Saturday, May 31, 2014

It's All About the Shopping - 18th Century Style



Travel: It’s All About the Shopping---18th Century Style (#MFRW_ORG #kindle)

Those of you who follow my blogs (Mom? bro?) are aware that I’ve written two prior blogs about this subject, one when I lived in southeast Asia (http://tinyurl.com/mjrpexn) and one when I spent a year in China teaching English to toddlers (http://tinyurl.com/nxdk5jz).
Weirdly, I’m not a particularly avid shopper. I don’t go malling and don’t view shopping as a pastime. Sometimes it’s okay when I’m in the mood, but usually...not. But when I find myself in a new, exotic city, I love to wander around the stores and see what’s being sold, compare foods, clothes, trinkets to goods I’d find in my hometown.
And thus it might have been for Isobel Kilburn, the heroine of Bridling His Vampire. At age eighteen, she traveled to Edinburgh to enjoy the 1766 social season before she was slated to enter an arranged marriage to Edgar, laird of the neighboring clan, the MacReivers.
Leaving aside the question of what strong-willed Isobel thought about being denied the choice of a mate, what would she have seen in the Edinburgh shops? How might she react?
Though Isobel was a high-born young lady from a wealthy clan, Kilburn Castle is located in the far northwest of the Highlands, far away from any town or city of substance. So imagine: before she arrived in Edinburgh, Isobel had never seen a shop. She would have seen goods for sale at fairs or other gatherings, but such events would have been few at remote Kilburn.
So the first wonder for Isobel would have been the city itself. And even now, in the 21st century, Edinburgh is a wonder and a joy. I’ve been there a couple of times, and it’s a lovely city. Then, however, Edinburgh had the undesirable reputation as the dirtiest and most crowded city in Europe.
Let’s get back to the question: what would have been sold in the shops of 1766 Edinburgh?
At the time Edinburgh was the center of the Scottish Enlightenment. From the 1740s onward, the city came to be seen as a center of forward thinking, especially in the areas of economics, history, science, philosophy and medicine—a new medical branch had been formed at the university there in 1726.  So bookstores and coffeehouses flourished. Having been educated by her governess, Alice Derwent Kilburn (the heroine of Desire in Tartan), Isobel would have been capable of participating in the intellectual discussions of the time. But ‘tis unlikely she was interested—her main pursuits at Kilburn were riding unbroken horses and getting into trouble.
And, though the city was unmarred by excessive industrialization, a linen weaving works had been established in Canongate. So drapers—what we’d call fabric stores—abounded.
And what was the nature of the city? Wealthy and cultured. Several major banks were headquartered there. Music was popular and the Edinburgh Music Society established in 1728. Many improvements were made during the time Isobel visited. And improvements were needed—as I mentioned, Edinburgh was thought to be one of the most crowded and unsanitary cities in Europe.  However, the overcrowding threw all social classes together—lords might live in the same tall row-house as a chimney sweep.
But the improvements changed that to a certain degree. The newer parts of the town were seen as more desirable than the older quarter, where the poor remained while the wealthier moved on.
I hope I’ve intrigued you enough! If not, here’s what the story is about:



Blurb: Bridling his Vampire by Suz deMello:

Scotland, 1766.

Edgar, Laird MacReiver, has never regretted his decision to wed Isobel, daughter of Clan Kilburn’s laird, until she bites his tongue and drinks his blood. Still, he's determined to bridle the wild child of the infamous vampire clan by any means necessary, including bondage and discipline.

But are some women impossible to tame? 



Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s worked for Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press, where she is currently Managing Editor. She also takes private clients.
Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.
A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.


