You didn’t think I was going to leave you hanging on this day of fun, ghosts, trick or treaters, and sugary sweets? Noooo way. I’ve got two fabulous paranormals to giveaway in celebration of the day. Entering to win is just a comment away. Drawing will be November 1st. 
I’m late. I know, but it’s the weekend and I get to sleep in until 7:30. **grin** Okay, today we have 6 winners. You know the deal, first come, first choose. Email me your name, address and your order of preference for the books. Congrats to this week’s winners. Debut week was lots of fun!
Next week I’ll be posting the rules for THE SEASON’S Pitch Contest (first week in December) which will be judged by my fabulous editor and agent, Peter Senftleben at Kensington, and Kevan Lyon with Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Top prize is a 25 page critique.
I’ve also added Excerpt Thursdays to the weekly posts, where I’ll be giving you a taste of 3 hookable excerpts that are going to make you want to run out and pick up the book NOW!
Oh dear, and lest I forget, Monday sees the commencement of preliminary voting for the 2009 Best Historical Cover contest. It will be held on the website. I’ll supply the link Sunday evening.
Bonnie Ferguson
Mandy McMclanahan
Sandra Lynne
Stacy W
Bella
Soullumination
I’m not even going to pretend to know much about the world of paranormal. I simply do not. Thank goodness I have an expert here who has so perceptively drawn some very unique parallels between her paranormal world and my historical one that I’m compelled to pick one up. With the Twilight Zone music playing in my ear, I ask you to welcome Avon’s Pamela Palmer to The Season Blog.
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Paranormal Romance – Historicals in disguise?
I know what you’re thinking: What in the world is this woman talking about? But hear me out. The idea may not be as crazy as it sounds.
I love historical romances. I read them to be transported to a different time, a different world, but also because some of my favorite romantic scenarios just don’t work well in our modern equality-of-the-sexes existence. In real life, I absolutely want to be treated as an equal to any man, totally in control of my own life. But in my romance reading? Sweep me away! I want bigger-than-life heroes and strong heroines made vulnerable by circumstances or society. Or by the simple fact that compared to the heroes, they’re basically powerless.
These kinds of stories don’t work all that well in contemporaries. Doctors, billionaires, Navy SEALs, all have their appeal, don’t get me wrong. But modern heroes are still generally constrained by the rules of our society. Kidnappings don’t go over well in contemporary romances, any more than they do in real life. Neither do threats of, ‘Marry me or else.’ Modern women tend to take a dim view of such caveman tactics and contemporary men know that if they try to pull such stunts, they’re more likely to find themselves in the role of villain, rather than hero.
Where, then, do you find stories with heroes who straddle the line so beautifully between hero and villain? Historicals, of course. And lush, dark paranormals. Pirates, Vikings, dastardly Regency rakes, vampires, and shape-shifters – dangerous heroes all, in their own way – bigger than life, and made for romance.
Just like the historical heroine, in a paranormal romance, a tough modern woman can find herself utterly powerless against a hero she can’t control. Suddenly, despite years of equality, she finds herself out of her depth, face to face with danger personified, and falling in love with a male who at first glance appears to be more villain than hero, until she sees inside his heart.
The first three books in my Feral Warriors series from Avon are prime examples. The heroes are all immortal shape-shifters, each the last of his unique animal line, each able to shift into his animal at will. They’re bigger than life, powerful, and very, very dangerous.
In book 1, Desire Untamed, the hero, Lyon, absolutely kidnaps the heroine, ripping her from her world. She thinks she’s human, a small town pre-school teacher. He knows she’s immortal and the only one who can save his race. There’s no negotiation, no ‘my lawyer will get back to your lawyer.’ When she refuses to go with him, he simply knocks her out and carries her off. Very Viking-like. Very un-PC. She soon finds herself in a dark and dangerous situation, not just from a villain she can only sense, but from the nine deadly shape-shifters who refuse to let her go. And like in any good gothic romance, she quickly discovers she’s falling in love with the man, the lion shape-shifter, who holds her life very literally in his hands.
Desire Untamed
Author: Pamela Palmer
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: June 30
ISBN-13: 978-0061667510
384 pages
Kara MacAllister’s quiet small-town life is transformed forever the night a powerful stranger rips her from her home, claiming she is the chosen one – the key to his survival. Spiriting her away into the rain-soaked night, Lyon reveals a truth Kara can barely credit. She’s immortal, and the only one who can save his race. And deep within her, he arouses a fierce, primal hunger beyond anything she’s ever imagined. But only when their lives are threatened by an ancient evil will Kara and Lyon realize they have found a love they would risk their immortal souls to claim…and a powerful desire that could never, ever be tamed.
In book 2, Obsession Untamed, a tough human FBI agent finds herself in a world she can barely credit with a choice few contemporary heroines ever face from a hero. Marry him or die, for she’s seen too much. The heroine asks the tiger shape-shifter, “Why bind yourself to me when you don’t want me?” The hero’s reply? “Who says I don’t want you?”
