperm.

Improve self-esteem. We have a tendency to hide our bodies from ourselves. But, the more you acknowledge and inhabit your beautiful body, the more likely you will be to accept it for what it truly is. In this way, sleeping in the nude can actually improve your self-esteem over time. Embrace yourself, and slide your bare skin in between those crisp sheets. It will feel so good!”

P.S. Check out CARE 2 Healthy Living.  I love the site.

 

LETS GET PERSONAL! Do you sleep naked?  Why or why not? Would love to hear. A $10 GIFT CARD to the most “interesting answer.’”