Tuesday, October 31, 2017

HAPPY BOOK WEEK: TOTALLY HIS (OPPOSITES ATTRACT) BY ERIN NICHOLAS

 

 

 

 

Erin Nicholas

Totally His

Opposites Attract

Release Date Oct. 31, 2017







Blurb:

Actress Sophie Birch is used to having to look out for herself. So, when her theater catches fire and a big guy scoops her up into his arms to save her, she's going to fight every step of the way. Even if he's a cop. And really sexy. And his arms feel oh-so-good.

 

Finn Kelly can't help but appreciate how good the woman in his arms looks in her sexy pink lingerie. Even if she's currently resisting arrest.

 

But as the two get to know each other, they're both surprised by the things Finn is willing to do to get closer to her. And when Sophie's estranged father arrives in town and starts causing trouble, the stage is set for disaster...unless Finn can convince her that, for once in her life, she has someone to lean on.

 


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REVIEWTOTALLY HIS (OPPOSITES ATTRACT) BY ERIN NICHOLAS

 

Totally His (Opposites Attract #3)Totally His by Erin Nicholas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Totally His (Opposites Attract) by Erin Nicholas  


The lure of Erin Nicholas is that through the drama and heartbreak she never holds back on the realism.  Using the defining moments in life such as falling in love, facing fears and learning about what makes us who we are, she stays true to life and allows hints of the childhood fairy tale to filter into adult happiness.  Totally His takes on fear and self - doubt with the humor that is Ms. Nicholas' trademark and the emotion that every fan expects.  Sophie makes neurotic sexy while Finn thrives on keeping readers guessing.  With a flair for fun and a penchant for romance, this couple shoots for the stars and hits the bullseye.
 
 



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About the Author:

Erin Nicholas




 

I've been reading romance since my mom first let me into her book cupboard when I was about fourteen. LaVyrle Spencer, Julie Garwood, Debbie Macomber... they took my 'happily ever after' ideas from animated princesses to real people in the real world.

 

I've been writing romance almost as long. Many a family car trip was spent with my head bent over a spiral notebook in the back seat. I'll confess that my very first attempts at fiction were fantasy and paranormals, influenced by my father's love of the Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the original Alice in Wonderland. If Harry Potter had been around, I'm sure he would have been on the bedtime story shelf as well.

 

But it wasn't long until I started writing about true love and that's where I've been ever since.

 

I'm so thrilled to be able to share these stories with you! I hope that they make you smile, sigh, maybe even choke up a little. Most of all, I hope that they help you believe in magical things like first kisses, the spark of passion, and the power of true love.

 


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Original post: ishacoleman7.booklikes.com/post/1611118/happy-book-week-totally-his-opposites-attract-by-erin-nicholas

HAPPY BOOK WEEK: ADAM (7 BRIDES FOR 7 SOLDIERS) BY ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE

 

 

  

 

 

 

  

Fall in love with seven sexy and irresistible soldiers who find their courage and heart tested like never before in the battle for love! This multi-author collaborative series of contemporary romance novels is brought to you by bestselling authors Barbara Freethy, Roxanne St. Claire, Christie Ridgway, Lynn Raye Harris, Julia London, Cristin Harber and Samantha Chase. You won't want to miss a single one! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam Tucker is a man on a mission. After failing to save a troubled teen from drowning, Adam traded being a Coast Guard rescue swimmer for the dream of starting a youth adventure camp in his hometown. Adam is willing to do whatever it takes to help other kids navigate the deep, dangerous waters of adulthood. He’s even bet his twin brother that he can finish the transformation of a boathouse into camp living quarters before the summer season puts their watersports business in full swing. But when the key to winning that bet turns out to be an interior designer who is as enigmatic as she is gorgeous, things get complicated for Adam.

With its soaring mountains and rushing river, Eagle’s Ridge is the perfect place for Jadyn McAllister to stay “off the grid” until things settle down in Miami. No one from her old life would expect her to hide out in a small town, working for cash and keeping her real name—Jane—a secret, but that’s exactly what the FBI told her to do. They also told her to trust absolutely no one, which isn’t a problem until she meets Adam. From the first moment, sparks fly and temperatures rise every time they're together. She’s determined to keep him in the dark and at arm’s length, but the more time they spend together, the more she longs to trust him and hold him close all night long.

With her aura of secrets and her tough façade hiding a vulnerable sweetness, Jadyn calls out to the rescuer in Adam. But he learned the hard way that total honesty is the only way to live and he senses Jadyn is lying to him. But she knows the truth could risk more than her heart – it could cost her life. As the whitewater of danger swirls around them, it will take more than a strong swimmer to save them both…it will take love.

 

Don’t miss any of the sexy soldiers of Eagle’s Ridge in the 7 Brides for 7 Soldiers multi-author series!

 

Ryder (#1) - Barbara Freethy

Adam (#2) - Roxanne St. Claire

Zane (#3) - Christie Ridgway

Wyatt (#4) - Lynn Raye Harris

Jack (#5) - Julia London

Noah (#6) - Cristin Harber

Ford (#7) - Samantha Chase

 

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REVIEWADAM (7 BRIDES FOR 7 SOLDIERS) BY ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE

 

Adam (7 Brides for 7 Soldiers #2)Adam by Roxanne St. Claire

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The complexity of the story defines the characters in it, while enticing any person who is lucky enough to read it. Adam is a man with the heart of a warrior but like every fighter he carries baggage that is suffocating the essence of who is as a man. Guilt is his constant companion and responsibility is his only escape. Until he meets a woman with secrets of her own and and allure that calls to the protector in his soul. Then he becomes the hero he was meant to be. Adam is a combination of what Ms. St. Clair does best. A suspenseful temptation that forges a haunting pathway to the soul. (4.5 stars)



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Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels of suspense and romance, including the popular Barefoot Bay series, plus multiple stand alone books.

 

In addition to being an nine-time nominee and one-time winner of the RITA ™ Award, Roxanne’s novels have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense four times, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and one has been optioned for film.

 

Roxanne lives in Florida with her husband and two mostly adorable dogs, and still tries to run the lives of her college-aged daughter and 20-something son.  She can be reached via her website, www.roxannestclaire.com or on her Facebook Reader page, www.facebook.com/roxannestclaire and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/roxannestclaire.

 

 


Original post: ishacoleman7.booklikes.com/post/1609277/happy-book-week-adam-7-brides-for-7-soldiers-by-roxanne-st-claire

HAPPY BOOK DAY: MISS FIX IT BY EMMA HART

 

 

 

 

 

One handywoman.

 

One single dad.

 

One set of twins.

 

And the wall isn’t the only thing being drilled…

 

I learned the hard way that being a handywoman isn’t easy. The questions, the stares—the assumption I’m the proud owner of a cock and balls. Not that it matters. I’ve proven over and over that I’m ready for anything the judgmental asses throw at me.

 

Except the hot, single dad of twins who just moved to town.

 

Brantley Cooper gets the shock of his life when I show up on his doorstep to fix up his kids’ new rooms. His son is confused why ‘the pretty lady has a drill,’ and his daughter has a new obsession—me.

 

On paper, my job is easy. Go in, do their bedrooms, and leave.

 

In theory, I’m spending eight hours a day with a guarded, sexy as hell guy, and I’m staying for dinner more often than I’m eating it alone, on my couch, with Friends re-runs.

 

I shouldn’t be staying for dinner. I shouldn’t be helping him out with the twins. I shouldn’t be falling in love with tiny toes and dimpled cheeks.

 

And I most definitely should not be kissing my client.

 

Oops…


 

 

 

 

 

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REVIEWMISS FIX IT BY EMMA HART

 

Miss Fix-ItMiss Fix-It by Emma Hart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Miss Fix It by Emma Hart  
Emma Hart gives sexism the finger as she sets about breaking down stereotypes and inspiring women.  Miss Fix It proves you don't have be male to wear the pants.  Kali is a woman after my own heart.  She speaks her mind, does what she wants and is not afraid to knock down any obstacle that stands in the way of her dreams. Her career is an important part of who she is and she is good at what she does.  Brantley is blunt to a fault and alpha to a T, but he loves hard and doesn't shy away from difficult.  The fact that he is a single dad adds to his appeal.  Ms. Hart is quickly making her presence known as a force to be reckoned with.  She's not afraid to tackle hot button topics with humor, heart and confidence.  



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“I swear, messing with me is your new favorite hobby.”
“It is,” he admitted, eyes sparkling. “You’re so easy to mess with, I don’t even have to try.”
I rolled my eyes. “And to think—I let myself be guilt-tripped into this.”
“More fool you. I warned you about her, and you obviously didn’t listen.”
“That’s so not fair. I did listen, I just don’t have freaky skills to avoid the guilt like you do.”
“I don’t avoid the guilt. I pretend.”
“Would you have pretended if you were me, knowing you’d leave a poor guy to be lonely?”
He raised his eyebrows. “I wouldn’t have been lonely. I’d have watched TV with my pants off.”
“You don’t get to use my plans as an excuse,” I scoffed. “And unless your daughter is a master manipulator, you would have been lonely.”
“She’s four. All four-year-olds are master manipulators. If kids came with manuals, that would be the title of the chapter that talks about age four,” he said.
“There are technically manuals. They’re these wonderful, futuristic things called books.”
“None of which are geared toward a single dad,” he pointed out. “The last time I Googled something, I diagnosed Eli with a rare, deadly disease, learned that there are way too many styles of braid for any human being to master, and also found out how to get the kids out of the door by eight and have time to do my make-up.”
I paused. “I can see how that last one would be of use to you. Your mascara looks wonderful today.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

emma

 

 

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies—usually wine—and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy—unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

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Original post: ishacoleman7.booklikes.com/post/1611141/happy-book-day-miss-fix-it-by-emma-hart

HAPPY BOOK WEEK: THE TEXAN DUKE BY KAREN RANNEY

 

 

 

As the ward to the late Duke of Lothian, Elsbeth Carew resides at the ancestral estate of Bealadair. Fiercely attached to the manor, she loves it more than anyone else. When Connor McCraight—the new Duke of Lothian—arrives, Elsbeth does not quite know what to make of the American who has inherited the title but has never even set foot on Scottish soil. The tall, ruggedly handsome Texan sweeps through Bealadair with an air of authority Elsbeth has never encountered.

Connor has no intention of making Scotland his home and hopes to sell the estate as soon as possible. But his plan is jeopardized when he meets Elsbeth. A sweet, gray-eyed beauty, she tempts him in ways no other woman has. As word spreads of Connor’s intention to sell Bealadair, his life is threatened—and the only woman who can save him may be the one he has hopelessly lost his heart to.

 

 

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

 

The Texan Duke
by Karen Ranney

Series
n/a; standalone

Genre
Adult
Historical Romance

Publisher
Avon Romance

Publication Date
October 31, 2017

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REVIEWTHE TEXAN DUKE BY KAREN RANNEY

 

The Texan DukeThe Texan Duke by Karen Ranney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Texan Duke by Karen Ranney  


The mass of emotions illicited by The Texan Duke is breathtaking.  With a steady hand and a vivid imagination Ms. Ranney turns chaos into serenity.  The tawdry tale of lust, intrigue, dangerous liaisons and emotional upheaval can turn on a dime.  Connor and Elsbeth are thrust into a world where nothing is what it seems.  As the tension loosens and the links in the chain are exposed, a sweetheart of a romance takes hold and stakes a claim on the most priceless of treasures.  A reader's heart. (3.5 stars)
 



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EXCERPT

 

 

Everything was being readied for the man in the carriage approaching the long drive.

Would he care? Would he even notice?

The blowing snow obscured everything but the yellow glow of the carriage lanterns.

None of it belonged to them anymore. It was all owned by the man who would soon emerge from the carriage, the same man who could so easily wave his hand and banish them.

She shivered, wishing she had been able to wear her cloak. And a scarf around her throat. And a hat pulled over her hair. She couldn’t feel her lips or her fingertips.

People were stamping their feet against the packed snow of the drive and wrapping their arms around themselves. She could see plumes of their breath against the night sky.

Didn’t Rhona notice that everyone was about to freeze to death?

Sometimes, she thought that Rhona forgot that the people who staffed Bealadair were human beings. A great many of her dictates didn’t make sense. Yesterday she’d given an order that the laundress was to starch all the maids’ aprons and today no one was to sit or otherwise crease their uniforms until the duke arrived. You could either do the job you were supposed to do or you could walk around acting like a marionette.

Rhona made decisions like that, making changes that weren’t the least practical. A few months ago she’d given an order that all of the maids were to have their hair arranged in the same fashion, in an overly intricate braided bun. It took so long for the girls to arrange their hair that way that Elsbeth had countermanded Rhona’s orders, more than willing to go to battle for the staff. Fortunately, the duchess hadn’t noticed.

Rhona liked to issue decrees. She made pronouncements, waved her hand in the air like a queen, and demanded certain behaviors. Just as quickly, however, she forgot what she’d ordered.

Elsbeth had the feeling that Rhona really didn’t care. The duchess just liked being obeyed, even if it was only momentarily. Elsbeth took great pains to ensure that Rhona got that impression, even if it wasn’t exactly correct.

In the past year she’d taken on the duty of housekeeper. Mrs. Ferguson had increasingly incapacitating arthritis. It was easier for the poor woman to remain in her quarters than it was to traverse the many staircases of Bealadair.

None of the family had any objections to Elsbeth assuming the role. They wanted their meals on time, their suites kept clean and sparkling, and their lives not disrupted by petty things such as laundry, staffing expectations, and inconsequential details like leaky roofs.

As for Elsbeth, she enjoyed having something to do every day. Each evening she met with Mrs. Ferguson, consulting the woman over the tasks that needed to be done. The housekeeper had been at Bealadair for over twenty years and knew the house as well as—if not more so—the McCraights. The woman was an organizational genius, acquiring details about the many collections housed at the estate from armaments to historical documents.

No doubt the new duke would want to know the extent of his inheritance. Thanks to Mrs. Ferguson, she could provide him with an exact inventory.