Obsession Untamed
Author: Pamela Palmer
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: July 28
ISBN-13: 978-0061667527
384 pages
Every time she closes her eyes, Delaney Randall suffers another nightmare. A brutal serial killer has found his way inside the tough, take-no-prisoners FBI agent’s head. Now she lives the murders through his eyes, from his deadly approach, to his victims’ screams. Until the night he breaks into her apartment and she fears she’s going to be the next to die. But the man who snatches Delaney from her home isn’t the murderer. He’s Tighe, a dangerous Feral Warrior who needs her and her visions to stop the rampages of a creature as inhuman as he is evil. Tighe has little use for humans, but as he and Delaney join forces to track the dark fiend, he falls for the intense beauty and becomes wild with an obsession as untamed as his heart.
In book 3, Passion Untamed, the heroine is perhaps the most achingly vulnerable of any I’ve ever written. She’s a Mage witch, an enemy of the Feral Warriors and a prisoner of an evil man – a villain who forces her to lure and trap one of the Ferals. The hero, Paenther, has every reason to hate her, and when he turns the tables on her, escaping and dragging her with him, he has good reason to kill her. His Feral brothers want him to do just that. But his heart keeps whispering, “She’s the one.”
Passion Untamed
Author: Pamela Palmer
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: August 25
ISBN-13: 978-0061667534
384 pages
Though the Mage witch Skye has a gentle heart, demonic forces have enslaved her, forcing her to kidnap Paenther, a powerful and dangerous Feral Warrior. Even chained and naked, Paenther is a cunning prisoner who seduces her, body and soul, turning captive into captor. Paenther’s pride demands revenge against the enchantress who emerged from the deep woods like a sensual vision and enthralled him, even as she makes his body burn with passion. Despite his fury over her treachery, Skye’s gentle beauty calls to his soul, calming the wild chaos within him, and stealing his heart. But when evil threatens, Paenther and Skye’s only chance at survival is to trust in one another…and the power of love.
All three are romantic scenarios that would work equally well as historicals, and not well at all as straight contemporary romances. Which is why I tend to think of paranormals as contemporary-set historicals. Or historicals in scary Halloween-masks.
So I’d love to know – what draws you to historicals? And, while you’re at it, have you ever read a contemporary paranormal?
One lucky commenter will win Pamela’s entire trilogy.
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Haven’t been spooked enough this Hallow’s Eve? No? Perfect! Avon is giving away 3 (three) copies of Jaime Rush’s October release, Out of the Darkness, book two in her Offspring series. Check out the eyes on this hero. Very, very nice…
Out of the Darkness
Author: Jaime Rush
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: September 29
ISBN-13: 978-0061690365
384 pages
They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary. They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry—and they are in terrible danger.
Rand Brandenburg can see the future, yet thus far all he has done with his unique ability is become a skillful gambler. But according to the Offspring, his power has made him a target and could get him killed. So the loner used to living on the edge is now hiding out with others just like him, including Zoe Stoker, a mysterious redhead who has his heart soaring.
But that’s not the only thing Zoe’s got flying. All her life, whenever she felt anything too intensely, objects would start moving. She’s never been able to control her power, so instead she’s shut down her emotions. Now, as a powerful enemy approaches, she’s losing control of her heart. But letting love lead her out of the darkness might save her life . . .
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Bev, we love Pamela and Jaime, but are there any debut paranormal authors we should be looking at?
I hear ya, I hear ya. It’s debut week and thankfully Katiebabs came to the rescue to supply us with a several new paranormal/urban fantasy/sci-fi authors’ books to keep an eye out for.
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Things that go bump in the night. Adventures in space, fighting aliens on other planets. A group of men who have lived for centuries, looking for the key to their salvation. These scenarios take place in our favorite Paranormal, Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction Romances. In 2009, these romance genres exploded and there were some new faces who have certainly made themselves known.
Here are some of the welcomed debut authors of the class of 2009 in Paranormal, Urban Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance!
Jess Granger’s debut novel, Beyond the Rain was released in August from Berkley. Jess’s world building and characters are unique, especially with her alien hero Soren who has been saved by Cyani, a confused space captain who keeps her emotions and desires in check. Both are complex individuals, but through communication and understanding for each other’s natures, they bond in such a way that is sexy and endearing. If you are a fan of Lauren Dane, Ann Aguirre or Linnea Sinclair’s books, definitely keep Jess on your radar. She is one welcomed sci fi romance author who is not to be missed in the next year.
Looking for a bit of humor and snark in your books? Molly Harper may be your answer. Molly arrived on the scene with her first book, Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs from Pocket back in March. This is the first book in her Jane Jameson series where Jane, the fired former children’s librarian must get used to her new life as a vampire. Enchanting, hysterical and witty are a few words that come to mind when you think of Molly’s writing.
There is great buzz behind Kelly Meding whose first release, Three Days To Dead, will be out in a few weeks and is published from Bantam Dell. She is the perfect author for any fan of Urban Fantasy with a heroine who is a former paranormal bounty hunter that has found herself in a very strange situation. Ivy won’t quit as she looks for answers on why she is being hunted. Gritty and fast-paced are only a few words to describe Kelly Meding.
If you are in the mood for a murder mystery with demons, then Diana Rowland is the author to check out. Diana’s Mark of the Demon, available from Bantam, is a combination of urban fantasy and a police procedural, much like a supernatural Law & Order. Mark of the Demon had a nice steamy atmospheric plot where a serial killer in Louisiana is causing terror and only Homicide Detective Kara Gillian can solve the case. I would definitely keep an eye on Diana and the sequel, Blood of the Demon when it hits the shelves in February 2010.