--Find her books at http://www.suzdemello.com

--For editing services, email her at suzswift@yahoo.com
--Befriend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sueswift, and visit her group page at  https://www.facebook.com/redhotauthorscafe
--She tweets her reading picks @ReadThis4fun and @Suzdemello
--Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SuzATGoodreads

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Unforeseen Obseessions - Character interview with Peter DeBaker





Unforeseen Obsessions

Publisher:  Whiskey Creek Press

Release Date:  May 15, 2014

After Alex Polecheck's police officer husband, Sam, is stabbed in cold blood, she vows to see the murderer brought to justice.  Peter, Sam’s best friend, and fellow police officer, seems to be the only member of the Police Department interested in catching the killer.
Peter sets out on a perilous hunt for the killer, while trying to protect Alex, who appears to be next on the murderer’s list. 
The mystery begins to unravel when Peter finds a connection between the murder of Sam and two other law enforcement officers, who were all part of an internet crime taskforce. Peter and Alex find themselves alone in the battle for justice and truth when they discover members of the local police department cannot be trusted.  Will Peter piece together the puzzle before Alex is silenced?  While battling to protect Alex, will he be able to continue to conceal his love for her?  
Purchase Links:


~~~oOo~~~


Character Interview – Peter DeBaker

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin where everyone knows everyone, and their business.  That aside, it is a great community to raise a family which is why I, and my three brothers, never left.   

What do you do for a living?

I’m a police officer.  It’s the only job I ever wanted to do since as far back as I can remember.  My best friend, Sam, became a police officer too.

What’s the most tragic think that’s ever happened to you?

The murder of my best friend and fellow officer, Sam, is the most tragic thing I’ve ever had to deal with.  With as hard as his murder was on me, it was absolutely devastating to his wife, Alex.  It broke my heart to watch her grieve over the loss of her husband.  I decided, no matter what the cost, I needed to bring justice to Sam’s killer.

Do you have a secret?

I do have a secret, a very big one, but I can’t tell you because it will no longer be a secret then.  It’s been such a burden to carry all these years.  I have a feeling it will be revealed soon.

How do you deal with disappointments or stress in life?

I hit the weight room or go for a run.  Exercise relaxes me and clears my head.  If things are really bad, I head for the shooting rang.

~~~oOo~~~

Valerie is a writer of romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction novels.  She lives in beautiful Door County Wisconsin with her husband and one very spoiled cat.  She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  She’s lived her life surrounded by men, three brothers, a husband, and a male Siamese cat who required his own instruction manual.  Keeping up with all the men in her life has turned her into a successful hunter and fisherwoman.

She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Additionally, she was a finalist in the 2011 Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, Novellas Need Love, Too! Contest.

Ms. Clarizio’s Links:




Monday, May 26, 2014

Cover Reveal: Purr-fect Mating by Sheryl Winters #PNR

I'm thrilled to share my Pen Sister's cover reveal for her upcoming July release!! 

Check out the purdy...



Purr-fect Mating
Lil Genie Series Novella
Paranormal / Romance

By Sheryl Winters
Publisher: Roane Publishing
Release Date: July 21, 2014

Fhina and Wulfar have a little problem.
 
On their wedding night, at the stroke of midnight, Wulfar changes into his shifted wolf form and cannot shift back. Not even to communicate with the woman he loves.
 
Fhina upon waking the day after their mating, no longer recognizes her mate. Pregnant and confused, she’s convinced herself that her mate has run away and left her to live alone. With his dog.
 
Can they find a countercharm before Fhina gives birth? Will Wulfar be able to curb his inclination to run?
 
Or will their mutual curses break their love before it’s really even started.

~~~oOo~~~

About Sheryl Winters
 
I’ve never set out to be an author. Only a story teller. Some days I succeed better than others. 
 

~~~oOo~~~


Purr-fect Mating's blog tour is now scheduling. Click on the image for more details.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Bullet ARCs up for grabs! #UF #Werewolf #Giveaway

J. Taylor Publishing are giving away FIVE ARCs of Bullet by Jonathan Lister!

Check it out!




Bullet

Release Date: June 16, 2014
Target Reader: Adult
Keywords: Urban Fantasy, Werewolf
A father’s love doesn’t bend, so what happens when it breaks?

Corruption, dark truths, and a new Alpha mean Leon Gray’s days of running without a pack are over. At least, that’s what everyone but him believes.

He’d rather be helping his teenage daughter navigate the landmine life of a full werewolf, finish out his servitude as bodyguard to a former Demos City reporter and, in all honesty, not be taken advantage of by a beautiful woman who really only wants him for his body—figuratively and metaphorically.

Of course, the only way any of that might happen is if he’s dead. That’s likely given the information the reporter has unearthed and the territorial battles already underway between packs. If only Demos City’s corruption didn’t have such deep roots—older than the bones of the city or any of the werewolves who’ve decided to claim it. A city can only take so many power hungry mongrels invading it at one time, and Leon can only take so much knowing his daughter lives within its boundaries.

War has come to Demos City.

It’s up to Leon to fix … what’s most important to him.
~~~oOo~~~

Ready to see what trouble Leon Gray's getting into next? If you love werewolf goodness at its urban fantasy finest, then you are going to love this next addition to the Demos City Novels.
And J. Taylor Publishing is giving away FIVE ARC copies.

To YOU!

You don’t even have to be a book blogger!

Nope, so long as you are willing to leave an honest review* by June 16th 2014, you are eligible to enter.

Interested?

Then just fill out the form and keep your fingers crossed.

You have until midnight of May 28th, 2014 to enter.




*A review should consist of your honest thoughts regarding a book, usually a few paragraphs long and around 150 - 500 (or more, if desired) words in length.




Jonathan Lister is a full-time writer with work appearing in outlets of USA Today, The Houston Chronicle and many others. A graduate of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University, he’s waited an unspeakable amount of tables en route to having the career he wants, and the ability to the tell stories he loves. Crossroads is Jonathan’s first book-length work of fiction. He currently lives in the Philadelphia area and continues to drink too much coffee.

Happy Book Birthday Dream Home! #YAlit #Paranormal


What if you could see everyone else’s dreams?  That’s the question Sara has to wrestle with in the Dream Series.  We first meet her as a shy, bookish college student who doesn’t think there’s anything extraordinary about herself.  And then the dreams start…

Over the course of the series, Sara learns to live with these supernatural dreams and all the trouble they plunge her into.  At the same time, she grows from a student to a practicing doctor; and from a single girl to a wife and mother.  But every time she thinks she’s got everything figured out, life – and her extraordinary dreams – teach her that she’s always got more to learn…

~~~oOo~~~

“Oh, my God, I’m not even starting the job for four months!  How can I have an enemy already?”

Sara thought she had found the perfect job, the perfect new house and the perfect place to build a bright future for herself and her family.

But her new life is not quite perfect.  Her husband and her children are fitting right in, but before Sara even shows up for her first day of work, her coworkers are dreaming about getting rid of her. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, the one friend she’s made is dreaming nightly about a disaster that could wipe out the entire town…and Sara is beginning to think he might be right…

Dream Home is the exciting seventh book in the Dream Series.


Purchase Links:

Dream Home

Dream Student (Book 1)

Dream Doctor (Book 2)

Dream Child (Book 3)

Dream Family (Book 4)

Waking Dream (Book 5)

Dream Reunion (Book 6)

A Box of Dreams (Books 1-5 in one Box Set)

Excerpt:

The rest of my shift is quiet, and at two o’clock I come home to an empty house.  I don’t know where anyone is, and, considering that this is the first time I’ve been completely alone in the house since we moved in, I don’t really care.  This is a golden opportunity to do one of my favorite things, and I’m not going to pass it up. 
Remembering what happened the last time I tried this, I make a point of not bringing the phone with me into the bathroom.  Just the opposite; I even turn my cell phone completely off.
I lock the bedroom door, undress, go into our bathroom, and lock that door, too.  Now, no one can get to me.  I’m free to completely relax.  I run the water until it’s good and hot, and, following the directions on the bottle, I pour in three capfuls of the lavender bubble bath Brian got me for my birthday, and which I haven’t had the chance to use yet.   Then, I throw caution to the winds and pour several more capfuls in. 
This is so nice; the water is just right, the bubbles are – well, very bubbly, and there’s no one calling for my attention.  I lie back, resting my head on the little inflatable bath pillow I also haven’t had the chance to use until today, and I think about absolutely nothing.
At some point, I think I hear something that might be scratching at the bedroom door, but it’s much too far away to be sure.  It could be Chrissy, needing to go out.  Or it could be nothing.  That’s probably exactly what it is, nothing, and I ignore it.  Sometime later, I think I hear knocking, and then banging, but that might also be nothing, so I ignore it, too. 
I just lie in the bath, basking in the wonderful steam and the calming scent.  It’s heaven.  I’m in – what the hell was that
I jump up, cursing as I bang my knee on the faucet, and nearly losing my balance.  I reach out and grab the handhold set in the wall above the tub, and I somehow keep my feet.  It was – there’s a little window, high up on the wall, and something hit it.
There it is again!  I saw something for a moment, something small and dark hitting the window.  It’s still vibrating.  So much for relaxing – my heartrate feels like it just doubled, and my mind is racing, too.  Who’s throwing rocks – oh.  Someone must be home.  I’ve already sloshed water all over the floor, so there’s no point in worrying about dripping.  I climb out of the bath and grab a towel.  I dry off as best I can, and emerge into the bedroom.  Of course I left my bathrobe out there.  I put it on and unlock the bedroom door.
I’m greeted by my mother, Lizzie and Steffy, all standing about three feet away from the door, and directly behind a yellow puddle on the floor.  I guess Chrissy was scratching at the door, needing to go out.  Mom has a phone in her hand.  “Sara, what is wrong with you?  We’ve been banging on the door for fifteen minutes!  Thank God Howard got your attention throwing rocks at the window.  I was ready to call the paramedics!”

~~~oOo~~~

J.J. (James) DiBenedetto was born in Yonkers, New York. He attended Case Western Reserve University, where as his classmates can attest, he was a complete nerd. Very little has changed since then.
He currently lives in Arlington, Virginia with his beautiful wife and their cat (who has thoroughly trained them both). When he's not writing, James works in the direct marketing field, enjoys the opera, photography and the New York Giants, among other interests.
The "Dreams" series is James' first published work.


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

MAJOR Purdy love! Soul Enslaved by Keri Lake!! #SonsofWrath

Prepare yourself...

Keri Lake's upcoming new Sons of Wrath novel, Soul Enslaved, has a hottie.

HELLOOOOOO Gavin. 

Uh HUH.

If you haven't read any of the Sons of Wrath series, you are MISSING out. Best PRN series I've read in a long time. Unique. Edgy. Tension like you wouldn't believe.

Yeah.

Check out the purdy.



SOUL ENSLAVED (Sons of Wrath, #3)
Release Date:  TO BE ANNOUNCED
Genre:  Adult Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer:  David Wagner of Wagner LA Photography


  
Imprisonment in Obsidius.  Enslavement to a soul-sucking succubus.  A reproductive cycle that’d send a sex fiend running into the arms of celibacy.  Given the choice, most demons would opt for death. 
Gavin, eldest son of Wrath, has been sentenced to all three.
When the succubus decides its time collect, though, he fears his nightmares have only just begun. 
And Sabelle’s timing couldn’t be worse.

With a bad case of uncontrollable lust, thanks to his Savidon, the last thing Gavin wants is a vengeful succubus stoking his darkest desires, but debts must be paidhe just didn’t bank on enjoying his punishment so much.

Because the swinging bachelor may have found his perfect mate in the sexy seductress.

However, just as things seem to be looking up, past sins resurface, plunging the two into a deadly game of power and deception. As their worst fears merge into one unexpected threat, Gavin is determined to protect Sabelle and win her freedom.

At any cost. 

~~~oOo~~~

Sons of Wrath
Never gamble with vengeance …


RELEASE DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON!!


WARNING:  Not recommended for readers under the age of 18 due to graphic violence, sex and strong language.


~~~oOo~~~



Keri Lake is a married mother of two living in Michigan. By day, she tries to make use of the degrees she’s earned in science. By night, she writes dark, edgy paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Though novels tend to be her focus, she also writes short stories and flash fiction whenever distraction sucks her in to the Land of Shiny Things. 

She loves hearing from readers …


Visit her website: http://www.KeriLake.com


For updates on new releases and sneak peeks of the sexy cover model contestants, join her mailing list:  http://eepurl.com/HJPHH

~~~oOo~~~

So. Gavin. I can't WAIT for this next SoW installment. 'To be announced' cannot come soon enough.

Whatchathink?!?

Monday, May 19, 2014

Happy Book Birthday Unholy Matrimony! #Fantasy #Romance #Giveaway





Happy Book Birthday to Unholy Matrimony!


Today marks the kick off of the UM blog tour and a chance to win an ecopy & $10 Amazon Gift Card.




Unholy Matrimony

The Adventures of Sonny the Scoundrel

Genre: Fantasy Romance (erotic)
Release Date: May 19, 2014

Publisher: Roane Publishing
Keywords: Fantasy, Romance, Erotic, Fairy Tale

Sonny is so handsome, he doesn’t need magic to get what he wants, except when he gets into trouble. And, he’ll do anything for love or money, except work. So, the thought of marriage represents the worst of all possible worlds, a danger he avoids at all costs.

His plans for getting rich the easy way—by stealing—go awry when he meets Ariella. She is not only lovely to look at, but just may be as slippery and greedy as he. Better still, she becomes highly stimulated at the prospect of helping him hijack a treasure.

But, in addition to helping him steal “goald”, the cunning Ariella might just steal his scoundrel heart.






Purchase Links:


Excerpt:

"Tell me where you hid the amulet." Her lips touched my ear lobe and I almost lost control of my spleen. "Confess your theft, and I will reward you, will complete the passionate interlude left unconsummated last night."
"For you, my dear, I would confess anything."
"Go on, do tell."
"I confess my desire for you, my passion is aroused by your touch."
"That is not what I want to hear. Confess you took the amulet, and tell where you hid it."
"I will." My heartbeats pounded in my ears. "But first, caress my trouser weasel, stroke it as you were doing last night."
"Oh, no," she cooed into my ear. "You tell me where the chicken foot is, and then you will be rewarded."
I smiled to myself, despite my predicament. Such moments in life were few and far between, moments when fools thought they had the better of me, then discovered they needed to curry my favour, instead of the other way around. "My dear, I will confess nothing. Abler men than you—well, men, at least—have tried to break my spirit, and all have failed."
"Where is the chicken foot?" she hissed, grasping my ear and twisting it. The pain was sharp and delicious.
"I do not know!" Strangely, it was true.
"Liar! Tell me, or I shall kick you."
"Kick me if you must, but I refuse to tell you." I fervently hoped she would carry through her threat. "What will you do with the wedding gifts? I shall tell the people of your village it was all your idea."
"Oh, my! Dear me!" Ariella responded, mock fear dripping from her lovely lips. "Do you think they will believe you, a stranger, over a beautiful and innocent young girl?" She punctuated the question by kicking me in the gut.
"That did not hurt," I lied. "Throw your whole body into it. Do you have a pair of pointy shoes? Kicking me with pointy shoes might at least discomfit me…while you are kicking, at least. The pain fades almost immediately and you shall never get the truth out of me at this rate."


About Sonny Zae:

Sonny lives in a small town on the edge of reality.  His only remarkable characteristic is imagination.  He ignored his grade school teacher's repeated admonitions to stop daydreaming and get to work.

Sonny's book WIZARD SEEKING TROPHY BRIDE, is available on the Kindle.  It is a story about the exceptional difficulties involved in finding love and happiness for an elderly and strange wizard, not to mention the difficulties of dealing with an elderly relative—an elderly relative who is also a wizard.


Coming Soon from Roane Publishing: The next installment of the Misadventures of Sonny the Scoundrel, Unholy Matrimony.


Tour Schedule

Book Blitz and Tour-wide Giveaway
Ecopy copy of Unholy Matrimony and a
$10 Amazon gift card.

Ends 6/13/2014


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code.  No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing's marketing department.

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 #8
Love 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
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:

Print
Createspace (Best Option)  /  Amazon


eBook




a Rafflecopter giveaway