Thursday, February 28, 2019

Romance Is In The Air Showcasing Author Aubrey Wynne + $25 Giveaway




 

Eliza is forced into marriage with no idea her life will change for the better. Married less than a year, her unwilling rake of a husband is surprisingly kind to her—until his sudden death. The widowed Countess of Sunderland remains under her in-laws’ protection to raise her newborn daughter. But her abusive father is on the brink of financial ruin and has plans for another wedding. Nathaniel, Viscount of Pendleton, gains his title at the age of 12. His kindly but shrewd estate manager becomes father and mentor, instilling in the boy an astute sense of responsibility and compassion for his tenants. Fifteen years later, his family urges him to visit London and seek a wife. The ideal doesn’t appeal to him, but his sense of duty tells him it is the next logical step. Lord Pendleton stumbles upon Eliza on the road, defending an elderly woman against ruffians. After rescuing the exquisite damsel in distress, he finds himself smitten. But Nate soon realizes he must discover the dark secrets of her past to truly save the woman he loves.

 




 

 “Another beautiful historical romance gem from Aubrey Wynne.” N.N. Light Book Reviews
“Well-crafted,engaging tale of loss and love.” Verified 5 star review
 “A sweet, historical romance to brighten any heart. By the end, I was teary-eyed and touched by the story.” Goodreads Review

 


   

April 1818 Falsbury Estates Northern England

 Eliza rubbed the polished marble set in the stone wall, one gloved hand tracing her husband’s name. A tear rolled down her cheek as Althea clutched at her skirts, the toddler pulling and fidgeting in the quiet mausoleum.

 Here lies the body
of Carson Roker, Earl of Sunderland
Son of Allan Roker, Marquess of Falsbury
16 June 1815
Aged 31 years
 The Lord hath given him rest from all his enemies. 11 Samuel 7:1

 “Oh, Carson, I miss your laughter and strength. I envy the fact your demon no longer chases you, but mine is close on our heels.”
The chill of the surrounding limestone seeped into her bones. “How shall I keep him at bay?”
 She sniffled and bent down to touch her daughter’s plump cheeks. The tiny face turned up, two matching dimples peeking out from the corners of her mouth as she smiled.
“Can you see how beautiful your little girl grows each day? Your mother says she has your coloring and my eyes, your boundless energy and my common sense. A perfect combination, don’t you think?”
Althea tugged impatiently at her skirts again. “Mama, go now.” One chubby finger pointed toward the small garden behind the mausoleum. The stained glass at the end of the building shed a pastel rainbow over the budding flowers and short rock wall.
“Yes, my sweet, you may play.” The girl ran toward the back exit then stopped. Her small feet hopped on the reflecting kaleidoscope of colors, the sun’s rays gleaming through the painted glass.
“Yellow,” she said and hopped again. “Gween.” Another hop. “Blue.”
“Very good. Only two, and you know all your colors.” She brushed back the glossy midnight curls that rebelled against the confinements of hat and ribbons. The lacey plum bonnet matched the girl’s sparkling eyes. “Pick flowers.”
“Yes, go pick some flowers. Not too many and only those that have bloomed.” Eliza sat heavily on the bench across from Carson’s epitaph. Althea squealed in delight at the yellow blossoms clinging to the locked gate. One of these days, the enclosure would not be tall enough to hold her precocious daughter. The monthly visits were a comforting ritual. At first, she’d come to be alone and grieve. To mourn the death of her husband taken after a year of marriage, leaving behind a pregnant widow. To mourn the affection she’d dreamed of all her young life, only to have it snatched away so quickly. To mourn the father who would never hold his child, and the child who would never know the man her father had become. Theirs had been an arranged marriage. A duty for Carson, the Earl of Sunderland, a twin who had tried to pass his responsibilities on to his brother. An escape for Lady Eliza, daughter of the Marquess of Landonshire, from a brutal father and a lonely childhood. Her father had not cared about the roguish character of his future son-in-law. His priority was increasing his wealth and improving the family connection. Carson’s reputation as a rake had not been exaggerated. Yet Eliza had sensed a generous but vulnerable heart in her husband, cleverly disguised by sarcasm and alcohol. The wedding night had been brief and perfunctory. The groom had been gentle but distant. She had seen little of her husband during the days following until…
She smiled, remembering the first gift he’d given her. A bouquet of flowers he’d picked at dawn as he stumbled home after one month of marriage. He had knocked at her door, one hand behind his back, smelling of alcohol and the clubs. After a mumbling an apology for missing the previous night’s obligations, he’d handed her a bouquet of crushed violets.
“I thought they matched your eyes.” She had gazed from the mangled petals to the contrite man intensely interested in his dusty boots. As she put the flowers to her nose, the sweet scent was her undoing. The tears had come unbidden and swift as Eliza clutched the first gift she’d ever received from a man. It had also been the earl’s undoing when she gave him a brilliant watery smile.
“By Christ, woman, if you weep over wilted flowers, you’ll flood the Thames when I give you jewels.” She’d only nodded her head and sniffled. Carson had pulled out a handkerchief and awkwardly dried her cheeks.
As she looked up at him, their eyes met and held. Something passed between them at that moment. Two lost souls finding the same purchase in a storm they’d battled all their lives. He’d kissed her then. His lips gentle and sweet. It had been a different kind of kiss from her wedding night. Not polite and careful but questioning and heavy with need. Her first taste of passion.