Nicole Peeler is one of Orbit’s biggest debut authors this year. Her release Tempest Rising has a much talked about cover and her Jane True series will be one readers’ tongues. Tempest Rising is about a 26 year old bookstore clerk, who because she enjoys swimming at night, is where she finds out about a whole new world that gets her more than she bargained for. If you enjoying reading about underwater adventures with a heroine who is quick on her feet and able to defeat the bad guys, I would definitely give this book, that is a combination of both urban fantasy and mystery a read.
Carrie Ryan is one of the brightest authors to come out this year. Carrie is a Young Adult author whose futuristic post apocalyptic zombie tale from Delacorte is one of the most talked about books this year. Forest of Hands and Teeth is also a tragic romance within the pages that tugs at your heart with an uncertain happily ever after. Want to read a book that will have you looking over your shoulders in fear as you read? Forest of Hands and Teeth is definitely one where the hairs on your arms will raise. I can say with much certainty that Carrie will give many paranormal young adult authors a run for their money.
These are only a few of my favorite debut authors this year who have written excellent, paranormal, sci fi, urban fantasy and speculative romance. What are some of your favorite debut authors or books from these specific genres?
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And for those who don’t necessarily want the thrills and chills of a spookier story, Kensington has supplied me with 2 copies of a sweet, contemporary romance with rich emotional depth from another debut author, Pauline Trent titled Falling In Love. Comment to for a chance to win.
Falling In Love
Author: Pauline Trent
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: February 1
ISBN-13: 978-0821781418
320 pages
After years in the military, Chris Montgomery is looking for somewhere to relax and recharge, and Lambert Falls, with its tree-lined streets and picturesque town square, seems ideal. Chris expected that a stranger in town would attract suspicion and gossip. He didn’t expect to meet someone like Angie Kane, with her warm, open smile and self contained air that are instantly intriguing. Angie has built a satisfying life for herself, one she’s not willing to uproot for someone who’s just passing through. But Chris is quietly persistent – not to mention handsome and charming. Against her own better judgment, Angie finds herself falling deeper than she ever intended – until one phone call forces her to choose between the town she’s always loved, and a man she can’t imagine living without…
We have 9 (nine) winners today, and they are:
Rochelle May
Louise Fury
Lynette
Jamie
SonamaLass
JOYE
Mel K.
Sarah Tormey
Joie
First come, first choose. Please email me with your book choices and address at historicals at historicalromancereleases.com.
Miranda Neville is a mind reader. She’s uncovered (no pun intended) the topic I’m going to discuss on the blog next week. And she must also know my tastes in historicals as she clearly identified my Achilles heel when it comes to story lines. I don’t know about you, but I cannot resist the ‘heroine disguised as a boy’ plotline. It gets me every time. It’s a must buy for me. Then of course, who can resist talk of French pastries, you know those ‘little puffy things’? Needless to say, I bought Never Resist Temptation and enjoyed every word of Miranda’s unique spin on it. I also admit to having a nice chuckle when I read her post for today. I’ll let you judge for yourself as I ask you to join me in extending a warm welcome to Miranda Neville.
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I’ve been thinking about covers lately. Not because The Season is holding a cover contest, though that is a good reason. But because I recently got my first look at the cover for my next book.
A big issue with historicals is accuracy. Not just the heroine’s hair color or the hero’s eyes, but the clothing they wear (or almost wear). We writers tend to be way too hung up on this. After all, Regency writers know stuff like what was in fashion in 1809 as opposed to 1819. But does anyone else care? When I get too obsessed I think about medievals. As far as I’m concerned, if it’s got a man with a great big sword on the cover it’s medieval. The Middle Ages lasted hundreds of years, yet when I pick up a medieval I don’t go “OMG she’s wearing a wimple! That is SO two centuries ago.” Perhaps the average reader doesn’t greatly care if the Regency gown looks a touch Victorian.
In case anyone out there still thinks authors chose their covers, let me disabuse you of the notion. You’re lucky if you even see it before it’s ready to go. I was happy when I saw the cover for NEVER RESIST TEMPTATION for the first time. The hero is cute, the heroine has the right color hair, and I like the design and the color scheme. I got over the fact that the gown is not in period, I can’t figure out how it stays up, and the heroine never wears purple. Actually she spends much of the book wearing pants. (And I can say pants because I’m in 21st century mode here).
Never Resist Temptation
Author: Miranda Neville
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: May 26
ISBN-13: 978-0061734083
384 pages
Beautiful, spirited Jacobin de Chastelux would have been the perfect prize for any man … but she never imagined one would win her at a game of cards! When she learns that her dissolute, dastardly uncle and guardian had wagered her virtue–and lost–she flees. A cunning disguise and her culinary talents land her in the royal kitchen as a chef. All is well until her uncle dines with the prince and is poisoned by one of her pastries. Jacobin must escape again … to the home of the very man who won her in that infamous game!
