Blog Tour and Review: Beautiful Star and Other stories by Andrew Swanston

BEAUTIFUL STAR AND OTHER STORIES

If you take the coastal path from the Fife village of Elie to neighbouring St Monans you will come to the little church of St Monan, where at the back of the nave you will find a framed newspaper cutting from November 1875.  The cutting is of a letter to The Times from Sir Robert Anstruther, asking for donations to a fund set up for the families of the Fife fishermen lost in the storms that had recently swept the east coast of England and Scotland.  One of the boats in the fishing fleet, Beautiful Star, was on its maiden voyage.

When I first read Sir Robert’s letter, I was much taken with this story and determined to learn more about it. Little did I know then how much I would discover of the extraordinary way of life of Scottish herring fishers and their families before the advent of steam and of the total dependence of whole villages, and of the itinerants who ‘followed the fish’, on their fishing fleets.  Boat builders, coopers, sailmakers, merchants, net menders, fisher ‘lassies’ who gutted and packed the fish – all made their livings from the ‘silver darlings’.

Nor did I know that Beautiful Star would lead me to write the six stories that go with it to make up this collection and five (so far) other historical novels. A summer walk, a peek in the church and a newspaper cutting. Who would have thought it?

The stories of Jane Wenham (A Witch and a Bitch) and Eilmer (The Flying Monk) soon followed. Like Beautiful Star, I learnt of both by chance and thought they would reward further research. Try asking ten people when the first recorded, manned flight took place.  I bet not one will know, any more than I did before visiting Malmesbury. Likewise Lady Mary Bankes’s gallant defence of her Corfe home, related in The Castle, is a little-known tale of great courage and loyalty.

The separate stories – combined for this collection - of the English Button Seller and the French Drummer Boy at the battle of Waterloo I discovered when researching Waterloo:The Bravest Man, a fictionalised account of the defence of the chateau and farm at Hougoumont. Footnotes to history are often rich sources for the story-teller,

The fate of the magnificently named Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell’s flagship, HMS Association seemed to me worth telling because of the mystery that surrounded it and because it led directly to the solving of the problem of calculating longitude by the brilliant clockmaker John Harrison.

The Tree, finally, is the Boscobel oak in which Charles II hid after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester.  It is known that he was not alone but was there more than one other in that tree?  

All the stories combine fact and fiction, real characters and imaginary. They seek to entertain and inform.  I hope they do.

Thank you Andrew! Now to my review

History is brought alive by the people it affects, rather than those who created it.

In Beautiful Star

This is a moving and affecting journey through time, bringing a new perspective to the defence of Corfe Castle, the battle of Waterloo, the siege of Toulon and, in the title story, the devastating dangers of the life of the sea in 1875.

Paperback, 256 pages
Expected publication: January 11th 2018 by The Dome Press
Historical fiction
For review

My thoughts

This book consists of a few novella/short stories. So yes I will review each one with a few short sentences then.

Beautiful Star

I think I liked this one the most *thinks about it* Most definitely. It is about a fishing village and how a new ship is being made. All while we as the reader know there will be a terrible storm. The devastation it caused since everyone relies on their families. It was sad and good and based on real people.

The flying Monk

Did you know that in the 11th century a monk named Eilmer tried to fly using wings? I sure did not! Omg, this guy needs a movie. Sure, sure, only monks in it, but still so interesting. Very cool.

HMS Association

A short one about a man being pressed into the war. Honestly people, listen to fishermen!

The Tree

Another short one about two men and a boy in a tree. Kind of like a nice little interlude.

The Castle

Another fascinating tale. Lady Mary Bankes held this castle against Parliamentarian forces and she would not give in. You go girl!

A witch and a bitch

The more I read the sadder I got. People are cruel. Sure she did not always make good choices, but the way people hounded on a woman alone and old. "My cow died. She is  a witch!" I really liked the granddaughter in this one.

The Button seller and the drummer boy.

I fear the one where I could muster the least bit of interest. Dunno why really. Since it did have promise.

Conclusion

These are people lost in the pages of history. I sure had not heard of any of them...well except for the obvious one. But I am glad I have now. Also, some would make awesome movies.

Andrew read a little law and a lot of sport at Cambridge University, and held various positions in the book trade, including being a director of Waterstone & Co, and Chairman of Methven’s plc, before turning to writing. 

Inspired by a lifelong interest in early modern history, his Thomas Hill novels are set during the English Civil Wars, and the early period of the Restoration.  

Andrew’s novel, Incendium, was published in February 2017 and is the first of two thrillers featuring Dr. Christopher Radcliff, an intelligencer for the Earl of Leicester, and is set in 1572 at the time of the massacre of the Huguenots in France.  

The Dome Press will publish Beautiful Star, a collection of short stories documenting a journey through time, bringing a new perspective to the defence of Corfe Castle, the battle of Waterloo, the siege of Toulon and, in the title story, the devastating dangers of the life of the sea in 1875. 

Beautiful Star - 11th January 2018 

History is brought alive by the people it affects, rather than those who created it. In Beautiful Star, we meet Eilmer, a monk in 1010 with Icarus-like dreams; Charles I, hiding in 1651, and befriended by a small boy; the trial of Jane Wenham, witch of Walkern, seen through the eyes of her granddaughter.  

