Showing posts with label Goddess Fish Promotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goddess Fish Promotions. Show all posts

Monday, November 12, 2012

Giveaway & Blog Tour: "Hollywood Ever After" By: Sasha Summers

Note to the readers - I am so incredibly sorry! This post was supposed to be up on November 12th and I sadly didn't get it done. Family issues and all that jazz, but please don't let that take away the awesomeness of this adorably funny and heartfelt romance by Sasha Summers.

I really enjoyed Hollywood Ever After. When I chose the best excerpt to share with everyone, I picked one of my favorite scenes. With this romance, beyond having some pretty funny scenes, I found myself falling in love with the characters. Claire is so realistic, she's unsure of herself but totally comes into her own during the novel. And Josh, whew. LOVE HIM! 

Stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win awesome prizes :) 

Hollywood Ever After
By: Sasha Summers

Synopsis
She wasn’t meant for movie stars, Hollywood, or happy endings. And then she met him.
Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all?

About the Author
Sasha Summers is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, history, romance, and travel. She writes both lyrical romantic fantasy and contemporary romance. Her first play was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She's been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she's doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.
Author Links
Website/Blog: www.sashasummers.com

InkSpell Publishing Link:

Amazon Links: Paperback / Kindle
Barnes & Noble: Paperback / NOOK 
All Romance eBooks - Purchase Link
Kobo - Purchase Link
Excerpt
Two very large, strong hands caught me and I looked up into the most beautiful face I’d seen since this morning. 

“Josh? Hi, Josh!” I squealed, bouncing in his arms as he smiled down at me. I kept bouncing, my racing heart thumping faster than the music as his hands slid around my back. “I didn’t know you were here.” I was smiling like an idiot. 
“You’re a rather focused dancer.” 
“I am! Never do it…dance, I mean. But it’s fun!” The song ended and I frowned. 
He laughed. “Should I make them play the song again? I will if it will make that pathetic little frown disappear.” 
Another song began. It was slower, but it still had a good beat. “No, I think this will work and I won’t sing–even better.” 
“I liked your singing.” He was looking at me…the way he always looked at me. 
I felt light-headed and dizzy as I stared up at him, wobbling on unsteady feet. I knew I was drunk, but now there was more than just alcohol heating me up from the inside. 
His hands were firm, guiding me closer to him. I let one hand rest on his chest as we swayed together. Between the buzzing euphoria from my many drinks and the raging hunger burning in his eyes, my every nerve was tingling. I was more than a little pleased with life at the moment. 
I quivered under his touch. His fingers splayed across my lower back, fitting us closer together. We danced with the music, our movements in sync with one another. 
Under the flashing colored lights, my hand looked red and then green against the white of his shirt. I felt the heat of his skin, the solid strength of his muscles through the fabric of his shirt. His scent, his touch, his…presence stirred images of our night together, sharp in my otherwise foggy mind. My skin grew more sensitive and my senses flooded with him. 
I was aching for him, all of him. Now. My breath grew short as I remembered how he felt buried deep inside me. 
The rational side of my brain knew I was losing control, but there was too much alcohol in my system. I had no fear or inhibition. And I liked the fire raging inside of me. 
My eyes slid to his mouth and I felt my tongue wet my lips. 
His breath hitched and he closed his eyes. When he looked at me again, there was little doubt he knew exactly what I was feeling. 
The song ended and I felt myself being guided from the floor. 
“Taking her home?” Shannon had apparently returned to the table. She and Arthur regarded us with interest. 
There were three other people at the table now. I didn’t know them. But I didn’t really care at the moment. I wanted to kiss the pulse wildly beating in Josh’s throat. I was vaguely aware that now might not be the right time for that. I glanced at his neck. It looked very kissable. 
“Unless you have other plans?” Josh looked from Shannon to me. 
I was looking at him as if I were about to eat him. It wasn’t intentional; that was really what I wanted to do at the moment…because he was so damn gorgeous…
He looked back at Shannon, his jaw muscle noticeably rigid. 
“I recommend you get her home. And make her drink some water at some point, please,” Shannon added. “Here.” She handed Josh some keys and waved at me with a smile. 
Then we were heading toward the door. 
“Wait.” I stopped. We weren’t moving, but everything seemed to be moving around me. “You’re here with friends?” 
His hands clasped my shoulders, steadying me. He smiled down at me. “Yes.” 
“You shouldn’t leave them….I don’t want to mono…monopolize you.” My words trailed off as my eyes met his. 
He wanted me. I could see it. His nostrils flared just a bit. His jaw clenched and unclenched. I smiled slowly. I liked that I could make him react this way. 
I asked, “Don’t you want to stay?” Say no. 
If he wanted to stay, I might be able to stop staring at him or thinking about how perfectly we fit together. It wasn’t completely out of the question, not yet. My eyes fell to his lips and my smile grew. 
“No.” He leaned closer, whispering in my ear, “Claire, we have to leave now if you’re going to look at me like that.” His face reflected the hunger I felt. 
My voice was husky as I whispered, “I’ll be good.” Not a chance. 
He paused, his eyebrow rose in question. “You want to stay?” 
“Nope.” My eyes fell to his mouth again. 
Josh’s smile was pinched as he led me to the exit.
Giveaway
Leave a comment with your e-mail and be entered to win!
Sasha will be awarding two $10.00 Amazon gift cards and One Romantic Movie Gift Basket (Movies that inspired Hollywood Ever After – Notting Hill, The Holiday, Love Actually, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding (US/Canada only)) to three randomly drawn commenters during the tour.
Check out the other stops on the tour
November 5:  Me and Reading
November 6:  Enchantress of Books
November 7:  It's Raining Books
November 9:  SnifferWalk
November 12:  The Brunette Librarian
November 13:  Every Day Is An Adventure
November 14:  My Reading Addiction
November 15:  Reviews by Molly
November 16:  Musings From An Addicted Reader
Posted by The Brunette Librarian at 10:12 PM 11 comments
Labels: ,

Friday, November 9, 2012

Blog Tour & Giveaway - "Redemption for a Rogue" By: Jennifer Conner

Redemption for a Rogue
By: Jennifer Conner

Synopsis
Told by everyone, including his father, he is slow-witted, Lord John Mitchell is willing to do almost anything to avoid helping run the family estate or care for his orphaned nephew. His lifelong battle learning to read and write has convinced him his father is right. 
After the death of her husband in the Crimean War, Vivienne Ravenhill needs financial stability for her son and herself. 
When Lord John’s father suddenly dies, he is thrown into taking on the estate and the family’s mill. Are John’s learning disabilities something he can overcome in order to handle this responsibility? 
About the Author
Jennifer Conner is a best-selling Northwest author who has twenty short stories and one full length book on ebook and in print. She writes in Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, and Erotica.

Christmas Chaos was in the Kindle sales top 50 ebooks and #2 in the Romance category.
Her novel Shot in the Dark was a finalist in the Emerald City Opener, Cleveland, and Toronto RWA contests.

Jennifer is an Associate Publisher for the indie e-book publisher, Books to Go Now who resides in the Seattle area. They pride themselves in helping new authors get their foot in the door with well-edited manuscripts, professional covers, and platforms uploads.

She live in a hundred year old house that she grew up in. Her semi-small town holds an interesting mix of resident hillbillies, yuppies and Navy Seals. And of course Seattle, only a few miles away, is the birthplace of Starbucks so coffee is always on the check list. She blows glass beads with a blow torch, (which relieves a lot of stress and people don't bother you) and is a huge fan of my local soccer teams, the Seattle Sounders, and Kitsap Pumas. Boys in shorts! :)
Author Links
Excerpt
John dismissed Collins and then lifted the tray’s lid to inhale the marvelous full-bodied aromas. He glanced to Vivienne. Hunched over the desk, she held a quill in hand. An auburn curl fell over her forehead and a delightful frown creased her beautiful brow. A feeling of complete and total well being washed over him.
Is this what life should be? Could be? Happy. Content. Had he ever felt this before? His heart twisted. After so many years of wanting, could these three people give him everything he’d wished for? 
He slid the lid back over the meat and announced, “Let’s eat dinner before it grows cold.” 
Vivienne looked up for a second before going back to the paper in front of her. 
She shook her head. “There is still which needs to be done. You and the boys eat. I will take a bite later.” 
John moved to her, drew the quill from her hand, and placed it on the desk. He placed a thumb under her chin and then kissed her.

“The boys,” Vivienne said. Her cheeks blushed pink from his outward show of affection.
He tipped his head their direction. “They are playing. Nothing gets between boys and wooden soldiers. Someday these games will be replaced with a distraction of a beautiful woman.”
My Thoughts
     Wow! What Jennifer Conner can do with a couple of dozen pages is something so spectacular that other authors should sit up and take notice. Complete character development, a lovely romance, and a fast pace come together to just create a fun, nice story.   John and Vivienne are a perfect couple and work on their collective problems together, which was refreshing to see. Conner's use of dyslexia as a plot point was well thought out and meshed with the time period perfectly. Uncommon use in a historical for sure, but I loved how things worked out in such a realistic fashion. Sweet and fun, I'd definitely recommend this one to fans of historical romance. I'm off to read the rest of the series!

Book Details
Publisher: Books to Go Now
# of Pages: 35
Date of Publication: September 14, 2012
ISBN: B009B59SJE


Giveaway

Jennifer will be awarding a book locket 
to a randomly drawn commenter 
(US/Canada Only) during the tour. 

Just leave a comment
 with your e-mail!

Follow the tour and comment; 
the more you comment, 
the better your chances of winning!
Check out the other tour stops
November 5:  Reviews by Molly
November 6: The Book Connoisseur
November 7:  Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
November 8:  Black Velvet Seductions Blog
November 8:  The Muse 
November 9:   The Brunette Librarian

Posted by The Brunette Librarian at 2:00 AM 10 comments
Labels: ,

Monday, November 5, 2012

Blog Tour, Giveaway & Author Interview- "Where the Heart Lies"

Where the Heart Lies
By: Michelle Garren Flye

About the Book
All widowed Alicia Galloway has left of her war-hero husband are the flag that draped his coffin and his final wishes: to move to his hometown, take over the family bookstore and enjoy a simple, quiet life with their two small children. When she arrives, her husband’s best friend makes that new life anything but simple. How can she be so drawn to Liam Addison? 

Liam only intended to help Alicia get settled. But one unexpected kiss awakens his long-held forbidden feelings. Soon, the town busybodies swoop in to warn Alicia away from him. Because no matter the man he’s become, he’ll never live down his reputation as town troublemaker and wolfish womanizer.

No one wants the war hero’s sweet widow and the supposedly former bad boy together. But the more everyone tries to keep them apart, the closer he and Alicia get. And the more determined Liam is to prove he’s a changed man. Will it be enough to convince Alicia to let a new love in her life?

About the Author
Michelle Garren Flye is a mother, writer and editor based in coastal North Carolina. She obtained her degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992. Not liking the hours required of a journalist, she went on to obtain a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1997. When her first child was born in 2000, she packed her diplomas away and began a new life as a stay-at-home mom, which fortunately afforded her the opportunity to pursue her writing on a semi-regular basis.

Michelle has served in various capacities for several online and print literary endeavors, including Dark Recesses, edifice WRECKED, Horror Library, Butcher Shop Quartet, and Tattered Souls.

Michelle is the author of three romance novels, Where the Heart Lies (Carina Press 2012), Winter Solstice (Lyrical Press 2011) and Secrets of the Lotus (Lyrical Press 2010). Michelle also self-published a fiction book titled Weeds and Flowers for the Kindle in December 2011.

Author Links:
Twitter: @michellegflye

A Word from the Author

Where Do They Come From?
By Michelle Garren Flye 

I’m often asked if I get inspiration for my characters from real life, or even if I put myself into my books. The only answer I can give for this is “probably.” After all, we can only write about the things we know, right? The people I know or observe probably do sneak into my books, albeit subconsciously, and here’s how it happens. 

Two characters in my last release Where the Heart Lies particularly intrigue me because of the reaction they’ve received from the readers. The first is Penny, the local woman and high school friend of Alicia’s husband Ty. She befriends Alicia as soon as she moves into town, and, being a busybody, is full of advice, especially when it comes to Ty’s other old friend Liam. Penny has her own reasons for trying to keep Alicia and Liam apart, and they’re not all unselfish. In fact, she’s downright self-serving in a lot of ways. But I tried to show the other aspect of her—the loving, loyal side of her. Some of my readers haven’t been able to see past Penny’s instinct for self-preservation, though. 

The other is LuLu, Alicia’s other new friend. LuLu is divorced and out of the closet—in a town that’s not accepting of alternative lifestyles. To make it worse, she owns a sex store in the heart of the conservative downtown district. (I keep telling everyone, don’t go to Hillsborough and look for it—I made it up!) LuLu hasn’t had it easy. Her husband cheated on her, and her mother thinks the experience was so traumatic it “turned” her gay. But through it all, LuLu has remained a good mother to her daughter, a successful businesswoman, and she’s a good friend to Alicia. She’s a more peripheral character than Penny, as she doesn’t play a direct part in the storyline, but reader reaction to her has been much more favorable. 

So where did these ladies come from? Do I know them in real life? No. Sorry to disappoint, but I didn’t directly base these characters on anybody I actually know. What I imagine happens is that as I live my life, I make observations of the people who move through it with me. These observations get thrown in one big mound of scraps and when I create characters, I reach in and pull out what I need, stitching together what I need until my patchwork becomes a person. And that’s how my character is born. 

Do I know them? Yes. But I made them up.

My Thoughts
      A forbidden love story is always a favorite of mine. Two people that absolutely should not be together being drawn towards one another  and there isn't anything either one can do, pure genius. Dealing with love, loss, grief and military life, you are swept away into a world of Alicia and Liam. They each have their own issues and finding ways to deal with one another in this complex situation of life and death is quite the balancing act. Quite well written and enjoyable, Where the Heart Lies was the perfect book for a cold winter evening. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you feeling breathless!

Giveaway
Michelle will be awarding promotional postcards from Carina Press with 10% off coupons to one commenter at every stop, and a $10 Amazon GC + a copy of Bartlett's Poems for Occasions, which inspired part of the book to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 

Be sure to leave a comment with your e-mail to be entered!


Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour!
September 17: Queen of all She Reads
September 24: All I want and more
October 1: MeganJohnsInvites
October 22: The Bunny's Review
October 29: It's Raining Books
Posted by The Brunette Librarian at 1:30 AM 13 comments
Labels: ,

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Book Tour & Review - "Train Station Bride" By: Holly Bush

 

Train Station Bride
By: Holly Bush

 Synopsis from Goodreads

 1887 Debutante, Julia Crawford endures a lifetime of subtle ridicule as the plump, silly daughter of a premiere Boston family. Julia strikes out on her own to gain independence, traveling to the Midwest to marry an aging shopkeeper and care for his mother. Julia finds her new home rough and uncivilized after the sophistication of a big city, while closely held secrets threaten to ruin Julia’s one chance at love.
 Jake Shelling was sixteen and grew up quick when his parents died from influenza on the South Dakota prairie. Left with a half-cleared farm and two young sisters, he spent little time on his own needs . . till now. At thirty-five, he figured it was high time to have some sons and a mail order bride would suit him just fine. No expectations of love, just a helpmate from sturdy stock, ready for farm life.
 Will fate and chance play a trick on Julia and Jake?
About the Author
Holly Bush was born in western Pennsylvania to two avid readers. There was not a room in her home that did not hold a full bookcase. She worked in the hospitality industry, owning a restaurant for twenty years and recently worked as the sales and marketing director in the hospitality/tourism industry and is credited with building traffic to capacity for a local farm tour, bringing guests from twenty-two states, booked two years out. Holly has been a marketing consultant to start-up businesses and has done public speaking on the subject.

Holly has been writing all of her life and is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction, particularly political and historical works. She has written four romance novels, all set in the U.S. West in the mid 1800’s. She frequently attends writing conferences, and has always been a member of a writer’s group.

Holly is a gardener, a news junkie, and vice-president of her local library board and loves to spend time near the ocean. She is the proud mother of two daughters and the wife of a man more than a few years her junior.

Find out more information about Holly Bush 
My Thoughts
      Holly Bush has written an enchanting historical romance that I loved getting lost in this past weekend. Who knew a chubby girl from Boston would find love with a farmer in South Dakota and it would be so wonderful? Julia is a lost soul trying to find her way in a world that doesn't fit her and Jake is the tough exterior she falls in love with.
     Julia has been her family's embarrassment for a number of years. Shy, slightly overweight, and fairly insecure, her family has demeaned and discredited her for most of her life. Her sisters are the pretty ones, she’s just the doormat for them to disrespect and make fun of. When she sees an ad in the paper for a mail order bride, she decides that nothing better is coming along and sets up a means to get herself out of her life and into what she hopes is a happy family.
     Jake is your stereotypical grumpy guy living out in the wilderness. He has been taking care of his sisters after his parents deaths and has pretty much sacrificed a large portion of his adulthood to his family. Out of loneliness, and a desire to have a family of his own, Jake advertises for a mail order bride to come to his farm in South Dakota.
      Through a series of twists and turns, Julia and Jake find themselves married, for better or worse. Neither is what the other expected in a spouse but they decide to make it work. I loved how uncomfortable they were at the beginning and by the end they strived to be together. Their growth was fun to watch and I was rooting for them, even through the huge twist that tore them apart.
       I really enjoyed Bush’s writing and her characters. The only thing I could say in the negative was that I would love to know more about the secondary characters. Jake’s sisters were really interesting and I just know they have interesting pasts, but little time is spent with them. Well, I guess I could just say that the time we met them wasn't nearly enough! All in all though, a very sweet romance perfect for someone wanting something simple and just plain nice to enjoy.
Book Details
Publisher: Book Baby
Date of Publication: April 4, 2012
# of Pages: 216
ISBN: 978-1620955277
Excerpt

Jake stopped dead in his tracks at his screen door. Julia stood in front of the sink, hair pulled up except for a few tendrils stuck wet to her back. Her dress was to her waist and she was running a washrag over her neck. Her skin was as pale as the shiny fabric of her underclothes. Julia tilted her head from side to side and hummed softly. Jake turned quickly when he heard his foreman hollering to him. He slammed the kitchen door open prepared to ask his bride what in the hell she thought she was doing standing near naked within a hundred yards of his randy group of farmhands. She turned as the door swung open. He took one fierce, angry step inside even as the sight of her stirred him. 
“What in the hell . . .”

“Be careful,” Julia shouted.
Jake charged into a bucket of water in front of the door. Water sloshed everywhere and the bucket flew end over end hitting a kitchen chair and knocking it over.

Jake grabbed for the door handle as his feet began to go out from under him.
Julia ran to him and kicked an errant potato straight at him. He bent and grabbed his shin where it hit. His muddy boots slipped in the water and sent Jake careening to the floor. He lay still on his back, the wind knocked out of him.

Julia dropped down on her knees beside him.

“Oh, dear. Jake, are you all right?” 
It took a moment to get his breath. He could already feel a knot growing on the back of his head. “Julia, everyman jack could a seen you standing at the sink practically naked.”
 

Check out the other stops on the tour!
October 15:   The Bunny's Review
October 16:  Queen of all She Reads
October 16:  The Romanceaholic
October 17:  Journey of a Bookseller
October 18: The Brunette Librarian
October 19:  It's Raining Books 
October 19:  Bodice Ripper Novels
Posted by The Brunette Librarian at 2:00 AM 7 comments
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Monday, October 8, 2012

"Private Pirouette" By: Liza Munro Book Tour

"Private Priouette"
By: Lila Munro

Piper McGee can smell a set up a mile away. She can smell a Marine even further. Born to a dual-enlisted couple who divorced before she was old enough to remember a single family holiday together and proceeded to redefine the very definition of family through several marriages and even more step-siblings, Piper has made it her life’s promise to herself to never become involved with one of the few and the proud. They’re among the most irresponsible people she knows, leaving destruction in their wake and broken hearts paving the way to their next duty station. And in her opinion, Alec Douglas is just another example, until he pries her heart open along with other parts of her, making her question everything she's ever let herself believe about honor, courage, and commitment. 

What does a man do with six month’s down time and no warm body to share his bed? For Sergeant Alec Douglas, contemplating that question led him to fall prey to his two best friend’s plan to find him that very thing. They know Alec has yet to stay with any one person for more than a few dates. They also know a tragedy from his past created the problem and while that haunts him, making it nearly impossible for Alec to trust his heart to anyone, they also know he’s a sucker for a challenge. Will the enticement of a few thousand dollars riding on him breaking his own rule be just the thing to disrupt his cycle? Taking their bet might be profitable, but is winning the money they’ve dangled under Alec’s nose worth losing himself to the girl they’ve picked out for him?

About the Author: Lila Munro
Lila Munro currently resides on the coast of North Carolina with her husband and their two four-legged kids. She’s a military wife with an empty nest and takes much of her inspiration for her heroes from the marines she’s lived around for the past fifteen years. Coining the term realmantica, she strives to produce quality romance in a realistic setting. Her genre of choice is contemporary romance that spans everything from the sensual to BDSM and ménage.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading everything she can get her hands on, trips to the museum and aquarium, taking field research trips, and soaking up the sun on the nearby beaches. Her works include The Executive Officer’s Wife, Bound By Trust, Destiny’s Fire, Salvation, Three for Keeps, the Force Recon series, the Slower Lower series, the Identity series, and most recently the Toy Box Tales in conjunction with BethAnn Buehler. She’s a member in good standing of RWA and Passionate Ink. Currently she’s working on sequels to several series to be released throughout 2012-2013. And has a brand new line scheduled for winter 2012-13.


Ms. Munro loves to hear from her readers and can be found at Realmantic Moments  Facebook Pinterest Goodreads  Twitter You can also contact her via email at lilasromance@gmail.com and you can find all her works at: Amazon Nook ARe Bookstrand

Review
     "Private Priouette" has a super serious title but is one of the funniest books I've read for quite a while. The connections between Alec and Piper was dynamite and I loved how feisty Piper was! She gave as good as she got and didn't let the big bad marine get an inch ahead of her. Strong independent female lead and a hard headed marine, add in a dash of romance and you get this wonderful story by a wonderful author. This was my first title by Liza but most definitely will not be my last!

Excerpt
Piper opened her car door and started to get in. “Get off my hood.”

“Wait, wait. What if there was a way to make some easy extra cash?” He raised one hand and blinked a few times. “I have a business proposition of sorts for you…” He took two steps toward her and three back, landing on the hood again.


“What? Are you crazy? I don’t do that on the side you perv.”

“No, no. Not that…geeze. The reason I’m persistent is a few thousand dollars rides on if I can get you to date me for six months.” Leaning on his palms, he gave her a crooked smile of triumph as though he was proud he’d remembered why he was there considering his current condition.

“What?” Piper slammed the door and walked back over to him with her arms crossed under her breasts. “So, you don’t actually want me, this is about money?”

“Well, now, don’t get all huffy. As a matter of fact, I do think you’re hhhooot. Especially now that I seen all your stuff in…there.” He waved one hand toward the back of the club, a ridiculous grin crossing his face. “But, if don’t want to really date, fine. We can pretend and still split the money. You said yourself you need it.”

Piper didn’t like the fact he’d intended to use her all along. But she wasn’t stupid either. Several hundred dollars would go a long way in getting her moved and all she had to do was pretend to date this jerk.

“Do you have a name?” It seemed in order to pull off this ruse she at least needed to know who she was in cahoots with.

Giveaway
Lila will be awarding a $25 Amazon or BN GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. 
The more you comment - the greater your chances of a win!!!! 



 
Posted by The Brunette Librarian at 11:10 AM 6 comments
Labels: ,
Location: Columbia, MO, USA

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

"Hidden Paradise" By: Janet Mullany Book Tour

Hidden Paradise
By: Janet Mullany

Synopsis
Louisa Connelly, a recently widowed Jane Austen scholar, needs some relief from her stifling world. When a friend calls to offer her a temporary escape from her Montana ranch, she is whisked into a dizzying world of sumptuous food, flowing wine...and endless temptation.

She's an honored guest at Paradise Hall, an English resort boasting the full experience of an authentic Georgian country-house weekend. Liveried servants tend to the every need of houseguests clad in meticulous period costume: snug breeches, low-cut silken gowns and negligible undergarments.

It's Mac Salazar, a journalist immersing himself fully, deeply, lustily in the naughty pleasures of upstairs-downstairs dalliances, who piques Louisa's curiosity-and libido-most. He's a dilettante straight out of a novel: uninhibited, unapologetic and nearly insatiable. But Lou's not romantic about this much, at least: Paradise Hall is a gorgeous fantasy, nothing more. A lover like Mac is pure fiction. And the real world beckons....
About the Author

Janet Mullany, granddaughter of an Edwardian housemaid, was born in England but now lives near Washington, DC. Her debut book was Dedication, the only Signet Regency to have two bondage scenes (and which was reissued with even more sex in April 2012 from Loose-Id). Her next book, The Rules of Gentility (HarperCollins 2007) was acquired by Little Black Dress (UK) for whom she wrote three more Regency chicklits, A Most Lamentable Comedy, Improper Relations, and Mr. Bishop and the Actress. Her career as a writer who does terrible things to Jane Austen began in 2010 with the publication of Jane and the Damned (HarperCollins), and Jane Austen: Blood Persuasion (2011) about Jane as a vampire, and a modern retelling of Emma, Little to Hex Her, in the anthology Bespelling Jane Austen headlined by Mary Balogh. She also writes contemporary erotic fiction for Harlequin, Tell Me More (2011) and Hidden Paradise (September, 2012).

Twitter @Janet_Mullany     Facebook


My Thoughts
     "Hidden Paradise" is definitely a different kind of romance that doesn't necessarily fall into a certain category. It was so nice to see something different covering different premises in the romance world...and who doesn't love Jane Austen? A wonderful romance for any fan of Jane Austen or looking for something different, "Hidden Paradise" simply doesn't fit into many molds.
       Louisa is a Jane Austen scholar whose husband has recently died. Somewhat lost in her world, she is given a chance to go to a weekend with authentic Austen time period experiences. Mac, a journalist, peeks Louisa's interest but has a hard time measuring up to Louisa's husband in her mind. Filled with interesting and very different characters, Louisa and Mac's romance blossoms in a different world but filled with contemporary problems. 

Book Details
Publisher: Harlequin
# of Pages: 320
Date of Publication: September 18, 2012
ISBN: 9780373777198

Excerpt

Mac handed her a glass. “Should we be discreet and pretend our first meeting didn’t happen?” 
“It’s certainly not the sort of meet cute Austen wrote about.” He might talk of discretion but his eyes shone with mischief and energy. An attractive man, she thought, and not only because she’d seen him half naked and lustily enjoying sex. 
He grinned. “Chris and Peter told me a lot about you.” 
“Yes, we’re good friends. Where are you from?” 
“Chicago by way of London. I got this commission to do an advance piece on the house, so here I am. What are you doing in…Montana, I think Peter said?” 
“Oh, long story.” She sipped her champagne. “My husband and I lived on a ranch and we taught at a school a couple of hours away. He died suddenly last year.” 
She could say it now, the short version, stark and matter-of-fact. 
“I’m sorry. Do you think you’ll stay there?” 
“I don’t know.” Her glass was empty. “Don’t you want to ask me about historical authenticity at Paradise?” 
“I guess so. After you’ve settled in, we should set up a time for an interview. It’s an interesting concept, time travel with no chance of getting stuck in the past, or treading on a bug and changing the course of history.” 
“It’s a very sexy period.” She was halfway down another glass now and the room was beginning to take on a subtle, mellow glow that was half sunset, half alcohol. 
“Mainly because of popular culture, of course. People say there’s no sex in Austen. They’re wrong. Her books are full of sex, but it’s all subsex. Subtext.” 
“That’s the champagne talking.” He took her glass from her hand.
Comment for a great cause
Janet will pledge $1 for every comment made on the blog tour to Heifer International (which has absolutely nothing to do with the book but is one of her favorite nonprofits), up to $250.  Additionally, she'll award the choice of the following eBooks from her backlist to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop:  Forbidden Shores (erotic historical romance w/a Jane Lockwood), or Tell Me More(contemporary erotica) or The Rules of Gentility (funny sexy Regency). 



Check out the other stops for more reviews 
 AND more chances to win! 
Posted by The Brunette Librarian at 2:00 AM 8 comments
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)