Lord Storrington knows nothing of the true identity of the new cook. All he knows is that things are heating up–and the sparks aren’t coming from the stove. A delicious ecstasy tempts the scoundrel and the chef … one that can only end with sweet, sweet surrender.
I am even happier with the cover for THE WILD MARQUIS. The heroine’s gorgeous blond hair is perfect and she does wear red in one scene. The gown has a high Regency waist. Then there’s the hero’s shirt… Now if you’re going to get picky, early nineteenth century men’s shirts didn’t unbutton all the way so you can’t get that off-the-shoulder look without ripping. Yet (mild spoiler alert) at no point in THE WILD MARQUIS does the heroine rip off the hero’s shirt. I apologize for this fact and promise to do better next time.
THE WILD MARQUIS won’t be out until March but I’m running a contest on my website to celebrate the arrival of the cover. Come on over to www.mirandaneville.com to win some books. In the meantime, two commenters will win copies of NEVER RESIST TEMPTATION.
Let’s talk covers. Do you prefer hero, heroine or clinch covers? Is historical accuracy important to you? What would you like to see more of? Chest hair? Bare butts? Tasteful period artwork?
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Comment to enter to win 1 of 2 copies of Kit Donner’s The Notorious Bridegroom. In the Fall of 2010, look out for Kit’s sophomore book, The Vengeful Bridegroom.
The Notorious Bridegroom
Author: Kit Donner
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: August 1
ISBN-13: 978-1420108460
352 pages
Ever since the horrible day her brother was accused of treason, Patience Mandeley hasn’t recognized her own behaviour. Under normal circumstances she would never be disguised as a maid, skulking around an earl’s estate for secrets she isn’t meant to find. But now the situation is desperate, and Patience will do whatever it takes to spare her beloved brother the noose, even if it means finding the true spy herself.
To do that, she’ll have to gain access to the estate of Lord Londringham, the most desired bachelor in all of England-without him knowing who she really is. But even in her maid’s uniform, she can’t miss the looks of unsuppressed desire she receives from her employer, and she finds to her dismay that the attraction is quite mutual. Though she knows she must ignore her feelings for this dark-haired rogue to save her family and escape ruin, his close proximity is making all reason impossible…and Patience may find that the real traitor is her own body.
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Debuting only this past month is Angela Johnson’s Vow of Seduction. Comment to enter to win 1 of 2 copies.
Vow of Seduction
Author: Angela Johnson
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: October 1
ISBN-13: 978-1420108576
352 pages
Sworn to support King Edward, Sir Alex de Beaumont had to leave his new bride on their wedding night to fight in the Crusades. Captured and left to languish in a lonely prison, the warrior knight is kept alive by the memory of love – and of Lady Katherine’s innocent passion as she cried out his name in ecstasy and made him her own. Upon his escape and return to England, he is shocked to find his beloved is about to marry another man…
Kat refuses to forgive him. But Alex will not be gainsaid. He vows to seduce her all over again and his searching kisses reawaken the sensual fire they once knew – until an enemy determined to destroy them both closes in. Now Alex must risk everything for the one woman whose love he wants forever…
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I’m giving away 2 advance copies of Lori Brighton’s Wild Heart. Get it before it hits the stores!
Wild Heart
Author: Lori Brighton
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: Nov 3
ISBN-13: 978-1420108651
352 pages
Wanton. . .
Leo Roberts is next in line for an earldom and the power and fortune that come with it, but he is uncultured, unrefined–and completely untamed. . .until governess Ella Finch arrives upon the scene. Can so young and inexperienced a woman tutor him in the manners and mores of his class? Leo’s mysterious past has rendered him an outsider, too wild for polite society. But he finds her innocence most intriguing. . .
Willing
What manner of man he may be, Ella does not know. Yet he fascinates her and she must know more. Capturing Leo’s reckless heart is about to free her in ways she never dreamed of. . .and his sensual touch releases the deepest yearnings of her body and soul. . .
“A first-class debut. Lori Brighton is a bright new voice to watch closely.” –Hannah Howell
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And last but certainly not least, I promised you a surprise. Comment to win a much coveted prize. Yes, I’m jumping ahead to next year and to a book I personally am eagerly anticipating. The author? A very young Sara Lindsey (shades of Lisa Kleypas and Julia Quinn, n’est ce pas?) debuts with Promise Me Tonight. She’s adorable isn’t she? Well don’t let all that pretty innocence fool you into believing she can’t write a sexy, sizzling Regency. She can and she did. And have you checked out the GORGEOUS cover? Once again the cover gods have smiled and this time down on Sara. Promise Me Tonight releases February 2, 2010 but some lucky commenter is going to get their hands on an autographed ARC…um, NOW!
Promise Me Tonight
Author: Sara Lindsey
Publisher: NAL/Signet
Pub. Date: February 2, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0451229373
320 pages
Isabella is determined to marry James….
Isabella Weston has loved James Sheffield practically forever. Her come-out ball seems the perfect chance to make him see her in a new light.
James is determined never to marry….
James is stunned to find the impish girl he once knew has blossomed into a sensual goddess. And if he remembers his lessons, goddesses always spell trouble for mortal men.
A compromise is clearly necessary.
When Izzie kisses James, her artless ardor turns to a masterful seduction that drives him mad with desire. But, no stranger to heartbreak, James is determined never to love, and thus never to lose. Can Isabella convince him a life without love is the biggest loss of all?