The carriage was turning into the drive. A stableboy ran out to steady the horses. A footman strode forward to open the carriage door.

Rhona stepped up, accompanied by her oldest daughter, Lara, and Lara’s husband, Felix.

Elsbeth was too far away to hear the duchess’s words, but they were probably those of welcome. Maybe the duchess said something in Gaelic, evoking Scottish sentiment. After all, the new duke was an American who needed to be educated on his Scottish heritage. At least that’s what she’d been told.

No one had ever spoken of this unknown nephew. Until Mr. Glassey had sent back word from America, they had expected that the 14th Duke of Lothian and the Laird of Clan McCraight would be Gavin’s brother.

This man who stepped down from the carriage was a complete mystery.

 

 

About Karen Ranney

Karen Ranney is an American author of historical and paranormal romance novels. She began writing when she was five.  Most of Ranney’s novels are set in Scotland and feature “believable characters, careful plotting, and simmering sexual tension.” She has been nominated nine times for a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and won a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in 2002 for British-set Historical Romance.  In 2014 Ranney began writing the paranormal romance series The Montgomery Chronicles, which center on a newly and unwillingly turned female vampire, and in 2016 began writing a spinoff series, The Furry Chronicles.  Ranney has also been on the USA Today Bestseller List as well as the New York Times bestseller list.  She lives in Texas.

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Original post: ishacoleman7.booklikes.com/post/1610093/happy-book-week-the-texan-duke-by-karen-ranney

SPOTLIGHT: THE RIGHT KIND OF RECKLESS (RECKLESS HEARTS) BY HEATHER VAN FLEET

 

 

 

 

Title: The Right Kind of Reckless

Author: Heather Van Fleet

Series: Reckless Hearts, #2

ISBN: 9781492658511

Pub Date: November 7, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

Maxwell Martinez

 

I’m in love with a woman I can’t have, and there’s absolutely nothing I can do to stop myself from falling.

The problem? Her brother’s my best friend.

 

I shouldn’t want her this much. Not when it goes against the bro code. Not when I’ve never been able to commit to a woman for longer than a night.

 

But one look into her eyes and I’m a mess for her. She’s my everything. And I have to walk away with nothing.

 

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REVIEW:  THE RIGHT KIND OF RECKLESS (RECKLESS HEARTS) BY HEATHER VAN FLEET

 

The Right Kind of RecklessThe Right Kind of Reckless by Heather Van Fleet

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Right Kind of Reckless (Reckless Hearts) by Heather Van Fleet  


What a man!  Max is a better man than he gives himself credit for.  He lives by a code.  Fights for the people he loves and is a stand up guy with a bit of baggage of his own.  Yet it's a cocky, smart mouthed, hard as nails, bad girl that speaks to his soul.  Confidence is a shield Lia wears to hide the scared woman within.  Behind the tattoos and piercings lies a damaged girl struggling to keep her head above water and her heart intact. Only one man has ever been able to see beyond the shield and navigate the treacherous road to her heart.  Is risking her heart worth exposing her secrets? Ms. Van Fleet holds nothing back.  The Right Kind of Reckless is an emotional journey into the abyss.  A tale of heartbreaking secrets, reckless love and long over do healing.  These characters target the heart but embed themselves much deeper.



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EXCERPT

 

 

An Excerpt from The Right Kind of Reckless by Heather Van Fleet

 

Addie and I watched the guys play round after round of Skee-Ball, while Chloe jumped and cheered and stole the occasional ball from each of their rows. No matter what my state in life was, I was happy the three of them had found one another.

“Here, let’s get our picture drawn.” Knocking me out of my woolgathering, Addie guided me toward one of the caricature sketchers who sat just outside the carnival gates. The man had a unibrow the size of Lake Michigan’s shoreline, and his mustache was curled at the end, handlebar style. But his work was amazing. Charcoal sketches with colored eyes, balloon- shaped heads with movie-s tar hair.

“How much for both of us?” Addie asked, fishing through her purse. We sat on the stools, as directed, our shoulders touching.

“Thirty- five,” the guy said, his fake French accent too thick to be believable.

I groaned and looked at my friend. “Seriously? That’s too much.”

Seriously. We have to do this.” Addie mocked me. “Look at how cute those are.” She pointed to a couple with a heart surrounding their heads. Little doves swooped in the air around them, carrying heart balloons in their beaks. Had to hand it to the guy. He was talented.

“I’ve got this, ladies.” I looked up at the sound of Max’s deep voice, finding him searching through his wallet. He pulled out the money, handed it to the artist, then lifted his gaze to meet mine. A soft smile covered his bow-shaped lips, and everything inside me stirred to life at the view.

Addie faked a cough, then pressed a hand over her stomach. “Oh…oh no. I don’t feel very good, guys.”

