Roulette - Megan Mulry

Miki Durand has always dodged the limelight. As the illegitimate daughter of a French movie star and a Russian billionaire, she craves a normal life—and it’s almost within reach. She’s up for a tenure-track position and has a perfect-on-paper boyfriend. What more could a woman want?

But when an unforeseen tragedy knocks her off cruise control, Miki finds herself leaving sunny LA for cosmopolitan St. Petersburg. With the fate of her father’s international business in her hands, she comes face-to-face with the ultimate temptation: corporate rival Jérôme Michel de Villiers. He’s everything she never thought she wanted, and their sizzling attraction soon sparks into an all-consuming flame.

Notoriously risk-averse, Miki knows it would be a gamble to fall for the sexy French playboy. But for the first time in her life, she’s ready to take a chance and let the chips fall where they may. 

My thoughts:

Miki was very sensible. It all came from having a billionaire Russian father and a French actress for a mother. Neither settled down, both had their affairs and were in the papers. So she wanted safety, comfort and to know where everything was.

Oh what a boring life. She is rather dull, grey, has her handsome doctor (kudos for that), is set for a good life. But, he does not want what is best for her, he wants what is best for himself. But thank goodness, she does see the light. Duh. This is a romance after all. She is not gonna end up with a boring doctor who wants her at home, pretty and preggers.

So, you can see the cover. Miki lives for once. Shakes off the grey, understands that good does not mean boring. Meets a hunky playboy, and well, he is a playboy after all so.... There the drama lies, but it's not bad drama. It's real drama. Sometimes life gives you a push but love will win in the end.

Conclusion:'

A nice romance, passion, a bit of business and love. 

Cover

nice

Kindle Edition, 274 pages
Published December 2nd 2014 by Montlake Romance
Contemporary romance
For review

Author Post Megan Mulry

IN LOVE AGAIN by Megan Mulry

SECOND CHANCE...

The Marchioness of Wick is about to get a second chance at life...whether she wants it or not. After twenty years in a loveless marriage to a duplicitous British aristocrat, Claire Heyworth Barnes finds herself broke and alone. Encouraged by her dynamic American sisters-in-law, the shy royal decides to start over in New York City. When she lands a job with a famous interior designer, Claire accidentally reconnects with the first—and only—man she ever loved.

FIRST LOVE...

Benjamin Hayek has never forgiven Claire for the heartless way she left him when they were teenagers in the south of France. And even if he could, Claire's not sure she has the courage to contend with how he makes her feel. Can they build a new love from an old flame? Or will a bitter history and a complicated future stand in their way?

Dear Blodeuedd,

Thank you so much for having me here at Books for Life! A lot has happened since you reviewed my first book, A Royal Pain, last year. A Royal Pain ended up being chosen as an NPR Best Book of 2012 and hit the USA Today Bestseller list. My new book, In Love Again, is the third in the Unruly Royals series, after A Royal Pain and If the Shoe Fits. 

When my first book came out, you were one of the first reviewers to remark on how I tend to write across genres. You were totally right! I love the steamy attraction of a romance novel mixed with the longer meditative passages and secondary characters normally associated with women's fiction. I noticed recently that Amazon has a category called Women's Romance Fiction and I thought of your review from last year. I'm pretty sure that's what my books are. I'll never know for sure, though, since I like to joke, I only write the books, I have no idea what they're about! In the end, I think, it's up to readers to decide what they are.

My new book, In Love Again, uses a lot of the same tropes from A Royal Pain but with a totally different outcome. It is still the story of a British aristocrat who falls in love with a fiery American, but that's where the similarities end. Claire Heyworth Barnes is the quiet older sister of Max, the Duke of Northrop. She is 38 years old and in the midst of a terrible divorce when the story begins. Whereas Bronte was all fire and ambition, Claire is tentative and vulnerable. She wants so much to be independent and strong, but it does not come easily to her.

New York City is a big part of this story too. It always symbolizes renewal for me personally, and I think that comes through in my books. It just seems that no matter where you are in your life, you could go there and reinvent yourself. 

In this book, the hot American is the hero, Ben Hayek. He is Claire's long-lost boyfriend from the summer before she married Freddy, Marquess of Wick. He has a good life in New York, as a dentist in private practice, but his emotional life is in the crapper. He is not a wild man, but he has a fire that comes more from the unexpressed passion he feels for life. When the two of them finally connect, it is a wonderful second chance for both of them.

The last part of the book takes place over the holiday season, with Claire and Ben introducing each other to their respective families. Much of the book deals with how we grow and evolve through different phases of our life and how our families of origin mesh with our families of choice. Claire's relationship with her adult daughter, Lydia, is also a big part of this theme. I really wanted to explore how we as women navigate being daughters, mothers, wives, and sisters all at once, while still retaining our integrity and sense of self.

So, in some ways In Love Again is different book from my others because Claire is a far more vulnerable heroine, but it still takes place in the same glamorous fictional world. I would love to know what your visitors think: Do you prefer a heroine who kicks ass (sometimes to her detriment) or a heroine who is a bit more tentative in her pursuit of her happily-ever-after? Or do you like all different heroines depending on your reading mood?

I would love to give away digital copies of In Love Again to three random blog visitors who comment. 

If you want to learn more about me or my books, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, or on my website!

Thanks again for having me!

Megan Mulry writes sexy, stylish, romantic fiction. Her first book, A Royal Pain, was an NPR Best Book of 2012 and USA Today bestseller. Before discovering her passion for romance novels, she worked in magazine publishing and finance. After many years in New York, Boston, London, and Chicago, she now lives with her husband and children in Florida.

Author Interview: Megan Mulry

Today I have author Megan Mulry over for an interview :)

Welcome!

1. Could you introduce yourself to my readers? 

Thank you for having me on your blog! I am a former journalist (among other dubious professions) now living in Florida with my husband and two children. I lived in London for four years and sometimes I think I still live there in my mind. I started writing full-time about two and a half years ago.

2. Could you tell me a few things about your new book, A Royal Pain? 

It's the story of a strong-willed, independent American woman who unwittingly falls for a British duke. She's obsessed with British culture and royalty, but the reality turns out to be far more than she bargained for.

3. What was your inspiration behind this book? 

A few years ago I got totally hooked on Regency romances, and then I decided it would be cool to put a lot of Regency elements into a contemporary setting (balls, royalty, British high society). When I was querying agents I called it a Contemporary/Regency Mash Up. The story and characters evolved from that idea.

4. And do you yourself follow the Royals? If so, then who is your favorite? 

I wouldn't say "follow" necessarily, but I am particularly interested in the idea of what it means to be royal today, while living in the real world. I love websites like What Kate Wore and The Duchess Diary to keep in touch with contemporary royals and what they are up to. Since this idea of modern royalty is what I'm after, Kate Middleton (Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge) is my absolute favorite. I also spend a lot of time staring at pictures of the Duke of Feria (it's research, I swear!)

(Blodeuedd takes a look at the Duke and approves ;)

5. Since this is the first book, is there anything you can say about what is to come? 

The next book in the series, Earl Meets Girl (June 2013), is about Max's younger brother Devon Heyworth. He is the complete opposite of his responsible older brother: he drives too fast, drinks too much, and sleeps around. When he meets glamorous shoe-designer, Sarah James, he has no idea how to deal with being in a normal relationship. It's really a story about surface appearances and what lies beneath all of our facades. The third book is about Max and Devon's wild younger sister, Abigail Heyworth. I am in the midst of working on that one now. Suffice to say, Abby is in a world of trouble.

6. How well would you manage as royalty?

 Horribly! As my husband says, I like to shoot first and aim later. I tend to blurt things out and then deal with the consequences as best I can, usually with a conciliatory bottle of wine. That was the part of Bronte's difficulties that I could totally relate to…the idea that one must behave all the time sounds so terrible to me!

Thank you again for having me!!

Thanks!!

Review: A Royal Pain - Megan Mulry

Bronte Talbott follows all of the exploits of the British royals. After all, they're the world's most preeminent dysfunctional family. And who is she to judge? Bronte's own search for love isn't going all that well, especially after her smooth-talking Texan boyfriend abruptly leaves her in the dust.

Bronte keeps a lookout for a rebound to help mend her broken heart, and when she meets Max Heyworth, she's certain he's the perfect transition man. But when she discovers he's a duke, she has to decide if she wants to stay with him for the long haul and deal with the opportunities-- and challenges-- of becoming a royal.

My thoughts:

I do not where to put this book in a way, it's kind of chick-lit, meets contemporary romance meets romantic fiction meets neurotic New Yorkers (ok so not a genre but I could not think of anything else.) Sure it's funny at times, romantic at times, but there is much more too. 

The lovestory takes time, in all ways. It takes time for them to meet, to fall in love and more. I guess I was expecting instalove and a trip to England but no My Lord, that was not in the cards. There is drama, hardship and one woman that sure has a hard time believing in something. Which then makes it more than just a lovestory, it's about finding yourself so that you feel that you are worthy to be loved.

Oh and yes it's also about finding out if you are cut out to be nobility ;)

I do have to admit (it ends well, duh but..) that I did feel at the end that maybe they will have a few good years and then split up. I must be in a mood today.

Anyway, this was a funny and romantic story. Mix in lords and ladies, ad a couple that really want to be together, but have a hard time doing so.

Conclusion:

Royalty meets commoner, what is there not to like.

Cover

Cute

Genre: Romantic Fiction
Pages: 352
Published: November 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Source: For review