Whew!! There are 17 winners today. That’s a lot! Okay, here’s the list. First come, first choose. 
Email me your address and choice of book at historicals at historicalromancereleases.com.
Paula
Maureen
joder
cheryl c.
Jennifer
Emmanuelle
Clarisse
zara
Sandra Lynne
librarypat
Amber E.
Buffie
Estella
Angela T.
Camille Minor
Ginger Campbell
Morning Glow
The cover of A Talent for Sin caught my attention immediately. The heroine’s coquettish look over the shoulder. Nice. Provocative. Seemingly innocent. Then I read the back cover blurb. Now I’m completely intrigued. Older woman, younger man. But wait, the girl on the cover doesn’t look more than twenty. Never mind that, it works. I’m too impatient to go to the book store, so I download it immediately. I read it in two days (hey, I was busy writing and revising my life away). I adored it. The beginning took my breath away. Can you really start a book like that? It gave me ideas for the future… Suffice it enough to say, wonderful debut. So without further ado, dear readers, please welcome Lavinia Kent to The Season’s Blog.
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I am not sure if this is a blog about villains or about point of view. I definitely started out planning to write about villains and why I love them. But then I realized that what I really love is how different points of view change a story. I adore it when I am absolutely convinced a character is evil and then the picture twists. I start to see the world through their eyes and suddenly everything isn’t so black and white.
I don’t know if anybody has read any of George R.R. Martins’ “Song of Ice and Fire” series, but he is a champion at this. A character will seem completely without redemption and then suddenly the reader is in his point of view for several hundred pages. Everybody the reader assumed was good now has sinister overtones and all the evil deeds are explained. The character still may not be a “good guy” but the reader understands and sympathizes with his every action.
I’ve dreamed of writing a book like this for years and thought I knew what it would be. Of course life – and books – rarely turn out quite the way I intend.
My debut novel, A Talent for Sin, features a heroine, Violet Carrington, who was forced, by her brother, to marry an elderly man–forced not once but twice, marrying again after her first husband dies. The book takes place years later when Violet, again a widow, takes a younger lover who wishes to marry her. Violet is convinced that she has nothing to gain by marriage and changing her mind takes some very passionate persuading.
A Talent for Sin
Author: Lavinia Kent
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: May 26
ISBN-13: 978-0061734083
384 pages
She was blessed with a gift of temptation.
Violet, Lady Carrington, possesses everything a spirited woman could want out of life. Money (and lots of it). The freedom to make her own choices, with no husband to rule her. And a delightfully attentive young lover, Lord Peter St. Johns, to satisfy her every wild whim. But Peter desires more than Violet’s lascivious attentions. He’s desperate for her heart—and her hand in marriage.
Yet with a toss of her russet curls, Violet refuses. A man like Peter belongs with a naïve, blushing beauty, not a luscious lady with a talent for sin, and she would rather die than be beholden to anyone. But try as she might, she cannot convince him—or herself—that their tantalizing dalliance is a mere trifle. Perhaps Lady Carrington has finally met her match—a man who will love but not control her, a man who can meet her wickedness with a fierce passion of his own . . .
During the course of the book Violet’s brother, Masters, enters the story again. This time he is trying to force their youngest sister to wed. He is in every sense a villain.
And then I started to write my next book. It was supposed to be the youngest sister’s story, but she made it very clear that she was not ready for true love. She had a lot of life to live first.
And Masters – well he kept appearing and trying to explain to me why he’d acted the way he had. (He also grew about six inches taller and developed a distinctly more muscular chest.) The more I tried to push him back the more he insisted on being heard.
And so was born Bound by Temptation, out from Avon in February 2010, the story of Masters and Lady Clara Westington. Lady Clara also has problems with how Masters had treated his sisters. She’s not at all sure she wants a lover who could treat any woman in such a way. Of course that would be easier to manage if she could keep her hands off him, or if she hadn’t tried to seduce him over breakfast bacon. And that’s not even mentioning awakening tied to his bed . . .
Do you have a favorite villain turned hero/heroine? I’d love to hear. And don’t forget, I’m giving away 2 copies. Just comment for a chance to win.
Lavinia Kent
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Before I offer up 3 copies of Knight of Desire readers can win by leaving a comment, I will, once again, offer my opinion on this fabulous debut. I don’t normally read medievals. I’m squeamish (my own fault entirely) and they tend to have too much fighting for my tastes. But when my friend Jackie Barbosa (who is well aware of my very particular tastes) highly recommended Margaret’s medieval as one I would enjoy, I bought it the next day(I’m no dummy). Now I’m HOOKED on Margaret Mallory and her valiant knights, beautiful heroines and wonderfully compelling love stories. December can’t come soon enough for me to get my hands on Knight of Pleasure. By the way, have you seen the gorgeous cover! The cover gods indulged Miss Mallory in a most extraordinary way.
Was it only me, Jackie and the editors at Grand Central who loved Knight of Desire? Nope. Check out Buffie Johnson’s review (formerly of RomanceNovel TV, now with one of our contributing reviewers, The Romance Dish).
Knight of Desire
Author: Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Grand Central
Pub. Date: July 1
ISBN-13: 978-0446553391
384 pages
FEARLESS IN BATTLE
His surcoat still bloody from battle, William FitzAlan comes to claim the strategic borderlands granted to him by the king. One last prize awaits him at the castle gates: the lovely Lady Catherine Rayburn.
TENDER IN BED
Catherine risked everything to spy for the crown. Her reward? Her lands are declared forfeit and she is given this choice: marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Catherine agrees to give her handsome new husband her body, but she’s keeping secrets and dares not give him her heart. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.
I am a romance reader who loves debut novels. I think the reason I enjoy debuts so much is because of the possibility of finding a new author to follow. As you all know, medievals are my first loves in the romance novel world, so when I had the chance to read Margaret Mallory’s debut novel, I grabbed the book with both hands.
On the eve of her wedding to a man she neither likes nor admires, Lady Mary Catherine sneaks into the stables to saddle up her horse and enjoy her last hour as a free woman. But what Catherine does not expect to find is a shadow lurking in the stables. Confronted by a stranger, Catherine does what every 16 year old girl in the 1400s would do . . . pulls a blade on the stranger and threatens his life. Amused by the young girl’s response to him, the young knight tells Catherine that he will ride along with her to insure her safety. Catherine reluctantly agrees and the two share a memorable, yet innocent, few hours together.
Five years have passed since her wedding day and Catherine cannot believe she has survived the torturous abuse of her husband, Lord Rayburn. But if her husband finds out she is the one who alerted the King of her husband’s involvement with the Welsh rebels and the movements of the rebel forces before the King’s men can capture him for treason, Lady Catherine may not face another sunrise. Summoned to the gate of her castle, Catherine is nervous to find several of the King’s men waiting. Upon receiving the news that her abusive husband was caught and killed, Catherine drops to her knees and cries her praises to God. But her jubilant celebration is quickly squashed as she is told the King has given her now dead husband’s title and all his property to the man who defeated her husband in battle that very day, Sir William FitzAlan. By the King’s edict, Catherine has two choices. Marry Sir FitzAlan or be taken from her home and her son and placed in the Tower.
Sir William FitzAlan is one of the King’s men. He is a knight with no home, no family (that he likes anyway), and no land. He is an honest man among the throngs of dishonest ones. After dispensing with a traitor to the crown, William is awarded Ross Castle and all of its land. Being a man who hates to see women punished, William agrees to marry the Lady of Ross Castle without seeing her first. As Catherine stands at the gate while Father Whitefield explains the King’s messages to her, William is shocked to silence when he discovers Catherine is the young woman he spent an innocent evening with several years ago. The woman he could never get out of his head or his heart. And now she is to be his wife.
Catherine and William have a long road ahead of them. Both must learn to trust the other with their heart and their body. William yearns to show Catherine the pleasures of the marriage bed, but must do so with a gentle hand as her experience with her mentally and physically abusive spouse has scarred her in more than one way. Catherine wants William to trust her above anyone else, even though he has burned by women in the past. Trust is a hard thing to earn as it doesn’t come quickly or easily.
This is a fabulous debut novel. Margaret Mallory does a masterful job of focusing on the relationship of the hero and heroine while still having an underlying theme of treason, intrigue, and secrets which are woven intricately throughout the novel but yet never overpowering the love story. Mallory also does a wonderful job of writing the mothering feelings of Catherine. She is spot on with the descriptions of a mother’s love and the thoughts of a mother. Several times I found myself shaking my head in agreement with the words on the page.
I am very happy to learn that Margaret Mallory is writing two more books in the All The King’s Men series. I can’t wait to read about the secondary characters from this book as many of them will make excellent heroes of their own stories. So if you like medievals and are ready to try a new author, then this is just the book for you! Rating: 4.25/5.00 Stars
~~~
I’m giving away 2 (copies) of Allegra Gray’s debut, Nothing But Scandal.
Nothing But Scandal
Author: Allegra Gray
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: July 7
ISBN-13: 978-1420108255
352 pages
It all starts with an innocent proposition
When her father dies, leaving her penniless and without prospects, Elizabeth Medford is faced with a horrible future: marriage to the utterly vile Harold Wetherby. Her family thinks he’s a brilliant choice, but Elizabeth has witnessed Wetherby’s cruel nature and knows a life with him would be a miserable one.. If only he didn’t want to marry her…but for that to be the case, she would have to have a damaged reputation, and despite her father’s missteps, Elizabeth’s own name is pristine among society.
So far…
Elizabeth will organize her own ruin and escape the betrothal, leaving her old life behind. The only hitch is the man she hopes will do the ruining—the irresistible Alex Bainbridge, Duke of Beaufort. Alex is no stranger to scandal. But he has secrets of his own that make Elizabeth Medford a woman he should avoid at all costs–for both their sakes. He insists he will have no part in her crazy scheme…no matter how tempting she may be…
In the summer of 2010, look out for Allegra’s sophomore novel from Kensington, Nothing But Deception.
~~~
I’m giving away 5 (five) copies each of Lisa Marie Wilkinson’s Fire At Midnight and Jackie Barbosa’s Behind the Red Door (it’s hot!). Comment to enter to win.
Fire At Midnight
Author: Lisa Marie Wilkinson
Publisher: Medallion Press
Pub. Date: March 1
ISBN-13: 978-1933836546
350 pages
It is 1703, and Rachael Penrose is confined to Bedlam Insane Asylum in London after discovering her uncle Victor plans to kill her brother in order to inherit the family fortune. Victor leads a gang of criminals and uses French privateer/smuggler Sébastien Falconer as the scapegoat for his crimes. When Victor spreads the lie that Rachael informed the authorities of Falconer’s smuggling activities, Falconer vows revenge on the girl.
A dangerously ill Rachael finally escapes from Bedlam, only to find shelter in Sébastien’s carriage, and ends up in his care. It is a twist of fate that will alter both their lives forever.
Believing she is in danger from Sébastien, Rachael meets up with his estranged twin brother, Jacques, a customs officer intent on bringing his brother, the famous privateer, to justice. But the real criminal is still at large, and she and her brother are still in danger. Will she discover the truth and save both their lives . . . and her heart?
In March 2010, look out for Lisa’s sophomore book from Medallion Press, Stolen Promise.
~~~
In full disclosure, Jackie Barbosa is my good friend. That said, this anthology is not to be missed! I read it before it was in print and the writing is top-notch, the characters well-drawn, the love stories, heartfelt. It’s a must read.
Behind The Red Door
Author: Jackie Barbosa
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: May 26
ISBN-13: 978-0758234582
304 pages
Wickedly Ever After
Known for his wicked ways, the Marquess of Grenville is far from marriage material. But when Miss Eleanor Palmer tries to tell him so, she quickly finds the heat of his kiss melting her determination to say “no” into an uncontrollable desire to say “yes…”
Scandalously Ever After
Most men who visit the Red Door brothel enjoy sampling the variety of feminine delights, so Calliope is surprised when Captain Jack Prescott claims her for a week of passion. But satisfying his every sexual desire provides them both with complete carnal pleasure…
Sinfully Ever After
Lady Jane St. Clair loves her fiancé, but Gerard Nash is a notorious rake who likes adventurous women. Wanting to show him just how bold she can be, Jane masquerades as a young ingénue at the Red Door where she and Gerard experience sinfully erotic ecstasy…
Congrats ladies! The quicker you contact me, the wider your choice will be.
Judy Cox
Barbara
Devon Gray
elaing8
catslady
Nicole S
Lori Brighton
Sapphire
Jane
Crista
Today, Avon’s debut historical author Sabrina Darby is joining us the blog. Sabrina’s On These Silken Sheets is an anthology of four erotic novellas connected by the Harridan House, an exclusive after-hours club. If you love romance and plenty of heat in your stories, you must get this book! I read the excerpt on her website and immediately and quite shamelessly asked for an autographed copy. I love high romantic conflict, and this book appears to be brimming with it. Sigh. For me, that’s the hallmark of a great romance. Anyway, I had to add my two cents now that I’ve sampled a little of this book and am now champing at the bit to read each and every page. So without further ado, dear readers, please welcome Sabrina Darby…
~~~
In Regency romance, we frequently write about debutantes making their first appearance on the London social scene: seducing men, flirting with danger, recklessly pursuing whatever their hearts most desire. In our modern day world, there is the Crillon Ball, and a few other local debutante balls, but for the most part, there isn’t the same cache or romantic elegance associated with making one’s first bow. So as a debut author, this is the closest I likely will ever get to such an experience.
I’ve made my bow, so to speak, on the romance social scene, where I too have flirted with danger (Twittering) and recklessly pursued what I desire (writing the story of my heart as my next project instead of waiting till I have another contract). The only men who have been seduced are on the pages of my book, although my husband might disagree. (He didn’t know he was marrying a romance––erotic romance––author but I don’t think he’s displeased.)
However, really, it isn’t me who has made my debut, it’s my book, On These Silken Sheets. Those four stories have had to go out into the world, stand on their own, sell themselves boldly to people who had never heard of the collection before. They’ve had to contend with being the naughtier, slightly scandalous step-sister of the traditional historical, fraught with language some might call vulgar and other titillating and still others, only natural. So maybe, they would never be presented to the Queen. Or what I really mean is maybe I never would be. I’d have to be the courtesan, or the owner of a house of ill-repute, or maybe even a naughty club.
Unless, I can convince Mr. Brummell to label me “An Original,” if he were alive today.
But, if I were a romance heroine, the letters I would be writing home would have to talk about all the new experiences I’ve had this year: the first time attending the RWA national conference, the first time seeing a book I authored in print, and the first time signing that book in a bookstore. I also experienced the particular thrill of being terrified meeting romance writers whose work I’d been reading for years and in some cases decades. It was like almost getting a nod from the patronesses at Almacks. This year I also learned that the satisfaction of seeing a book in print is a very different type of satisfaction than molding the actual story.
So I’ve made my bow, am wearing light, pastel colors and no fancy jewelry. Next year, however, in my second season, the neckline might go a centimeter or two lower and I’ll find ways to evade my chaperone. And as for my book, I’ll watch as she shepherds all future younger siblings, cousins and members of the cadet branches of the family who might choose to make their debut.
On These Silken Sheets
Author: Sabrina Darby
Publisher: Avon Red
Pub. Date: September 8
ISBN-13: 978-0061780288
400 pages
What happens in Harridan House stays in Harridan House.
It is Regency London’s most exclusive after-hours club, catering to the erotic fantasies of randy lords and inquisitive ladies, each discreetly masked to guard every delicious indiscretion. Under the proprietorship of the notorious Madame Rouge, virgins, rakes, bachelors, and courtesans intimately mingle, free of the suffocating moral rules and restraints imposed upon them by good society.
Harridan House: where forbidden pleasures always take place on silken sheets.
Comment to win 1 (one) of the 5 (five) copies Sabrina will be giving away today!
~~~
Mastering The Marquess
Author: Vanessa Kelly
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: April 1
ISBN-13: 978-1420106541
352 pages
Since the loss of her parents, Meredith Burnley has contented herself with a solitary life looking after her half-sister, Annabel. But Meredith’s peace is shattered when her uncle schemes to marry her off to his son in order to gain her inheritance. Desperate, Meredith has only one choice: to flee with Annable to their estranged grandparents’ home. But their arrival soon reignites a family scandal – and kindles unexpected romance…
Happily reunited with the girls, Annabel’s grandmother resolves to convince her nephew, Stephen Mallory, the Marquess of Silverton, to abandon his rakish lifestyle and wed Annabel. Stephen is clearly captivated – but with the wrong sister! Determined to make Meredith his own, Stephen embarks on a seduction that will leave her with no choice but to surrender to his touch…
I’m giving away 2 (two) copies of Mastering the Marquess, so comment to win. Also, look out for Vanessa’s sophomore book, Sex and the Single Earl, coming out in May 2010.
~~~
The Conqueror
Author: Kris Kennedy
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: May 1
ISBN-13: 978-1420106527
352 pages
England, 1152. Henry II is king. The country is wracked by bloody civil war. Griffyn Sauvage is a valiant knight with a strict moral code of honour. But when his family’s estate and vast treasures are seized, he becomes hardened by the betrayal. Now he will go to any lengths for vengeance – even if it means forming a union with his most despised enemy by marrying his daughter, Lady Guinevere de l’Ami. Then, Griffyn lays eyes on Gwyn and is completely disarmed…
As war strikes, Gwyn is left alone to fight her enemies who want control of her ancestral lands. When Griffyn comes to her rescue, she is grateful that the mysterious, brave knight has risked his life to protect hers. With each passing day, she finds herself drawn to him even as she senses he’s hiding a dark secret from her. And when another dangerous adversary closes in on both of them, Griffyn and Gwyn’s trust in each other will be put to the ultimate test…
Comment to win 1 of 2 copies of The Conqueror and watch out in June 2010 for Kris’s 2008 Golden Heart winning manuscript, The Irish Warrior (formerly titled Wanting Finian)
~~~
Her Ladyship’s Companion
Author: Evangeline Collins
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Pub. Date: May 5
ISBN-13: 978-0425228203
336 pages
His job was to please her. Not to steal her heart.
In the Scottish countryside of Selkirk, Lady Isabella Stirling resides at Bowhill Park, serving penance for a sin that nearly ruined her family. For five years she has been condemned to a loveless marriage and confined to the estate where she does little more than tend her rose garden. With her husband absent for months at a time and few visitors, Bella lives a lonely existence, denying the passions that burn within her very soul.
Then her cousin comes for a visit and makes an outrageous suggestion: what Bella needs is a lover. A hired lover. Despite her need, Bella says no. But soon Mr. Gideon Rosedale arrives – and he is at her service for two weeks. Indulging in what she intends to be a harmless flirtation, Bella is overcome by Gideon’s intoxicating presence. And when she at last permits him to satisfy her desires, she discovers she’s done the unthinkable – she’s fallen in love.
Comment to enter to win a copy of Her Ladyship’s Companion. Evangeline is currently working on her next book for Berkley titled Seven Nights to Forever.
Monica C.
Barbara Elness
Carrie
Helen
Susan
RachelG
Cathy Phillips
Mitzi
Congratulations ladies! Please contact me at historicals at historicalromancereleases.com with your address to collect your book. First come, first gets to choose.
5 - Perfect! - Goes on keeper shelf forever.
4.5 - Excellent - Sooo close to perfection, it hurts.
4 - Very Good - Highly recommend
3.5 - Good - Solid read. Would recommend.
3 - Satisfactory - Okay. Would recommend with caveats.
2.5 - Fair – Wouldn’t recommend.
2 – Fatally Flawed
1 Poor (1 being one of the worst books I've ever read) - Didn't find much in it to like.
DNF - Did Not Finish (Yes, it was that bad)
Heat Level
6 - Erotic – Extremely explicit language and lovemaking scenes. This includes BDSM, ménage a trios.
5 – Scorching – Explicit lovemaking scenes and language.
4 – Hot – Very hot lovemaking scenes. This includes oral sex but no more.
3 – Sensual – Lovemaking scenes are hot but not as detailed or long as Heat Level 4
2 – Mild – Lovemaking scenes are short. Very little detail.
1 – Inspy – Lovemaking scenes are practically non-existent. Kissing but definite closed door policy.
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