I faced her and narrowed my eyes as she stood. Don’t, I mouthed, already knowing her game.

Ignoring me, she looked at Max and said, “You’ll take my place, won’t you, Max?” She batted those brown eyes and twirled a lock of her dark hair. No doubt her way of getting anyone and everyone to say yes to her. “Lia here was dying to get her picture drawn.”

Oh, the little liar…

Max nodded, immediately taking her empty seat to my right. With an extra hop in her step, Addie walked away, her ponytail swinging back and forth more the closer she got to Collin and Gavin and Chloe. I wanted to pull it out of her head.

“All right, look this way.” I blinked at the sound of the artist’s voice, my body far too aware of Max’s heady scent.

God, why did he have to smell so good? Fit so perfectly against me?

“You’re much too stiff.” The artist tsked from behind his easel. “Here, wrap your arm around zee pretty lady’s waist, like so.”

I sucked in a breath as Max’s hand was guided along my back, ending at my side with his fingers tucked just under the edge of my T- shirt. I swallowed, shifting in my seat and instantly remembering our kiss— the way he’d moved his mouth over mine.

Warmth pooled low in my stomach, drifting in between my thighs. His touch was like adrenaline, kick- starting my orgasm-starved body to life.

“Chin on her shoulder, lips close to her ear…” I shuddered as Max followed the artist’s directions to a T, the stubble on his chin igniting a stormy thunder inside me. Max seemed unaffected, his chest rising and falling at an even rate, while mine was suddenly in asthmatic mode.

“Relax,” Max whispered in my ear, his warm breath grazing my neck. “I’m not gonna bite ya.”

I shut my eyes and shifted once again, the ache between my thighs becoming unbearable. “I didn’t want to do this,” I finally murmured, refocusing on the artist.

Max laughed softly, his chest vibrating against my back and shoulder. “I know you didn’t.”

My eyebrows pushed together in annoyance. “Then why did you agree to sit here?”

“Because Addie wouldn’t give up until I did.” He sighed, far too relaxed compared to me.

I was jumping, itching, crawling with…something, yet he was unaffected. Which only further emphasized that he didn’t want me the way I did him.

“Plus, she folds my underwear, remember? Gotta make sure she doesn’t stick ants in them or something.”

“Yeah, like Addie would ever stoop to your level.” I couldn’t help but grin, my nerves easing slightly.

He squeezed my ribs. “You would.”

I turned to face him, our noses inches apart. “Damn right I would.”

A slow nod later, he moved even closer, our bodies in sync…

My smile fell away. “Maxwell,” I whispered, so lost in his dark eyes that I couldn’t concentrate. The apology was there on my tongue like earlier, but the need weighing me down was even heavier. How could I ever be just friends with a guy who was likely to break my heart, no matter what we were to each other?

“Tell me why you kissed me that night.” He looked at my lips, a serious glint in his eyes.

Blood rushed to my face at his out-o f- the- blue question. My composure slipped as confusion took its place. Why was he asking me this?

“Because I…” I gulped. “I owed you, remember? For bailing me out and for keeping me safe from those guys.”

Something shifted in his eyes. Disappointment? I squeezed my eyes shut at the thought. When I looked back at him, I knew I was imagining things, because flirty, fun Max was back, winking at me. “Well then.” He cleared his throat. “That’s good to know.”

“What’s good to know?” I frowned.

“That you still owe me.”

 

 

Contemporary romance author Heather Van Fleet is a stay-at-home-mom turned book boyfriend connoisseur. She’s a wife to her high school sweetheart, a mom to three little girls, and in her spare time you can find her with her head buried in her Kindle, guzzling down copious amounts of coffee. Heather was born and raised in Moline, Illinois, where she lives with her wonderful family.

 

Find Heather Online:

Website: http://www.heathervanfleet.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorheathervanfleet/

Twitter: @HLVanFleet

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6870087.Heather_Van_Fleet



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Original post: ishacoleman7.booklikes.com/post/1610665/spotlight-the-right-kind-of-reckless-reckless-hearts-by-heather-van-fleet

HAPPY BOOK WEEK: A DARING ARRANGEMENT (THE FOUR HUNDRED) BY JOANNA SHUPE

 

 

 

 

 

Set in New York City’s Gilded Age, Joanna Shupe’s Avon debut introduces an English beauty with a wicked scheme to win the man she loves—and the American scoundrel who ruins her best laid plans…

Lady Honora Parker must get engaged as soon as possible, and only a particular type of man will do. Nora seeks a mate so abhorrent, so completely unacceptable, that her father will reject the match—leaving her free to marry the artist she loves. Who then is the most appalling man in Manhattan? The wealthy, devilishly handsome financier, Julius Hatcher, of course….

