GIVEAWAY offer!

Would you like to win an arc review copy of MISS MOLLY ROBBINS DESIGNS A SEDUCTION? Release date is February 2014 for the fourth and final book in the Sydney Dovedale series. Please leave a comment below and follow my blog for a chance to win. I will be giving away two signed copies (paperback).

 

 

 

 

Evernight Publishing Showcase

Hello! I'm back again with another tribute to the authors of historical romance at Evernight Publishing -- the house that gave me my start a few years ago. Hope you enjoy these cameos from some of my good friends! As usual there is a little bit of everything here from spicy to sweet and you can find out more about the historical romances available at www.evernightpublishing.com.

(click on the book covers below to find out more about the particular books in this showcase and read excerpts. Should you find yourself tempted beyond endurance, they are all available for purchase from Evernight, Amazon, Bookstrand, All Romance Ebooks and most other online stores)

 

* * * *

MORGAN KING

"I love reading, if I’m honest it’s an addiction, there are some days I read multiple books and when I have to do other stuff like prepare dinner I am secretly counting down the minutes till I can next pick up my e-book. Writing has been a bit of a life saver, certainly for my bank balance as if I’m writing I don’t have as much time to read or spend buying books.

I read lots of different genres, but the one I keep coming back to is the historical. I used to read a lot of thrillers but then I had my son and got squeamish. I studied the classics and sci-fi as part of my degree. Romance makes me feel warm and fuzzy when life’s too busy to do anything but read for a feel good break. The thing about historicals though is they can be so many different things, so I always read them, they can be thrillers, they can be educational, they can be drama, they can be paranormal, and most importantly they can be romance.

Historical romances give me the opportunity to escape to places I’d otherwise never get to go, meet characters I’d never bump into in real life, and let me believe that no matter where on when, love is possible.

My favourite periods are Tudor and Regency, I think because there is this sense of glamour and political intrigue associated with the court and aristocracy that is akin to today’s world of celebrity. The stories from these periods go to places I could never go in real life no matter the time period.

And of course I fell in love with Mr Darcy when I was thirteen and named my dog after him. I think that says it all.

Sometimes I’ve just wished the stories would go that little bit further… like the bedroom… so mine do.  My first regency novella Duty to Love imagines what it would genuinely be like for two brothers to fall in love with the same woman and how/why they might agree to share despite the social conventions of the time. I like to think it’s a believable regency ménage."

DUTY TO LOVE -

A craftily worded contract and fate finds Arthur, Earl of Hentonbury, having to marry not the lady he expected but her younger sister Amelia, the woman he knows his brother James loves and hoped to marry. Arthur cares for both Amelia and James how can he choose between his love for them and his duty? James may be the younger son, but he has taken leave from the Army and will fight for Amelia.

Torn between her feelings for two brothers Amelia wishes to marry Arthur but can't bear to lose James.

Is there any chance the three of them can find happiness together? Will duty or love win out?

 

 

Morgan's second regency is a sweet short story, and just a little Pride and Prejudice inspired with the question of will they won’t they hanging over my Lord and Lady who are so different yet ideally suited.

  

AN UNCONVENTIONAL COURTSHIP - To marry or not to marry- that is the question for Lord Mendton and Lady Eleanor Chatsby.

Lady Eleanor Chatsby has her eye on a man; unfortunately he doesn’t appear to know she exists and is more interested in his hobby of bird watching.

Lord Mendton, curses his inability to communicate well with others, especially when his attention is captured by the most interesting of ladies.

One impetuous act from her and he is struck by the desire to make Lady Eleanor Chatsby his wife. Unfortunately his proposal is unexpected, poorly timed and refused.  He is not deterred and begins a plan of seduction.

Their courtship fast becomes a battle of wills, what can Lord Mendton do to capture his lady’s heart? Will she give him her heart? Will he cede her control of their relationship?

 

Where to find Morgan and more about her work:

http://www.facebook.com/authormorganking

 

http://www.authormorganking.wordpress.com

Twitter:  Morgan King @EroticWritings 

* * * *

 

ALEXANDRA O'HURLEY

 

 

Alexandra was born in the wild sticks of Eastern Maryland, but moved to the Old Dominion at the tender age of 7. Being the new kid, she was shy, and books were her best friends.
Fast forward several years ... college, marriage, child, divorce, and then strings and strings (and strings) of dating Mr. Wrongs (and a couple of Mr. Rights along the way) all led to putting fingers to keyboard and living vicariously through her characters.

