Archive | September 2017

Cover Reveal: To Woo a Wicked Widow

Sep27

Today I’m excited to share a cover reveal for Jenna Jaxon’s To Woo a Wicked Widow.

The war years are behind them.

The future is before them.

And one by one, the widows of Lyttlefield Park are getting restless . . .

Lady Charlotte Cavendish is still the spirited girl who tried to elope in the name of love. That dream was thwarted by her father who trapped her into a loveless, passionless marriage. But now widowed, Charlotte is free to reenter the giddy world of the ton—and pursue her desires. For hardly your typical widow, she remains innocent to the pleasures of the flesh. Yet her life is finally her own, and she intends to keep it that way . . .

Nash, the twelfth Earl of Wrotham, is beguiled by Charlotte at first sight—and the feeling is mutual. When he receives her intriguing invitation to a house party, the marriage-minded lord plans to further their acquaintance. But even he cannot sway her aversion to matrimony, and only with great restraint does he resist her most tempting offer. For unbeknownst to Charlotte, the misadventures of the past are revisiting them both, and bedding her could cost him everything—or give him everything he ever wanted . . .

PRE-ORDER LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Woo-Wicked-Widow-Widows-Club/dp/1516103254/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

And here’s an excerpt…

LOST IN HIS ARMS

Lord Wrotham’s big, rough hand took hers, but instead of leading her back to the floor, he made his way to Elizabeth, speaking a word in her ear.

She laughed and nodded, then rearranged her sheets of music.

He pulled Charlotte onto the floor to stand in front of him. “I hope you will not be too scandalized by my request, my lady.” His eyes said he hoped she was and a thrill ran from her head to her toes.

“I doubt you can shock me, my lord.” She raised her chin and stared straight into his coal-black eyes.

“We shall see.” He grasped her hands, the power in his a tangible thing. His touch spread delicious warmth throughout her body. They bowed and Elizabeth began a waltz.

Not exactly scandalous, yet a bold choice. The first figure moved easily, with little intimate contact. Then, in the second figure, his arms were supposed to embrace hers. Instead, they reached all the way around her back until they touched. He pulled her closer to him, his lips pressed against her ear, and whispered, “And now, my lady? A waltz can be a scandalous dance if your partner is of a mind to make it so.” He pressed her tighter, almost indecently.

Yet she did not struggle. Could not. His big body against her—the hard strength of him leaving nothing for her to imagine—persuaded her that to fight him was futile. She would never be free. Never wanted to be…

Cover Reveals: Jenna Jaxon’s House of Pleasure

Sep19

Today I’m excited to share a few cover reveals for Jenna Jaxon’s House of Pleasure series. I have serious gown-envy.

He has the woman of his dreams, but what price will he have to pay to win her heart?

Kidnapped and sold at auction in a London brothel, Lady Katarina Fitzwilliam squelches an undeniable attraction to the masked stranger who purchased her, pits her wits against him, and escapes him and the scandal that would ruin her life.

Unable to resist temptation in a London brothel, Duncan Ferrers, Marquess of Dalbury, purchases a fiery beauty. She claims she’s a lady, but how can she be? No lady of his acquaintance in polite society is anything like her. Then he discovers she is who she says, and that this latest romp has compromised her reputation. He knows how that is. One more scandal and he’ll be cast out of London society, but he needs a wife who’ll provide an heir to carry on his illustrious family’s name. He seeks out Katarina, intending only to scotch the scandal, but instead finds his heart ensnared. He’s betting their future he’ll capture her heart, but does he have what it takes to win the wager?

WARNING: A blade-wielding heroine who crosses swords with a master of sensuality.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Only-Scandal-Will-House-Pleasure-ebook/dp/B00IRITN3C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Not every happy-ever-after begins at “I do.”

When the man of her dreams rescues Lady Juliet Ferrers from the villain claiming to be her husband, she is sure she has found her one true love. But is she free to marry him? Not to be deterred, Juliet arranges for her hero to escort her to her family estate in far off Northern England—hoping that alon
g the way she can win his love—and his hand…

Captivated by Juliet’s sweetness and beauty, Captain Amiable Dawson can’t help but be spellbound by the promise of a life with her. But the spell breaks when questions arise about her marital status. Soon the upstanding Amiable is unsure if he is indeed married to Juliet. And when his rival absconds with her, Amiable must choose between the law of the land and his heart’s desire to rescue Juliet once more…

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Only-Marriage-Will-House-Pleasure-ebook/dp/B00ONTR82M/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

The man of her dreams . . . belongs to another woman.

Destitute and without friends, Violet Carlton is forced to seek employment at the House of Pleasure in London. She steels herself for her first customer and is shocked when the man rescues her instead of ravishing her. A grateful Violet cannot help but admire the handsome Viscount Trevor. But she must curb her desire for the dashing nobleman she can never have because he is already betrothed to another . . . Tristan had gone to the House of Pleasure for a last bit of fun before he became a faithful married man. But when he recognizes the woman in his bed, he becomes determined to save her instead. Now, his heart wars with his head as he falls for the vulnerable courtesan. Unable to break his betrothal without a scandal, Tris resolves to find Violet proper employment or a husband of her own. Still, his arms ache for Violet, urging him to abandon propriety and sacrifice everything to be with the woman he loves. . . .

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Only-Mistress-Will-House-Pleasure-ebook/dp/B01I85NPZ0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

 

Wonder Woman

Sep15

Who brings a sword and a lasso to World War I? Wonder Woman

Back in June I had the privilege of going to a movie–in a real movie theater. That, in and of itself, is noteworthy since I live more than an hour from the nearest movie theater. What did I see? Wonder Woman.

Here’s my review.

There is a lot to love about this film.

First, the protagonist is a woman with a sword and superpowers. Need I say more?

Second, it’s not a romance in the modern genre sense. There is no HEA. And I’m okay with that. For one thing, it would have been the easy choice. Some other character could have suddenly revealed his/her knowledge of how to fly a plane. It wouldn’t be the first time. The other reason I’m glad that didn’t happen is that it highlighted one of the things I enjoyed about the film: Diana is not the only hero. Sure, she’s a goddess and a superhero, but the other characters–Steve, Sameer, Chief, Charlie–are also heroic and risk themselves for others. This is true not only of the men who accompany Diana but also of the Amazons. For example, Antiope doesn’t even blink before throwing herself in front of the blow meant for Diana.

Third, the costuming is fantastic. Aside from the fact that I love the clothing from this period–I covet Diana’s grey suit–the costume designers did a wonderful job with the armor. And how happy am I that Diana had armor instead of star-spangled silk knickers? The armor is functional. It doesn’t obscure her figure but it doesn’t emphasize it, either. Personally speaking, I want my armor functional–sexy hits way down the list. I also wouldn’t be fighting in heels, but then I’m not a goddess and know my limitations.

Fourth, and maybe this should be first, I liked the film because of its compassion. This wasn’t about a fight between gods, or not just about that. Obviously, Diana and Ares fight. But ultimately it’s not really about which one of them is better/tougher/stronger. It’s about the stakes. Diana’s not fighting to prove she’s the best. She’s fighting for the innocent villagers; she’s fighting for her comrades in arms; she’s fighting for all the soldiers–even the Germans–caught up in the war. This is why she inspires others to follow her. The film also doesn’t shy away from showing us the stakes. We see clearly the consequences of the conflict between gods and superheroes. All too often superhero movies obscure the civilians caught up in such battles.

Fifth, no one ‘saves’ Diana. She has help but at no time is she waiting for someone to rescue her. She makes her choices and owns them.

There are a couple things I didn’t like. Why did Dr. Maru have to be disfigured? I didn’t catch any backstory that explained it, and I’m not familiar with the comic book so I have no a priori knowledge. It’s an annoying visual shorthand. And was she really so flattered by a man flirting with her that she almost forgets her purpose and loyalty? Steve is handsome and charming, but Dr. Maru seems to be made of sterner stuff and unlikely to fall easily for handsome and charming–even if he does flatter her work. She’s smarter than that, yet for a moment she’s falling for it. Until his attention wavers and turns her into a woman scorned, and the audience is left with the impression that Steve would have solved everything if Diana hadn’t interrupted the flirtation. I also didn’t like that the German high command didn’t resemble their historical counterparts, but that’s a minor irritation considering I’m okay with the (major) departures from historical fact.

All in all, a great film. I can’t wait to add it to my collection.