Friday, May 16, 2014

Love's Sorrow #Excerpt 10 and Blog Tour Wrap Up! #Giveaway

Here it is, folks!! 

The final excerpt in the big Love's Sorrow chapter 1 reveal!! If you missed 1-9, they're listed in the tour schedule below, directly linked to the posts. Play catch up, & then I hope you'll share your thoughts.  :)



But first, a BIG thanks - hugs & smooches - to these awesome bloggers for helping me out with Love's Sorrow cover reveal:

Nancy Jardine Features  -  Author Interview
Long & Short Reviews  -  Guest Post
Scribbler's Sojourn  -  Promotional  /  Excerpt #3
Lola’s Reviews  -  Promo / Excerpt #4
Romancing the Book  -  Top Five List
A Passion for Romance  -  Guest Post
Riverina Romantics  -  Author Interview / Ebook Giveaway
Babette James Blog  -  Tens List
Rebecca Hart Writing  -  Promo  /  Excerpt #5
Love to Read  -  Review
Discover Yourself  -  Guest Post
KMN Books  -  Guest Post
Shaya Roy’s Blog  -  Tens List
Lizzie In Wonderland  -  Review
My Writing Corner  -  Author Interview
Write With Fey  -  Promotional / Excerpt #6
Valerie J. Claizio – Romance Author  -  Promotional  / Excerpt #7
Michelle’s Blog  -  Author Interview
Romance Writer Sara Walter Ellwood  -  Guest Post
Jocelyn Adams  -  Promotional  /  Excerpt #8Love Books? Blog Books!  -  Author Interview
Julie Antanovich Reece  -  Tens List
Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews  -  Review
Dani-Lyn Alexander  -  Author Interview
You Gotta Read  -  Author Interview
The Cover Contessa  -  Guest Post / Tens List
Back Porchervations  -  Review
Totally Addicted to Reading  -  Promotional  -  Excerpt #9 
Scribbler’s Sojourn  -  Tour Wrap Up / Excerpt #10

~~~oOo~~~

And now for the final installment. Excerpt #10:

Buttoned, tied, and tucked into the fashionable clothing, I moved to stand before the mirror.
I raised a hand to stifle my giggle. “Oh, my.”
The blue of the fabric and the excitement bubbling inside me made my eyes sparkle in a way I had never seen. I touched the pile of shining hair Helen had pinned in a most becoming way at the base of my neck. And, the constricting corset…well, I never knew I had a womanly figure.
As I studied my reflection, I thought perhaps I wasn’t as homely as Aunt Martha always insisted. For the first time in my life, I felt…well, satisfied. I smoothed the taut fabric around my waist and decided wearing such dresses would be much more enjoyable than stiff undergarments and a striped apron. Corset included.
Except for the skin beneath the rosy hue of my cheeks, a real lady peered back at me. My face was tanned and wind-burned from working outdoors without a proper covering on my head, and compared to Joanna with her porcelain complexion, and the fashionable ladies I studied at the train station, I looked like a rogue child who played all day long in the sunshine.
There was a quiet knock at the door. “Anne, are you almost ready?”
Skin dismissed, I bid Joanna to enter and spun for her approval, the large bell-shaped skirt swaying with grace on its cage.
“My goodness.” Smiling, my cousin clasped her hands before her. “Samuel is going to have a hard time keeping the gentlemen at bay.”
My cheeks burned, but relief swarmed. I wouldn’t be an embarrassment on the streets of London, after all.
“Are you able to manage the crinoline or should we leave that off for now?”
“It isn’t nearly as horrid as I expected,” I said, glancing at the lacy ruffles.
“Try sitting over there.” Joanna pointed to a straight-backed chair by the washstand.
I glided across the room, enjoying the gentle sway of the silly contraption. Wanting to appear sophisticated, I turned with as much grace as I could muster and bent my knees to sit. My dress, cage included, flew upward to block my sight and show off the fancy undergarments.
Helen burst into laughter, and mortified, I leapt back to my feet to find Joanna pressing her fingers to her lips, eyes dancing.
“Did…did you suggest I sit with the purpose of embarrassing me?” I hated the tears lacing my voice.
“Oh, goodness, no, Anne!” Joanna rushed forward and grasped my hands in her own. “I have seen such a travesty befall more than one lady in public and would be horrified if you should experience such a thing. Perhaps a lesson or two?”
Reminding myself my cousin wasn’t a mean-spirited woman like Aunt Martha, I nodded. “I believe that is a good idea.”
Joanna gave me brief instructions on sitting in a crinoline, showing me the best means of managing the wire and cloth cage. I practiced a dozen times before I felt confident I could manage in public without disgracing either of us.
Light shawls around both of our shoulders, we made our way down the stairs. Wells opened the door and stepped back, dipping his head. “Ladies.”
Happiness lit within me and expanded as Emanuel, the gentle, old carriage driver, smiled with approval at my new frock and borrowed shawl.
“I almost didn’t recognise you, Miss Tearle,” he said, while helping me into the carriage behind Joanna. “You look like a real lady.”
Beams of joy doubtless radiated on my face. “Thank you, Emanuel.”

~~~oOo~~~

Click on image to add on Goodreads
Love’s Sorrow 
Means of Mercy #1
By:  Terri Rochenski
Publisher:  Roane Publishing
Release Date:  April 21, 2014
Keywords:  Sweet, Historical Romance, Series

Hired as a nanny for her cousin’s children, Anne Tearle finds security and a loving family. The children are a dream, but London society is a world of its own, one where a displaced farm girl has no business being. But, wealthy rake, Gavin MacKay, helps her to see associating with the upper class might not be as horrid as she first assumed.

Like all things worthwhile, love comes at a price, and the cost soon bestows more anguish than joy. Lost, but not undone, Anne must find the courage to begin life anew, or succumb to sorrow's unrelenting waves of grief.

Purchase Links:

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1 comment:

  1. Chrys FeyMay 16, 2014 at 6:38 PM

    Congratulations on finishing up your blog tour!!! I'm so happy I could help. :)

    ReplyDelete

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