This is a moving and affecting journey through time, bringing a new perspective to the defence of Corfe Castle, the battle of Waterloo, the siege of Toulon and, in the title story, the devastating dangers of the life of the sea in 1875. 

Social Media 

Twitter: @AndrewSwanston 

Website: www.andrewswanston.co.uk 

Author post: Phaedra Patrick

Today I have Phaedra Patrick over for a post :) I read the book a few months ago and really enjoyed it.

Welcome!

‘My Inspiration’ 

As I showed my own childhood charm bracelet to my son, and  told him the stories behind each of the charms, the idea came to me about an elderly man who discovers a mysterious bracelet in his late wife’s wardrobe. I wanted to write a story straight from my heart, and create a character that people would want to cheer, laugh and cry with. I love to collect ideas in my head, so each scene and character in the book was influenced by someone I know, something I’d seen, or personally experienced. 

I once holidayed in India and bought a small brass elephant pendant, and this was the inspiration behind the first charm that sets Arthur off on his epic journey of discovery. 

I knew I wanted a tiger in my novel and I loved the idea of a lord and lady who live in a crumbling manor house with their tigers prowling around the grounds. I really enjoyed writing a scene where Arthur is accosted by a ravenous tiger in his attempt to find out the story behind the tiger charm on the bracelet.

I wrote the book at a time when I’d had five previous novels rejected, and also after losing a close friend and a family member. I ploughed on with The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper whilst thinking about how life is for celebrating and living. So whilst Arthur’s journey is sometimes sad, it’s also poignant, funny and uplifting.

Thank you!

THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER

BY PHAEDRA PATRICK

(HQ, £7.99, 22nd September)

40 years of marriage, 8 golden charms 
One man’s journey of self-discovery 


On the first anniversary of his beloved wife Miriam’s death, Arthur steels himself to tackle the task he’s been dreading: clearing out her wardrobe. There, hidden in a shoebox, he finds a glistening gold charm bracelet that he has never seen before. Upon examination Arthur finds a telephone number on the underside of a gold elephant charm. Uncharacteristically he picks up the phone. 

And so begins Arthur’s quest – charm by charm, from York to Paris and London and even India – as he seeks to uncover Miriam’s secret life before they were married. And along the way, find out more about himself. 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a joyous celebration of life's infinite possibilities, heralding the arrival of a major new talent in Phaedra Patrick. Phaedra Patrick studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organiser and communications manager. She was inspired to write Arthur Pepper’s story by the memories of her own charm bracelet. Phaedra lives near Manchester with her husband and son. 

Blog Tour Review: The Stylist - Rosie Nixon

When fashion boutique worker Amber Green is mistakenly offered a job as assistant to infamous, jet-setting 'stylist to the stars' Mona Armstrong, she hits the ground running, helping to style some of Hollywood's hottest (and craziest) starlets. As awards season spins into action Mona is in hot demand and Amber's life turned upside down. Suddenly she catching the attention of two very different suitors, TV producer Rob and Hollywood bad boy rising star Liam. How will Amber keep her head? And what the hell will everyone wear? The Stylist is a fast-paced, fun-packed rummage through the ultimate dressing up box. 

My thoughts:

A chic-lit style of book, I have missed those. The humour, the lightness, all fun you know. I need those kind of books. They make me happy.

To the story!
Amber does have a good eye, but she is not super into everything. I guess she is more the artistic type of person. She does like fashion, and gossip. And I did like her, she was normal.

And who could say no when a famous stylist asks you to help out! Money, glitz, glamour and Hollywood! Nope, even I could not say no, and I know nothing about fashion. Amber at least works in boutique and knows her labels.

The book is divided into 5 big events, Globes, Baftas, Oscars, and well you will see. We get to see how the world of styling is crazy and very stressful. And you certainly do not want your client to end up on the worst dressed list. That would break you. I would so never work in this world, insaaane.

But...Amber's boss is weird and the world might just be too stressful.

As for romance if you are wondering, well, there is not really any romance. I would more call it flirting, hey you meet a cute guy and you flirt. So that is that. She is too busy with anything else. But that is ok, I liked the focus where it was.

A nice book that I could read fast.

Conclusion:

Funny, fashion and fabulous. 

Hardcover, 416 pages
Published February 11th 2016 by Mira
Chic lit/women's fiction
For review

Author bio:

Rosie Nixon has been joint Editor of HELLO! magazine for the past five years where she relishes the role of hands-on editor with a love of all things celebrity, royal and fashion-related. She previously held senior positions at glossy women's magazines including Grazia, Glamour and Red. In her career she has been lucky enough to attend a multitude of glamorous award ceremonies, premieres and showbiz weddings all around the world. The Stylist is her debut novel.

Social info: 

@Rosie_Nixon

@Mira_BooksUK

#TheStylist

Amazon buy link:

Blog Tour Review: A will of Iron - Linda Beutler

Only days after his disastrous proposal, the untimely death of Anne de Bourgh draws Fitzwilliam Darcy and his cousin Colonel Alexander Fitzwilliam back to Rosings Park before Elizabeth Bennet has left the neighborhood. Their return finds Rosings swathed in mourning. In death, Anne is revealed as having lived a rich life of the mind, and she plotted rather constantly to escape her loathsome mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Anne’s journal—spirited into the hands of Elizabeth and Charlotte Collins—holds her candid observations on life and her family. It also exposes her final, and sadly fatal, means of outwitting her mother. Anne’s Last Will and Testament, with its peculiar bequests, sends Lady Catherine into a tailspin and throws into turmoil every relationship amongst the Bennets, Darcys, Fitzwilliams, Collinses, and even the Bingleys! Was Anne de bourgh a shrewder judge of character than Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzilliam Darcy combined? 

 My thoughts:

Edit. I will no longer recommend this book. Seems the author thinks I am an embarrassment, and she had someone attack me on twitter for dare giving her a 3. Oh I should be stoned 

This one sure took the story for a spin.

Lizzy never leaves because Anne dies. And oh my, Anne's diary tells quite the story. She was a very busy lady, and how she hated her mother! But then that was deserved cos Lady Catherine was evil.

But yes the failed proposal is still there...*doom*

Darcy was Darcy, aww Darcy. 

Colonel Fitzwilliam, I was quite taken by him in this book. He is such a nice man.

So you all get that Darcy and Lizzy gets another chance. He gets to prove himself, she gets to see him in another light.

But! There is something else going on. Something sinister. Something that made me go all 0_0

Oh and then there is Anne's will, quite the lady as I said.

All the usual players do show up. There will be happy endings (that they have to work for), and I enjoyed this one. I smiled, I felt suspense and was happy to see it all work out. 

Kindle Edition, 246 pages
Published June 30th 2015 by Meryton Press
Pride and Prejudice variation
For review

Author Bio:

Linda Beutler is an Oregon native who began writing professionally in 1996 (meaning that is when they started paying her...), in the field of garden writing. First published in magazines, Linda graduated to book authorship in 2004 with the publication of Gardening With Clematis (2004, Timber Press). In 2007 Timber Press presented her second title, Garden to Vase, a partnership with garden photographer Allan Mandell. Now in 2013 Linda is working with a new publisher, and writing in a completely different direction. Funny how life works out, but more on that in a minute.

Linda lives the gardening life: she is a part-time instructor in the horticulture department at Clackamas Community College, writes and lectures about gardening topics throughout the USA, and is traveling the world through her active participation in the International Clematis Society, of which she is the current president. Then there's that dream job--which she is sure everyone else must covet but which she alone has--Linda Beutler is the curator of the Rogerson Clematis Collection, which is located at Luscher Farm, a farm/park maintained by the city of Lake Oswego. They say to keep resumes brief, but Linda considers Garden With Clematis her 72,000 word resume. She signed on as curator to North America's most comprehensive and publicly accessible collection of the genus clematis in July 2007, and they will no doubt not get shut of her until she can be carried out in a pine box.

And now for something completely different: in September 2011, Linda checked out a book of Jane Austen fan fiction from her local library, and was, to put it in the modern British vernacular, gobsmacked. After devouring every title she could get her hands on, she quite arrogantly decided that, in some cases, she could do better, and began writing her own expansions and variations of Pride and Prejudice. The will to publish became too tempting, and after viewing the welcoming Meryton Press website, she printed out the first three chapters of her book, and out it went, a child before the firing squad. Luckily, the discerning editors at Meryton Press saved the child from slaughter, and Linda's first work of Jane Austenesque fiction, The Red Chrysanthemum, published in September 2013. Her second work of fiction, From Longbourn to London was published in August of 2014.

Linda shares a small garden in Southeast Portland with her husband, and pets that function as surrogate children. Her personal collection of clematis numbers something around 230 taxa. These are also surrogate children, and just as badly behaved.

Links:

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Buy Links

Amazon Will of Iron

Blog Tour Schedule:

7/6: Review at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell 

7/7: Guest Post & Giveaway at More Agreeably Engaged

7/8: Excerpt at My Kids Led Me Back to Pride & Prejudice 

7/9: Review at Wings of Paper

7/10: Guest Post & Giveaway at So Little Time… 

7/11: Review at Half Agony, Half Hope

7/12: Excerpt & Giveaway at My Jane Austen Book Club 

7/13: Review at Songs and Stories

7/14: Review at Austenprose

7/15: Guest Post & Giveaway at Babblings of a Bookworm 

7/16: Review at Margie's Must Reads

7/17: Excerpt & Giveaway at Best Sellers and Best Stellars 

7/18: Guest Post & Giveaway at My Love for Jane Austen 

7/19: Excerpt & Giveaway at The Calico Critic 

7/20: Review at Diary of an Eccentric

Blog Tour and Givaway: Behind the Mask - Carolyn Crane

TO SAVE HER TWIN SISTER SHE MUST SWITCH PLACES WITH HER...

When her long lost sister--a prostitute--is won in a card game by a brutal drug cartel, Zelda knows what she has to do: take her place. Save her. Focus on infiltrating the shadowy group on behalf of the Associates, and try not to think about why she left the spying game years ago. She’s slept with dangerous criminals before; she can do it again. 

Hugo Martinez is one of South America’s most lethal and wanted men, a legendary mercenary living on a windswept mountain. Even at the height of the war he wasn’t in the habit of taking women captive, but the American whore has seen his face. And he and the orphan boy need a cook. He shouldn’t want this woman, but there’s something so unusual about her…

Little by little, Zelda finds herself falling for her captor…but is he the killer she’s been hunting all these years? 

My thoughts:

The second book this week where a woman saves her sister. But then Zelda used to be a spy and is now part of this shadowy organization. She has the skills. While her druggie luxury prostitute sis would not stand a chance. Still, that is a big thing to do. Go in her place, knowing the drug lord can do whatever he wants with you.

So Zelda was cool. Brave, resourceful, independent, but with some scars so that is why she quit the spy game. And now everything goes wrong and she ends up with a mysterious man who wants a maid/governess/cook.

Hugo, ohh, yes I like the the bad ones, the mysterious loners with a chip on their shoulder. I kept on wondering if he really was a bad guy and longed to know more.

It's not a match made in heaven. He thinks she is some American whore. She wonders what he really is. They thread lightly around each other, but hey like always, we all know they are gonna end up doing it. And after they have done it they will fall in love.

But! before that there is action. Drug cartels. Bad people. The village. Then orphan boy Hugo saved. And the whole can they be together, they seriously have no future together.

I have to mention though, the other associates at her firm kind of sounds like a-holes after something that happens....

Conclusion:

A suspenseful, action packed lovestory. 

Paperback, 331 pages

Expected publication: May 19th 2015

The Associates #4

Romantic Suspense

For review

~~~

Giveaway Information

(1) $75.00 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice & open internationally) 

(32)  Digital Copies of either Against the Dark, Off the Edge or Into the Shadows (winner’s choice & open internationally)

Rafflecopter Code: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1c9cd1c919/?

About the Author

I am a RITA-winning author of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and other tales of love and adventure (and erotic & dark romance as NYT bestselling author Annika Martin). My books have been published by Random House and Samhain, and I also go the indie route. I work a straight job as a marketing writer, I love to read in bed and run, I’m passionate about helping animals, and I make my home in Minnesota with my husband and two cats. 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

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Blog Tour Stops

Monday, May 18, 2015

Straight Shooting Book Reviews (Excerpt): http://www.straightshootinbookreviews.com

Romance Junkies (Excerpt): http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog

Ramblings From This Chick (Guest Post): http://ramblingsfromthischick.com

Under the Covers Book Blog (Guest Post): http://www.underthecoversbookblog.com

Lush Book Reviews (Excerpt): http://www.lushbookreviewss.blogspot.com

Badass Book Reviews (Review): http://www.badassbookreviews.com

Urban Girl Reader (Excerpt): http://www.urbangirlreader.com

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Happiness is a book (Review): https://happinessbook.wordpress.com

Reading by the Book (Excerpt): http://www.readingbythebook.com

That's What I'm Talking About (Review): http://twimom227.com

Cricket's Chirps (Review): http://www.cricketschirps.com/

The Romance Dish (Review): http://theromancedish.com

The Book Review (Review): http://www.cluereview.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Em & M Books (Excerpt): http://www.emandmbooks.com

Ex Libris (Guest Post): http://www.stella.exlibris.com

Herding Cats & Burning Soup (Interview): http://www.herdingcats-burningsoup.com

The Book Nympho (Review): http://thebooknympho.com/

Long and Short Reviews (Excerpt): http://www.longandshortreviews.com

Love Affair with an E-Reader (Review): www.loveaffairwithanereader.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Paranormal Haven (Interview): http://paranormalhaven.com/

Becky on Books (Review): http://beckymmoe.com

Amy's Blog (Excerpt): http://www.amymanemann.blogspot.com

So Many Reads (Excerpt): http://www.somanyreads.com

Angela Quarles Blog (Excerpt): http://www.angelaquarles.com/blog

Goldilox and the Three Weres (Review): http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com

Friday, May 22, 2015

Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell (Review): http://books-forlife.blogspot.com

Blogging by Liza (Excerpt): http://lizasblog-liza.blogspot.com/

Bring Your Own Book Club (BYOB) (Review): https://www.facebook.com/byobclub1.0

Peaces of Me (Interview): http://www.suespeaces.blogspot.ca/

Ariesgrl Book Reviews (Excerpt): http://www.ariesgrlreview.com

C. K. Crouch (Review): http://ckcrouch.com/

Review and Giveaway: Miss Darcy Decides Blog Tour

While visiting a young woman—who was not so fortunate as Miss Georgiana Darcy in escaping the persuasions of a rogue—Georgiana meets Sir Camden Sutton, whose reputation causes Georgiana to wonder as to his motives. Her wondering soon turns to a different feeling when Sir Camden comes to stay at Pemberley, showing himself to be a very different man than was rumored. While Sir Camden struggles with his past and his commitment to his future, as well as the ill intentions of haughty Caroline Bingley, Miss Darcy must decide whether to listen to others, or the words written on her heart.

My thoughts:

This was a short and sweet novella. Georgiana has a nice head on her shoulders. Yes she did something not so good once, but she will not be fooled again. She can also look past what people are saying and believe her own heart and head instead. 

The novella is about Sir Camden who comes to Pemberley. He has a really bad reputation, Wickham bad. So Darcy does not trust him, Gergiana sees that there is more to the truth and gets to know Sir Camden. Who yes once was a scoundrel, but he wants to change. He was a good man and I admired his change of heart. I also liked that Georgiana knew what she wanted.

There is no drama just the two of them getting closer, and getting over that bump in the road about his reputation.

Conclusion:

A nice novella that I read in a sitting. I also really really want to read the previous novella about Kitty finding love.

Length: 77 pages
Heat level: sweet
Published January 22nd 2014
http://www.reinamwilliams.com
Love at Pemberley #2

Please join Reina M. Williams on her Love at Pemberley Series Book Blast from May 12-June 13.

About Most Truly

Publication Date: December 15, 2013 A

 Colonel James Fitzwilliam is home. The war has left him weary, battle-scarred—and a free man of fortune ready to find a wife. He travels to Pemberley, his second home. There he meets Kitty Bennet. Her unexpected charms soon have him questioning his familial duty and his expectations. A fight looms on the horizon when his aunt—Lady Catherine de Bourgh—and his parents arrive with their own plans for his future. Kitty Bennet has found happiness. At Pemberley, she has improved herself and formed true friendships with her sister Lizzy and Georgiana Darcy. Kitty is captivated by the gentlemanly Colonel Fitzwilliam. But she will not be silly over a redcoat again, and she will not risk her happiness—or his family’s displeasure—for his attentions. Colonel Fitzwilliam, Darcy, Lizzy, and Georgiana have their say, and Kitty learns a new lesson—love will find you at Pemberley.

About Miss Darcy Decides

Publication Date: January 21, 2014 

Miss Darcy Decides is a light, sweet Pride and Prejudice novella, book two in the Love at Pemberley series. While visiting a young woman—who was not so fortunate as Miss Georgiana Darcy in escaping the persuasions of a rogue—Georgiana meets Sir Camden Sutton, whose reputation causes Georgiana to wonder as to his motives. Her wondering soon turns to a different feeling when Sir Camden comes to stay at Pemberley, showing himself to be a very different man than was rumored. While Sir Camden struggles with his past and his commitment to his future, as well as the ill intentions of haughty Caroline Bingley, Miss Darcy must decide whether to listen to others, or the words written on her heart.

About Miss Bennet Blooms

Publication Date: 4/25/14 