Alex loves to ride roller coasters with her teenaged kiddo, eat sushi, watch lightning storms, dance to obnoxiously loud music (especially when it embarrasses the teenager), bake bread, paint ... when she has time between writing and work, of course.

Now multi-published and a best-selling author, she's still living somewhere in Virginia, probably napping with her fingers on a laptop, lying on a beach somewhere hoping her stories make you smile.

 

 

BEING IMPROPER- Born into world as mere chattel, Carrie Scott rebels against the oppression women are dealt in 1897 Philadelphia the only way she knows how—by hiding under layers of black mourning clothes worn for a fiancé she respected but did not love. Freedom from the marriage auction block allowed her the quiet she needed, but the lonely life eventually made her body yearn for more.

Dr. Matthew Gibson was floored to see his best friend’s little sister standing in his office, now the full fledged beauty he had always expected her to become. But the fact she was asking to be treated for “Female Hysteria” made his fingers itch to touch her and claim her as his own.

Neither knew that the one afternoon in his office would change their lives forever.

 

Where to find Alex and more of her work in several different genres?

 

http://www.alexohurley.blogspot.com/

http://www.alexandraohurley.com/

 

 

* * * *

 

MARIE MEDINA

 

Marie Medina was born in northern New England and raised by her pale, mysterious godfather in a dark gothic mansion on the edge of her small, sleepy town. He didn’t turn out to be a Bronte hero or a vampire, as she thought when she was very young, but he is her best friend and the standard by which she measures all her heroes (and suitors). She has been writing since the age of eleven and has no intention of stopping anytime soon!

 

 

 

CLAIMING HIS BRIDE -

Victoria cannot even muster a smile on her wedding day. Her groom is handsome, titled, and wealthy, and her marriage will save her family from financial ruin, but she is still saddened when she contemplates the long, loveless years ahead of her.

Bastian never intended to marry, but he gives in to his father’s scheme because the more he thinks about the bride, the more he wants to capture her heart. He sweeps her into his arms at the reception, determined to make her smile and laugh, though he only manages to make her blush and stare at him incredulously.

Was he wrong to believe he could turn a marriage of convenience into a love match? Or does another man already hold the heart of his reluctant bride?

 

Want to find Marie and more about her work in a multiple of genres?



http://mariemedina80.blogspot.com/

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this sampler from Evernight Publishing! Stop by next month for another smidgeon of talented authors.

 

Jayne

 



EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING Historical Romance Showcase

I'm excited to welcome today two of my fellow historical romance authors with books published by Evernight!  I invited these ladies to stop by and talk a little about their work, so here they are....


NICKY PENTTILA

For me, the fun of writing historicals is getting to play “What would it be like?” What would it be like to have a talent such as composing or performing but be forbidden to do it because you’re a girl and so it’s Against Society’s Rules? What would it be like to be an all-truth-and-nothing-less man and find yourself falling for someone who spends her days idling in the Social World, telling the “white lies” that Society trades in?

In my story A Note of Scandal, Olivia Delancey is a Regency Uptown Girl, and her surprise beau, Will Marsh, is a tradesman. Worse, he’s the publisher of a newspaper, which back then as today is often considered a scurrilous profession. Each has strengths and weaknesses and a chance to change the game, if they dare. And neither expects the repercussions.

As a writer in these times, I freely express my talent; the idea that I couldn’t (or couldn’t as easily) if I’d been born in the past stuck in my craw. I had to find a way for my Olivia to get some satisfaction, some amount of joy. As a former newspaperwoman, I know that there are many more good journalists than rotten ones, and it sticks in my craw that we good ones get lumped in with the bad. So I made a hero out of one of us.

One thing that surprised me when I wrote it was how funny some scenes turned out to be: both Olivia and Will turned out to have great senses of humor. Bonus!

 

A NOTE OF SCANDAL - A desperate composer tricks a principled newspaper publisher into printing a false story, and then falls for him. How can she prove that she’s worth a second chance?

Want to read more? A Note of Scandal is available now at:

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/a-note-of-scandal-by-nicky-penttila/

All Romance eBooks,

Amazon | Paperback at Createspace | Audiobook at Amazon/Audible (and via iTunes)

Nicky Penttila writes stories with adventure and love, and often with ideas and history as well. She enjoys coming up with stories that are set in faraway cities and countries, because then she *must* travel there, you know, for research. She lives in Maryland with her reading-mad husband and amazing rescue cat. She’s chattiest on Twitter, @sunshinyday, and can also be found at nickypenttila.com.

TAMSIN BAKER

My first ten years of reading romance was devouring sexy level mills and boon. Then, about 5 years ago I found one of Sabrina Jeffries’ Regency novels in a second hand book store. Thanks to falling in love with her style, I got on book depository and bought everything she had ever written. Then of course came, Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Karen Hawkins and Stephanie Laurens.

So when I began to write Erotic romance I took my love for Regency with me. I love the setting, the rules, the society. And if you can throw in vampires and a bit of ménage loving, then why not?

Eternal Hearts -

For five hundred years, vampires Nathaniel and Michael have loved each other. But without their third mate, they feel empty and incomplete.

Lady Margaret Tonnington is a recent widow who has finally got some control over her life. The last thing she wants or expects are two male vampires, both claiming to need her. She is shocked by the strength of their passion for each other and wants to be a part of that love.

But Michael and Nathaniel want to bind her to them forever. Margaret is hesitant to change her life and fights to stay human. A compromise will be almost impossible, however it is essential for her vampire mates' lives that she does.

Want to read more?

Eternal Hearts is available at the following online stores -

http://www.evernightpublishing.com/eternal-hearts-by-tamsin-baker/

http://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Hearts-Third-Bite-ebook/dp/B00D7EHN7E/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372335963&sr=1-4&keywords=tamsin+baker

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-eternalhearts-1216947-160.html

Thanks for visiting, ladies!

I hope you enjoyed this peek into some of the books Evernight has to offer. The historical section has something in it for everyone - with sub-genres of every sort. For more, check out the shelf of historical romances here - http://www.evernightpublishing.com/categories/Historical/?sort=bestselling


 

Love is in the Air - Blog Hop

Spring is on the way - hopefully! I know for a lot of us, the season of rejuvenation and renewal (and nice weather!) still feels a long way off. To get a little warm-up for the change of seasons, here is an excerpt from LADY MERCY DANFORTHE FLIRTS WITH SCANDAL (Sydney Dovedale book 3) coming to a bookstore or an e-reader near you in June 2013.

I'm looking forward to watching the flowers bloom in my garden and being able to sit outside with my coffee in the morning. What do you look forward to about Spring? Leave a comment below and you could win an arc copy of LADY MERCY DANFORTHE FLIRTS WITH SCANDAL!

Don't forget to check out the other authors participating in this blog hop. Good luck!

Excerpt from LADY MERCY DANFORTHE FLIRTS WITH SCANDAL

　

There he was, slumped over the table. Panic squeezed around her heart with cold fingers until her searching eyes adjusted to the dim, smoky light and she saw the pewter jug beside his head. Mercy exhaled in relief. Unless he’d cracked himself over the head with it, he was merely drunk. That she could deal with, thanks to experience with her brother. Since no one else was brave enough to beard the beast in his lair, the task was up to her.

She hitched up her skirt and petticoat, climbed onto the brick window ledge, and swung her legs into the room. It was an action no proper chaperon would have condoned, but Mercy could never be kept out of somewhere she intended to be.

The shutters fell back against the wall with a clatter, causing Rafe to jerk upright in his chair as if roused by cannon fire. He swore loudly, holding his hands to his brow, and then she watched his gaze tracking the pale morning light where it cleared a path through the ashen gloom. Stiffly, he turned his head, and a pair of furious, hot blue eyes burned into her, scorching her fine gown.

When he spoke, his voice cracked, and the way he set each word down like a heavy burden was more menacing even than the manner in which his eyes raked over her. "My Lady Bossy-Breeches…what the blazes are you doing here?"

She brushed dirt from her frock and checked that her bonnet remained in place. If she was going to face this man, eye to eye, and deal with the business for which she came, Mercy needed all her parts in order. This was a man who earned money by fighting with his fists, and she knew he had a hot temper. However, she thought with a sudden sly smile, he was her property now, was he not? Rafe Hartley’s boxing contract was in her hands. With this pleasing thought in mind, Mercy ran her wondering gaze over his wide shoulders, down his chest to his narrow hips and thick, hard thighs. Her eyelids grew heavy; her pulse quickened. Her teeth dug into her lower lip, and she forgot—for just a moment—what she’d gone there to do.

"Well?" he barked as he jerked to his feet and the chair fell back to the flagstones with a bang. "You’d better have a damned good reason for coming here, woman."

It did not escape her notice that this was the second time he’d said "damn" in her presence. He not only said it, he relished the word.

Mercy’s gaze fastened on the abused chair. Someone ought to pick that up before it was tripped over, she thought.

"Well?" Rafe demanded.

Back to the business at hand. "I’m here to set you straight, Master Rafe Hartley. Apparently no one else has the courage. Your father thinks you should be left to your own devices until you stop sulking. But I have no time to wait around on your whim. Oh, and I’ll take an apology, too, for those things you said to me in the churchyard. I understand I must make certain allowances for your temper in the heat of that moment, but I would like an apology nonetheless."

"Don’t hold your breath for one, meddlesome harridan."

He stood before her, shoulders braced, fists at his side—a man ready to chase her out. She might as well be ten again and guilty of aiming an egg at the back of his head. Mercy could almost see the yolk dripping down the side of his neck, as it did back then.

Assessing him slowly, inch by inch, Mercy was just as astonished by his height today as she was every time she saw him since he turned fifteen and shot up almost overnight. It never ceased to shock. Rafe Hartley continued stretching north, and his shoulders were, she was certain, wider than some doors.

His eyes were still as blue as cornflowers, his hair as black as a crow’s wing. And that sizeable chip remained on his shoulders, possibly growing in unison with their width.

copyright Jayne Fresina 2013 LadyMercyDanfortheFlirtsWithScandal.

 

Lady Mercy likes her life neat and tidy. She prides herself on being practical—like her engagement to Viscount Grey, whose dark coloring coordinates very well with her favorite furnishings. But things start to get messy when her best friend abandons her fiance at the altar, leaving it up to Mercy to help the couple. There's just one problem. The jilted man is Rafe Hartley—Mercy's former husband.

Rafe has not forgiven Mercy for deserting him when they were seventeen. Their hasty marriage was declared void by law, but in his eyes the bossy little vixen was still his wife, even if the marriage lasted only a few hours. And Mercy "Silky Drawers" Danforthe still owes him a wedding night.

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HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE EXCERPT. Leave a comment below for a chance to win and don't forget to check out the other authors on the blog hop!

BLOG HOP coming soon!

Will the real Lizzie Bennet stand up?

Over the years Jane Austen's character, Elizabeth Bennet, has been portrayed by a number of talented actresses, who all put their own touch on the feisty, opinionated miss. I know which is my favorite. Who's yours? I'd love to hear what you think and why. Who came closest to the vision you had after reading the book?
And if you had the opportunity to cast a new version, which of the current actresses would you choose?

Of whom could you hear Mr Fitzwiliam Darcy declare, "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me."?

Greer Garson

Jennifer Ehrle

Keira Knightly

Elizabeth Garvie

 

 

Gemma Arteton

 



The character of Lizzie Bennet is so beloved, so well known, that it must be a pretty daunting task to play her. I confess, I often imagine who might portray my heroines in a movie version and I'm a tough, protective mummy when it comes to my characters! I wonder what Miss Jane Austen herself would think of these ladies and which one would meet with her approval. Although it's interesting to note that the first illustrations of her characters had Lizzie as fair and her sister, Jane, as a brunette, Miss Austen herself leaves only the mention of Lizzie's "bright eyes" and light figure with which to tease us. And, of course, her petticoats, shamefully "six inches deep in mud."

Problem solved - for now

Well, I managed to reclaim my Twitter account from the hackers.

Apparently thousands were hacked likewise, so at least I know it wasn't just me. But it makes me wonder how long it will be before the same thing happens again.

On a brighter note - today I'm guesting on SOS Aloha and talking about Trifle. Stop on over and comment for a chance to win a copy of THE WICKED WEDDING OF MISS ELLIE VYNE!

Hmmm. Trifle....

http://sosaloha.blogspot.com/2013/02/guest-post-jayne-fresina-and-wicked.html