ARC Giveaway - The Inn At Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Random House, I have 10, yes 10, print ARCs of Debbie Macomber's new book, The Inn At Rose Harbor. It's the start of a new series, and will be available August 14th.

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber comes a heartwarming new series based in the Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove, where a charming cast of characters finds love, forgiveness, and renewal behind the doors of the cozy Rose Harbor Inn.

Jo Marie Rose first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a sense of peace and a fresh start. Coping with the death of her husband, she purchases a local bed-and-breakfast—the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn—ready to begin her life anew. Yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine.

Her first guest is Joshua Weaver, who has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, and Joshua has little hope that they can reconcile their differences. But a long-lost acquaintance from Joshua’s high school days proves to him that forgiveness is never out of reach and love can bloom even where it’s least expected.  

The other guest is Abby Kincaid, who has returned to Cedar Cove to attend her brother’s wedding. Back for the first time in twenty years, she almost wishes she hadn’t come, the picturesque town harboring painful memories from her past. And while Abby reconnects with family and old friends, she realizes she can only move on if she truly allows herself to let go.

 A touching novel of life’s grand possibilities and the heart’s ability to heal, The Inn at Rose Harbor is a welcome introduction to an unforgettable set of friends.

Want to check it out? Here's a link to an excerpt to whet your appetite:  http://www.scribd.com/doc/100341789/The-Inn-at-Rose-Harbor-by-Debbie-Macomber-Preview.

Ok, to enter, use the rafflecopter widget below, and good luck!

LoveSwept Heroes Twitter Chat Tuesday July 17th

Sue from Romance at Random will be leading a Twitter Chat about heroes from Random House's LoveSwept line, this Tuesday, 7/17, from 6-7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Follow the Twitter Hashtag, #LovesweptHeroes, and meet their debut Loveswept authors and learn about their heroes; find out what makes them tick! . . .

Spread the word & join in on Twitter using #LovesweptHeroes in your comment. They’ll also have lots of giveaways, so if you're around, stop by and join the fun.

Excerpts From Romances Releasing Today!

Thanks to Random House, I have three, yes THREE, excerpts. The first one is, "Home For the Summer" by Mariah Stewart. This one sounds like one I'd enjoy very much. There's also a book trailer.

Book Blurb:

Some of Lucy Sinclair’s best days were those spent growing up in small town St. Dennis—working at the family inn and enjoying summers filled with swimming, sailing, tennis, and the company of Clay Madison, her best friend. But Lucy’s darkest day, the one that shattered her innocence with violence and fear, also happened in St. Dennis. And the town she once loved became the place she gladly left behind—along with the terrible secret she’s kept for twenty years.

And when Lucy comes back to town to plan a celebrity wedding at the Sinclair family inn, she and Clay reconnect, and find themselves reevaluating their long-sleeping friendship that could blossom into something deeper. Like a bookend to those distant childhood days, this summer will be Lucy’s chance to finally confront her hidden pain, make peace with the past, and plan her own whole new future.







Next up is a historical romance, "A Gentleman Undone" by Cecelia Grant.

Book Blurb:

A seductive beauty turns the tables on a gentleman gaming for the guiltiest of pleasures in this rich and sensual Regency romance from beloved newcomer Cecilia Grant.

Lydia Slaughter understands the games men play—both in and out of the bedroom. Not afraid to bend the rules to suit her needs, she fleeces Will Blackshear outright. The Waterloo hero had his own daring agenda for the gaming tables of London's gentlemen's clubs. But now he antes up for a wager of wits and desire with Lydia, the streetwise temptress who keeps him at arm's length.

A kept woman in desperate straits, Lydia has a sharp mind with a head for numbers. She gambles on the sly, hoping to win enough to claim her independence. An alliance with Will at the tables may be a winning proposition for them both. But the arrangement involves dicey odds with rising stakes, sweetened with unspoken promise of fleshly delights. And any sleight of hand could find their hearts betting on something neither can afford to risk: love.





And the final excerpt is from a PNR, "When Passion Lies", by J.K. Beck.

Book Blurb:

Tiberius is a vampire dedicated to protecting his kind—and the secrets of the shadow world. Now, as his quest to become head of the Alliance draws within reach, a shattering new threat puts him to the ultimate test. It’s a nightmare of grim proportions: a dark plot to bring about the mass extermination of human and shadow alike. And it forces Tiberius to turn to the woman he loved and lost, the lover he still desires but doesn’t trust.

Caris was Tiberius’s mate for centuries—until a fateful mission changed her forever. Her tortured secrets drove her into the arms of his rival, but desperation has brought her back. As a horrifying new weapon of mass destruction is about to be unleashed, Tiberius and Caris harness the power of their immortal and passionate love. But will it be enough to battle devastating odds and a ruthless enemy with the ambition to destroy them all?

Excerpt from The Dark Garden by Eden Bradley

So, unless you've been offline and avoiding the news the past few months, you've probably heard talk of 50 Shades of Grey, the Twilight inspired, BDSM love story that's been on the New York Times combined fiction and ebook charts for 11 weeks with it's sequels 50 Shades of  Darker and 50 Shades of Freed following at #2 and #3.There's been intense interest by readers in finding similar books. I haven't read the book, nor do I plan to, but two of my do-workers did and thoroughly enjoyed it. Both Dear Author and Smart Bitches have lists of books that interested readers can try for further exploration of BDSM themed erotica. And today, thanks to Random House, I have an excerpt from one. I hope you like it!

Excerpt From About Last Night by Ruthie Knox

Romance author Ruthie Knox, whose debut book, "Ride With Me", was released in February of this year, has another romance, "About Last Night", releasing in June of this year. Today I have an excerpt, thanks to Random House, and if you like it, come back on June 14th when Ruthie has a guest post and a giveaway as part of her release celebration.

Book Blurb: 

 Sure, opposites attract, but in this sexy, smart, eBook original romance from Ruthie Knox, they positively combust! When a buttoned-up banker falls for a bad girl, “about last night” is just the beginning.

 Cath Talarico knows a mistake when she makes it, and God knows she’s made her share. So many, in fact, that this Chicago girl knows London is her last, best shot at starting over. But bad habits are hard to break, and soon Cath finds herself back where she has vowed never to go . . . in the bed of a man who is all kinds of wrong: too rich, too classy, too uptight for a free-spirited troublemaker like her.

Nev Chamberlain feels trapped and miserable in his family’s banking empire. But beneath his pinstripes is an artist and bohemian struggling to break free and lose control. Mary Catherine—even her name turns him on—with her tattoos, her secrets, and her gamine, sex-starved body, unleashes all kinds of fantasies.

When blue blood mixes with bad blood, can a couple that is definitely wrong for each other ever be perfectly right? And with a little luck and a lot of love, can they make last night last a lifetime?

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Because of You, Ride with Me, and Midnight Hour.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT by Ruthie Knox, Excerpt

Excerpt from Wife 22: A Novel by Melanie Gideon

Random House has a new novel coming out next month, on the 29th. Wife 22 is about a woman who takes part in an online study and discovers that it changes her life in unexpected ways.

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

For fans of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary and Allison Pearson’s I Don’t Know How She Does It comes an irresistible novel of a woman losing herself . . . and finding herself again . . . in the middle of her life.

Maybe it was those extra five pounds I’d gained. Maybe it was because I was about to turn the same age my mother was when I lost her. Maybe it was because after almost twenty years of marriage my husband and I seemed to be running out of things to say to each other.

But when the anonymous online study called “Marriage in the 21st Century” showed up in my inbox, I had no idea how profoundly it would change my life. It wasn’t long before I was assigned both a pseudonym (Wife 22) and a caseworker (Researcher 101).

And, just like that, I found myself answering questions.

7. Sometimes I tell him he’s snoring when he’s not snoring so he’ll sleep in the guest room and I can have the bed all to myself.
61. Chet Baker on the tape player. He was cutting peppers for the salad. I looked at those hands and thought, I am going to have this man’s children.
67. To not want what you don’t have. What you can’t have. What you shouldn’t have.
32. That if we weren’t careful, it was possible to forget one another.

Before the study, my life was an endless blur of school lunches and doctor’s appointments, family dinners, budgets, and trying to discern the fastest-moving line at the grocery store. I was Alice Buckle: spouse of William and mother to Zoe and Peter, drama teacher and Facebook chatter, downloader of memories and Googler of solutions.

But these days, I’m also Wife 22. And somehow, my anonymous correspondence with Researcher 101 has taken an unexpectedly personal turn. Soon, I’ll have to make a decision—one that will affect my family, my marriage, my whole life. But at the moment, I’m too busy answering questions.

As it turns out, confession can be a very powerful aphrodisiac.

WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon (Excerpt)

Excerpt from The Proposal by Mary Balogh

Mary Balogh has a new book out next week, "The Proposal". I love the colors in the cover, so bright and cheerful. I would definitely pick it up at the store and check it out. It's available in mass market paperback and ebook, though I don't know what cover the ebook has.

Book Blurb:

Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy, especially since a freak accident took her husband much too soon. Content in a quiet life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her.

Hugo never intends to kiss Lady Muir, and frankly, he judges her to be a spoiled, frivolous—if beautiful—aristocrat. He is a gentleman in name only: a soldier whose bravery earned him a title; a merchant’s son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. He doesn’t wish to court Lady Muir, nor have any role in the society games her kind thrives upon. Yet Hugo has never craved a woman more; Gwen’s guileless manner, infectious laugh, and lovely face have ruined him for any other woman. He wants her, but will she have him?

The hard, dour ex-military officer who so gently carried Gwen to safety is a man who needs a lesson in winning a woman’s heart. Despite her cautious nature, Gwen cannot ignore the attraction. As their two vastly different worlds come together, both will be challenged in unforeseen ways. But through courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with every caress, she cannot resist Hugo’s devotion, his desire, his love, and the promise of forever.

Enjoy!

The Proposal by Mary Balogh

Excerpt from Because of You by Jessica Scott

"Because of You" is the first book in Jessica Scott's "Coming Home" series, about soldiers coming home from war, their adjustments, and their romances. Scott is a soldier herself, which gives the books an authenticity that many books with military characters lack. 

Oh, and can I add, the tattooing on the cover model is very cool and eye catching. I don't know what it means, if anything. I guess I'll have to read the book to find out. :D

Book Blurb:

Contemporary Military Romance
From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.

Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

BECAUSE OF YOU by Jessica Scott, A Loveswept eOriginal Excerpt

Excerpt from Paris In Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James

Romance author Eloisa James, who has been on the New York Times best seller list several times, released a memoir of her time living in Paris, France. It came out on April 3rd, and today I have an excerpt available for you to read, thanks to Random House. Enjoy!

Book Blurb: 

Paris in Love: A Memoir by Eloisa James, New York Times Best Selling Author chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

In 2009, New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James took a leap that many people dream about: she sold her house, took a sabbatical from her job as a Shakespeare professor, and moved her family to Paris. Paris in Love: A Memoir chronicles her joyful year in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

With no classes to teach, no committee meetings to attend, no lawn to mow or cars to park, Eloisa revels in the ordinary pleasures of life—discovering corner museums that tourists overlook, chronicling Frenchwomen's sartorial triumphs, walking from one end of Paris to another. She copes with her Italian husband's notions of quality time; her two hilarious children, ages eleven and fifteen, as they navigate schools—not to mention puberty—in a foreign language; and her mother-in-law Marina's raised eyebrow in the kitchen (even as Marina overfeeds Milo, the family dog).

Paris in Love invites the reader into the life of a most enchanting family, framed by la ville de l'amour.

In addition to the excerpt below, there's a video up on YouTube where she talks about why she moved to Paris and her time there:

Excerpt: Paris in Love by Eloisa James (an excerpt)

Excerpt from COVETED by Shawntelle Madison

"Coveted", a paranormal romance with a twist, releases in a month on April 24th, from Random House. According to the press release,

Author Shawntelle Madison has penned one of the most innovative books to date – well written with a first person heroine that will keep you smiling for days – witty, clever and great fun – COVETED is a book you’ll want to read over and over again, here’s what people are saying:

 

“A smart, sexy, rip-roaring good time.”—New York Times bestselling author Angie Fox

 

“I’m obsessed with Shawntelle Madison’s fantastic urban fantasy debut, featuring hoarding werewolves, magic, and mayhem! More, please!”—Michelle Rowen, bestselling author of That Old Black Magic

 

Book Blurb (from press release):

SOMETIMES WHAT YOU COVET IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP.

 For werewolf Natalya Stravinsky, the supernatural is nothing extraordinary. What does seem strange is that she’s stuck in her hometown of South Toms River, New Jersey, the outcast of her pack, selling antiques to finicky magical creatures. Restless and recovering from her split with gorgeous ex-boyfriend, Thorn, Nat finds comfort in an unusual place: her obsessively collected stash of holiday trinkets. But complications pile up faster than her ornaments when Thorn returns home—and the two discover that the spark between them remains intense.

Coveted by Shawntelle Madison (Excerpt)

Excerpt from The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak

Do you love reading about times past? Are you intrigued by royalty? Then check out this excerpt from Bantam Books. The Winter Palace is a historical fiction novel about Catherine the Great, released in January of this year.

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

From award-winning author Eva Stachniak comes this passionate novel that illuminates, as only fiction can, the early life of one of history’s boldest women. The Winter Palace tells the epic story of Catherine the Great’s improbable rise to power—as seen through the ever-watchful eyes of an all-but-invisible servant close to the throne.

 Her name is Barbara—in Russian, Varvara. Nimble-witted and attentive, she’s allowed into the employ of the Empress Elizabeth, amid the glitter and cruelty of the world’s most eminent court. Under the tutelage of Count Bestuzhev, Chancellor and spymaster, Varvara will be educated in skills from lock picking to lovemaking, learning above all else to listen—and to wait for opportunity. That opportunity arrives in a slender young princess from Zerbst named Sophie, a playful teenager destined to become the indomitable Catherine the Great. Sophie’s destiny at court is to marry the Empress’s nephew, but she has other, loftier, more dangerous ambitions, and she proves to be more guileful than she first appears.

 What Sophie needs is an insider at court, a loyal pair of eyes and ears who knows the traps, the conspiracies, and the treacheries that surround her. Varvara will become Sophie’s confidante—and together the two young women will rise to the pinnacle of absolute power.

With dazzling details and intense drama, Eva Stachniak depicts Varvara’s secret alliance with Catherine as the princess grows into a legend—through an enforced marriage, illicit seductions, and, at last, the shocking coup to assume the throne of all of Russia.

Impeccably researched and magnificently written, The Winter Palace is an irresistible peek through the keyhole of one of history’s grandest tales.

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great by Eva Stachniak (Excerpt)

Fun New Videos for H.P. Mallory's "Witchful Thinking"

The other day I posted an excerpt from a forthcoming humorous PNR, "Witchful Thinking", by H.P. Mallory. It goes on sale in a week, on February 28th. Mallory's first few books were self-published but she was recently picked up by Random House. As part of Random's celebration of "Witchful"s release, there are three zany videos up on YouTube. Each video is a mini, light-hearted lesson being a witch. Check them out and see what you think.

Lesson #1



Lesson #2



Lesson #3




There are two more books coming shortly: Something Witchy This Way Comes, July 31, 2012 and The Witch is Back on September 25th, 2012.

Excerpt from H.P. Mallory's New Book, "Witchful Thinking"

Thanks to Random House, I have another excerpt to share with you all today. This one is from her new paranormal romance, Witchful Thinking, the third book in her Jolie Wilkins series.

From H. P. Mallory—the exciting author of Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble—comes her new paranormal romance featuring the sassy, self-deprecating witch Jolie Wilkins.

 Jolie thinks she’s seen it all, but life continues to spring surprises. The latest shocker? She’s just been crowned Queen of the Underworld. Jolie may possess a rare gift for reanimating the dead, but she doesn’t know the first thing about governing disparate factions of supernatural creatures. She can barely maintain order in her own chaotic personal life, which is heading into a romantic tailspin.

 First there’s sexy warlock Rand, the love of her life, from whom Jolie is hiding a devastating secret. Then there’s Sinjin, a darkly seductive vampire and Jolie’s sworn protector—though others suspect he harbors ulterior motives. As the two polar opposite yet magnetic men vie for Jolie’s affection, she must keep her wits about her to balance affairs of state and affairs of her heart. Overwhelmed, under pressure, and longing for love, Jolie decides it’s time to take charge—and show everyone that this queen won’t take jack.

The book goes on sale February 28th. Enjoy the excerpt!
Witchful Thinking: A Jolie Wilkins Novel by H. P. Mallory (Free Excerpt)

Excerpts from Romance Authors Emily March and Ruthie Knox

Thanks to Sue Grimshaw from Romance At Random, I have excerpts from a couple of romance books to share with you. The first one,  "Angel's Rest", by Emily March, was released February 15, 2011 and is the first book in her Eternity Springs series. 

Blurb:  Gabriel Callahan has lost everything that mattered. All he wants is solitude on an isolated mountain estate. Instead, he gets a neighbor. Vibrant, no-nonsense Nic Sullivan is Eternity Springs’ veterinarian, and she has an uncanny plan to lure this talented architect back to the world of the living. First with a dog, next with a renovation project, and, finally, with a night of passion that ends with a surprise.

Now a man still raw from tragedy must face the biggest struggle of his heart. Can he forgive himself and believe in the power of second chances? Dare he trust in the promise of a future and a brand-new family here in Eternity Springs?

The second one is from a forthcoming book, "Ride with Me" by Ruthie Knox, releasing on February 13, 2012.

Blurb: When Lexie Marshall places an ad for a cycling companion, she hopes to find someone friendly and fun to cross the TransAmerica Trail with. Instead, she gets Tom Geiger—a loner whose bad attitude threatens to spoil the adventure she’s spent years planning.

Roped into the cycling equivalent of a blind date by his sister, Tom doesn’t want to ride with a chatty, go-by-the-map kind of woman. Even Tom’s stubborn determination to keep Lexie at a distance can’t stop him from wanting more. But when the tour ends, where will they go next?

Thank you Sue, for the excerpts. I hope you all enjoy them!
Angel's Rest by Emily March (Excerpt)

RIDE WITH ME by Ruthie Knox, A Loveswept eOriginal Excerpt

Random Book News - Dr. Seuss, Censorship and an awesome indie bookstore

There were some really interesting bits of news today on the web so I've gathered up the ones that appealed to me so you could see them in all in one place. I also tweeted most of them.

First up, awards were being given out today at the Authors After Dark conference in Philadelphia. I caught a couple of announcements on Twitter; the Smart Bitches blog won for best blog (I don't know what the parameters were for the award but I do like their blog a lot so I was happy to hear the news) and Samhain Publishers won for best publisher. Again, I don't know what the parameters were but they do publish several of my favorite authors (Moira Rogers, Sierra Dean) and their website is fairly easy to navigate.

Over at the Book Lantern blog, there's an interesting post on censorship, sparked by an author's reaction to a reader's comment on her blog. I'm not a believer in censorship or banning, and for the most part I agreed with what the author had to say. However, the poster at Book Lantern also brought up some good point, particularly with respect to the author's analogy in defense of her work. I just discovered this YA blog today, thanks to a tweet on Twitter, but I will be visiting them often.


Random House announced that they will be publishing an anthology of lost Dr. Seuss stories called The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories. I loved the Dr. Seuss books as a child and I love them today as a teacher so this is awesome news in my utterly biased opinion. Dr. Seuss wrote books that were respectful of young children, were playful, blended fun with educational ideals and morals, and were pretty much timeless. The stories were originally printed in the womens magazine Redbook in 1950 and 1951. There are others from his magazine period but the selection was narrowed down to these seven. Because they were originally printed in magazines, the artwork was minimal and the vp's and publishers of Random House/Golden Books Young Readers Group made the decision to let the original artwork stand. For more details, see the PW article here.

And last, but certainly not least, PW Children's Bookshelf has an article about an independent South Carolina bookstore, Booklovers Bookstore, that took the initiative to help out their local school system. I say, next time you order a book, do it from this store and keep this awesome store in business. What exactly did they do? Here's a quote from the PW CB article:

...new initiative mandating dedicated reading time for all students has, despite its necessity, compounded a familiar problem for teachers: more to do and less time to do it in. Responding to the resource crunch, Booklovers Bookstore in Aiken, S.C.recently created a school liaison position for Pat Wood, a retired school librarian/media specialist with 32 years of experience in Aiken schools. Wood's job will be to help teachers "currently working on establishing a [book] collection to meet the needs of this new intitiative," which calls for each teacher to set aside specific time for reading. more

* Bolding added by me.*

I'm all for encouraging reading, but if you have ever dealt with a public school, you know that the demands on a teachers time are endless and time, of course, is not. Teachers have a difficult challenge already fulfilling all of the expectations and requirements but more and more gets dumped on them. This program has the potential to be a boon to the school and I hope that it works out well. 

Ok, that's it for now. There will be more random news posts, as I collect news and remember to post them, thus making them random in both content and occurrence. :D Now, back to finishing my book. The review is supposed to go up today; I don't know if that will happen. :P It may be tomorrow.