Miss Mary Bennet is the last unmarried Bennet sister. She believes she will live out her days as a maiden aunt, seeking quiet in the libraries and parlors of her father's and brother-in-laws' homes. On a visit to Pemberley, the estate of Fitzwilliam Darcy, her sister Lizzy's husband, Mary begins to feel more is possible than her planned life of solitude. Among new friends and with new confidence, Mary opens to new feelings when she meets Mr. Nathaniel Bingley. Nathaniel Bingley, at the insistence of his cousin Charles Bingley, finds himself at Pemberley. After Nathaniel's years in the West Indies studying its intense flora, he is ready to seclude himself to compile his work into a book. But Nathaniel could not say no to Charles, who was one of Nathaniel's few kind relatives after the deaths of his beloved parents. Soon, Nathaniel also finds it difficult to say no to his own feelings about the lovely Miss Mary Bennet. Can Mary and Nathaniel look beyond their plans and accept the grace of love at Pemberley?

Buy the Novellas

Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo Books

About the Author

Reina M. Williams loves period dramas, sweet reads, fairy tales, cooking and baking. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her two boys, who hope to someday take a research trip to England with their mom. For more information please visit Reina M. Williams's website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Book Blast Schedule

May 12: Kincavel Korner May 13: Hardcover Feedback May 15: Peeking Between the Pages May 16: A Bookish Girl & The Lit Bitch May 20: CelticLady's Reviews May 21: Historical Tapestry & To Read, Or Not to Read May 22: Book Nerd, & Historical Fiction Obsession May 24: Passages to the Past May 26: Mari Reads May 27: Long Ago Love May 28: Kinx's Book Nook May 30: Flashlight Commentary June 1: Literary Chanteuse June 2: History From a Woman's Perspective June 4: She is Too Fond of Books June 5: So Many Books, So Little Time June 7: A Bookish Affair & Griperang's Bookmarks June 8: The True Book Addict June 9: West Metro Mommy June 11: Book Lovers Paradise, Historical Fiction Connection, and The Tower of Babel June 13: Carole's Ramblings & The Mad Reviewer

Giveaway

To win one of the following prizes please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open internationally.

• 2 eBook Sets of Love at Pemberley Trilogy

• 2 Audio Books of Most Truly

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 13th. You must be 18 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on June 14th and notified via email. Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, May 12 Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past Tuesday, May 13 Review at Gobs and Gobs of Books Wednesday, May 14 Excerpt at Bibliophilia, Please Thursday, May 15 Review at Our Wolves Den Friday, May 16 Audio Review of Most Truly at Just One More Chapter Tuesday, May 20 Review at I'd Rather Be Reading Saturday, May 24 Review at Buried Under Books Friday, May 30 Review at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell Tuesday, June 3 Review at She is Too Fond of Books Thursday, June 5 Audio Review of Most Truly at To Read, or Not to Read Saturday, June 7 Review at The Calico Critic Monday, June 9 Audio Review of Most Truly at Flashlight Commentary Wednesday, June 11 Review at Tower of Babel Friday, June 13 Review at Literary Chanteuse Review at Diary of an Eccentric Excerpt at Historical Fiction Connection

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Vanessa Kelly - Secrets for seducing a Royal Bodyguard

I am a part of Vanessa Kelly's Blog Tour for her new book, and we will start with an excerpt :) and after that you will find the giveaway

For a few infernally long seconds they glared at each other, their rasping breaths shattering the clammy closeness of the room.   She shook beneath him, her body slim and lithe beneath the fragile silk of her ball gown.   A heated tendril of scent reached his nostrils, an elusive whisper of roses and summer warmth.   Her chest rose and fell in a pattern of fractured breaths, plumping the fullness of her breasts over the top of her low-cut bodice.

The candle on the crate beside them sputtered and flared, throwing light on her face.   A hectic flush rose in her cheeks, driving a wash of pink across her pale skin.   Her lips, plush and bow shaped, trembled open in a travesty of invitation, and for one demented instant Aden fought the urgent need to taste them, to plumb the sweet temptation they offered.

And then she drew in a breath, preparing to scream.   He whipped up a hand and covered her mouth, disgusted with his lapse in discipline and what it must have revealed to her.   She might be the kind of spoiled beauty he disdained, but he’d consign himself to the darkest hell before he frightened her or harmed a hair on her head.

“Hush, Lady Vivien.”   He lifted slightly, giving her more room although he kept his hand clamped over her mouth.   “Sir Dominic Hunter sent me.   I’m going to get you out of here, but you can’t scream or keep fighting or your captors will hear.”

Her gaze darted to the door and the corridor beyond, then flashed back to his face.

“The guards won’t trouble us,” he murmured in response to her unspoken question.   The terror that glazed her eyes dimmed a notch.   She blinked rapidly as if to chase away her drug-induced confusion.

He held her gaze, willing her to trust him.   “If I take my hand away, you must not cry out.   You will endanger us both if you do.   Understand?”

She stared up at him, eyes rounded with fear.   He could practically hear the turning of the cogs and wheels in her brain and feel her body go still as she weighed her decision.

Blast.   If she continued to fight him, a sharp tap to the jaw to knock her senseless might be the only safe way to handle her.   But then he saw the clearing in her eyes and sensed the beginning of a wary acceptance of him.

“Yes?” he whispered.

The flush leached from her face.   She gave one sharp, economical nod and then settled under him, as if waiting for him to respond.   Cautiously, he removed his hand from her mouth, straining an ear for any noises.   He deliberately pulled his awareness away from her, focusing his instincts, trying to sense traps that might await them in the corridor beyond.

  “Who are you?”   Her voice was a throaty croak.   “You know Sir Dominic?”

“Yes.   I’m a friend.”   Right now she didn’t need to know more than the basics.

-------------------------------

Giveaway Details:

One ARC of CONFESSIONS OF A ROYAL BRIDEGROOM, book two of The Renegade Royals series, and one copy of HIS MISTLETOE BRIDE per the total number of stops. (US/Ca only) Please see Terms & Conditions on the Rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vanessa is also hosting a giveaway on her website for a reproduction of the original art for SECRETS FOR SEDUCING A ROYAL BODYGUARD, and original sketches of the heroines from LOST in a ROYAL KISS (#0.5) and SECRETS for SEDUCING a ROYAL BODYGUARD (#1).  

Link to contest on Vanessa’s website:   http://www.vanessakellyauthor.com/contest/

IN MATTERS OF DESIRE, HE’S THE PERFECT TEACHER…

Accomplished spy Aden St. George prefers to stay away from the frivolous ton, especially after the way his mother was used by the Prince Regent. But his latest mission compels him to guard unconventional, vibrant Lady Vivien Shaw. Rescuing her from kidnappers was easy. Resisting her beauty is not. Duty demands he keep an eye on her—and naturally, his lips soon follow. For someone who views entanglements as a weakness, this is pure, delicious folly…

Though grateful for Aden’s help, Vivien has secrets she must keep hidden. Yet with her abductors still at large, she needs Aden’s protection almost as much as she craves his touch…

Genre: Regency-set historical romance

Tone: witty, sexy, emotional 

Heat Level: hot

Elements/Tags: historical romance, royalty, Georgian era

Publisher: Kensington Zebra

Publishing Date: January 7, 2013

Series: The Renegade Royals, #1

Format: digital 

Words: 432 pages

Goodreads: 

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ee58Gp

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1eH7m5J

iTunes: http://bit.ly/K8DkKy

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1ijIdi0

BAM: http://bit.ly/1ijIcKY

Meet Author Vanessa Kelly:

Vanessa Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the "New Stars of Historical Romance." Her sensual, Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Vanessa's next series, The Renegade Royals, is due to hit the shelves in November with an introductory novella, Lost in a Royal Kiss. Book One in the series, Secrets For Seducing a Royal Bodyguard, will release in January, 2014, and Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom will be out in April, 2014.

When not dreaming of plots for her next Regency historical novel, Vanessa also writes USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance with her husband under the pen name of V.K. Sykes.   She's also a member of Rock*It Reads, a group of bestselling traditional authors who are self-publishing, and of The Jaunty Quills.   

website:  http://www.vanessakellyauthor.com

blog: http: //www.vanessakellyauthor.com/vanessa-blog/

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanessakellyauthor

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VanessaKellyAut

goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2728107.Vanessa_Kelly

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vanessakellyaut/

Jaunty Quills:  http://jauntyquills.com/

Tour Stops:

http://events.litconnect.com/secrets-for-seducing-a-royal-bodyguard-by-vanessa-kelly/

Additional Event:

Facebook Celebration: January 7th; 7:30pm - 9:30pm EST

https://www.facebook.com/events/619602208099582/

Blog Tour: Sarah-Jane Lehoux - Women in Fantasy

I am part of Lehoux's Blog Tour and today she stops by to talk about women in fantasy. Welcome!

Years ago, when the first of the Lord of the Rings movie was being released, I joined an online forum to get info on the films (yes, I was a Tolkien geek back then), and I stumbled into an RPG thread. I thought it sounded fun and that it would be a good way for me to practice my writing. I was all set to create my Middle Earth avatar and join in, but then I read one of the RPG’s rules, which went something along the line of: If you are playing as a female, you are not allowed to be a warrior, and should be such things as a bar wench, farmer’s wife, etc. The reasoning was that women didn’t do stuff like fight.

And let’s face it: Tolkien’s world was pretty testosterone-based, so maybe this rule made sense to the thread’s moderators. But it pissed me off to no end. I loved the books just as much as any of the men on that forum. I wanted to create a character in that universe and have fun with it, just as much as any of the men were. But I was only allowed to join if I made my character become what they thought a woman should be in a fantasy realm: pretty much invisible or arm candy.

Thanks, but no thanks.

See, when I write, I like to bring as much of the real world into it as I possibly can. The fantasy aspect is a bonus, but it’s not the whole show. I like fully realized characters, and believe that even if they are only minor characters, they still need to be individuals, not just cut and paste copies of outdated gender role ideas. And since I base my fantasy world (The Sevy Series) on more than just a romanticized verison of medieval Europe, my female characters can be any damned thing they want to be.

Warrior? Sure. Assassin? No problem! Queen, priestess, healer, politician, pirate, scientist, philosopher…you name it, you got it. A simple Google search reveals that women have been all these things and more throughout the centuries, even if they aren’t often mentioned in history class.

And let’s not stop at profession. What about family structure? Sick of one man + one woman (ie his property) or one man + his harem? Me too. That’s why I love looking at different cultures, with different family structures. Guess what? The reality of humanity is that we are very versatile, and traditional fantasy has not even begun to explore all the possibilities that real life civilizations have.

See to me, that’s what fantasy is…possibility. It’s a tool I use to explore the human condition. So why on earth would I limit myself, my characters, and my world to such boring, played out stereotypes when I have thousands upon thousands of cultures, and millennia of history to draw inspiration from?

My female characters are not invisible. They are not arm candy. They are proud and strong because they are based on generations of proud and strong women.

In the end, I did not join that little Tolkien RPG thread. I joined another RPG thread, on another forum, and thanks to that, I created Sevy, my feisty orphan who grew up to be one bad-assed bitch. The main character of the eponymous series, Sevy was just the first of many female characters to fill my universe. Each one of them is different, as cookie cutters should be reserved for, you know, making cookies, not in helping making characters.

And now I want cookies. Thanks for that.  

thank you S-J!

Never trust a liar, especially when they’re telling the truth

Starting over isn’t easy, especially when the world isn’t ready for you to change. Sevy, thief turned assassin turned mercenary, isn’t having any fun adjusting to a normal, law-abiding life. Luckily for her, an old partner in crime arrives with an irresistible proposition: a getaway to a tropical island, an adventure of a lifetime, and an amazing friendship ready to blossom into an even more amazing romance.