Julius is intrigued by Nora’s ruse and decides to play along. But to Nora’s horror, Julius transforms himself into the perfect fiancé, charming the very people she hoped he would offend. It seems Julius has a secret plan all his own—one that will solve a dark mystery from his past, and perhaps turn him into the kind of man Nora could truly love.

 

 

About the Book

 

A Daring Arrangement
by Joanna Shupe

Series
Four Hundred #1

Genre
Adult
Historical Romance

Publisher
Avon Books

Publication Date
October 31, 2017

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REVIEWA DARING ARRANGEMENT (THE FOUR HUNDRED) BY JOANNA SHUPE

 

A Daring Arrangement (The Four Hundred, #1)A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Daring Arrangement (The Four Hundred) by Joanna Shupe  


Ms. Shupe never fails to fascinate.  Her stories are full of contradictions but are a charming display of what it means to be human.  Flawed, real and alluringly sensual, within her stories she speaks of courageous women with hot tempers and enduring dreams and strong men with wicked appeal and emotions that run deep.  A Daring Arrangement seduces with danger and quenches the need for a little romance as well.  Julius and Nora are impetuous, obnoxious and dare I say clueless when it comes to love and life.  They have much to learn about many things, including themselves and the heart is the perfect teacher to show them the way.
 



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EXCERPT

 

Thirty-Seventh Street and Fifth Avenue

New York City

 

February 1890

 

The pressed tin ceiling was about to cave in on their heads.

Lady Honora Parker glanced upward once again, fascinated by what was taking place on the second floor of Sherry’s, one of New York’s most exclusive restaurants. Each raucous thump and horrific crash from above shook the huge gold and crystal chandelier in the main dining room and caused the black-coated waiters to wince. It sounded as if a herd of elephants were up there.

From what Nora had seen and heard of the reckless Americans in the last month, she would not be surprised if it were elephants. Nothing seemed off limits here, no idea too big or too wild. Giant houses, like English country estates, lined Fifth Avenue. Imported marble, bright limestone, and shiny gilding blinded from every street corner. Tall buildings stretched high up into the sky. There was a sense of urgency in New York to buy more, build more, do more. It made her long for the dirty, crowded, yet civilized streets of London.

“Nora, dear,” her aunt’s gentle voice interrupted her thoughts. “Mr. Van Rensselaer asked you a question.”

She turned to the older, heavyset man on her right. Her uncle had arranged the dinner, one of many meetings designed for her to find a “suitable” man. But the idea of marriage to a man old enough to be her father made Nora’s skin crawl. Even her aunt disapproved of Van Rensselaer, saying he was, “a set of heavy eyebrows with a stick up his behind.”

It must be said that Nora adored her aunt.

More importantly, Nora did not desire a suitable American man, not when a perfectly suitable artist awaited her back in London. Her father hadn’t approved of said artist, unfortunately, which is how she now found herself in America, being trotted around New York like a prized thoroughbred up for auction. That’s the earl’s daughter, they whispered behind her back. Here to find a husband.

No, she absolutely would not. Nora had no intention of marrying anyone here. “I apologize,” she replied to the eyebrows. “You were saying?”

“Perfectly understandable.” Mr. Van Rensselaer smiled tolerantly at her, as if Nora were some flighty nitwit incapable of following a conversation. Commence additional skin crawling. “I asked if your ladyship missed London.”

Yes, I miss Robert terribly. Her heart squeezed in a tight grip, an ache settling in her throat. A young painter, Robert Landon had no money or title to speak of, but she didn’t care. He’d been the first person to see Nora for who she truly was, not just her father’s daughter. He was sweet and romantic and all she desired in this world. After they married, they planned to travel across Europe so Robert could hone his craft. She would keep him company and continue to serve as his “muse,” as he often called her.

Her father, the Earl of Stratton, hadn’t approved. He’d been horrified when Robert and Nora were caught together—a scene orchestrated for the earl’s benefit at a dinner party—and from there, things had taken a disastrous turn. Instead of forcing the young lovers to marry, as she’d hoped, her furious father rushed Nora off to his sister in New York. “No one there will have heard of the scandal yet,” he had said. “Your aunt will help you find a proper husband in America. Do not return without one. Now, do not disappoint me, Nora.

Was that not what she’d been doing her entire life, disappointing him? He’d wanted a boy; she’d been born a girl. She had studied, practiced, and tried to be the perfect daughter, and he’d only ignored her. She’d smiled through her debut, eager to make him proud, and he hadn’t bothered to attend any of the balls or dances.

Attempts at playing the good daughter, the proper society young woman, had gotten her nothing. Worse, they’d resulted in a trip to a strange city to be dangled in front of every fortune hunter and insufferable snob twice her age.

So that proper society young woman was no more. A new Nora had emerged on the cross-Atlantic voyage four weeks ago, one who had decided to take matters into her own hands by concocting an infallible way back to London.

The plan was simple. If her father wanted her to find a husband, she’d find the most outrageous man in New York, a fiancé noteworthy and unsuitable enough to land in the papers. An actor? A politician? She hadn’t quite settled on how to achieve it yet . . . but she would. She had to. The news must become public enough to reach the earl’s ear across the Atlantic, horrifying him enough to summon her home.

To Robert.

Three sets of eyes were staring, so she returned her attention to the conversation at hand. “I do miss it. Certainly not the weather, however.”

Aunt Beatrice, Uncle James, and Mr. Van Rensselaer laughed, and conversation droned on until another loud thump sounded from above. Her uncle’s mouth flattened. “I cannot comprehend why that hullabaloo is permitted to continue.”

Mr. Van Rensselaer wiped his mouth with the linen serviette. “From what I understand, Mr. Hatcher is up in the ballroom. Some sort of exclusive dinner. This is why your country is superior to ours, Lady Nora, because the undesirables here have no idea how to conduct themselves properly.”

By “undesirables,” it was clear he meant men who had earned their wealth, not inherited it as he had. Had he any idea how pompous that made him sound? Though Robert had no money, he was a kind, decent, and loving man with brilliant wit and unshakable morals. That was the perfect man, not one like Mr. Van Rensselaer, who’d visibly sneered at the modest blue silk gown she wore tonight. While it might be conservative compared to the fancier American gowns throughout the dining room, she believed the color showed off her dark chestnut hair and golden-brown eyes.

“Mr. Julius Hatcher?” Aunt Bea asked. “The financier?”

“Indeed. The man’s a scourge on everything decent and upstanding in this city.” Van Rensselaer cut into his asparagus spears. “Do not worry, though. He doesn’t exactly run in the best circles. In fact, he’s tried numerous times to buy his way into polite society over the years, but they won’t have him.”

Though she’d only been in New York a month, Nora had heard of Julius Hatcher. A handsome, brash swell with more money than sense, he threw elaborate parties and associated with a string of high-profile actresses, at least according to the gossip pages. He’d even built a replica of a sixteenth-century French castle on Upper Fifth Avenue—complete with a moat.

Though the newspapers touted his exploits with glee, society thought him outrageous and improper. A society he’d apparently tried to buy his way into—and failed. And here her father had disapproved of Robert when there were scoundrels like Julius Hatcher running amok. However was that possibly fair? It would serve the earl right if she brought Hatcher home for—Her brain froze for an instant, stuck on the delicious idea. Oh, indeed, it would serve the earl right. Her father would never approve of Hatcher as a husband, a scoundrel who would bring shame to the venerable Parker name. Surely that would force her father to see Robert in a more favorable light. It would certainly prove that a hardworking, decent man like Robert was good enough to marry the earl’s only daughter.

Moreover, the second her father caught wind of her connection to Hatcher and the depravity of his reputation, he would undoubtedly bring her home posthaste.

Mr. Hatcher sounded like the answer to her prayers.

Another thud sounded from above. This is my chance. She had to find Hatcher and try to convince him to help her. Right now. Immediately. Before she lost this opportunity. She started to push her chair back and a waiter rushed over to assist her. “If you will excuse me, I am feeling a bit overheated.”

“Shall I come with you?” her aunt asked as the two gentlemen politely rose as well.

“No, please,” she rushed out a little desperately, then tempered her tone. “Enjoy your meal. I’ll put a cool cloth to my neck and return in moments.”

 

 

About Joanna Shupe

Joanna Shupe has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. While in college, Joanna read every romance she could get her hands on and soon started crafting her own racy historical novels. In 2013, she won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award for Best Historical. She now lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and dashing husband. To connect with Joanna, visit JoannaShupe.com.

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HAPPY BOOK WEEK: WILDE IN LOVE (THE WILDES OF LINDOW CASTLE) BY ELOISA JAMES






Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father’s castle, but just as he grasps that he’s not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty, Miss Willa Ffynche.
Willa presents the façade of a serene young lady to the world. Her love of books and bawdy jokes is purely for the delight of her intimate friends. She wants nothing to do with a man whose private life is splashed over every newspaper.
Alaric has never met a woman he wanted for his own . . . until he meets Willa. He’s never lost a battle.
But a spirited woman like Willa isn’t going to make it easy. . . .
The first book in Eloisa James’s dazzling new series set in the Georgian period glows with her trademark wit and sexy charm—and introduces a large, eccentric family. Readers will love the Wildes of Lindow Castle!


ABOUT THE BOOK


Wilde In Love
by Eloisa James
Series
The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1
Genre
Adult
Historical Romance
Publisher
Avon Books
Publication Date
October 31, 2017
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REVIEWWILDE IN LOVE (THE WILDES OF LINDOW CASTLE) BY ELOISA JAMES

Wilde in Love: The Wildes of Lindow CastleWilde in Love: The Wildes of Lindow Castle by Eloisa James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wilde In Love (The Wildes of Lindow Castle) by Eloisa James 
Readers who expect the unexpected, won't be disappointed.  Wilde In Love wears it's heart on it's sleeve.  The dashingly roguish adventurer enamored of the spirited spinster is an odd pairing.  However, Willa is one surprise after another.  She speaks her mind, she knows her heart and she has a tendency to be judgmental.  What's that saying?  Be careful of the quiet ones, because they're anything but.  That characterizes Willa.  Honestly, both Willa and Alaric take some getting used to.  They can annoy as easily as they can charm, but the hints of humor that break through the stuffy moments are just what the doctor ordered.




View all my reviews




 EXCERPT


Chapter One
June 25, 1778
London

There wasn’t a person in all England who’d have believed the boy who grew up to be Lord Alaric Wilde would become famous.
Infamous? That was a possibility.
His own father had given him that label after Alaric was sent down from Eton at the age of eleven for regaling his classmates with stories of pirates.
Piracy wasn’t the problem—the problem was the uncanny way young Alaric had depicted his small-minded Etonian instructors in the guise of drunken sailors. These days he avoided portraying self-righteous Englishmen, but the impulse to observe had never left him. He watched and summarized, whether he was in China or an African jungle.
He had always written down what he saw. His Lord Wilde books were a consequence of that impulse to record his observations, a drive that appeared as soon as he learned to write his first sentences.
Like everyone else, it had never occurred to him that those books could make him famous. And he didn’t think any differently when he rolled out of his berth on Royal George. All he knew in that moment was that he was finally ready to see his family, all eight siblings, not to mention the duke, duchess, and a stepsister or two.
He’d stayed away for years, as if not seeing his eldest brother Horatius’s grave would make his death not true.
But it was time to go home.
He wanted a cup of tea. A steaming hot bath in a real bathtub. A lungful of smoky London air.
Hell, he even missed the peaty smell that hung over Lindow Moss, the bog that stretched for miles to the east of his father’s castle.
He was drawing back the curtain over the porthole when the ship’s boy knocked and entered. “There’s a mighty fog, milord, but we’re well up the Thames, and the captain reckons we’ll be at Billingsgate Wharf any minute.” His eyes shone with excitement.
Upon on deck, Alaric found Captain Barsley standing in the prow of the Royal George, hands on his hips. Alaric started toward him and stopped, astonished. Through the fog, the dock glimmered like a child’s toy: a blurry mass of pink, purple, and bright blue. It separated into parts as the ship approached.
Women.
The dock was crowded with women—or, more precisely, ladies, considering all the high plumes and parasols waving in the air. A grin tugged at the corners of Alaric’s mouth as he joined the captain.
“What in the devil is going on?”
“I expect they’re waiting for a prince or some such foolishness. Those passenger lists they print in the Morning Chronicle are utter rubbish. They’re going to be bloody disappointed when they realize the Royal George hasn’t a drop of royal blood aboard,” the captain grumbled.
Alaric, who was related to the crown through his grandfather, gave a shout of laughter. “You have a noble nose, Barsley. Perhaps they’ve discovered a relation you never heard of.”
Barsley just grunted. They were close enough now to discern that ladies were crowded as far back as the fish market. They appeared to be bobbing up and down like colored buoys, as they strained to see through the fog. Faint screams suggested excitement, if not hysteria.
“This is Bedlam,” Barsley said with disgust. “How are we supposed to disembark in the midst of that?”
“Since we’ve come from Moscow, perhaps they think the Russian ambassador is on board,” Alaric said, watching a rowboat set out toward them, manned by a dockworker.
“Why in the devil’s name would a flock of women come looking for a Russian?”
“Kochubey is a good-looking fellow,” Alaric said, as the boat struck the side of the ship with a thump. “He complained of English ladies besieging him, calling him Adonis, and sneaking into his bedchamber at night.”
But the captain wasn’t listening. “What the devil are those women doing on the wharf?” Captain Barsley roared, as the dockworker clambered over the side from the rowboat. “Make way for my gangplank, or I won’t be responsible for the fish having a fine meal!”
The man dropped to the deck, eyes round. “It’s true! You’re here!” he blurted out.
“Of course I’m here,” the captain snarled.
But the man wasn’t looking at Barsley.
He was looking at Alaric.



About Eloisa James

ELOISA JAMES is a New York Times best-selling author and professor of English literature who lives with her family in New York, but can sometimes be found in Paris or Italy. She is the mother of two and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight. Visit her at http://www.eloisajames.com.

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