Fabulous historical romance author, Jerrica Knight-Catania, is heating up your summer with a hot sale! For Kindle only, get all 4 Wetherby Brides novels for just under $3! The Wary Widow is still FREE and the other three books - A Gentleman Never Tells, More than a Governess and The Bedeviled Bride are just $0.99! But only through July 31, so act fast!
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One of our fabulous historical romance authors, Rose Gordon, is selling books for charity this month.
Book 1 of her romance series (Groom Series), Her Sudden Groom, is on sale for $0.99 right now, and all the proceeds from this book are going toward her goal of $5,000 that she's aiming to raise in the name of Multiple Sclerosis research. Click on the picture to be taken to the Kindle version of the book or read the full blog post HERE to link to other ebook outlets. Edward Banks, Lord Watson has known most of his life that one day Regina Harris was to be his bride--but somebody forgot to inform her...
An avid academic and aspiring scientist, Edward is pleased to find that he won’t have to bother with the nonsense involved in courting a young lady. Young and naive, it doesn't take much for her social-climbing father to convince Regina the man she's to marry has requested her hand out of love, but devastates her when she learns the truth. Now, it's up to a man who's more comfortable in a conservatory than a drawing room to prove to Regina that she's more than just the proverbial sacrificial lamb that helped gain her family their foot in Society's door and that he--if no other gentleman--is trustworthy. But he just might be the one doing the learning as he'll be forced to acknowledge that sometimes the most combustible elements aren't the ones you control, but sometimes the ones you don't. This book is now available for 4.99 at the following: All Romance eBooks Amazon Apple/iBooks Barnes & Noble Smashwords I'm so excited to announce the release of my latest historical romance novel, The Gypsy Bride! The second book in the Daring Debutantes series, this extra-long novella is an exciting romp through Regency England--
Engaged to a reprehensible baron, Bianca Manning knows she must do something to escape her fate. She decides that a Romany camp is the last place her mad fiance would think to look for her. The last thing Emilian Carrol needs is a spirited Englishwoman in his life, but he can't seem to say no when she begs to hide out in his tribe's camp. And maybe she's just the thing he needs to help heal his wounded heart. Thomas Barclay, future Viscount Grantham, is bored to tears and looking for a distraction. When his old friend Baron Tisbury asks for help in tracking down his missing fiancee, Tom decides to make himself useful and goes in search of the wayward girl. Caught between two worlds, Bianca must figure out which man holds the keys to her heart. When I set out to write this romance series, I wanted to do something different. I didn't want to write another traditional, formulaic historical romance. I wanted to branch outside the norm, do things with my stories and my characters that probably would not have actually happened in Regency England, but that weren't completely outside the realm of possibilities. So you won't find magic or werewolves here, but you will find gutsy heroines, and heroes that you will fall in love with. The Gypsy Bride is available now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords! And if you missed the first installment of the Daring Debutantes series, click here to find links for The Robber Bride! Hello, I’m Suzie Grant, action fanatic, mother of three boys in a house full of testosterone, and gaming extraordinaire. Okay so maybe that’s stretched a little but it sounded great. Being in a family full of boys all my life turned me into somewhat of a tomboy. And since my kids were little we’ve seen every action film ever made...okay, another exaggeration. Most every action film ever made. I can’t take my kids to go see chick flicks like romantic comedies or anything like that. Heck, I can’t even get my other half to go with me half the time. So I’ve learned to get them on DVD and pile on the sofa to watch them alone.
I’d like to think that in my stories you get the best of both worlds. Strong female characters who have just a hint of a feminine side. And each of these women have a journey to find themselves and along the way they learn something about themselves that sets them onto a different path. They learn that life tosses you a lemon and you’re forced to make lemonade so to speak. And characters are what make any story memorable. We want to see life through their eyes, love what they love, hate what they hate and learn from their mistakes. It’s those three dimensional characters that make or break a story. One of my favorite characters is one of my very first written characters. Blaze Marie Austin. She’s flawed in many, many, many ways. Life hasn’t been kind to her in the least, but she’s learned to endure and keep moving forward. But by the end of the story she’s also learned that in order to find true happiness she must first learn to trust in others as well as herself. She must let go because asking for help is something we must all do at one time or another. I think we as women, mothers, and wives can all relate to having to feel as if we must do it all ourselves. So it’s easy to empathize with Blaze. So I’ve created a little interview with her after the first book The Devil’s Daughter. I hope you enjoy meeting Blaze. Eden, Texas 1874 Hammers clanged and the consistent whir of a saw filled the air I climbed the steps of the boardwalk to newly rebuilt Whiskey Spades Saloon. I couldn’t believe that I was meeting my client in a saloon, especially a woman, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. I straightened my skirts and tugged at the pale yellow high collared blouse before entering the establishment. My eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and immediately found the bright red-head. She stood at the bar, one booted foot propped on the brass foot rail. Downing the shot of whiskey in her hand, she turned toward me, and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. Grave, dark blue eyes studied me. “Eden’s first paper,” she whispered and leaned one elbow on the bar. “Interesting turn of events for this little town, don’t you think?” “Exciting to say the least,” I exclaimed. “Along with our brand new sheriff and now our newest saloon owner who is a woman.” Blaze Ryder gave a ghost of a smile. “Who would have believed I would marry a bounty hunter turned sheriff? Funny how life’s little turns takes us down trails we never would’ve considered.” I smiled. Indeed, life had taken many turns for Mrs. Ryder. After spending most of her young life with her picture posted on a wanted poster her marriage to a man like Gade Ryder had surprised many people, including herself, I’m sure. “I’d like to ask you a few questions if you don’t mind?” “Shoot.” I cleared my throat at the unintended pun and my hands shook as I drew forth my notes. “How exactly did you and Gade Ryder meet?” Blaze chuckled. “His father found me in an alley with a bullet in my back and brought me back to his ranch.” My eyes widened. I hadn’t really expected that. “Who injured you?” She sighed. “Someone from my past wanted me dead and we’ll leave it at that.” I nodded, not wishing to press the ex-gunslinger further. “But I will tell you this, he wasn’t what I expected,” Blaze whispered. “What do you mean?” “The town painted him a very dark man, selfish and uncaring of anyone. I found someone completely different from the stories they told.” “Can you explain?” Blaze swallowed her whiskey and set the glass down on the bar. “Gade returned home to a father he’d been estranged from for twelve years simply because his father requested his presence. Does that sound like a selfish man to you?” I shook my head but didn’t speak. “No, it doesn’t. In fact I learned that he unwittingly played the hero quite often in his life, not because he was forced to but because of the injustice of it all. He was a man who couldn’t sit back and just pretend he didn’t see what was happening around him. He was a man who stood up for what was right, even when he had to stand alone. That’s a good man. That was a man I wanted to know.” Indeed. It wasn’t often you found anyone standing up for what was right anymore. Not in this day and age. Not in the west. “Speaking of doing the right thing, Mrs. Ryder, I’m certain you’re aware of the women’s rights movement taking place in New York City. Do you have any thoughts on this?” Blaze chuckled and tapped the bar for another drink. “No. I wasn’t aware of any kind of movement to tell the truth but women aren’t cattle. We do what we must in order to survive and I’m certain you’ll find many untold stories of heroic women who aren’t looking for publicity. Instead, they simply want to live their lives as they fit, make decisions based on their beliefs, and take care of their families. Women have been doing it for years why is this suddenly considered news?” “Well, you do realize women don’t have the right to vote yet.” “You don’t need a man’s acknowledgment or the government to give you the right to vote to be a strong woman. All you need is a belief in yourself.” “Spoken like a true activist.” Blaze shook her head. “Oh no, I’m not an activist. I’m just a woman trying to live my life the best way I know how. And finally, I have something to show for it after all these years.” “And what’s that?” She smiled wistfully. “A wonderful husband and we hope a child on the way.” “Where do you see the future of women’s rights headed?” “The same direction they’ve always been headed. Forward.” Well said, Mrs. Ryder. The Wild West wasn’t built by just cowboys. Oh no, many of the greatest tales are the ones that you don’t find in a book. Over time, women have fought and paved the way for other women in this man’s world. And the road here hasn’t been an easy one. But the one thing you can always count on is that a woman, no matter the time period or the place, will do what she must in order to get the job done. That’s always been the case. And the same is true with the western romance genre. Looking back through our genre’s history may bring us together but looking ahead into our future, you can rest assured knowing that the historical romance genre will endure both time and trends. I hope you'll join me on the next release in The Devil Ryder series The Devil's Defiance coming soon! Blurb for The Devil's Daughter A bounty hunter facing his past Gade Ryder returns to Eden, Texas, after twelve years to investigate a gang of rustlers on the family ranch. Had he accepted the job out of misplaced family loyalty or was it the compelling mystery of the devil’s daughter keeping him in the one place he didn’t want to be? Confronted by the memory of his mother’s suicide and the father he blames for her death, Gade finds himself seeking comfort from the one woman he couldn’t trust. A criminal on the run Blaze Marie Austin, once a little girl forced to be an outlaw, finds a chance at redemption by repaying the man who’d saved her life. Only her savior’s estranged son accuses her of betrayal and ignites a passion she can’t deny. When the little criminal is accused of murder, Gade’s growing attraction for her could not only cost him his freedom, it may well cost him his life. I have a confession. My name is Rose Gordon, and I love flawed characters—especially when it's the hero. While we each have a small part of ourselves that roots for the bad boy's redemption and love to see him fall to that dreaded state of love, I also like to see the “nice guy” get the girl, too. In all four of my Groom Series books, the hero is the furtherest thing from a “Lady's Man” as one can get. Each hero has his own “oddity” and unique solution on how to handle his predicament. Yet, despite his oddity or foolishness, still manages to win the heroine's affection. Her Sudden Groom-- Hero: Mr. Alexander Banks, heir to a barony Oddity: Science Nerd Situation: He's just been told he has one month to marry or he'll have to marry the worst chit in England. His Brilliant Solution: Treat his quest for a bride, and courtship of her, as a science experiment! Her Reluctant Groom-- Hero: Marcus Sinclair, Earl of Sinclair Oddity: Heavily scarred over the upper half of his body, limps Situation: Has fallen in love with the younger sister of the lady who jilted him His Brilliant Solution: Two parts: 1. Send the spinster heroine to London where she has a chance to make a real match. One with a man who wasn't disfigured in more ways than one while chasing down her sister. 2. Then try his damnedest to forget about her. Her Secondhand Groom-- Hero: Patrick Ramsey, Viscount Drakely Oddity: Widower with three young girls whose first wife hated marital intimacies Situation: As his three daughters are getting older, they need both a mother and a governess. As fate would have it, Patrick has just found a woman who he thinks could suit both roles! His Brilliant Solution: Marry this Plain Jane from the village and have her play both the role of mother and governess. Surely her personality is just as bland as her looks and he'll have no problem keeping his hands to himself... Her Imperfect Groom-- Hero: Sir Wallace Benedict Oddity: Extreme social awkwardness. Counts everything, fidgets, strives for perfection, cannot maintain eye contact. (Modern day this would be classified as Aspergers Syndrome) Situation: This thrice-jilted baronet has built a wall around his heart, knowing full well that no woman could possibly love him despite his oddities. But that doesn't stop him from being attracted to one Miss Edwina Banks. His Brilliant Solution: When the woman he's fallen in love with reveals her plan to offer him wooing advice to win back the affections of the first lady who jilted him, Wallace decides to use her wooing advice her. Like I said, I love flawed, imperfect heroes who have obstacles to overcome in order to find their happily-ever-after. To me, it makes the ending that much sweeter.
Hello, one and all. My names is Niles Thornton, Baron Quinton. Feel free to call me Quin, since that's what everyone else does. I'll only grumble about the responsibilities that come with the title for a bit. You know, responsibilities such as acting like a respectable gent and doing as the ladies expect of me, that sort of thing. My authoress, Miss Gayle, thought to do an interview with me today. I wasn't overly enamored of that idea, however. After all, she might ask me questions about things I am not overly fond of discussing--like my father--and I couldn't have that. Besides, I'm Lord Quinton. I shouldn't have to do as she says. So I refused her suggestion of the interview and took matters into my own hands. I'm sure she'll thank me for it later. I mean, can we be serious for a moment? Who would want to read an interview with me, after all? Precisely--no one. Does anyone know where they keep the brandy in this place? I don't seem to see a sideboard, or even a glass for that matter. What sort of place doesn't have a good stock of brandy? "Ahem. The ladies of Timeless Quills have placed all spirits under lock and key, just as I instructed them to do." Jonas? Good God, who invited him today? Just because he's my best friend, he seems to think he can just barge into my non-interviews and get rid of the spirits. "And why would you have done anything of that sort?" I ask on a groan. "For the same reason I removed it all from Quinton Abbey." Jonas takes a seat and makes himself comfortable, despite the clenched fist forming in my right hand. "And don't worry, all of you lovely readers out there. Truly, he'll thank me for it later." "I'll thank you to leave me in peace." "I'm afraid I can't do that." I punch the striped silk cushion on the sofa I'm seated upon, since it really wouldn't do to plant Jonas a facer with an audience watching us so closely. "And why not?" "Lady Quinton wrote me," Jonas answers, as cool as you please. Of course, Aurora and her penchant for writing would be at the root of the issue. I should have known it. Granted, some of her writings had been rather helpful..but still. I ought to insist she allow me to see any letters she's written before she sends them. If I'd done that, I could have prevented Jonas's current interruption. "Did Miss Gayle know that you'd be interrupting her blog today?" "Did Miss Gayle know that you intended to ignore her request for an interview and take matters into your own hands?" Jonas crosses his arms over his chest, assuming what I can only imagine is meant to be a menacing posture. A knock sounds at the door, even as my fists are yet again forming. Damnation, who else intends to interrupt me while I'm trying to deal with Miss Gayle's blog? And with no brandy, for Christ's sake. "Come!" I bark out, fully intent on sending whoever it is away without preamble. But then my half-sister, Nia, comes through the door. "Aurora sent for me," she says, rushing inside...but then she halts suddenly when she sees Jonas. Her mouth opens and closes, like a fish forgetting it has gills and trying to breathe like a human. Yet another missive my sweet wife has sent without informing me. "Why in God's name would she send for you?" I regret the harsh tone as soon as the words have left my mouth. It isn't Nia's fault Jonas has removed my access to brandy. "I apologize. Do you know why she sent for you?" This time, my tone is kinder though no less aggrieved. But Nia's eyes flutter over to Jonas and away, and a harsh blush stains her cheeks. And then I know. She's matchmaking again. "AURORA!!!" **The authoress, Catherine Gayle, steps in before any more harm can be done.
If you'd like to get to know Quin, Aurora, Jonas, and Nia better, you can find them in TWICE A RAKE, the first book in my Lord Rotheby's Influence series. Nia and Jonas will have their own time in the spotlight sometime in the not too distant future. Be on the lookout for their story. It seems all our fabulous historical romance authors are starting to make big names for themselves in reader communities. The praise continues to roll in, and we're so grateful to our fans who are kind enough to leave reviews for us. Here are a couple recent ones…
Praise for Suzie Grants Valkyrie's Vengeance Praise for Jerrica Knight-Catania's The Wary Widow |