Today is release day for BOOK OF LOVE, the second book in the adult historical romance series, Sweetness and Light, by Erin Satie. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
BOOK OF LOVE (Sweetness and Light Series #2) by Erin Satie
About the Book Title: BOOK OF LOVE Series: Sweetness and Light Series #2 Author: Erin Satie Publisher: Little Phrase Release Date: April 20, 2021 Genre: Adult Historical Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT
Synopsis She’s trying to make ends meet. He’s out for a bit of fun.
Cordelia Kelly is busy, focused, worried about the future of her fledgling bookbinding business. When a handsome man stops her on the street to pester her with questions, she gives him the consideration he deserves: none. That handsome man happens to be the Duke of Stroud, and he finds Cordelia’s hostility hilarious. He gives chase, if only for the pleasure of provoking her again.
He thinks life is a game. She doesn’t play around.
Within days of meeting Cordelia, Stroud sets a marching band on a matchmaking mama, defaces a local monument, and ropes Cordelia into a round of his favorite game. In that same time, Cordelia stitches together the complete works of Mary Wollstonecraft, enthusiastically devotes herself to a petition demanding expanded legal rights for married women, and beats Stroud at his own game.
She defies all expectations. So does he.
Most people dismiss Stroud as a fool–himself included. When Cordelia sees past his lighthearted facade, he’s terrified and also… in love? Stroud barges into Cordelia’s life, offering her all the material and sensual temptations she’s learned to do without. She usually has willpower to spare, but turning him down takes all of it, and then some. He’s oddly irresistible.
Or maybe they’re perfect for one another.
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Excerpt The dog stood about eight inches tall and half as wide, exquisitely detailed, with shiny black eyes and a little pink tongue lolling out from its open mouth, painted toenails peeking out from a fringe of fur.
Cordelia picked it up and, finding the statuette fairly light, turned it upside down. A scroll of paper poked out from the hole in the base.
Ruby swore under her breath.
“Have we fallen into one of your novels?” Cordelia asked, not entirely in jest. She plucked the paper from the dog’s belly and returned the sculpture to its spot—slowly, giving herself time to gather her courage—before carefully unrolling the note.
Rules of the Game
1. You have one week to deliver Homer the Roamer to a new owner.
2. You may employ any and all means at your disposal.
3. Do not get caught!!!
4. If you are caught, you must try again.
5. Each attempt must be unique. Once a delivery attempt has failed, you must devise a new scheme.
6. Once you are successful, you may enter his new address into the Official Register at Stroud House.
A picture of two hounds rampant stamped in red wax marked the end of the letter, in lieu of a signature.”
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Author Erin Satie
About the Author Erin Satie is the author of the dark and elegant No Better Angels series, historical romances set in the early Victorian period. She’s currently hard at work on her upcoming series, Sweetness & Light, which should be just as elegant but not quite so dark.
Erin is a California native who’s lived on the coasts and in the heartland, in tiny city apartments and on a working farm. She studied art history in both college and graduate school—research is always her favorite part of starting a new book.
Her favorite part of finishing a book, whether reading or writing, is the happily ever after.
Author Erin Satie is revealing another teaser from BOOK OF LOVE, the second book in her adult historical romance series, Sweetness and Light, releasing April 20, 2021. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and the exclusive teaser.
BOOK OF LOVE (Sweetness and Light Series #2) by Erin Satie
About the Book Title: BOOK OF LOVE Series: Sweetness and Light Series #2 Author: Erin Satie Publisher: Little Phrase Release Date: April 20, 2021 Genre: Adult Historical Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT
Synopsis She’s trying to make ends meet. He’s out for a bit of fun.
Cordelia Kelly is busy, focused, worried about the future of her fledgling bookbinding business. When a handsome man stops her on the street to pester her with questions, she gives him the consideration he deserves: none. That handsome man happens to be the Duke of Stroud, and he finds Cordelia’s hostility hilarious. He gives chase, if only for the pleasure of provoking her again.
He thinks life is a game. She doesn’t play around.
Within days of meeting Cordelia, Stroud sets a marching band on a matchmaking mama, defaces a local monument, and ropes Cordelia into a round of his favorite game. In that same time, Cordelia stitches together the complete works of Mary Wollstonecraft, enthusiastically devotes herself to a petition demanding expanded legal rights for married women, and beats Stroud at his own game.
She defies all expectations. So does he.
Most people dismiss Stroud as a fool–himself included. When Cordelia sees past his lighthearted facade, he’s terrified and also… in love? Stroud barges into Cordelia’s life, offering her all the material and sensual temptations she’s learned to do without. She usually has willpower to spare, but turning him down takes all of it, and then some. He’s oddly irresistible.
Or maybe they’re perfect for one another.
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Author Erin Satie
About the Author Erin Satie is the author of the dark and elegant No Better Angels series, historical romances set in the early Victorian period. She’s currently hard at work on her upcoming series, Sweetness & Light, which should be just as elegant but not quite so dark.
Erin is a California native who’s lived on the coasts and in the heartland, in tiny city apartments and on a working farm. She studied art history in both college and graduate school—research is always her favorite part of starting a new book.
Her favorite part of finishing a book, whether reading or writing, is the happily ever after.
Author Erin Satie is revealing a teaser from BOOK OF LOVE, the second book in her adult historical romance series, Sweetness and Light, releasing April 20, 2021. See below for information on the book and series, preorder links, and the exclusive teaser.
BOOK OF LOVE (Sweetness and Light Series #2) by Erin Satie
About the Book Title: BOOK OF LOVE Series: Sweetness and Light Series #2 Author: Erin Satie Publisher: Little Phrase Release Date: April 20, 2021 Genre: Adult Historical Romance Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT
Synopsis She’s trying to make ends meet. He’s out for a bit of fun.
Cordelia Kelly is busy, focused, worried about the future of her fledgling bookbinding business. When a handsome man stops her on the street to pester her with questions, she gives him the consideration he deserves: none. That handsome man happens to be the Duke of Stroud, and he finds Cordelia’s hostility hilarious. He gives chase, if only for the pleasure of provoking her again.
He thinks life is a game. She doesn’t play around.
Within days of meeting Cordelia, Stroud sets a marching band on a matchmaking mama, defaces a local monument, and ropes Cordelia into a round of his favorite game. In that same time, Cordelia stitches together the complete works of Mary Wollstonecraft, enthusiastically devotes herself to a petition demanding expanded legal rights for married women, and beats Stroud at his own game.
She defies all expectations. So does he.
Most people dismiss Stroud as a fool–himself included. When Cordelia sees past his lighthearted facade, he’s terrified and also… in love? Stroud barges into Cordelia’s life, offering her all the material and sensual temptations she’s learned to do without. She usually has willpower to spare, but turning him down takes all of it, and then some. He’s oddly irresistible.
Or maybe they’re perfect for one another.
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—————————————————————————-
Author Erin Satie
About the Author Erin Satie is the author of the dark and elegant No Better Angels series, historical romances set in the early Victorian period. She’s currently hard at work on her upcoming series, Sweetness & Light, which should be just as elegant but not quite so dark.
Erin is a California native who’s lived on the coasts and in the heartland, in tiny city apartments and on a working farm. She studied art history in both college and graduate school—research is always her favorite part of starting a new book.
Her favorite part of finishing a book, whether reading or writing, is the happily ever after.
Welcome to the book blitz for EARL OF BRECKEN, the fifth book in the adult historical romance series, Once Upon a Widow, part of the Wicked Earls Club series, by Aubrey Wynne. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
EARL OF BRECKEN (Once Upon A Widow Series #5) by Aubrey Wynne
Synopsis A seductive Welsh earl on the brink of ruin. A wealthy cit in search of a hero.
Miss Evelina Franklin reads too many romance novels. She’s certain a handsome duke—or dashing highwayman—is in her future. In the meantime, Evie entertains herself with the admirers vying for her fortune.
The Earl of Brecken needs cash. His late father left their Welsh estate in ruin, and his mother will not let him rest until it is restored to its former glory. Notorious for his seductive charm, he searches the ballrooms for a wealthy heiress. His choices are dismal until he meets Miss Franklin. Guileless and gorgeous with an enormous dowry, she seems the answer to his prayers. Until his conscience makes an unexpected appearance.
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Excerpt #3 They made their way down the center aisle, seats flanking them in rows of four. As Lord Brecken stopped at the third row, Lady Franklin reached out, clasped Fenella’s wrist, and pulled her toward the chairs. Then she stepped out of the aisle and sat next to her eldest daughter, leaving the earl next to Evelina. Evie closed her eyes at her mother’s audacity and wondered whether to pinch her or hug her. The voice in her head screamed in embarrassment; her heart leapt with joy.
She kept her gaze lowered, the white beaded reticule in her lap suddenly of great interest. Her eyes slipped sideways when his hand moved to rest on his lap, his thumb laying on his… fall. She sucked in a breath as he crossed one ankle over a knee, brushing her dress. Stop staring, you hoyden. It was too late. She couldn’t have dragged her eyes away if someone had shouted, “Fire!” The hem of his trousers hitched up, and he reached down to pull it back over his boot. Evie watched his fingers grip the material, a square gold ring with a B studded in tiny diamonds adorning the right fourth finger. The stones seemed to wink at her with his quick movement, and she imagined the pads of his fingers lightly tracing her cheek.
Breathe! she reminded herself for the second time that hour. Gracious, it was stifling in this room. Were there no windows to open? She licked her lips, her mouth as dry as a stone in the Sahara.
“So, are you enjoying your first season, Miss Evelina?”
His voice made her jump, guilt singing her cheeks as she forced her gaze away from his lap and up to his face. She wasn’t sure which was a sweeter torture. What would his beard feel like? Would it tickle? His lips would be soft, just like in her dreams. A sigh escaped.
“Is that a yes?” The amusement in his voice snapped her back to reality.