 




Author Aubrey Wynne Bestselling and award-winning author Aubrey Wynne is an elementary teacher by trade, champion of children and animals by conscience, and author by night. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, dogs, horses, mule, and barn cats. Obsessions include wine, history, travel, trail riding, and all things Christmas. Her Chicago Christmas series has received the Golden Quill, Aspen Gold, Heart of Excellence, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Aubrey’s first love is medieval romance but after dipping her toe in the Regency period in 2018 with the Wicked Earls’ Club, she was smitten. This inspired her spin-off series Once Upon a Widow. In 2020, she will launch the Scottish Regency series A MacNaughton Castle Romance with Dragonblade Novels.





 

 



 

  Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/21/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pathways (Kingdom Chronicles #1) by Camille Peters


Eileen has never been interested in love. Ever since her father's abandonment, she's vowed to never experience such pain again. But the enchanted forest has different ideas. When the continuously shifting pathways lead her to a mysterious stranger, Eileen finds her promise to fiercely guard her heart increasingly difficult to keep.

One night when she becomes lost in a storm, the enchanted forest's pathways lead her to the castle, home to the kingdom's Dark Prince, where Eileen finds herself entangled in what many consider an opportunity but which Eileen believes to be a curse: competing for the Dark Prince’s hand through a series of tests that judge one’s royal worth. Eileen is neither royal nor interested in becoming a princess. But the mysterious stranger she met in the woods has his own reasons for helping her succeed, although the cost of his assistance may be too high: that of Eileen's heart, the one thing she's vowed never to give.

 * Amazon * Goodreads

Wow, I love this pretty cover!  It is a perfect representation of what is inside this book.  😍

I thought this was a sweet story.  I loved the whole idea and feel of the forest being a living entity- guiding, helping, responding.  The forest gave Eileen a home- a place of refuge and security after she lost her father and I could really feel her attachment and love for it. The enchanted forest gave the story a magical and romantic feel.

The characters felt very young with some immaturity showing through.  This is a YA book and I would say probably on the younger end of that spectrum.  I often felt frustrated with the characters and their reasoning but when I put back into perspective that this is a "young" young adult book, it didn't feel so off.  Both main characters show growth and that felt really good as a reader.  There is a good cast of secondary characters which had me hoping that maybe their story would be coming next.  Overall I really enjoyed this debut novel from Camille Peters and I'm looking forward to more!

This is a book that I would easily recommend to a young teenager and feel good about it.

This book is just $.99 on Amazon right now (make sure and check price before purchasing) and it is also on Kindle Unlimited!  

Content:  clean, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own. 
 

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Never Let Go by Elizabeth Goddard + Win This Book!

banner_neverletgo_blogjr

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Never Let Go, the first book in the Uncommon Justice series by Elizabeth Goddard with JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

https://amzn.to/2Ezh63lTitle: Never Let Go 
Series: Uncommon Justice #1  
Author: Elizabeth Goddard 
Publisher: Revell 
Genre: Romantic Suspense  
Release Date: February 5, 2019
  
The case may be cold, but things are about to heat up.

Forensic genealogist Willow Anderson is following in her late grandfather's footsteps in her quest for answers about a baby abducted from a hospital more than twenty years ago. When someone makes an attempt on Willow's life to keep her from discovering the truth, help will come from an unexpected source.

Ex-FBI agent--and Willow's ex-flame--Austin McKade readily offers to protect the woman he never should have let get away. Together they'll follow where the clues lead them, even if it means Austin must face the past he's spent much of his life trying to forget--and put Willow's tender heart at risk.


DOWNLOAD & READ AN EXCERPT HERE

Sometimes I am just in the mood for an exciting, suspense filled book.  This book started out a bit slowly for me even though there were plenty of things happening. BUT. It had an excellent build up of tension both in the story line and between Willow and Austin.  I could feel everything growing, expanding and becoming more intense as the book progressed.  I love when that happens.  I was constantly trying to figure out where things were going and how everything could possibly resolve.

Genealogy is so big right now- knowing where you come from and who you "belong" to.  This book uses that platform to serve up a really cool story.  I actually liked the story best when I started understanding Austin's history and backstory instead of being teased with it constantly.  It was probably the shift emotionally I was needing to connect with the characters and the story and what helped amp up that intensity.

The last third of the book is full on and very exciting!  I liked how everything came together and included all the players at once.  It felt very dramatic.

I do believe this is the first book I have read by this author but hopefully it will not be my last!

Content:  violence, peril, death.  Christian elements (praying, talk of God).

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

17059 
Photo Credit: Emilie Hendryx 

Elizabeth Goddard is the bestselling author of more than thirty books, including the Carol Award–winning The Camera Never Lies. Her Mountain Cove series books have been finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Awards and the Carol Awards. Goddard is a seventh-generation Texan and can be found online at www.elizabethgoddard.com.  

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: website | facebook | twitter | instagram | pinterest

GIVEAWAY

never let go giveaway

(2) winners will win a copy of Never Let Go & swag from the publisher, Revell.

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule at JustRead Tours. Giveaway will begin at midnight February 21, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on March 3, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Due to shipping costs, only US mailing addresses valid. For our giveaway rules and policies, click HERE.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
JustRead Logo

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Romance Is In The Air Showcasing Author G.G. Vandagriff + $25 Giveaway and $.99 Book

 

  


 https://amzn.to/2NuIiDl  
 
When frigate Captain Buckingham Kernow-Smith encounters a sprite in a topiary garden he pulls off her stocking cap, revealing the character of “Rosalind” from As You Like It, played, in this case, by the appealing Fanny Edwards. Three years pass. The War over, Buck encounters his Rosalind at a ball, where she has developed into a notable beauty. However, her guardian confides to him that she is dancing on the very edge of propriety. Buck, who has been fighting the French since he was twelve, also finds the ton confining and sympathizes with Fanny/Rosalind’s plight as a properly reared young lady. Together, they make a dangerous pair, toeing the line between propriety and scandal. When they push their fun too far, Fanny faces ruin and the demimonde. Will Buck confide his own secrets and overcome his life-long aversion to marriage? Can there be a happily ever after for someone as headstrong and impetuous as Fanny?

 https://amzn.to/2NuIiDl













  



 


 "Vandagriff's Regency Austen-esque romance is perfect for any reader who loves a good old-fashioned romance and can enoy the journey of two people learning not to fear love while learning how to have faith in each other." --Deseret News "Regency Romance in the style of Austen and Heyer.

Love as it's meant to be written." --InDtale Magazine

"Another Regency delight from G.G. Vandagriff!" --Meridian Magazine



 





https://amzn.to/2NuIiDl  

  


Chapter One
It had been many years since Captain Buckingham Kernow-Charles, Marquis of Deal, had strolled in the formal Ruisdell Palace gardens. The topiary animals that had so delighted him when he was twelve were now rendered even more magical by a frosting of snow. The last time he had seen them was that summer before he first went to sea. The giraffe, the boar, the jaguar, and . . . what was that?
Before him in the freezing mist appeared a slender, small youth dressed in tights, a belted tunic, and a comical hat that resembled nothing so much as a blue and red striped stocking.
 “Marry, kind sir, how com’st thou here?” He blinked his eyes, but the youth remained. His comely, almost feminine features had a puzzled look. Upon closer inspection, Buck saw signs of a bosom and smothered a grin.
“I am a guest of the duke. My name is Captain Kernow-Charles,” he said, forgetting his new title. The apparition bowed from the waist.
“And I, kind sir, am Gannymede. Welcome to the Forest of Arden.”
Buck’s forehead bunched in a frown. Gannymede? Shakespeare? As You Like It? Striding forward, he took hold of the end of the stocking hat and pulled. Out tumbled waves of thick auburn hair, descending to Gannymede’s waist.
“Thou art Rosalind, I think?”
“Thou dost not play fair, sir.”
He chuckled. “You are, quite obviously, a girl. Your disguise was futile. Does your mother know you are cavorting about dressed as a boy, boldly addressing strangers?”
“Rosalind” blushed a fiery red that clashed with her bounteous hair. “My mother is nothing to do with you, sir. She lives in Shropshire. I am sister to the duchess and may do as I please.”
“How old are you?” he asked with the sternness for which he was known aboard ship.
“I do not see that that is any of your business, sir.” Her eyes, an unusual shade of turquoise, snapped with annoyance.
“You may address me as Captain. My guess places you at sixteen. Am I wrong?”
“Quite wrong, Captain. I am to make my curtsey to the Queen in the spring. I am a great many months older than seventeen.” He saw that she was beginning to shiver in her scant clothing.
“It is too cold for you to be out in this weather dressed as you are. Come back to the house.”
Looking mulish, she said, “I am not cold. Besides which, I am meeting Jacques.”
“If I know Jacques, he will not come out in such weather.”
“He wishes to write a poem about it.”
“A lament, you mean.”
“Possibly. May I say, you are quite overbearing, Captain? But at least you know your Shakespeare.”




 


  

  

Author G.G. Vandagriff G.G. Vandagriff is an Amazon #1 best selling author of Regency romance, however she has recently begun a Romantic Suspense series starting with the publication of Breaking News It surrounds the events in a Chicago TV station's investigative journalism unit and is lots of fun. Her first novel The Last Waltz, the first novel in her 20th Century Historical Romance Series won the Whitney Award for Best Historical Novel in 2009. There are now two more books in that series--Exile and Defiance. Her thirteen Regencies have been lauded by critics and compared to the witty novels of Georgette Heyer. She has also written a lively genealogical mystery series featuring Briggie and Alex, two wacky widows, as sleuths. Alex is in her thirties, Briggie in her sixties, and both have plenty of romance in their lives. Vandagriff graduated from Stanford and received her master's degree from George Washington University. She worked as an associate editor at Stanford's Hoover Institution, an assistant treasurer in the Harvard Treasurer's office, a bond analyst at Fidelity Investments, and an international banker for Continental Illinois National Bank (later acquired by Bank of America). She and her husband David are the parents of three children and seven grandchildren, her greatest joys in life. Her favorite novel? Jane Eyre. She also loves Florence, Sundance Resort, Cubs baseball, hot chocolate, lilacs, and dachshunds.

 









 

  



  

  

   

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/19/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway