Release Day Blitz for Learning to Love Again by Cynthia P. O'Neill!!

Title: Learning to Love Again

Author: Cynthia P. O'Neill

Genre: Contemp. Erotic
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours

Blurb for Learning to Love Again, Book 3:

Control can be a wonderful feeling, especially when you’re an alpha like Garrett Andrews Waters...  

But how do you control a beast from the past intent on destroying everything you hold dear?  He’d already lost his parents and aunt, but now threats against him, his fiancé, Laurel Hart, and their unborn child pushes him into hiding to try and protect all he cares for.

Can he outsmart Walt Peterson and regain control or will he lose everything he’s come to trust and love, including his own life?

Laurel Hart’s life has been upended, with one traumatic event after another…

But she’s survived thanks to her family and Garrett. She’s learned to trust in Garrett’s love for her; letting go of her past, and his, has opened her up to the idea of learning to love again.  

Will her trust and affection be short lived with Chase Peterson hot on her trail, determined to make her his, or will justice prevail and allow them to finally live in peace and have their happily ever after?  

It’s a heart pounding race to the finish

for both Garrett and Laurel, with

surprises around every corner.

I grew up in a small town in South Florida called Clewiston and moved to Central Florida to attend college.  I married my friend, love, and soul mate and still reside in the area with our amazing son, and a feisty, four-legged little doggie boy.  

In my books, I draw on my background in healthcare, business, and science, along with my husband’s engineering and wireless technology knowledge. 

I currently write on all levels of Romance.   The Learning Series is for those who like a little more steam with their books, falling into the categories of Contemporary and verging on Erotica, with a hint of Suspense.  The Remembrance Series encompasses Young Adult, with a touch of Paranormal activity and a hint of Historical romance. A new contemporary romance series is underway, called Need.  It will be different than the others, because each book will focus on a new couple, while the other characters will still have a large presence throughout the series.

I try to make my writing very personal and close to her heart. Regular life is the inspiration for my books, but I'm only limited by imagination taking ideas to new heights, opening up possibilities that would normally not exist. 

On a more personal note...I love to cook and create in the kitchen and on the bbq grill.  I sometimes lose myself in a song at the piano.  I often sing with my son while we are driving or making dinner together.  I enjoy crafts (flower arranging, making wreaths, painting pottery, needle point and drawing in pencil and charcoals).   My music tastes are eclectic at best, ranging from classical piano to hard rock/heavy metal.  It all depends on the song, group, and if it has a good beat or is a soulful ballad. 

To learn more about me, feel free to check me out at www.cynthiaponeill.com.

Cynthia P. O’Neill Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter    or @cynthiaponeill

Blogspot

Pinterest

Goodreads

Amazon

Laurel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as soon as we were inside the penthouse. She looked amazing in her dress. I couldn’t keep my hands off of her bare back in the ballroom and her exposed leg in the car. She was the one thing that calmed me and I desired her more than anything else in my life, but I wouldn’t press, given the day we’ve had.  

“Would you like to take a bath together or would you rather us turn in for the night?” I asked as I led her up to our bedroom.

She laid her purse on the nightstand by our bed, then turned towards me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and whispered so close to my lips, that I could feel her breath across my face,  “A soak would be nice, but right now I just want to get out of this dress, feel the warmth of your skin pressed hard against mine, and let the night take us where it may.”  

Damn, my woman knew how to turn me on in a heartbeat. I was already at semi attention, but now she had me rock hard and wanting out of my clothes as quickly as possible.  

I wasted no time in stripping myself bare. Her eyes grew big as she realized the power her words had over me.

Now it was her turn.  My hands found the side zipper of her dress as my tongue grazed up her neck to the back of her ear, where I sucked on her skin. “Do you have any idea how desirable you looked in this dress tonight?”  

I bit her lightly as she moaned, “No.”

I grabbed her hand and moved it down to my cock. “You feel how much I want you?” Her fingers circled round me as I shoved into her hand.

Release Day Blitz for Pathogen by E.L Loraine!!

Title: Pathogen

Author: EL Loraine & Timothy Frasier     

Genre: Dystopian
Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours

Blurb for Pathogen:

What if the government doesn’t want a cure? An E.L. Loraine and Tim Frasier release. A blinding light in the Southwestern sky changed everything. Nothing worked anymore and all Alexis could do was hope that her boyfriend and fellow scientist Jackson would still head to New Orleans for their week end together. She couldn’t help thinking the worldwide pockets of viral outbreaks and this were somehow connected. If she and Jackson combined their efforts just maybe they could stop this before it became an epidemic. Now she was stuck on the road alone and it wasn’t long before she realized it was too late; they couldn’t out run a virus. If the world was over run all they could do now all they could do was to figure out how to survive and keep the uninfected from becoming, mindless, flesh eating monsters. Now there’s something else, a mutation a strain of virus the government doesn’t want to cure and they want Alexis and Jackson to help them harness it. They aren’t about to let that happen. The world and character building of best-selling author E.L. Loraine with the specialty horror telling skills of Tim Frasier has combined in this dystopian – Pathogen. It’s chilling in an all too believable way.

At the end I’m going to reveal the cover and blurb of book two of Pathogen – Mutations.

Buy Links: 
ibooks

Smashwords

B&N

Amazon link

Alexis frowned, gun at the ready, and continued up the stairs, alleviating further squeaking by positioning her feet on the extreme sides of the treads.

She stopped at the landing and stood there holding her breath, listening, trying to decide what to do. Moving to the door to her right, sure the whimpering sound was coming from that room, she slowly reached out to the knob. 

In one movement she twisted the knob, and shoved the door hard. The door swung to her right, banging on the wall behind it. Lexy moved through the opening and into the interior of the room with her gun close to her body, rotating first to the left and then to the right.

Nothing.

She moved further inside, aiming the pistol back and forth, as she looked through the room.

She gulped and took herself in hand, preparing inwardly for the next move.

Release Day Blitz for Drake Restrained 2 by S.E. Lund!!

Title: Drake Restrained 2
Author: S.E. Lund

Genre: New Adult, Erotic, Contemporary Romance 

Hosted by: Lady Amber's Tours

Book Description:

Drake Morgan, MD, Neurosurgeon, bass player, philanthropist – Dominant. He doesn't do girlfriends, he doesn’t do sleepovers, and he certainly doesn't do breakfast in bed the morning after. He has his surgical slate at New York Presbyterian, he has a charitable foundation providing surgical tools to hospitals in Africa, he has his Brit Invasion cover band, Mersey, and he has his secret life as a Dominant in Manhattan's BDSM community. Into bondage, D/s and the occasional dungeon scene, Drake keeps every part of his life separate, the divisions between them neat and tidy. His weeks are filled with surgeries, music and D/s sex, and none of the well-planned and scheduled parts of his life intersect. That is until Kate McDermott crosses his path and screws everything up. Now, nothing is neat and tidy anymore, for Drake is smitten and things are going to get messy… 

S. E. Lund lives with her family of humans and animals in a small city in Western Canada in an old house on a quiet tree-lined street. Besides writing erotic, contemporary and paranormal romance, she writes science fiction and fantasy, science fact, advocates for climate action, plays piano and dreams of living in a warm climate by the ocean. 

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter:  @elizal2012

Goodreads

"I can't imagine that meaningless sex can be rewarding in the long run."

I sighed. After a bad marriage, meaningless sex was a relief from sex that was wrapped up in anger and frustration and misunderstanding. "It's not,” I said. “But it's good enough for now."

She stared at me, and I could tell from the expression on her face that I was forcing her to confront issues that were difficult.

"I only want to fuck someone who loves me,” she said. “Is that so wrong?"

"Someone will love you, Kate,” I said, for someone would. Kate was not the kind of woman to remain single for very long. I was surprised she’d been single for as long as she had, but there were several traumas in her life and she needed time to recover. “Do you really want to wait until he does? Is masturbating all alone in your room at night, for what – a year? Is that really good enough for you?"

As soon as I said it, I knew it was a mistake. I could almost see her heart crack.

She left the living room and I heard her opening and closing drawers and cupboards with quite a lot of force. She was hurt. I followed her in after a moment and stood behind her as she fiddled with a teapot.

"I'm sorry." I reached out and touched her shoulder, wanting to reconnect and mend things.

"You’re a bastard."

"No, I'm not. I'm just being honest.” I turned her around and tried to catch her eye but she avoided me. “Kate, you deserve to have pleasure when you need it. You're not a bad girl for wanting to feel it. I can give it to you. I want to give you the pleasure you need in the way that most appeals to you, deep down inside if you're brave enough to admit it to yourself."

She actually closed her eyes and turned her head away.

"Here," I said and pulled her into an embrace, needing to break the icy silence between us. She didn’t respond, her body stiff. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings by speaking the truth so plainly,” I said softly. “If this is going to work between us, you have to let me break down those protective walls you've built up around yourself. Otherwise, you won’t really experience submission the way you need to."

Finally, she opened her eyes. "So you're telling me you have to be mean to me in order for me to be able to submit?"

"No, you have to be honest with me about what you need and want. You have to honest with yourself."

I watched her chest heaving. She was close to tears. I had to save the moment or the night would be over, and fast.

"Kate, are you sexually attracted to me?"

"You already know you're very handsome."

"I didn’t ask that. I asked you if you were sexually attracted to me." She didn’t answer so I spoke even more softly "Do you want to fuck me? Is there a part of you that just wishes you could right now and to hell with convention?"

Finally, she replied, her voice wavering. "Yes. But I'm afraid."

"What are you afraid of? That you'll have a great orgasm or three?"

"I'm afraid that you'll hurt me."

"I told you and Lara told you that I'm not into pain. I don’t want to hurt you, Kate. I want to make you feel pleasure."

"Not that kind of hurt."

I shook my head and stared at her for a moment. I knew what she meant. I had to get it through to her that we would keep things from becoming too tangled emotionally.

"That won't happen. We'll only have sex. None of that relationship stuff. We won't have breakfast together or go to movies or on dates. We'll fuck. I'll tie you up and make you come until you scream. I'll come. Then I'll go home. You'll sleep like a baby. End of story."

She looked doubtful, her brow furrowed. "What if I fall in love with you?"

I fought the grin that was threatening. "I won't let you."

"That's like saying you can control the weather. You can't."

I couldn’t keep back my smile. "I can control the weather, too."

She smiled back reluctantly, turning away slightly so I couldn’t see her, but I caught the grin nonetheless.

"I know this is all new to you. I know you're afraid." I embraced her once more, pressing my hips against her so she knew how hard I was. How much I wanted her.

Then I let her go and went back into the living room and sat back in the center of the sofa. She’d have to follow me eventually, and I’d know by how she responded and where she sat whether I was going to make any progress with her or whether I had gone too far. My sense was that she was fighting with all her might not to want me, not to want this, but that she was failing.

And more importantly, that she wanted to fail.

Interview with Patti Korbet, Author of Time to Begin!!

   

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – Time to Begin

SERIES – Ward Sisters, #5

AUTHOR – Patti Korbet

GENRE – Contemporary Romance

PUBLICATION DATE – September 15, 2014

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – estimated at 125k words

PUBLISHER – Patricia Korbet

COVER ARTIST – Patti Korbet

 

   

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

She'd been dealt too many blows to count. He'd always lived life on easy street. Are they Yin and Yang or a mistake of epic proportions?

Makeup artist Reggie Reynolds has endured a life as colorful as her ever-changing hair. After a painful childhood and a tragic adolescence, by sheer force of will, she found success – first in Hollywood, then on Broadway. Returning to her hometown offers a chance to help her aging grandfather and realize her dreams, not to mention soothe a broken heart. But even her storied past won't prepare Reggie for what happens in her next chapter.

When reporter Eddie Besson meets Reggie on a flight to New York City, he thinks he's at an all-time high-point in his cushy, perpetual-youth life. Twenty-four hours with Reggie changes Eddie's perspective. Despite the fact she doesn't want anything to do with him when he leaves, Eddie can't stop thinking about the girl from New York City long after he's gone from the Big Apple.

As Eddie's perfectly-orchestrated life falls apart, he has some tough decisions to make, with only one thing certain: there will be consequences to pay for his lackadaisical approach to adulthood. Reggie's own soul-searching reveals some painful truths, including guilt about passing judgment on the guy from Maine. When she runs into Eddie again – this time on his home turf – sparks fly and decisions must be made, choices that aren't universally well-received. Will this unlikely pair go all-in, find a way to balance the scales and live life on their own terms? Or will tragedy tear them apart for good?

 

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE – BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – KOBO - ITUNES – GOODREADS

 

THE INTERVIEW

 

How long have you been writing?
I've been writing for many years, but on New Year's Day, 2010, I set a goal to make writing a priority. It has only become more so since then.

What or who inspires you to write?
So many things! I'm an observer, so sometimes it's about what I see or hear (or overhear). Other times, I'm inspired by dreams or songs.

What genre do you like to read?
I read a variety of genres. For me, characters are the most important aspect of a story, so as long as I enjoy the characters, and especially if I like an author's writing, I'm not picky about genre. I tend to read more contemporary romance than anything else, but I'm not limited to it (or even to fiction).

What is your favorite genre to write?
Right now, I'm channeling contemporary stories. I've had people tell me that my work isn't romance, and I'm okay with that. I don't think they're right, but I know my work doesn't fit the traditional mold. What I do write is a cross-breed of Contemporary Romance, with the frank storytelling of New Adult and the depth of story that you find most often in Women's Fiction.

Who is your favorite author and why?
I used to have an answer for this, but I've discovered so many new writers in the past year, that it's a lot harder to choose! I don't even know if I could answer this given months to do so. One of my favorites is Diana Gabaldon – I love her books, but I also admire her ability to write cross-genre and I hope to succeed at that as well.

What do you love about writing and why?
For me, it's a one-two punch. Writing satisfies my need to create while simultaneously tapping into my enjoyment of technical details. It works both sides of my brain and the longer I write, the more it accomplishes that simultaneously. I'm happiest when my brain can be equally engaged.

What is the book about?
Time to Begin is about two people whose lives have had very different paths, but find in each other the person who can help balance them and make their life greater. They've both been living in the past and in order to have a future – whether together or apart – they need to take a risk and finally go all-in with their life.

What or who was the inspiration for the book?
That's a tough question, because stories don't always come to me the same. These two character were secondary in other stories within the series. I knew they were going to star in this story, but until I wrote the book, just how perfectly their stories meshed was a mystery. The basic concept of the story is a Yin/Yang tale with a tiny bit of the movie Serendipity thrown in for good measure.

Who are the characters in the book?
The male lead is Eddie Besson, a journalist. He's the best friend of another character from the series, This Year's Love's Josh Ricker. The female lead, Reggie Reynolds, is a makeup artist. She used to work for Back to December's Rob Deacon and dated Only One's Liam Neely. Rob, Liam and Josh all appear in this story. We also see a lot of Christopher Pilling, Rob's stylist, who is Reggie's best guy friend, and Jill Daigle, who is Eddie's long-term girlfriend. Many of the other characters in the series have roles in this story, but those are the major ones. And, new in this story are Nona and Gramp, Reggie's beloved grandparents.

If you could have five authors, over for dinner, alive or dead, who would they be and why?
Jane Austen – because, in many ways, she was a woman before her time and I'd like to have a conversation with her.
Tom Robbins – I want to meet the guy whose brain comes up with such fantastical stuff, and see if he's as wacky in his real life as he is on the page.
Douglas Adams – I'd have loved to pick the brain of the man who deemed the towel an essential piece of travel equipment and designated the number 42 as significant.
Marie Hall – this might happen someday, since we've become friends over the last year. I can't wait to meet in person, because I know we'd probably talk for hours.
Jill Shalvis – because, between her and Tom, I can imagine a lively, hilarious meal.

 

 

 

EXCERPT

The girl with the pink and black striped hair kept looking at him. Eddie thought he was just being paranoid at first, but she was definitely staring. He didn't think he could possibly know her – after all, she looked like part of a Punk crowd, and despite his appreciation for the genre, that was definitely not his speed of social group. Maybe they'd had classes together in college. She might be around his age. But though he felt like he knew her somehow, he didn't recognize her. Pink Hair didn't make any effort to engage him. Nonetheless, there she was, staring again. This time, though, her eyes watered and she looked like she struggled to keep the tears away. Maybe she wasn't staring at him so much as through him. He should probably ignore her. But then her eyes drifted shut and a tear escaped, running down a surprisingly angelic face. Shit, he thought. Don't do it, Besson. Just stay where you are. Too late. He got up and moved to sit next to her. When he put his hand over hers, she jumped a little and looked at him, confused. “Hey, you okay?” Eddie asked. “Um, not really. But it's nothing. Don't worry about it.” “If it was nothing, then you wouldn't be crying. Want to talk about it?” Jesus, what was it with him and providing an ear these days? First Kay and her marital troubles, now a stranger? Who next? Maybe she'd say no. Hopefully. “No, that's okay.” Oh, good. That's a relief, he thought. Eddie's hand was still covering hers and she looked down at it. Since she didn't pull her hand away, Eddie left his there. Maybe it comforted her. Maybe it would be enough and she wouldn't use him as a sounding board. She sniffed and when she looked up she smiled at him. “I'm Reggie.” “Eddie. You headed to New York?” “Yeah. You?” He nodded. “I've got a meeting.” “Oh? You in finance or something?” Eddie laughed. Hardly. “No. Reporter. I work at a small-town newspaper up north. My boss is sending me to meet with a potential new buyer for the paper.” She'd bristled a little at the word 'reporter', but relaxed again when he said he worked at a small-town paper. Huh. “Because you run things?” “Nah. They want to meet with all the editors and I was away when they came last month. I guess it's nearly a done deal and they want to figure out where we all fit in their organization.” “Oh. How long are you in the city?” “A day. Fly down today, fly back tomorrow. What about you? Why are you headed to NYC?” “I live there. Well, in Brooklyn, anyway. I work in the city.” “What do you do? If you don't mind my asking. Sorry. Reporter's instinct to ask questions.” “It's okay. I'm a makeup artist.” “Oh yeah? Where do you work? In the movies?” “I did. For a long time I worked in L.A. on movie and TV sets. I've been on a Broadway play for the past seven months. We were supposed to be done after six weeks. Then it stretched to six months. We're regrouping right now, but we're back to work tomorrow. They're talking about a long-term run.” “Sounds like you're pretty excited about it.” “It's basically my dream job. I always wanted to work on Broadway, but it's hard to get into the business there. Much easier in Hollywood, where there are a million different productions. Eventually, if you meet the right people, you're set. I got lucky and hooked up with a stylist when he was just getting started. That led to where I am now.” Eddie smiled. “Seems like you made some smart moves.” “I did. Now I get to work in my hometown and be near my family.” Eddie laughed. “Me too. But somehow, I don't think my hometown quite compares with yours.” “No? Population isn't in the millions? No loud noises, smelly exhaust or ridiculous traffic?” “No all-night takeout, no clubs with up-and-coming music. No way to escape your family, even when they're driving you nuts. I love everything about New York.” “Me, too,” Reggie said. “Those are just people's usual complaints. But everything you said, that's the reasons why I love living there. Plays, music, art, culture, food, history. It's all there.” Now boarding Delta Flight 1220 to New York's LaGuardia at Gate 8. Please have your ID and boarding passes ready. “I guess it's time to board. Where are you sitting?” Eddie asked. “Um, 14C,” Reggie said, looking at her boarding pass. “No way. I'm in 14A. Looks like we're sitting together.” Reggie smiled. “Good. I was going to have to ask your seatmate if I could switch. Now I don't have to do that.”

 

 

AUTHORS PLAYLIST

Beautiful Disaster – Jon McLaughlin Falling – Jon McLaughlin Faster – Matt Nathanson Wake Me Up – Avicii Love Stinks – The J. Geils Band Who Says – Selena Gomez and The Scene Thank You – The Shapes Escape From New York – The Shapes Claim Your Prize – The Shapes Overflow – The Shapes New Revolution – The Waking Hours How Does It Feel – The Waking Hours Survive – The Moog I Like You – The Moog All On Me – The Shys Bom Bom Bom – Living Things Not Thinking Straight – Pint Shot Riot Five Year Rut – Supergarage Turn Me On – Bromheads Jacket I Couldn't Imagine – Julie the Band Pretty Good Day – Best Not Broken Take My Picture – Best Not Broken Restless Heart – Matt Hires The Mess I Made – Parachute Hanging By A Moment – Lifehouse Absolutely (Story Of A Girl) – Nine Days It's Time (Live London Sessions) – Imagine Dragons Static Waves (Featuring Katie Herzig) – Andrew Belle Baby, I Love You – Ramones Blitzkrieg Bop – Ramones I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend – Ramones Family (featuring Tim Armstrong) – The Interrupters Strangers – The Kinks

 

 

 

CHARACTER BIOS

Eddie Besson is that guy, the one who still acts like he's in college, despite entry into his 30's. As the sports editor for his small, hometown newspaper, he lives above his parents' garage, spends his free time hanging out at the one bar in town and strings along his high school girlfriend. The kicker is that he doesn't really think there is anything wrong with his life. Until he meets Reggie Reynolds, and suddenly, his world seems pathetic and wasteful.

 

Broadway and Hollywood makeup artist Reggie Reynolds fought hard for the life she has now. Abandoned by her parents, she clung to her beloved grandparents as long as she could. But her grandmother was taken by illness, and now her grandfather is succumbing to age. She has never been lucky in love and is sure she is doomed for a life without it. Then she meets Eddie Besson and the world gets a little brighter, even if just for a moment.

 

DREAM CAST

Inspiration pictures at my Pinterest page

 

AUTHOR BIO

For a majority of her life, two things have been true about Patti Korbet: she loves to read and she has a very active imagination. You can often find her with a book or her Kindle in hand. And in the last few years, she's frequently been typing away at her little netbook, turning the myriad thoughts that run through her head into story ideas.

 

Her career path to author has had many twists and turns, but Patti has been making up stories in her mind for as long as she can remember. Just as her son turned 9 months old, she made serious work of molding those stories into works of fiction. She put her nose to the grindstone in the fall of 2012 and hasn't looked back since.

 

When not reading or writing, Patti pretends to be a gardener, loves to dance, watches a variety of shows with compelling characters and most importantly, takes care of her family of four. She hopes one day to convince her husband that fiction writing is a worthy pursuit. In the meantime, she's proud to see the seeds of imaginative storytellers and prolific readers in her daughter and son.

 

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – WEBSITE / BLOG – FACEBOOK – TWITTER

 

GIVEAWAY

Sterling Silver "Hope" Pink Ribbon Necklace

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tour Hosted & Organized by

Release Day Blitz for Dead of Night by Carlyle Labuschagne!!

 

Title: Dead of Night

Author: Carlyle Labuschagne

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Romance

Publisher: Hallowed Ink Press
 

Blurb: 

In a dark and desolated After Earth, love still does exist, but the cost of bearing such a flaw is death.

World War III has left Earth in utter turmoil. People’s beliefs are said to be the cause of the worldwide destruction. After The Clearing new laws are set about - to show certitude in anything besides the law is weak and chargeable as mutiny. To be illogical and have faith in religion is illegal, to be limitless is dangerous. And Illness is seen as a defect – all flaws that are inexcusable.

But to love is the greatest betrayal of all mankind. It is a fault the world has long forgotten and punishable by death, a fatal risk Aecker and Opel are fully prepared to take - because in love there is freedom. But how far can they push back before it claims their lives and of those they care about?

FB Release Party

Carlyle Labuschagne is a South African award winning author working her way into the hearts of international readers with her first two books in the Broken Trilogy. Her first young adult dystopian novel "The Broken Destiny" reached top 3 in its YA debut Category. The Sequel Evanescent won YATR literary award for best Sci-Fi book 2013. 

Her become a published author prgramme for students launched Feb 2014. 

She is not only an author, but works as a marketing manager by day. She holds a diploma in creative writing through the writing school at College SA. 

Carlyle loves to swim, fights for the trees, and is a food lover who is driven by her passion for life. Carlyle also writes for IU e-magazine India, an inspirational non-profit magazine that aims at inspiring the world through words. The drive behind her author career is healing through words. Carlyle is also the founder of the first annual book drive – Help Build A Library in Africa Project. And hopes to launch her very own Indie book festival in Johannesburg March 2015.

“My goal as an author is to touch people’s lives, and help others love their differences and one another.”

Author Links:

Goodreads * Amazon * Twitter * Web * Blog

Goodreads * Facebook * Web * Twitter

Review of Scandal at Almack's and Interview with Author Gloria Gay!!

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – SCANDAL AT ALMACK’S

AUTHOR – Gloria Gay

GENRE – Regency Historical Romance Novella, ebook only

PUBLICATION DATE –April 25, 2014

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 36,000 words

PUBLISHER – BORROUGHS PUBLISHING GROUP

 

 

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Beautiful Jenny Longtree was expected to do her duty and accept the marriage proposal of a man she abhorred, Calvin Hazeldeck, an old and rich mortician whose offer of a marriage settlement would save her family from destitution brought about by her father’s bad shipping investments.

Then unexpectedly, Jenny’s dear uncle, Sir Roger Addington, who had been informed of the family’s dilemma, offered his favorite niece a London social season as a last chance to find a husband on her own.

 

But in the whirl of the London season, Jenny realizes that without a dowry her chances of obtaining a marriage proposal are practically non-existent.

 

Then on the last ball of Almack’s, and when Jenny feels that time is slipping away, Lady Jersey, the head patroness of Almack’s, introduces her to Sebastian Billington, Lord Corville. As they dance the waltz, Jenny realizes she has fallen in love at first sight with a man she is likely never to see again.

And during the seductive dance with Lord Corville, something happens that has Jenny lying on the floor at Lord Corville’s feet, having momentarily passed out. When she comes to, she finds a sea of faces staring down at her and scandal exploding all around her.

 

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – AMAZON KINDLE CA – AMAZON KINDLE UK – BARNES & NOBLES NOOK SMASHWORDS – ITUNES – GOODREADS – SHELFARI

 

THE REVIEW

 

My only complaint about this book was... I wanted more... I loved it, and read it in about a day!! 

 





Jenny Longtree is set for a very unhappy marriage to get her father out of debt.  She is saved when her uncle, Lord Roger Addington from London sends for her to sponser her season.  It's her last chance to gain a husband before her marriage to Calvin Hazeldeck takes place. 

Once arriving at her uncle's, she's not prepared for the abrubt cruelty of his wife, but is determined to get herself betrothed to a man other then Calvin.

At the ball at Almack's, she meets Sebastian Billington, Lord Corville, and while dancing with him, she is taken with him from the very beginning.  During their dance however, something happens that shocks Jenny and has her on the floor at the ball.

Suddenly, she finds herself betrothed to Sebastian, even though it's quite obvious, he doesn't seem to be happy about it.  Also, there are people who are determined to break them apart, and to her horror the man her father wants her to marry is there making things difficult for her. 

As I said, I wish this had been a little bit longer, but I thought it was a really cute story.  I loved Sebastian completely, even though he was his own worst enemy at times... Jenny was perfect for him, not matter how hard he fought his feelings, she was the perfect match for him. 

THE INTERVIEW
How long have you been writing?I started writing seriously, with the intention of writing a complete book, about two years into my marriage and I have not stopped since then. So you could say I’ve been writing most of my life.
What or who inspires you to write?
Scenes that pop into my head as ideas for books are what usually inspire me to write a book. When I’m not actually typing the book, I’m thinking of scenes for the book, of the characters, the place where it takes place, the weather, etc. It’s very inspiring for me that I sort of live with these characters in my head as the book begins to take shape.

What genre do you like to read?
I like to read what I write, both a Regency historical and romantic suspense, flipping back and forth between them.

What is your favorite genre to write?
My two favorite genres to read and write are Regency historical novels and romantic suspense.

Who is your favorite author and why?
My favorite authors in historical romance are Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. Contemporary Regency historical writers that I like and read a lot are Lisa Kleypas, Mary Jo Putney and Mary Balogh.

What do you love about writing and why?
What I love most about writing is that you can create a world where your story takes place and form the characters for your story. In the same way that you gather the ingredients for a cake, for instance, you gather your character’s traits and start to form an imaginary person that begins to live and breathe. Very inspiring. And rather than just invite people to a dinner at your house, with a book you also plan what your dinner guests are going to say, along with what they are going to eat!

What is the book about?
Jenny Longtree is being pressured to accept a marriage proposal from a widowed mortician older than her father in order to save her family from financial ruin. She is hanging on to a hope that something will save her from what she considers a catastrophe and the end of her life as she has known it until now.

What or who was the inspiration for the book?
I wanted to write about a heroine who is up against the wall without any place to run to and then salvation comes to her by an invitation to the London season to be financed by her uncle. Yet she has hardly had time to digest the fact that she has fallen in love at first sight at a ball at Almack’s, when she is suddenly plunged into scandal.

Who are the characters in the book?

The heroine: Jenny Longtree. Jenny is a beautiful girl whose father has plunged the family into financial ruin through his reckless investments and looks to Jenny to save the family by marrying a mortician friend who has promised to pull him out of the hole he dug himself into in exchange for Jenny’s hand in marriage. Jenny abhors the mortician, whose children hate the idea of acquiring a step-mother and habitually kick her shins.
The hero: Sebastian Billington, Earl of Corville. Sebastian’s fiancé sent him a "dear john" letter when he had just been wounded in the middle of a battle against Napoleon’s troops so he doesn’t trust women. He fights the extreme attraction he has to Jenny and suspects the scandal of his own making that has forced him into a marriage proposal.

The three villains who plot to disrupt the engagement.
If you could have five authors, over for dinner, alive or dead, who would they be and why?
The five (six) authors that I would love to have for dinner would be:Charlotte and Emily Bronte: Their brooding romantic novels are unforgettable. I have read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre again and again.
D. H. Lawrence. His novels were controversial in his time because he broke new ground in his depiction of love scenes.

Daphne DuMaurier. Rebecca, is a haunting novel. It haunted me so much that I wrote to Daphne DuMaurier. I asked her if Manderly was real, because it had always seemed very real to me.

To my surprise and elation she wrote back to me. Her letter, together with two photos that she sent me is one of my treasures. In it she told me that as a child she used to trespass in Menabilly, an estate adjoining her parents’ home. Later, as a grown-up, she was able to lease that same house for twenty years. She said that Rebecca’s Manderly was largely inspired by Menabilly, but that the more grandiose conception in the book was inspired by a mansion with a vast park, picture gallery, etc., in the Midlands, called Milton, that she had visited as a child of eleven.

George Eliot (Marian Cross, Nee Evans). Victorian author of The Mill and the Floss.

Jane Austen – Her six novels are inspiring to Regency romance writers. But it was curious that she never once mentioned Almack’s, one of the exclusive haunts of the English aristocracy.

EXCERPT

Lord Corville was surprised that Lady Jersey had led him directly into a vision of lovely youth. Usually wallflower duty was how it sounded, giving an opportunity to dance a few sets to girls who were in their first season and not likely to obtain dancing partners on their own because they lacked pedigree or were pretty enough but lacked an attractive dowry. The Almack’s patronesses took their duty to young girls in their first or second season very seriously, and in every ball the two in charge could be seen walking about, matching young ladies to reluctant young men. Sebastian seldom if ever glanced toward the wallflower area, but now he regretted it. The moment he gave his gloved hand to this girl and led her to the dance floor, it was all he could do to keep his balance until they began their waltz. Her touch was so sensual, he felt her hand not on his but directly on his groin. A hot frisson coursed along his nerve endings, and his whole body shuddered in anticipation. If he felt so much with only the soft touch of her hand on his, what would he feel with her in his arms? Suddenly realizing where his mind was going, he shook off such outlandish thoughts. He was a bit foxed and couldn’t even remember what Lady Jersey said the girl’s name was during the introduction. He should have skipped that stop at Rothyn’s townhouse, as they’d dipped into bottles of claret before coming here. Of course, it was turning out amazingly easy to keep his promise to his sister Camie. One dance with a wallflower debutante? Why this beautiful girl lacked dance partners was beyond his understanding. She was as lovely and as rare as an orchid, and her scent intoxicated him even more than the claret. He had never felt such jumping sensations as he was now feeling while waltzing with her. Her eyes as she looked at him were sparkling blue aquamarines, and the tingling ripple the mere touch of her hand had started now throbbed along his groin so that his hand tightened on hers even as his breeches tightened. He quickly forced his eyes away from her lithe form, for just a quick glance at her curves unhinged him. They swayed around the vast ballroom, and the lights from a thousand candles and the twirling couples confused him. The lovely girl in his arms became three identical girls who twirled round and round like the racing dials of a mad clock. He heard the waning notes of the waltz as it was coming to its end and felt so dizzy that, had he not held her, he would have lost his balance. He looked into the girl’s beautiful eyes and his gaze drifted downward. Her breasts, the tops of them peeking alluringly from her filmy gown, were so fetching that he wondered when he had ever seen a better pair. There was a small dark mole on her left breast, and a tiny rosebud by it, and so compelling was the tiny beauty mark that he was hypnotized. The music had stopped. He looked into the girl’s lovely blue eyes and wondered why they were wide with alarm, and her voice was loud and clear in the silence that followed the conclusion of the waltz. “Oh!” she exclaimed. Her hand on his shoulder slipped away as she fell to the floor, her crumpling body settling softly on his feet. Sebastian leaned down toward her prone body. After a few seconds, the girl opened her eyes. A crowd had rushed forward, and there was a large circle of people around her and Sebastian, three or four deep, looking down with concern. And silence, as everyone just stared. The girl was helped up by two gentlemen while Lord Corville continued to stare, speechless. Lady Jersey broke the silence. “What happened to you, my dear?” A twittering of exclamations rose like a deafening wave, and then sudden silence fell again as the crowd waited in suspense for the girl’s reply. The girl spoke slowly but clearly, so that everyone heard her words. She looked directly into Lord Corville’s eyes and said, “Lord Corville touched me inappropriately.”

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AUTHOR BIO

Gloria Gay has lived in San Diego, California the greater part of her life, where she worked as a legal secretary for twenty-five years and as a stringer for a local newspaper. Her heart, though, has always been with art and literature and it was one of the happiest days of her life when she wrote her first book.

Boroughs Publishing Group recently published her fifth Regency romance, Lovely Little Liar. Scandal at Almack’s, with the same publisher is Gloria’s sixth Regency romance. Her debut novel, First Season, earned a four-star review from Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is also the author of Forced Offer, Canceled Courtship and Known to All.

She lives with her husband, Enrique, an architect, in San Diego, California, and couldn’t be happier that their children and grand-children live nearby.

 

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BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE – MACALISTER’S HOPE SERIES – A KILMARTIN GLEN NOVELLA

AUTHOR – LAURIN WITTIG

GENRE – SCOTTISH HISTORICAL ROMANCE

PUBLICATION DATE – OCTOBER 21, 2014

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 29K

PUBLISHER – INDIE

COVER ARTIST – T. A. Straley

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Kieron MacAlister has always loved Fia MacLachlan, a wee fey lass he met years ago who, with her sweet smile and surprising insight, changed his life. When he comes face-to-face with the beautiful woman she’s grown into, can he convince her to change her life, too?

 

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EXCERPT

“Fia can go with you,” Elena said. Fia’s breath hitched. “Nay, I am needed here, at least until after the bairn is born and you are recovered.” Elena took her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I shall be fine. The midwife can look after me.” Fia wanted to shake her head, but she nodded instead, swallowing all of her arguments for why she should stay. ’Twas her duty to do as the chief and the lady required. “I will go.” “Do you share the Lamont gift?” Tavish snapped, jerking Fia’s attention back to the two men who stood closest to her and spoke for their clan. “Nay,” Fia answered with a lift of her chin, “but I am well trained as a healer.” “Fia is expert with herbs, far more than I am,” Elena said. “She has a canny way of knowing which will best serve those she treats, such as I have never seen before.” Elena reached out and pulled Fia close, wrapping her arm over Fia’s shoulder in a gesture that had always made Fia feel safe, while at the same time Elena skewered first Tavish, then the other man, with that same motherly glare that made even grown men cower. “She is more than capable of tending your chief in his illness.” Elena’s words of praise eased some of Fia’s concern over leaving her foster mother when the bairn could come at any time. “Aye, I will do all that I can for your chief, but I have one condition.” Elena tightened her grip and Symon turned to face her, irritation and concern filling his eyes. Fia wiggled free of Elena’s grip and took her hand again. She smiled at Symon, knowing he could not glower at her when she did that, and indeed his gaze softened. “I will need to return to Kilmartin within a ten day. If you cannot promise me that, then I will not go with you.” She took a deep breath, unused to going against Symon or Elena’s wishes, but she hoped this was enough of a compromise to keep everyone happy. Fia could feel the knots in her shoulders loosening now that she had set her own requirements on the deal. “But she does not have your gift.” The words came out as a growl from between Tavish’s gritted teeth. Fia could see the man next to him tense, as if ready to do battle, though he had not so much as gestured toward his dirk or his sword. That was when she noticed that he held something in his hand, rolling it in his palm as if he calmed himself with it. She looked up at his face carefully for the first time and realized he was familiar to her, though she could not remember from where she might know him. There was something about his eyes…nay, she could not place him. Elena tilted her head and smiled, glancing at Fia and drawing Fia’s attention back to the conversation. “Nay, she does not have the Lamont gift,” Elena agreed, “but she is very talented in her own way, and you do not have a choice. Fia can go with you to tend your chief—your father—” she added pointedly, “and be returned here within a ten day, or you can leave here with a tincture that may or may not be what your father requires.” Tavish started to respond, when the other man simultaneously reached out and gripped his shoulder, as if to stop him from speaking, and dropped the thing in his hand. Fia watched as a perfectly round, milky stone rolled to rest near Elena’s feet. Fia scooped it up, for Elena could not even bend over these days. She dusted the pretty stone off on her skirt, then held it out for the man but he did not take it from her. “Do you think you can heal him, Fia?” he asked, saying her name as if he, too, remembered her, though she still could not remember why she knew him. She looked at Tavish, holding the stone out for him to take as his companion did not seem interested in it anymore. “I do not ken,” she said, needing to be truthful with him and herself, “but I will do my best.” The palest pink whispered along the milky white ribbons within the stone, surprising her even as she heard the other man let out his breath. “But you must promise to have me back here before Elena’s time,” she said, though her eyes were still on the stone that was once again milky white, “whether your father is better or not.” Elena plucked the stone from Fia’s hand and held it up to the pale sunlight, gazing into it with a bemused look upon her face. “I believe she can heal him,” Elena said, still gazing into the stone, while pink once more whispered through it. Fia gasped. Elena looked at her for a moment and quirked an eyebrow as if asking if Fia had seen what Elena had. Elena lowered her hand and held the stone out to its owner with a mysterious sort of smile playing over her lips. “’Tis a beautiful stone. It reminds me of a tale I once heard about the Cailleach Bheur, the mother of winter, and a frozen tear that held the truth of her heartache. You should not be so uncareful with it.” “Aye, my lady,” he said quietly. “I have heard that story, too.” He swallowed and smiled. “I am afraid I have a bad habit of fiddling with it and dropping it betimes,” he added, tucking the stone into a pouch at his belt. “Fia’s skills will be most appreciated.” Tavish sucked in a loud breath. “She will do as she says,” the other man said to him, “I am sure of it.” Tavish said nothing for a long moment, then nodded. “Very well. If we cannot have the skill of Lady Elena, we will take Fia with us to tend my da.” Fia and the other man winced at Tavish’s less than grateful tone. “And return me in a ten day.” Fia narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together. She had no intention of budging from Elena’s side without this assurance. “We promise,” the other man said when Tavish did not.

 

 

AUTHOR BIO

Laurin Wittig writes Kindle Top 10 bestselling and award-winning Scottish medieval romances. She has been obsessed with her Scottish heritage since her first visit to Scotland when she was eleven years old, and was thrilled, years later, to discover Scottish romances. Since then she has had the good fortune to bring her own Highland stories to readers around the world.

 

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