“Heavens, where did my mind wander?” she said, snapping her fan open. Perhaps Papa should invest in ladies’ fans. Evie might need several replacements this season.
He bent low, his eyes flashing with challenge, and whispered, “I don’t know, but I’d like to come along.”
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Author Aubrey Wynne
About the Author Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule, and barn cats. Obsessions include wine, history, travel, trail riding, and all things Christmas. Her Chicago Christmas series hasreceived the Golden Quill, Aspen Gold, Heart of Excellence, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and twice nominated as a Rone finalist by InD’tale Magazine.
Aubrey’s first love is medieval romance but after dipping her toe in the Regency period in 2018 with the Wicked Earls’ Club, she was smitten. This inspired her spin-off series Once Upon a Widow and the Scottish Regency series A MacNaughton Castle Romance with Dragonblade Novels.
Welcome to the book blitz for THE TAMING OF A WICKED ROGUE, the first book in the adult historical romance series, The Lords of Scandal Row, by USA Today bestselling author, Samantha Holt. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
THE TAMING OF A WICKED ROGUE (The Lords of Scandal Row Series #1) by Samantha Holt
About the Book – Read for Free on Kindle Unlimited Title: THE TAMING OF A WICKED ROGUE Series: The Lords of Scandal Row Series #1 Author: Samantha Holt Publisher: Helstone Press Release Date: November 9, 2020
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Forced to leave friends, family, and a life of privilege and fun, Rebecca Fortescue’s world changed overnight nearly ten years ago. Now, with the tightening of a noose, it’s changed again, but she needs to make amends for what her father did.
Which means returning, secretly, to the place where he did the most damage.
And to the residence of one Lord Leonard Moncrieff—the only man she’s ever loved.
She’s certain she won’t see him again, though. Nicknamed a Lord of Scandal Row, it’s clear to her, he’s no longer the boy she knew, and never returns home. The last thing she needs it to be distracted by a man deemed one of the most attractive men in London.
Unfortunately for Rebecca, Leo has been practically banished from London under the orders of his mother thanks to a scandal that, for once, had nothing to do with him. Now he has to spend his days playing the country gent and trying to avoid the female of the species.
It will be harder than he expected, given a sudden influx of young ladies to the area. He might be a rogue, but he has no desire to upset his delicate mother and will, albeit begrudgingly, play the dutiful son. He can avoid a few pretty faces, surely?
At least, until he discovers the beautiful Rebecca hiding in the stables. She’s in need of help, and he cannot resist, despite the fact she once shattered his young heart. The pull between them is as strong as ever but anything between them is impossible.
Or is it?
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Excerpt #2 “You do not have to stay,” she murmured between forkfuls of lukewarm but beautifully spiced duck.
“I told Alexander I was taking a stroll about the parkland.” He lingered by the window, his hands clasped behind his back, despite there being nothing for him to view from such a position.
She sighed and gestured to the chair opposite. “You had better sit then. It feels mightily odd eating with you towering over me.”
He lowered himself onto the chair, his frame seeming too big for a piece of furniture that had likely been designed for a woman.
She forced her attention to the food. Tomorrow she had intended to hunt down a woman with whom her father had been connected, and it would likely involve walking into Grasmere so she would need her strength.
“How are your brothers?” she finally asked when the silence stretched too long.
Not that it was uncomfortable, at least not in the traditional manner. It left her feeling oddly achy and desperate for the days when they had been able to talk and touch freely.
“Well enough, though I cannot say they would confide in me were they not.”
She frowned, gesturing with her fork. “But you used to be so close, especially to Adam.”
“We are all busy these days.” He lifted both shoulders. “Alexander is forever hunting out his next adventure, probably determined to kill himself so he does not have to worry about siring an heir, and Adam still enjoys cards.”
“And you, what do you do?”
“I thought you knew all about me.” He smirked. “You have read all about me in the gossip columns after all.”
“Well, yes.” Warmth spread into her face, and she eyed the glossy table top until she could get the heat under control. “But only briefly,” she lied.
Leo leaned back and laced his hands behind his head. “Then I am sure you know it all.”
“The horses,” she blurted, motioning so fast with her fork that a few remnants of meat flung off it and splattered against the curtains. She grimaced and gently lowered the fork.
His lips curved but he said nothing of her disastrous manners.
“What I was trying to say was there are so many horses. Are they yours?”
He nodded. “We are so seldom here that Alexander does not mind me using the park land for the horses.”
“For racing?”
“No. They are too old. I purchase those who are at the end of their racing or working careers and they live out their retirement here.”
“Of course you do.”
Rebecca should not have been surprised really, but she almost wished there was some selfish reason. It would make it all the easier to ignore this pull toward him as though he had lassoed a rope around her and was slowly hauling her in with his every word and action.
He lifted both brows. “You sound almost disappointed.”
“Well, it does rather ruin your image as the seductive rake.”
“And that disappoints you?” His gaze clashed with hers, making her chest feel tight.
“No, it is just—”
“You want to know why I bedded all those women over the years?”
“Leo—”
“Because of you, Rebecca.” His jaw twitched. “To forget you.” He shoved a hand through his hair, leaving it in disarray. “I needed to get you out from under my skin, but I’ll be damned if I succeeded.”
She inhaled a sharp breath that seemed to sear her lungs. It all could be a lie, she supposed, but she did not think so. His confession had the loop tightening, drawing her closer still until she could fight him no longer.
Perhaps, just for now, she did not want to fight him.
“I never forgot you either,” she confessed.
The words escaped without thought and she should have regretted them, but when his gaze darkened and she knew precisely what his next move would be, she could not bring herself to.
She held herself still and waited.
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Author Samantha Holt
About the Author USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you’re not sure where to start why not try…
▶ Amelia and the Viscount (Bluestocking Brides #1) for a fun, slightly hot shorter length read. Meet the Chadwick sisters and follow their adventures in each of their standalone stories.
▶ You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.
▶ Sinful Confessions is the first in the Cynfell Brothers Series. These are all novella length and standalone–ideal for a quick dip into the world of the sexy Cynfell brothers.
▶ Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.
▶ To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.
Welcome to the blog tour for HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE, the seventh book in the adult historical regency romance series, Seasons of Change, by Jennie Goutet. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE (Seasons of Change Series #7) by Jennie Goutet
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE Series: Seasons of Change Series #7
Author: Jennie Goutet Release Date: October 28, 2020 Genre: Adult Historical Regency Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Theirs is not a love match. She’ll make sure of it.
Kitty Stokes never imagined she’d be so weak as to sacrifice herself on the altar of family obligations, but when the only alternative to marriage with Lord Hayworth is to play nursemaid to her brother’s children, Kitty reluctantly agrees. On her wedding day, she’s certain she has made a grave error, but it’s too late to back out.
Phineas Hayworth refrained from setting eyes on his new bride before their wedding day—the price he forced himself to pay for being so mercenary as to wed the sister of a wealthy merchant in a bid to save his estate from ruins. Her beauty, therefore, comes as a shock, as does her icy treatment, which he feels he deserves. He swears an oath he will not approach her for an heir unless the invitation comes from her.
As Phineas sets out to put his estate in order and present his new wife to Society, he finds her more enchanting than he could have hoped for, even in a love match. Kitty continues to hold him at arm’s length, although he suspects her feelings for him run just as deep. As Phineas’s love and desire for his wife grows, the oath he swore her begins to suffocate. It soon becomes clear that while he’d once been prepared to settle for a loveless marriage, he will not abide an unrequited love.
His Disinclined Bride is a sweet/clean regency romance stand-alone novel, book seven in the Seasons of Change series. ♥
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Excerpt #1 Phineas paced the library in an attempt to cool down and apply himself to rational thought. His wife had been a vision when she walked into the breakfast room, and Phineas had had to set down his coffee cup before he dropped it on the tablecloth. If he had found her lovely in her wedding dress, there was something more bewitching about her stunning green dress against her red hair, and the domestic picture it presented as she served herself breakfast. His one thought was to walk around the table, take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Of course, the footman had been there. And then, of course, this sort of thing was just not done.
It was nevertheless a form of torture. Phineas still could not accustom himself to the fact that he was married to such an exquisite creature. She was nothing like what his parents had hinted at over the course of his lifetime—that to marry outside the gentry was to court those smelling of the shop. Kitty had come and sat at Phineas’s side as though she wanted to be near him, her floral scent tantalizing his senses. Then she had asked the question, prompting Phineas to blurt out the noble resolution he had crafted last night after their disastrous dinner. That he would wait upon her invitation.
Phineas was beginning to think he was a fool of no small proportion.
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Author Jennie Goutet
About the Author Jennie Goutet is an American-born Anglophile, who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside Paris. Her imagination resides in Regency England, where her historical romances are set. Jennie is also author of the award-winning memoir, Stars Upside Down, and the modern romances, A Sweetheart in Paris and A Noble Affair.A Christian, a cook, and an inveterate klutz, Jennie writes about faith, food, and life—even the clumsy moments—on herblog, aladyinfrance.com. You can learn more about Jennie and her books on her author website, jenniegoutet.com.
Today is release day for HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE, the seventh book in the adult historical regency romance series, Seasons of Change, by Jennie Goutet. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE (Seasons of Change Series #7) by Jennie Goutet
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: HIS DISINCLINED BRIDE Series: Seasons of Change Series #7
Author: Jennie Goutet Release Date: October 28, 2020 Genre: Adult Historical Regency Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Theirs is not a love match. She’ll make sure of it.
Kitty Stokes never imagined she’d be so weak as to sacrifice herself on the altar of family obligations, but when the only alternative to marriage with Lord Hayworth is to play nursemaid to her brother’s children, Kitty reluctantly agrees. On her wedding day, she’s certain she has made a grave error, but it’s too late to back out.
Phineas Hayworth refrained from setting eyes on his new bride before their wedding day—the price he forced himself to pay for being so mercenary as to wed the sister of a wealthy merchant in a bid to save his estate from ruins. Her beauty, therefore, comes as a shock, as does her icy treatment, which he feels he deserves. He swears an oath he will not approach her for an heir unless the invitation comes from her.
As Phineas sets out to put his estate in order and present his new wife to Society, he finds her more enchanting than he could have hoped for, even in a love match. Kitty continues to hold him at arm’s length, although he suspects her feelings for him run just as deep. As Phineas’s love and desire for his wife grows, the oath he swore her begins to suffocate. It soon becomes clear that while he’d once been prepared to settle for a loveless marriage, he will not abide an unrequited love.
His Disinclined Bride is a sweet/clean regency romance stand-alone novel, book seven in the Seasons of Change series. ♥
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Exclusive Excerpt Phineas saw his soon-to-be wife for the first time when Stokes stepped to the side, and one look was enough to strike him straight through the gut. He swallowed convulsively as if that could clear the heartbeat he could suddenly hear in his ears. His palms started to sweat in his gloves as his eyes followed her to the pew. She had looked regal enough when she walked in, shrouded in a brown cloak—her coloring harmonious with the wood pews and pulpit of the vast church, and her hair catching the light that shone through the stained glass windows and left pretty-colored patterns on the stone floor. But when she removed her cloak and faced him arrayed in an ivory and green dress, her skin radiant, her brown eyes warm, and her hair a mix of red and gold, Phineas’s breath left him. He had expected to make do with whatever wife this agreement brought him. He had not expected to contract an alliance with a woman who would be the envy of every man in the ton. She was incomparable. Miss Stokes met his gaze, her look shrouding any feelings, and her eyes flitted away. She did not smile.
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Author Jennie Goutet
About the Author Jennie Goutet is an American-born Anglophile, who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside Paris. Her imagination resides in Regency England, where her historical romances are set. Jennie is also author of the award-winning memoir, Stars Upside Down, and the modern romances, A Sweetheart in Paris and A Noble Affair.A Christian, a cook, and an inveterate klutz, Jennie writes about faith, food, and life—even the clumsy moments—on herblog, aladyinfrance.com. You can learn more about Jennie and her books on her author website, jenniegoutet.com.
Welcome to the blog tour for THE HIGHLANDER’S UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL, the first book in the adult historical romance series, The Brothers of Wolf Isle, by Heather McCollum. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
THE HIGHLANDER’S UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL (The Brothers of Wolf Isle Series #1) by Heather McCollum
Synopsis A lass begging to marry him might top the list of “oddest things to happen,” but Chief Adam Macquarie is desperate. And no matter how much he hates to do it, he’s not above lying to get what he wants. Starting with the fact that he just omitted the truth about the situation back at his home—where there are no women and only a handful of other people. Because he has a secret need for a wife himself, one she won’t be too happy about when she finds out.
Lark Montgomerie is thrilled the brawny chief agrees to save her from her drunken father’s machinations of wedding her off to the first fool that agrees. He’s easy on the eyes and no one can be worse than her current options. Now a new life awaits her, on an exciting Scottish isle no less, and nothing will dampen her spirits. That is, until she arrives in her new homeland and realizes more than a few things are amiss…
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Excerpt #3 Lark Montgomerie wiped her arm against her brow without losing the rhythm of the dasher shooting up and down in the butter churn, her mind churning just as fast.
Ye will wed tonight. Lord, the sun was already starting to descend. Each second brought her closer to her being forced take some irksome, lusty man as a husband.
Her stomach tightened on Roylin Montgomerie’s words, making it twist so much she thought she might lose the little bit she’d eaten to break her fast. She glanced up into the woods behind the tent. Could she make it on foot to another town without being eaten by wolves or taken by wandering bandits? She was utterly ignorant on survival skills outside the home.
“Maybe being eaten by wolves would be better than marrying an arse,” she murmured. But walking to safety would be impossible on foot, especially when missing a shoe.
Lark braced her feet on either side of the churn, frowning at her one bare foot, now speckled with dirt. Not only had the fierce, dark-haired Highlander held her against his hard body until she had flushed from her scalp to her toes, the blasted man had stolen her slipper. It didn’t matter that he’d held her without any effort or that his gray eyes had studied her with real interest. Or that he had kept her from falling from the tree. He had held her against him, and she’d lost her mind for a moment. Adam Macquarie.
With renewed annoyance, Lark threw her muscle into her work, ignoring the ache forming in her shoulders. “Roll around in mud and soak my head?” Would that be enough to deter a man?
“Talking to yourself?” Anna asked as she brought up a bucket of spring water. Her pretty golden hair was tied up high, and she wore one of their mother’s dresses that Lark had hemmed for her. She lifted out a wooden bowl and offered it to Lark. “With the way you are working that dasher, you have probably finished the butter.”
“I lost a slipper,” she said, taking the bowl. The cool water washed away the dryness in her mouth.
Anna planted hands on her hips. “How do you lose a slipper off your foot without noticing?”
“It dropped off when I was climbing a tree to escape Giles and Fergus, those foolhardy jackanapes. Then some bloody Highlander stole it.”
“A mistake, one which I am now remedying.” The deep voice cut through Lark’s breath as she faced Anna’s wide eyes.
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Author Heather McCollum
About the Author Heather McCollum is an award-winning, historical romance writer. With over twenty books published, she is an Amazon Best Seller and a Readers’ Choice winner.
The rugged beauty and rich history of Great Britain captivates Ms. McCollum each time she visits. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her stories since her very first book.
When she is not creating vivid characters and settings, she spends her time educating women on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. She is a survivor and resides with her very own Highland hero and three spirited children in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.
Today is release day for THE HIGHLANDER’S UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL, the first book in the adult historical romance series, The Brothers of Wolf Isle, by Heather McCollum. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
THE HIGHLANDER’S UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL (The Brothers of Wolf Isle Series #1) by Heather McCollum
Synopsis A lass begging to marry him might top the list of “oddest things to happen,” but Chief Adam Macquarie is desperate. And no matter how much he hates to do it, he’s not above lying to get what he wants. Starting with the fact that he just omitted the truth about the situation back at his home—where there are no women and only a handful of other people. Because he has a secret need for a wife himself, one she won’t be too happy about when she finds out.
Lark Montgomerie is thrilled the brawny chief agrees to save her from her drunken father’s machinations of wedding her off to the first fool that agrees. He’s easy on the eyes and no one can be worse than her current options. Now a new life awaits her, on an exciting Scottish isle no less, and nothing will dampen her spirits. That is, until she arrives in her new homeland and realizes more than a few things are amiss…
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Excerpt “I am not… I do not woo lasses like Beck. My whole focus has been on starting our clan over, building it up, so I never learned to be clever while talking to lasses.”
“You do not need to be clever,” she said, her mouth softening as she turned toward him. “Just say what you are thinking.”
The shadows and shards of firelight played over her high cheekbones and lovely chin. Lord, how he wanted to run his finger over that soft skin. Say what he was thinking? Can I throw up your skirts right here and kiss every inch of your lush body? Then carry you into that castle and make you scream my name as you burst with pleasure?
He opened his mouth and paused. “Uh… Are ye hungry?” Bloody hell.
“No,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Do ye need to use the privy?”
She shook her head again, her lips turning up slightly.
They stared at each other for another breath, and he curled his hand around her small one. It felt fragile in his large palm and yet he knew how strong Lark was. “Can I kiss ye?”
The world around him vanished into darkness as he waited for her answer. She gave a small nod, and he inhaled. Stepping into her, his lips bent toward her, and he waited to see if she would pull away. Lark kept her head tipped up to him, her eyes open, and he pressed a gentle kiss on her soft mouth.
The heat of her body soaked into him. He wasn’t sure if he’d pulled her into him or she’d melted forward, but his arms were around her so that he could feel the softness of her curves pressed into him. Softness to mold against his hardness.
The feel of her, the delicious smell of her, mixed with the detailed memories of his dreams, erupted a firestorm within him. He stroked down her back. She trembled slightly, and Adam caught her face with one hand, guiding her against him to deepen the kiss. She was letting him touch her! Slow. Keep it slow. Do not ruck up her skirts and rut with her against the chapel wall.
His rational thoughts faded quickly to fragmented whispers. He’d been so close to her, yet she’d been untouchable, for days and uncomfortable nights. But now… now he would touch her. “Lark,” he managed to say against her lips as she spread a trail of fire with her fingers down his chest to the hardness beneath his kilt. Through the wool wrapping, she stroked over him. He inhaled swiftly, her touch robbing him of his mind.
Pent up raw want funneled through Adam as he held her to him. She fit him perfectly, and the fact that she hadn’t pulled away at the feel of him released his worry over bedding a virgin. Lark was brave and soft with a good dose of wild.
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Author Heather McCollum
About the Author Heather McCollum is an award-winning, historical romance writer. With over twenty books published, she is an Amazon Best Seller and a Readers’ Choice winner.
The rugged beauty and rich history of Great Britain captivates Ms. McCollum each time she visits. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her stories since her very first book.
When she is not creating vivid characters and settings, she spends her time educating women on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. She is a survivor and resides with her very own Highland hero and three spirited children in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.
Entangled Publishing and award-winning author Heather McCollum are revealing an excerpt from THE HIGHLANDER’S UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL, the first book in her adult historical romance series, The Brothers of Wolf Isle, releasing October 19, 2020. See below for information on the book, preorder links, and the exclusive excerpt.
THE HIGHLANDER’S UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL (The Brothers of Wolf Isle Series #1) by Heather McCollum
Synopsis A lass begging to marry him might top the list of “oddest things to happen,” but Chief Adam Macquarie is desperate. And no matter how much he hates to do it, he’s not above lying to get what he wants. Starting with the fact that he just omitted the truth about the situation back at his home—where there are no women and only a handful of other people. Because he has a secret need for a wife himself, one she won’t be too happy about when she finds out.
Lark Montgomerie is thrilled the brawny chief agrees to save her from her drunken father’s machinations of wedding her off to the first fool that agrees. He’s easy on the eyes and no one can be worse than her current options. Now a new life awaits her, on an exciting Scottish isle no less, and nothing will dampen her spirits. That is, until she arrives in her new homeland and realizes more than a few things are amiss…
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Excerpt “Would ye like assistance?” he asked without looking up.
“Go away,” she said, her words in a forceful whisper.
Adam pushed away from the tree. He would not press upon a reluctant lass, even one from a family that only produced females. His brother, Beck, would find a bride elsewhere.
“Blast,” the woman whispered. Perhaps she was too stubborn to ask for help. Stubborn determination was something Adam knew well. It was what kept people alive, kept them moving forward when all seemed lost.
The leaves shook as the woman moved in the boughs of the tree. Adam walked under the branch where bare toes reached down, flexing and pointing, as she felt around blindly. Her toes were tiny appendages, the nails neat and without dirt. The lass’s skirts billowed out as she squatted. “God’s teeth,” she murmured.
Dodging the wildly circling kick, he reached up. “I will guide your foot to the branch,” he said. Her toes flexed. Glancing up, he saw a pale face with large blue eyes tipped down toward him. A thick braid hung over one shoulder, and her lips looked soft and lush. A sprinkling of freckles sat along her high cheekbones and the bridge of her nose.
She blinked at him, her mouth closing into a tight line. “I need no help.”
“Your cursing makes me think ye lie.” Her toes dangled in the air an inch above the branch that she could not see due to the petticoats. She gasped as he caught her foot, tugging until the ball of it touched the branch, her perfectly formed, little toes curling around to help her balance.
Holding tightly above her, she stretched while staring down at him. “Move back, and I can jump down,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
She had the longest eyelashes, and some red curls had escaped her braid to slide forward along her smooth cheeks. “A leap from that high could break your ankle.” He reached for her waist.
Shuffling sideways she said, “I do not need any man to—” Her denial cut off as she lost her balance, falling forward, her hands grasping at the weak twigs with leaves, making the tree shudder. Adam caught her, his hands wrapping around her cinched waist to pull her toward him.
Her skirts caught on the branch, lifting them high as she descended. “Bloody hell.” She slapped her petticoat off the fingerlike branches that seemed intent on exposing the secrets she kept beneath.
Her lush form slid down his, and he inhaled at the contact, as if the pressure of her plucked along every muscle in his body. She smelled of some type of flower and spice, making him suck in another breath as he held her form against him. She felt as soft as he was hard. For several heartbeats they stared at one another, her face mere inches from his. What does she taste like?
Her eyes grew wide, making him wonder for a moment if he’d spoken aloud. “Put me down,” she said, shoving against his chest.
Adam lowered her and stepped back as she righted the twisted, blue gown around her trim waist, her full breasts pushing against the confines of her laced bodice. He could see why the two suitors were not taking rejection easily. Adam nodded in the direction the two swains had hurried. “They went that way. Ye should roll around in mud or go about with your hair soaked and straggly to keep them away.”
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Author Heather McCollum
About the Author Heather McCollum is an award-winning, historical romance writer. With over twenty books published, she is an Amazon Best Seller and a Readers’ Choice winner.
The rugged beauty and rich history of Great Britain captivates Ms. McCollum each time she visits. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her stories since her very first book.
When she is not creating vivid characters and settings, she spends her time educating women on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. She is a survivor and resides with her very own Highland hero and three spirited children in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.
Welcome to the book blitz for A ROYAL CHRISTMAS QUANDARY, a standalone young adult historical holiday romance, by Samantha Hastings. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis Readers looking for a light, fun read full of holiday mischief will be delighted by Samantha Hastings’ A Royal Christmas Quandary, perfect for fans of A Christmas Prince.
When you spend Christmas in a castle, anything is possible.
1860. Lady Alexandrina Gailey is looking forward to a cozy holiday at Windsor Castle with her best friend, Princess Alice, and her long-time crush, Lord George Worthington. But Drina’s plans are all but dashed when Alice’s parents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, declare that Alice must choose one of two royal princes to become engaged to before Christmas.
There’s just one problem: George, a junior member of the Foreign Office, has accidentally misplaced one of the princes.
Together, Drina and George scour the town of Windsor for the missing prince, desperately hoping to deliver him to the royal dinner party with the queen none the wiser. They might just need a royal Christmas miracle to pull it off.
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Exclusive Excerpt #3 Princess Alice was nearly a head shorter, so Drina hugged her friend’s shoulders and Alice hugged her waist. Drina released her friend and stepped back. Alice’s hair was brown and her blue eyes were the most prominent feature in her face—they were arresting in their earnestness. Her sharp features, paired with her air of intelligence, never ceased to attract attention. And her quiet dignity and poise were the envy of many a young lady.
“Did you get lost on the way to the room that you’ve stayed in over a dozen times?” Alice asked.
Drina shrugged her shoulders. “Not exactly.”
Alice folded her arms across her large chest and sighed. “Not again.”
“What?”
The princess only said one word, but she said it with contempt: “George.”
Drina felt the heat rising to her face as she stammered, “H-h-he needed my help.”
“With what?” Alice asked. Her large, slightly protruding Hanoverian eyes didn’t miss anything.
“His father put him in charge of my cousin, Prince Friedrich, and he couldn’t understand what he was saying.”
“I thought your cousin spoke English very well.”
“He does,” she said, starting to giggle. “George was playing errand boy for his valet.”
If royal princesses could snort, Alice certainly did, before laughing so hard that she cried. Drina laughed, too, and dabbed at her own tears with a handkerchief. It was several moments before they both could control their giggles.
Alice finally stopped laughing, holding a stitch in her side. “Then where is Prince Friedrich?”
Drina’s smile faded. Prince Friedrich had been invited to Windsor Castle as a possible suitor to Princess Alice, along with Prince Louis of Hesse. Drina contemplated making an excuse for her errant cousin, but she didn’t wish to deceive her dearest friend.
“He’s not here,” she said at last. “His valet said he went to the village to drink English beer.”
“Not a very promising start,” Alice huffed in annoyance. “I don’t want a drunkard for a husband.”
“What about Prince Louis?” Drina asked with a fake smile. “This is his second visit, isn’t it? I remember he came with his brother to see the Ascot races in June, and I thought him excessively handsome then.”
“He is very handsome,” Alice admitted with a sigh. “But I don’t feel like I know him at all. I feel true companionship is an impossibility for us—our interests are so different. I don’t think our thoughts will ever meet.”
“Oh,” Drina said, not knowing what else to say. Few people in the world were as clever as Alice; she was a polymath and gifted with languages. “Our thoughts don’t always align and yet we’re the best of friends. Do you remember the first time we met? You’d escaped from your governess and we played hide-and-seek in the chapel.”
She laughed at the memory and Alice even managed a small smile.
“That particular bit of mischief was your idea,” Alice pointed out.
Drina giggled again. “And then you told your mother that we’d only gone into the chapel to sit among the common people so that you could understand their point of view.”
Reluctantly, Alice laughed, too. “I spared us both a strict punishment with that mistruth.”
“It was a bald-faced lie and you know it!” Drina said, and gave her friend a playful shove on the arm. “Maybe you should play hide-and-seek with Prince Louis.”
Her friend blushed rosily. “You know that none of the royal children are allowed to be alone.”
“Your father’s rule, or Baron Stockmar’s?”
“Baron Stockmar thinks Prince Louis shows a decided partiality for me,” Alice said in a flat voice. “Or at least in my family and fortune.”
“Perhaps you just need to get to know him better,” Drina said hopefully.
“Perhaps.” Alice turned away from her as she added, “My parents want me to pick a royal prince by Christmas.”
“But that is only a week away!”
“I know,” Alice said, still not looking at her. “But I’ve received royal suitors the entire year. And my sister was engaged at fourteen and married at seventeen. I suppose I should be happy that I only have to be engaged by seventeen.”
Drina wanted to say something comforting, but she didn’t know what. Instead she put her hands on her friend’s shoulders and gave her a backward embrace, hoping that her friend could feel her love and support through it. They stood there silently for a time before Alice turned and pointed to the crimson dress laid out on the bed. “My mother would never let me wear such a revealing dress,” she said in a teasing voice.
“My mother selected it,” Drina said with a wink. “I’m supposed to catch a husband in it.”
“Oh dear, I don’t think there’s enough material here for two people,” Alice said, and they both laughed.
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Author Samantha Hastings
About the Author Samantha Hastings has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Reading (Berkshire, England), and the University of North Texas. She met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, and chasing her kids. She is the author of THE LAST WORD, THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER, and A ROYAL CHRISTMAS QUANDARY.
Welcome to the blog tour for WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH, the fourth book in the adult regency romance series, Wedded by Scandal, by USA Today bestselling author, Stacy Reid. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH (Wedded by Scandal Series) by Stacy Reid
When Hugh Winthrop, the future Earl of Albury, decides to advertise for a wife in the London paper, he never expected an anonymous response from a woman who matches him wit for wit. Their back-and-forth letters on the true nature of love, something they disagree on wholeheartedly, leave him shocked—and intrigued. But then the woman he’s been corresponding with shows up on his doorstep, enticingly beautiful and offering a marriage of convenience in exchange for his protection…
Lady Phoebe Maitland expected to marry for love and nothing else, until the man she gave her trust betrayed her. The more intrigued she becomes by the mysterious and devastatingly handsome Hugh, however, the more she realizes he’s holding back from opening his heart due to long-held secrets she struggles to understand. As passion flares wickedly between them, their marriage bed is quick to heat up. But when Phoebe’s past threatens to destroy the fragile bond they’ve formed, even a budding belief in love might not be enough to save them.
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Excerpt He cupped her cheeks, dipped slightly, and kissed her with violent tenderness. This Phoebe had not expected, and in his embrace, she felt the force of his grief, the pain, and the desperation of his loss. She tasted something dark and dangerous, something sweet and hot, something never felt before in all the kisses they had exchanged.
With a gasp, her lips parted, allowing him inside, and he plundered, ravishing her lips over and over. Odd and terrifying sensations crashed against her senses when his mouth slanted over hers with greed and something fierce that she was unable to identify. When he released Phoebe, her lips felt bruised, her heart felt alive, and her body…she trembled to be closer to him.
He gently pushed her away from him, but she took a step forward, and he moved back, shaking his head slowly, the indifferent veil cracking and raw and powerful hunger leaping in his eyes. His finger jerked as he said, “No, not like this.”
“What is not like this?” she asked softly, though she knew. Dear God, she knew for something hot and a bit scary trembled low in her belly. The air was chilled, but her palms were dampened with sweat.
“This first time we make love…will not be when I am feeling so much.”
Awareness blossomed through her and her lips parted in wonder. Control was very important to her husband. All those nights he had kissed her, and when their passion had burned around them, he would always pull away, the hands braced above her head trembling. A few deep breaths later, his kisses would change, and then he would hold her in his arms, and they slept.
She had been wondering how to seduce him when every night after kissing her endlessly he would disappear to the lake. She would sit at the window and watch him swim, admiring his body but lacking the courage to follow him. The one night she had drummed up the nerve and went down there had once again turned into them laughing and romping as if they were loons.
After she’d dipped her toe into the water and yelped at the coldness, he had hauled himself from the water with a dare in his eyes. She had shrieked and sprinted away, knowing he was chasing her. He had caught her in the hallway and flung her over his shoulder and made his way to their bedroom. Though her heart had pounded with such anticipation, he had only kissed her forehead before bundling her under the sheets, then joined her.
She tested his limits, threatened the icy clasp he had on his feelings.
I make you lose control. “Our first time will be like this,” she said softly. “I want the real you in my bed, making me burn with pleasure.”
His eyes darkened, and he could only stare at her.
“If you will admit it…we’ve had each other already.”
A flush mounted on his cheek, and he stepped back one more step. Phoebe ran to him in a few steps and jumped. Shock flared in his gaze, but he caught her effortlessly, and she scandalously wrapped her legs around his hips, uncaring dress and pelisse had ridden up to her thighs and her stocking-clad legs and half boots were on display. Now they were face to face.
“Every night you’ve been running from me to the lake, trying to drown the images in your mind of taking me. In your thoughts you are not controlled, are you, my husband?” She nipped the corner of his lips. “You ravish me. And the desperate hunger that fills you scares you.”
He shook his head slowly, as if in a daze.
“You cannot deny it, for I know it because I too have had you,” she whispered, right at his ear.
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Author Stacy Reid
About the Author USA Today bestselling author Stacy Reid writes sensual Historical and Paranormal Romances and is the published author of over twenty books. Her debut novella The Duke’s Shotgun Wedding was a 2015 HOLT Award of Merit recipient in the Romance Novella category, and her bestselling Wedded by Scandal series is recommended as Top picks at Night Owl Reviews, Fresh Fiction Reviews, and The Romance Reviews.
Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (aloud). She has a warrior way “Never give up on dreams!” When she’s not writing, Stacy spends a copious amount of time binge-watching series like The Walking Dead, Altered Carbon, Rise of the Phoenixes, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, Love and Redemption, and playing video games with her love. She also has a weakness for ice cream and will have it as her main course.
Today is release day for WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH, the fourth book in the adult regency romance series, Wedded by Scandal, by USA Today bestselling author, Stacy Reid. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH (Wedded by Scandal Series) by Stacy Reid
When Hugh Winthrop, the future Earl of Albury, decides to advertise for a wife in the London paper, he never expected an anonymous response from a woman who matches him wit for wit. Their back-and-forth letters on the true nature of love, something they disagree on wholeheartedly, leave him shocked—and intrigued. But then the woman he’s been corresponding with shows up on his doorstep, enticingly beautiful and offering a marriage of convenience in exchange for his protection…
Lady Phoebe Maitland expected to marry for love and nothing else, until the man she gave her trust betrayed her. The more intrigued she becomes by the mysterious and devastatingly handsome Hugh, however, the more she realizes he’s holding back from opening his heart due to long-held secrets she struggles to understand. As passion flares wickedly between them, their marriage bed is quick to heat up. But when Phoebe’s past threatens to destroy the fragile bond they’ve formed, even a budding belief in love might not be enough to save them.
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Excerpt Dear A Gentleman of Distinction and Wealth,
For reasons that must be evident to a man of your stature, I’ll not reveal my identity. Though I confess a part of me doubts your capacity for reasoning, given the situation that has prompted me to pen this letter to you. Please, do know I am a lady of quality, and I find the notion of your advert seeking a wife to be insupportable and truly worthy of a cad! I cannot apologize for my boldness, for surely you would grasp that I am insincere about it. Nor do I flatter myself to think you would care about the opinions of a lady with whom you are not intimately acquainted, but I am still encouraged to reply.
I daresay, though we ladies are expected to be prim, proper, respectable at all times, and in possession of all our teeth and also to be pretty enough, you will find that we are more than the biddable creatures society expects us to be. A lady of quality and good sense would require at least a few poems, flowers, artful conversations, and long walks in the park for a man to be deemed worthy of marriage. Clearly, you’ve lacked any sort of respect or affections for the gentler sex. I would be astonished if you should receive handsome feedback, or should I be more astonished if there was silence, since you have vaunted your wealth? Dare I ask why a man of your distinction would not display the required civility and properties and court the lady you wish to affiance? What about love? And friendship? Are those not the true foundations upon which one should desire to build a marriage?
Sincerely,
A Curious Lady.
Phoebe left no forwarding address and gave instruction to the footman to have the letter delivered post-haste and that he should await a reply if said gentleman desired to send one.
To her discredit, she could not help but anticipate hearing from the rude man. A few days later, Phoebe was astonished when the butler delivered a letter to her upon a silver slaver in the palatial library of her home. The book she’d been reading, Ivanhoe Walter Scott, was quickly forgotten when Mr. Martin indicated the man had paid her rider to bear his letter to her and even awaited her reply.
Though she’d hoped, Phoebe hadn’t much expected an answer to her scathing letter.
Dear Curious Lady,
I’ll not thank you for your aggrieved letter or waste my time with polite sallies. I can conceive of nothing more tiresome than inane pleasantries, especially those of the hypocritical variety. I find I am similarly compelled to reply to your…boldness. A wife is a helpmate, who will run her husband’s household well, educate any children on propriety befitting their station in life, and should endeavor to keep her husband company loyally. Love has little to do with it. If not for the most pressing circumstances, I believe I would have tried my hand at wooing, though I cannot say I would have done so by long walks and reciting poetry. I am not sure what that would reveal other than that I have sturdy legs and can read.
By the by, given your lack of returned address, I’ve prevailed upon your servant to deliver my letter to you and return your replies to me should you have any. I shall pay him handsomely for his efforts.
Yours,
A Gentleman of Distinction and Wealth.
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Author Stacy Reid
About the Author USA Today bestselling author Stacy Reid writes sensual Historical and Paranormal Romances and is the published author of over twenty books. Her debut novella The Duke’s Shotgun Wedding was a 2015 HOLT Award of Merit recipient in the Romance Novella category, and her bestselling Wedded by Scandal series is recommended as Top picks at Night Owl Reviews, Fresh Fiction Reviews, and The Romance Reviews.
Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (aloud). She has a warrior way “Never give up on dreams!” When she’s not writing, Stacy spends a copious amount of time binge-watching series like The Walking Dead, Altered Carbon, Rise of the Phoenixes, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, Love and Redemption, and playing video games with her love. She also has a weakness for ice cream and will have it as her main course.
Welcome to the blog tour for WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH, the fourth book in the adult regency romance series, Wedded by Scandal, by USA Today bestselling author, Stacy Reid. See below for information on the book, buy links, and an exclusive excerpt.
WHEN THE EARL MET HIS MATCH (Wedded by Scandal Series) by Stacy Reid
When Hugh Winthrop, the future Earl of Albury, decides to advertise for a wife in the London paper, he never expected an anonymous response from a woman who matches him wit for wit. Their back-and-forth letters on the true nature of love, something they disagree on wholeheartedly, leave him shocked—and intrigued. But then the woman he’s been corresponding with shows up on his doorstep, enticingly beautiful and offering a marriage of convenience in exchange for his protection…
Lady Phoebe Maitland expected to marry for love and nothing else, until the man she gave her trust betrayed her. The more intrigued she becomes by the mysterious and devastatingly handsome Hugh, however, the more she realizes he’s holding back from opening his heart due to long-held secrets she struggles to understand. As passion flares wickedly between them, their marriage bed is quick to heat up. But when Phoebe’s past threatens to destroy the fragile bond they’ve formed, even a budding belief in love might not be enough to save them.
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Excerpt Phoebe could feel Hugh’s stare like a physical caress along her nape then down to her hip. I’ll yield to your persuasion… Or more like his ravishment. Only a few steps away from the door, she whirled around and ran toward him without checking her speed. His beautiful eyes widened, and before he could react or even guess her intention, Phoebe jumped, grabbing his shoulders to haul herself up so she could wrap her legs around his hips. She did not concentrate on this very scandalous and outrageous position—that her dress had been pushed to her knees and she was wrapped around her husband like a vine, her ankles hooked around his back—but releasing one of his shoulders, she lunged to pluck the note he had been trying to hide.
Yes! She turned her triumphant gaze to him and realized their mouths were mere inches apart and her husband had frozen. Clearly, he had not expected her actions, but Phoebe hadn’t thought it would have so shocked him that he’d turned into this marble effigy.
She could feel his heartbeat against her breasts, which she had pressed so firmly against his chest. A wave of heat overwhelmed Phoebe, and she was unexpectedly mortified and intensely aware that she could feel every imprint of her lord’s body against hers. Her fingers tightened reflexively on his shoulder, and his lashes closed briefly, as if he savoured the sting of her nails that penetrated through the layers of his jacket and shirt.
“I’ve been improper,” she whispered, painfully aware of how close his lips were.
Phoebe placed the note close to her cheek. “Please take it back.”
“Read it.”
“I…no, you did not want me to, and I should not have acted with such wanton disregard for your privacy—”
He pressed a finger to her parted lips. Then he lifted those fingers and signed, “Phoebe?”
“Yes?”
“Read it.”
Painfully aware that she was still clasped intimately against him, she turned her head and lowered her gaze to the letter.
Dear Phoebe,
I like you.
I have started out wrong. I am happy that you are my wife. I listen to you sing to our daughter, and her chortles of joy make my heart hurt. I’ve never felt such an emotion before, but I’ve gathered it is a good thing, because I also want to smile whenever I see Franny and you together. Whenever you laugh, her legs kick, and her smile is comparable to the beauty of yours. How I wish she could hear my voice, even if once. How I wish I could sing for you…laugh with you.
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Author Stacy Reid
About the Author USA Today bestselling author Stacy Reid writes sensual Historical and Paranormal Romances and is the published author of over twenty books. Her debut novella The Duke’s Shotgun Wedding was a 2015 HOLT Award of Merit recipient in the Romance Novella category, and her bestselling Wedded by Scandal series is recommended as Top picks at Night Owl Reviews, Fresh Fiction Reviews, and The Romance Reviews.
Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (aloud). She has a warrior way “Never give up on dreams!” When she’s not writing, Stacy spends a copious amount of time binge-watching series like The Walking Dead, Altered Carbon, Rise of the Phoenixes, Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, Love and Redemption, and playing video games with her love. She also has a weakness for ice cream and will have it as her main course.
Welcome to the book blitz for SCANDAL’S PROMISE, a stand-alone adult historical romance, by Pamela Gibson. See below for information on the book, buy inks, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
SCANDAL’S PROMISE by Pamela Gibson
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: SCANDAL’S PROMISE Author: Pamela Gibson Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing Genre: Adult Historical Romance Release Date: August 19, 2020 Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Haunted by questions and her own insecurities, Lady Emily Sinclair longs to discover why her betrothed abandoned her and married another. Seven years have passed, but the pain of his betrayal still lingers, buried beneath layers of humiliation and mistrust. When he returns after the Napoleonic Wars, she vows to avoid him. If only her foolish heart felt the same.
Broken and addicted to his medication, widower Andrew Quimby, Lord Cardmore, rattles around his ancient manor, oblivious to his deteriorating health and state of mind. When he learns the woman he was forced to abandon remains unmarried, he vows to try to win her back, even if it means returning to a society he despises.
But Andrew soon discovers he has a secret enemy. Threatening notes appear and sinister accidents put those in his inner circle in danger. Can he overcome his demons in time to keep them safe or will everyone and everything he loves disappear forever.
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Excerpt #2
She willed herself to be calm, to speak in the prim tones she’d perfected over the years. “Shall we start at the beginning? Or perhaps somewhere in the middle. We announced our engagement at a grand ball. And then?” She gazed out over the water rather than look at his face, afraid she might detect a falsehood.
Oh ye of little faith.
“I’d accepted the invitation to the Livingston house party, thinking you would be there.”
“I’d planned to go. But Mama took ill. I remained behind to help nurse her.”
He stirred beside her, as if searching his memory for long-ago details. “On the, er, night in question, I joined the billiard players after dinner rather than take tea with the ladies. We wagered on every game. The challenges took hours, and we all drank heavily. When I look back on that night, it was Woodley who kept my glass full. In the wee hours of the morning, I stumbled to my room. I’d sent my man to bed hours before, knowing I’d probably collapse fully clothed once the door closed behind me.”
He paused and let the remaining stones in his hand fall to the ground. “This next part is hard.”
She glanced at his bowed head. “This is the part I need to hear from your own lips, Andrew.”
He nodded. “She was under the coverlet—Miss Woodley—in her night rail. I hadn’t lighted a candle. I didn’t notice her until I had removed most of my clothes and climbed up to the bed. She laughed, a high-pitched screeching sound. I-I couldn’t believe my ears or my eyes. Then the door opened, and her mother and another lady who were just passing by in the hallway barged in.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes downcast.
“Mrs. Woodley screamed, ran over to me, and pelted me with her fists. Several people gathered at the door to watch the drama. I thought it was a joke. Caroline was still laughing, and I wanted to join in the merriment even though my brain was sluggish and I feared I would pass out at any moment. Her father came in, ordered everyone else out, and bellowed at me in outrage. By then Mrs. Woodley had escorted her daughter out of the room.”
He paused. “I never touched her, Em. I swear I didn’t even know she was there. They’d hatched a parson’s mousetrap and decided the night was ripe to spring it because they knew I was thoroughly foxed.”
She’d been told only part of the story. But the last part was new. Had it been a trap? There had been moments of entrapment in the ton, but most eligible bachelors were careful to stay clear of unscrupulous mamas who had unweddable daughters. Andrew had been betrothed and technically off the market. Had he been chosen because of his fondness for spirits? Many of the eligible bachelors of the ton drank to excess. That couldn’t be the reason, could it? And why?
Caroline Woodley had not been an antidote. On the contrary, she’d had many suitors, but had not accepted any. That was the perplexing part. Why go to the trouble of entrapping Cardmore and contracting a scandalous, Gretna Green marriage when eligible men surely had applied for her hand?
She hunched over and picked up one of the stones. Smooth and round, it was perfect for skipping across the water. She grasped it tightly, forming words she needed to say. “I’m still confused. Caroline was popular. She never lacked dancing partners, and a cadre of beaus followed her around. Why would she trap someone? Had she no offers?”
“Many, or at least that’s what I was told.”
“Then why did she not accept any?”
“I asked her. Do you know what she boldly said? She was in love.”
Emily frowned. “With you? Was she in love with you, Andrew?”
“No. But by then it was imperative she marry quickly.”
“I’m still confused.”
He rubbed his hands on his knees. “Caroline was carrying a child, and she told everyone it was mine.”
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Author Pamela Gibson
About the Author Author of eight books on California history and fifteen romance novels, PamelaGibson is a former City Manager who lives in the Nevada desert. Having spent the last three years messing about in boats, a hobby that included a five-thousand-mile trip in a 32-foot Nordic Tug, she now spends most of her time indoors happily reading, writing, cooking and keeping up with the antics of Ralph, the Rescue Cat. If you want to learn more about her activities go to https://www.pamelagibsonwrites.com and sign up for her quarterly newsletter and occasional blog. Or follow her in these places:
A FALL FROM GRACE, the first book in the adult historical regency romance series, Clavering Chronicles, by Jennie Goutet, is now available in audiobook format. See below for information on the book and buy links.
A FALL FROM GRACE (Clavering Chronicles Series #1) by Jennie Goutet
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: A FALL FROM GRACE Series: Clavering Chronicles Series #1
Author: Jennie Goutet Audiobook Release Date: August 21, 2020 eBook Release Date: April 13, 2020 Genre: Adult Historical Regency Romance Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis She needs a champion. He needs one less person to worry about.
Selena Lockhart comes with neither fortune nor connections, and she knows better than to expect Society to give her a welcome—especially after her father gambled away his fortune, precipitating the family’s sudden fall from grace and Selena’s betrothed to break off the engagement. It therefore comes as no surprise that her new neighbor, Sir Lucius, treats her with disdain. Why should he look beyond appearances when her own promises so little?
Sir Lucius Clavering is not married, but he may as well be, considering he is expected to escort his widowed mother to watering holes, round out the numbers at his married sister’s dinners, and come to the aid of his scapegrace younger siblings. It doesn’t help that single women and matchmaking mamas jostle each other for his face, fortune, and title so that he’s left without a moment’s peace.
When Selena shows up at Lucius’s doorstep looking for help, he is sure it’s another ploy aimed at cutting up his prized bachelor existence. Although his prejudice does not last long, Lucius fears his first reaction might have ruined his chances with her. How can he save her from Society’s teeth when she continues to hold him at arm’s length?
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Author Jennie Goutet
About the Author Jennie Goutet is an American-born Anglophile, who lives with her French husband and their three children in a small town outside Paris. Her imagination resides in Regency England, where her historical romances are set. Jennie is also author of the award-winning memoir, Stars Upside Down, and the modern romances, A Sweetheart in Paris and A Noble Affair.A Christian, a cook, and an inveterate klutz, Jennie writes about faith, food, and life—even the clumsy moments—on herblog, aladyinfrance.com. You can learn more about Jennie and her books on her author website, jenniegoutet.com.
THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER by Samantha Hastings
Synopsis Identical twin sisters take turns swapping places over the course of a summer in order to pursue their secret ambitions in Samantha Hastings’ Victorian YA romance.
1851. Bounced from one begrudging relative to another their whole lives, orphaned identical twins Sophie and Mariah Carter have always relied on each other for love and support, even though the sisters couldn’t be more different.
Brash Sophie wants to be an inventor, and demure Mariah wants to be an artist. Both long to visit London for the summer—Sophie to see the Queen’s Great Exhibition and Mariah to study the world’s finest collection of paintings. But when their cantankerous aunt answers their letter pleading for a place to stay, she insists she only has time and room to spare for one of them.
So, Mariah and Sophie hatch a clever scheme: They will travel to London together and take turns playing the part of “Sophie”.
At first the plan runs like clockwork. But as the girls avoid getting caught by increasingly narrow margins and two handsome gentlemen—both of whom think they’re falling in love with the real Sophie Carter—enter the equation, the sisters find they don’t have the situation quite as under control as they thought.
With all sorts of delightful Parent Trap-style identical twin hijinks, The Invention of Sophie Carter is the perfect light-and-sweet palate cleanser.
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My Review Set against the backdrop of the London Exhibition in 1851, THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER is the story of two identical twins sharing a single identity in London society. Sophie seeks an apprenticeship, something unheard of for women at the time, and her twin, Mariah, seeks a husband. With only one of them interested in romance, what could possibly go wrong? Enter Ethan, the wealthy son of factory owners who captures Sophie’s heart. But since things aren’t going to go smoothly, Mariah’s heart belongs to her aunt’s ward, Charles, though her aunt has warned her to not engage his interests. As the two pursue their individual goals, entanglements get messy until things come to an inevitable head. This lighthearted historical romance is full of humor, heart, and cutting edge technology, Victorian style.
Plot The plot is forked with each sister having her own goal and her own arc. We get dual third-person point of view getting deep into both Mariah’s and Sophie’s heads. As each sister chases her own goal, the are also deeply affected by the events that impact the other. Though they are unique individuals, they are tied together by more than just blood and identical DNA, since they are pretending to be the same person. This is my second novel by Samantha Hastings and she is excellent at plotting and brings her historical world to life both accurately and in a way that makes even nearly 200 years ago feel fresh and familiar.
The Characters All of the characters are amazing. From the selfish, vile adults who treated the girls so poorly as children, to the rich cast in London, from the super wealthy to the average citizens, fro, eccentric artists to snooty aunts. The story is inhabited by amazing, three-dimensional personalities that made this an easy, engaging read.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER 1. Mariah. She’s the softer of the two sisters and loves art. She’s a talented self-trained artist with dreams of her own beyond just finding a husband.
2. Sophie. She’s tenacious, driven, and stubborn to the core. She is me if I would have been born in Victorian times.
3. Charles. He’s hot and cold, but there is so much more underlying his aloof facade.
4. Ethan. It’s evident from the beginning that he is the perfect match for Sophie. I love that he never gives up.
5. Victorian London. The setting is as much a character in this story as its human counterparts.
Bottom Line A wonderful historic romance with breathtaking characters against a colorful backdrop.
About the Author Samantha Hastings has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Reading (Berkshire, England), and the University of North Texas. She met her husband in a turkey sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, and chasing her kids. She is the author of THE LAST WORD, THE INVENTION OF SOPHIE CARTER, and A ROYAL CHRISTMAS QUANDARY.
Welcome to the book blitz for DECEPTION AND DESIRE, the first book in the adult historical romance series, MacNaughton Castle, by Aubrey Wynne. See below for information on the book, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
DECEPTION AND DESIRE (MacNaughton Castle Series #1) by Aubrey Wynne
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited Title: DECEPTION AND DESIRE Series: MacNaughton Castle Series #1 Author: Aubrey Wynn Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. Release Date: June 16, 2020
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis Two rebellious souls… An innocent deception… One scorching catastrophe…
Fenella Franklin is too tall, too intelligent, and has no title. Her talents lie in numbers and a keen business mind, not in the art of flirtation. When she becomes the object of a cruel wager during her come-out in London, she vows to put off the penniless noblemen vying for her sizeable dowry. But her season is cut short after her mother discovers the subterfuge, and Fenella retreats to Scotland.
Lachlan MacNaughton has neither the temperament nor the patience to be the next MacNaughton chief, preferring to knock heads together rather than placate bickering clansmen. He readily accepts a reprieve to help with the family’s textile mill in Glasgow. A sizzling chance encounter in the rain introduces him to the new female bookkeeper. His grandfather may want him back in the Highlands, but his heart has been lost in the Lowlands.
The attraction between Fenella and Lachlan sparks a passion not even two rebellious souls can deny. But an innocent deception tests their newfound love and threatens the freedom they both crave.
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Excerpt #2 The blood pulsed through Fenella, her temples throbbing as she gripped the iron handle and yanked with all her might. She stepped inside the entrance hall of the warehouse and leaned back against the great oak door. Her trembling hands pushed against the solid, ridged wood, trying to steady her racing heart. Mercy! What just happened?
Heat flushed her cheeks again as his image came back to her. The warmth spread to her belly, doing somersaults that pushed a giggle up her throat. Her hand went to her mouth, still tingling with the touch of the man’s lips. He’d kissed her. He’d kissed her while he held her in his arms. As if she weighed no more than a child. She smiled as her fingers traced her lips.
My first kiss. In the rain. With a stranger. Oh, if her mother could see her now. Would she approve, or only be irritated he’d been a Scot?
A handsome Scot in a kilt, his knees showing above muscular calves. He’d held her close, and she’d been transfixed by those cobalt blue eyes.
And all Fenella could manage was, “Oh.” She tipped back her head and closed her lids, shutting out the world for a moment. The image of his thick auburn waves, damp against his strong neck and chiseled face, made her shiver. He was the most divine man she’d ever seen. Touched. The only man she’d ever touched. Like that. Her heart pounded, and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. Is this what sent those silly London girls into high-pitched titters?
Steady, now! Fenella took in deep gulps of air, hoping to recover some semblance of her wits. She had to present herself for an interview, in a bedraggled state, after being ravished by a stranger. In the middle of the afternoon! Her sister couldn’t have read a better plot in one of her romance novels. Her bonnet tipped, now perched precariously over one ear. Oh, Lord! Her hands flew to her damp locks, quickly smoothed them back, and adjusted her straw hat. She retied the ribbons and wiped the remaining moisture from her face.
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Author Aubrey Wynne
About the Author Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule, and barn cats. Obsessions include wine, history, travel, trail riding, and all things Christmas. Her Chicago Christmas series hasreceived the Golden Quill, Aspen Gold, Heart of Excellence, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and twice nominated as a Rone finalist by InD’tale Magazine.
Aubrey’s first love is medieval romance but after dipping her toe in the Regency period in 2018 with the Wicked Earls’ Club, she was smitten. This inspired her spin-off series Once Upon a Widow and the Scottish Regency series A MacNaughton Castle Romance with Dragonblade Novels.
Welcome to the book blitz for STEALING THE HEIRESS, the second book in the adult historical romance series,The Kidnap Club, by USA Today bestselling author, Samantha Holt. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
STEALING THE HEIRESS (The Kidnap Club Series #2) by Samantha Holt
About the Book – Read for Free on Kindle Unlimited Title: STEALING THE HEIRESS Series: The Kidnap Club Series #2 Author: Samantha Holt Publisher: Helstone Press Release Date: May 28, 2020
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis She was looking for adventure…
Lady Rosamunde Stanley just never expected in the form of a kidnapping.
Well, an almost-kidnapping. The dastardly man only went and took the wrong woman!
But she soon discovers the dark, handsome man is not quite the terrible rogue she thinks him to be and she decides to put his experience to use. Her uncle has gone missing and no one believes her when she says he’s in trouble. Can she persuade Russell to help?
Russell might have kidnapped her, but he has no intention of keeping her. Even if the heat between them is driving him out of his wits and her crazy family makes him long for things a battle-hardened orphan like him should never want.
Their societal divide isn’t the only reason to keep his distance. Rosamunde is a bloody knife-carrying, picklock-wielding madwoman.
A far too appealing madwoman…
He’s not the only one struggling. Rosamunde is finding it just as difficult to fight the attraction, despite knowing it is most likely her over-active imagination leading her down this path. Somehow, she must keep her head around the most exciting man she’s ever met.
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Excerpt #2 Before he could argue, she gasped and snatched his arm. He scarcely had a moment to figure out what was happening when she pressed him up against the wall. She flung off her hat, pulled out a comb that clattered to the ground, and slung her arms around his neck.
“What the—”
She pressed her lips to his. Hard.
His mind raced to catch up with what had occurred. But all it could latch onto was the fact she had her mouth pressed to his. And that she tasted sweet. And that all he needed to do was skim his hands down and he could take two handfuls of that arse that had him so preoccupied.
So, he did what any red-blooded man would do and glided his hands down, taking her rear in his palms and squeezing her flesh. She moaned against his mouth and he used the opportunity to take a deeper taste of the sweetness.
Dear God, did she taste sweet. And so warm.
She moved against him, pressing her strangely firm chest to his. He kept her gripped tight and her fingers twined into the hair under his hat. She moaned again when he drew back and nibbled briefly on her bottom lip before taking her in an intense kiss once more. She angled her head so that the kiss moved deeper, and he met her sounds with a groan.
He ached fiercely. More fiercely than ever before, he could swear. He used his grip on her rear to move her closer, so close that their hips collided. He supposed he should be grateful she didn’t have the added barrier of skirts. He rubbed against her and moved his lips from her mouth to her neck, taking little bites along her flesh and feeling her shudder.
She tapped his shoulder and drew in a long, shaky breath. “I think they are gone now.”
He lifted his head and glanced around the street. A young couple strolled along the opposite side of the road, doing their best to ignore them. “Who?”
“A friend,” she said. “I feared they might recognize me.”
He eased his hands away from her, feeling as though she’d just thrown a bucket of ice-cold water over him. She’d been trying to hide. That was why she had kissed him.
“So you thought that was the best way to hide?”
“Well, no one wants to look at a couple kissing, do they?”
“Right. Of course.”
“I think it worked.” She grinned at him. “I had to think quickly there.”
About the Author USA Today Bestselling author Samantha Holt lives in a small village in England with her twin girls and a dachshund called Duke. If you’re not sure where to start why not try…
▶ Amelia and the Viscount (Bluestocking Brides #1) for a fun, slightly hot shorter length read. Meet the Chadwick sisters and follow their adventures in each of their standalone stories.
▶ You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.
▶ Sinful Confessions is the first in the Cynfell Brothers Series. These are all novella length and standalone–ideal for a quick dip into the world of the sexy Cynfell brothers.
▶ Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.
▶ To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.
Welcome to the blog tour for KEEP FOREVER, a standalone adult historical romance/women’s fiction, by award-winning author, Alexa Kingaard. See below for information on the book, buy links, my exclusive interview with the author, and details on her giveaway.
Synopsis “Unlike some war stories that focus on intense, harsh and graphic depictions of post-combat trauma, this tale unfolds gently, like an Edna Ferber novel, spread across many decades, detailing the impact this soldier’s illness has on an entire family, including children and grandchildren. KEEP FOREVER is a wonderful, emotionally satisfying read that I highly recommend. ” GARY SEIGEL, author of “Haskell Himself”
Paul O’Brien’s idyllic childhood in Southern California comes to a halt when his mother dies in the summer before his senior year of high school and a very different persona of his father emerges – isolating himself inside the house, turning to alcohol for comfort, and barely noticing his only child. Simultaneously, the war in Vietnam is sending shock waves around the world and young men from one coast to the other are being called upon to serve. Paul enlists in the Marines before receiving his draft notice.
Elizabeth Sutton is eager to gain some independence from her father’s old fashioned notions and looking forward to her first year in high school. At fifteen years old, tragedy strikes with the loss of both parents in an auto accident, turning her childhood into one of responsibility and worry overnight. The four siblings are scattered when her nine-year-old twin sisters are sent to live with their Aunt and Uncle on Nantucket Island, and Elizabeth is left behind in Boston with their grandmother. Her older brother, Sam, enlists in the Marines, eager to join the conflict a world away as opposed to dealing with the one unfolding at home.
A bond develops between Paul and Sam in Vietnam, and both are injured in a bloody battle that costs Sam his right hand and sets the stage for a lifetime of nightmares and sleepless nights for Paul. Matched by similar tragedies at a young age, Elizabeth and Paul’s first introduction by Sam upon their return from Vietnam is the beginning of friendship and love that survives five decades.
After marrying, welcoming their first child, and inheriting a small beach house, the couple adapts to their new surroundings, but distant memories of Vietnam continue to haunt Paul. In an era when veterans refuse to speak of their pain and the government denies that thousands of soldiers are coming home irreparably damaged, he is left to deal with the challenge of caring for his loved ones amidst his his erratic flashback episodes and moods. As their lives unravel from the lingering effects of PTSD, Elizabeth learns to accept the burden that Paul brought home, and together they make their own memories to keep forever.
Inspired By A True Story
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Interview
Q: I see that KEEP FOREVER is inspired by a true story. Can you tell us a little more about that?
A: Anyone who was a teenager in the 60s’ and 70s’ has Vietnam firmly embedded in their history. It’s the story of my generation, and many of my girlfriends married veterans either right out of high school or when the men returned. Women were a part of this war, mostly as nurses and unsung heroines, but it was mostly a war fought by middle and lower class males, those who were not college bound or who were unable to get a deferment. As with every conflict, combat veterans bring home mental and physical burdens, but none were vilified like the young men and women who fought in Vietnam.
It stained their psyches, and many passed it down to their children – the second generation suffering the effects of this conflict. Wives were kept in the dark, the VA was not established until the late 80s’, and PTSD didn’t have a name. Aftercare was minimal, and many kept their unseen wounds bottled up for decades. I fell in love with a Vietnam veteran in 1969, nine months after he came home. This guy, and many like him, were just kids. Surfing and attending community college one day, picking up a machine gun and participating in a bloody fight for their lives the next. We married almost a decade later, had two children, and divorced after eleven years. But there was always that link that never faded, and a lot of guilt that I carried because I didn’t have the insight to deal with or understand PTSD at the time.
Q: What inspired you to tell this story now?
A: September 27, 2011, my veteran and I had become close again and spent almost all our free time together. His health was failing, he suffered from depression, but not lately, and on this day, he was on the top of his game. We were returning from a coffee date in the Village about a mile away from home. I was the driver – I always drove – and as I waited at the bottom of the hill to make a left turn a half a block away from the house, we were rear-ended by a large vehicle, twice as heavy as mine, going 50 miles an hour. Physically, we were not hurt. My car sustained $6,000 worth of damage, and the impact and collision triggered a PTSD episode in my veteran. Seventeen days later, October 13th, he committed suicide.
Q: What kind of research did you have to do to get all the historical details right?
A: I lived through most of it. People who know me recognize what is true, and what is embellished, but when I sat down to write, I didn’t have to think very hard. It was effortless, even though the first edition may not have been very polished. I was 68 years old and never published, never thought about writing a novel – ever. But shortly after my veteran died, I joined a Veteran’s Writing Group that welcomed me as the collateral damage that was never discussed. Most were Vietnam veterans, and I was a fly on the wall for five years. I was also a mess, but little by little, the story evolved in my head. Every month I listened to stories these men shared, never with their wives and families, and sometimes it felt like they forgot I was even there. Their memories were raw and gut-wrenching, fifty years after they returned. I was compelled, I had to tell this story. It is my mea culpa and tribute to my veteran, and every other service member who fought and was affected for a lifetime by this war.
Q: How do you think this story differs from one that would be told about PTSD today?
A: Thanks to the Vietnam veterans who fought for decades for better care, the younger veterans have a more stream-lined manner in which to apply for benefits. Even though they may need to wait 12-18 months for approval of an application, Vietnam veterans are literally falling apart, and are still getting denied in record numbers. I am grateful that as of five years ago, the Vietnam veteran now has their own day set aside for them, March 29th. But it took fifty years. Today, we also have wonderful non-profits, like the Gary Sinise Foundation, who have brought the struggles of our returning military into the light. But PTSD is the same in every war, just different settings and conflict. It is still a struggle for families and loved ones to watch and understand what their veteran is going through on a daily basis.
Q: What is the most important thing that you want readers to take away from KEEP FOREVER?
A: That the burden brought home is shared by everyone, from family members to government entities. Even if a veteran physically survives, it alters their entire life once they have seen combat. I can’t even imagine, even though I am closer than most to the reality that accompanies a veteran home.
Q: If you had to pick a theme song for the book, what would it be?
A: That was an easy one.. ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ by Paul McCartney.
Q: What are you working on now? And what stage are you in?
A: I write a newsletter every month for my website subscribers, but throughout the quarantine, I have been keeping a journal. The situation and my thoughts change daily, sometimes hourly, and some of my friends suggested I share my unique experience with my readers. I tend to think that we are all in the middle of our own unique experiences, but I started to publish my thoughts every week, blog-style, on my website.
I have also written the first twelve chapters of my third novel, MIRACLE. Don’t hold me to the title, it could change. I’m not sure where these little nuggets of inspiration come from, but after KEEP FOREVER and MY NAME IS ROSE, I noticed that I like writing about nostalgia. I also write about characters that are normal and ordinary, faced with difficult and extraordinary circumstances. It’s the human condition that moves my stories forward.
Q: Switching gears, how are you coping with being quarantined? I see from your Instagram account that you are not riding it out at home. Has that impacted your ability to write?
A: Thank you for noticing! What had started as an extended visit to Oahu to assist my niece and her family with their relocation from the East Coast, has turned into lock-down situation from the first week. Schools were closed almost immediately, resorts and tourist attractions were shuttered, coffee shops and restaurants closed, and all the tourists were sent home. Flights in and out are being closing monitored and if an individual does not have a place to stay when they arrive, either with family or friends, perhaps an Air B&B, they are being given a free, one-way ticket back to where they came from. These strict measures are keeping the number of confirmed cases fairly manageable, but I have now been in total quarantine for over four weeks with my niece, her husband, their daughter , and a German Shepherd. Nothing but walks, but I can’t complain about the weather.
It’s not been easy keeping a kindergartener entertained, but overall, I think my family unit has risen to the occasion and we are doing our part to remain healthy. My stay has been extended to whenever, and I’m anxious to get home to Southern California, but my circumstances are far better than many. As far as writing, I’m more determined than ever to complete the first draft of MIRACLE, whether I decide to publish it or not. I can write almost anywhere, alone or in the midst of others – but I need to be productive. I need to have something tangible to show for my weeks of no excuses that I didn’t have enough time to write or be creative. I’m limping along on a refurbished iPad and my phone, sometimes long-hand, but I’m moving quickly. The whole story is in my head, just have to get it typed out on paper.
Q: Have you seen the meme about picking a house to live in during quarantine? A lot of them are going around, but I’m going to give you a unique one. Pick a house from the list below and tell us why you chose it.
House 1: JK Rowling Ruth Bader Ginsberg Kanye West Jon Stewart
House 2: Stephen King George W. Bush Britney Spears Samantha Bee
House 3: Janet Evanovich Michelle Obama Tom Cruise Jimmy Fallon
House 4: Paulo Coelho Colin Powell Miley Cyrus Ellen DeGeneres
Of course, there are one or two in every house that don’t make my short list of people to socialize with, but the most well-rounded one to me would be House #1. The wisdom of Ruth, the sharp and intelligent humor of Jon, and the persistent, never-give-up attitude of JK would make for an interesting household.
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Author Alexa Kingaard
About the Author ALEXA KINGAARD, a California native, currently resides in Carlsbad and is the mother of a son and daughter who continue to be her biggest fans and cheerleaders.
October 13, 2011, was the day that changed her life forever when her ex-husband, a Vietnam veteran, took his life during a PTSD flashback episode. Inspired to share this tragedy that continues to rob husbands and wives of their spouses, children of their parents, mothers of their children, brothers and sisters of their siblings, and comrades of their friends, Kingaard relied on her own experiences to shed light on this crisis. The burden brought home is not partial to Vietnam, but is an insidious aftershock endured by combat veterans of all conflicts.
Kingaard continues to pursue her literary career, writing about nostalgia and the human condition, the common denominator of our lives.