Things are looking up for Sevy. That is, until a pack of maniacal fairies with a taste for human flesh arrive on the scene.

Now she must unravel a web of magical intrigue hidden behind the outwardly idyllic atmosphere of the islands of Belakarta. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted. Trapped under the spell of a handsome and mysterious stranger, Sevy must fight fairies and tricksters to regain her freedom.

Or spend an eternity as a sorcerer’s plaything. 

Blog Tour: Season for Surrender by Theresa Romain + giveaway

I am a part of the Season for Surrender blog Tour. There is a giveaway for this book too, but first an excerpt from the book:

The scene: 
At the end of a difficult Christmas day, Alexander, Lord Xavier, has come to the library of his country house for the solace of conversation with Louisa Oliver. But the conversation—and the solace—don’t go as he expected…

Part of him wanted to deny this, yet part of him knew that only trickery had brought her here, kept her close. He’d bribed her here with his books, tied her here with a mystery. Counted on her intellectual curiosity to win him ten pounds and sustain his reputation. 

A reputation he didn’t even want anymore. Maybe.

Was he Xavier, or Alex? He was all knotted up, all confusion. Yet no matter who he was, he wanted. He wanted to convince her of his value. She, who was the first to suspect he had a hidden stash of it.

He wanted her eyes on him; her thoughts turned his way. And if he kissed her—when he kissed her—by God, he’d make sure it was a kiss she wanted to hold fast to.

Her hand slipped around his tense forearm, and he flinched. He hadn’t heard her approach. She rested her hand on his sleeve—one second, two. Gently, then, she pressed down on his arm. Let go.

He dropped his hands from the mantel, his shoulders sagging, and turned to face her. Tried for a smile.

She must have seen something dreadful in his face, because she took a step backward. Her hands lifted, palms out, the silk of her gown shushing over the carpet. “You look like you could use some privacy. I’d best bid you good night now, and happy Christmas. Do excuse me.”

Before he could unlock his tongue, she had already backed up several more steps. 

“Wait, please.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Please. Louisa. Don’t leave. Not like this.”

He didn’t want her to ask him any more terrible questions. But he couldn’t let her leave; not before he had an answer for her. Or himself.

She stopped. “How should I leave, then? Shall I recommend a book to you first? Purgatorio was good enough for your ancestors, and they were good enough for the queen.”

“No.” He pulled in a sharp breath. “Yes. Louisa. We don’t have to be only about books, do we?”

She looked away, into the dark depths of the library. “You and I? We don’t have to be anything. I’m just here for your house party, to entertain myself in a safely scandalous way, then retreat to the library whenever real life gets too overwhelming.”

“I see,” he replied. His hands felt blocky and numb at his sides. “Yes. I—I shouldn’t have expected anything else from you.” 

He stammered under a wave of mortification. It welled up from within; it washed over him with every flicker of her dark eyes.

She didn’t leave, though. And she didn’t stop looking at him. With a tilt of her head, she said, “I’ve told you not to expect me to react in the common way.”

She sank to the floor before the fire and extended her hands. The burning coals cast their warm light through the wavy glass of the fireplace screen, burnishing her skin to flame gold as her bronze gown pooled around her.

“In a novel,” she commented, turning her hands before the flames as though toasting them, “someone would surely interrupt our conversation at the decisive moment.”

Xavier stood by the fireplace like an andiron. “Can it be possible that this conversation hasn’t yet reached the decisive moment? I think we’ve had twelve decisive moments already. I’ll have to go directly to bed and pull the coverlet over my head.”

A trick he’d often used with Lockwood: stating the truth so baldly that it sounded like a lie. Lockwood always laughed.

Louisa didn’t, though. She only watched the flicker of flame behind glass. “That’s not much of a way to spend Christmas night, is it?”

His jaw flexed. What on earth was there to say by way of reply? There was no point in denying anything to her. At best, she’d shrug it off; at worst, leave.

He didn’t like the idea of her leaving—and not because of the wager with Lockwood.

“No,” he said. “It isn’t. But then, not much about this Christmas has gone as I wished.”

She rose to her feet, graceful as a danseuse. “And what did you wish for?” 

Read the next part of the excerpt tomorrow, 9/27, at Romancing Rakes for the Love of Romance: http://romancingrakes4theluvofromance.blogspot.com/

Giveaway Details:

One randomly drawn commenter will win an autographed copy of SEASON FOR SURRENDER by Theresa Romain.

Contest is open internationally.

Contest is open the duration of the tour. (Ends 10/5)

 Winner(s) will be randomly selected and notified via email.

I usually do not do this, but you will get 1 extra entry if you like Theresa on facebook 
                                                         
 1 extra entry if you follow her on twitter

Author Bio: 
Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventu­ally she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest.

Connect with Theresa at:
Website: http://theresaromain.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/theresaromain
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTheresaRomain
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4844891.Theresa_Romain

Tour Stops: 
Additional tour stops can be found at:
http://events.litconnect.com/season-for-surrender-by-theresa-romain
The more stops readers comment on, the greater their chance of winning.


 Back Cover Blurb: 
HONOR AMONG ROGUES 
Alexander Edgware, Lord Xavier, has quite a reputation— for daring, wagering, and wickedness in all its delightful forms. But the wager before him is hardly his preferred sport: Xavier must persuade a proper young lady to at­tend his famously naughty Christmas house party—and stay the full, ruinous two weeks. Worse, the lady is Louisa Oliver, a doe-eyed bookworm Xavier finds quite charming. Yet to refuse the challenge is impossible—he will simply have to appoint himself Miss Oliver’s protec­tor… 

MISCHIEF AMONG MISSES 
Louisa knows her chance for a husband has passed. But she has no desire to retire into spinsterhood without enjoying a few grand adventures first. When Lord Xavi­er’s invitation arrives, Louisa is more intrigued than insulted. And once inside the rogues’ gallery, she just may have a thing or two to teach her gentlemen friends about daring… 

Purchase Links:
Amazon.com: 
Barnes & Noble: 
Book Depository: 
Books-a-Million: