EXCERPT: Remember Love by Mary Balogh

Historical romance writer Mary Balogh has a new book out and today you can enjoy an excerpt. I've read a few of her books and enjoyed them. I hope you'll enjoy this. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

Giveaway And Excerpt from A Mistaken Match by Whitney Bailey - Make A Date with Harlequin

 Make A  Date Blog Tour with Harlequin

Bea Reviews Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick

Publisher: Putnam Adult
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: April 22nd, 2014 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Miss Amity Doncaster, world traveler, is accustomed to adventure and risk. Benedict Stanbridge, a man of science and a spy for the Crown, has faced danger in the darker corners of foreign lands.

But they are about to face a threat that is shockingly close to home . . .

One does not expect to be kidnapped on a London street in broad daylight. But Amity Doncaster barely escapes with her life after she is trapped in a carriage with a blade-wielding man in a black silk mask who whispers the most vile taunts and threats into her ear. Her quick thinking, and her secret weapon, save her . . . for now.

But the monster known in the press as the Bridegroom, who has left a trail of female victims in his wake, has survived the wounds she inflicts and will soon be on his feet again. He is unwholesomely obsessed by her scandalous connection to Benedict Stanbridge—gossip about their hours alone in a ship’s stateroom seems to have crossed the Atlantic faster than any sailing vessel could. Benedict refuses to let this resourceful, daring woman suffer for her romantic link to him—as tenuous as it may be.

For a man and woman so skilled at disappearing, so at home in the exotic reaches of the globe, escape is always an option. But each intends to end the Bridegroom’s reign of terror in London, and will join forces to do so. And as they prepare to confront an unbalanced criminal in the heart of the city they love, they must also face feelings that neither of them can run away from.

How Bloggers Have Helped My Writing Career by Vicky Dreiling

Today, it's my pleasure to have historical romance author Vicky Dreiling on the blog. I'm not a big fan of historical romance but I've read several of her books and enjoy talking with her on Twitter. It's been a few years since she's been on the Nook. A while back, I asked some authors to write about their experiences with bloggers and today we have Vicky's post and information about her forthcoming book, "What A Devilish Duke Desires".

Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.”

SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT: A Bluestocking's Christmas & Other Historical Romances by Lindsay Downs

Historical romances aren't my usual read but I know some of you are fans and the author of the books I'm spotlighting today is using some of his book proceeds to help a couple of authors who are battling cancer. Since fighting cancer is something I'm always help to with, I offered to host him and his books on the Nook. I met Lindsay through Astraea Press when I was an editor there and worked on one of his contemporary novels, "Emily Dahill CID Part Two".

Two AP authors are dealing with cancer currently. To assist them and their families during this difficult time Lindsay will give one of them the royalties for November from the sale of his Christmas regency, "A Bluestocking’s Christmas". The other will be given the royalties from his three self-published books; "The Masked Lady and The Murder", "The Guilty Countess" and "The Earl’s Spitfire".  He will be giving them the money, not donating it to a fund they might have set up.

Bea Reviews The Wednesday Daughters by Meg Waite Clayton

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Series:Wednesday #2
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 1, 2014 (this edition)
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Meg Waite Clayton, nationally bestselling author of The Wednesday Sisters, returns with a compassionate, wise, and enthralling new novel of mothers and daughters, best friends who become family, and secrets and dreams passed down through the generations.

It is early evening when Hope Tantry arrives at the small cottage in England’s pastoral Lake District where her mother, Ally, spent the last years of her life. Ally—one of a close-knit group of women who called themselves “The Wednesday Sisters”—had used the cottage as a writer’s retreat while she worked on her unpublished biography of Beatrix Potter, yet Hope knows nearly nothing about her mother’s time there. Traveling with Hope are friends Julie and Anna Page, two other daughters of “The Wednesday Sisters,” who offer to help Hope sort through her mother’s personal effects. Yet what Hope finds will reveal a tangled family history—one steeped in Lake District lore.

Tucked away in a hidden drawer, Hope finds a stack of Ally’s old notebooks, all written in a mysterious code. As she, Julie, and Anna Page try to decipher Ally’s writings—the reason for their encryption, their possible connection to the Potter manuscript—they are forced to confront their own personal struggles: Hope’s doubts about her marriage, Julie’s grief over losing her twin sister, Anna Page’s fear of commitment in relationships. And as the real reason for Ally’s stay in England comes to light, Hope, Julie, and Anna Page reach a new understanding about the enduring bonds of family, the unwavering strength of love, and the inescapable pull of the past.

Steph Reviews The Major's Daughter: A Novel by J.P Francis

Publisher: Penguin Group
Format Read: Paperback
Source: From the publisher for an honest review
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*/OmniLit | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Like Snow Falling on Cedars, a stirring tale of wartime love

April, 1944. The quiet rural village of Stark, New Hampshire is irrevocably changed by the arrival of 150 German prisoners of war. And one family, unexpectedly divided, must choose between love and country.

Camp Stark is under the command of Major John Brennan, whose beautiful daughter, Collie, will serve as translator. Educated at Smith and devoted to her widowed father, Collie is immediately drawn to Private August Wahrlich, a peaceful poet jaded by war. As international conflict looms on the home front, their passion blinds them to the inevitable dangers ahead.

Inspired by the little-known existence of a real World War II POW camp, The Major’s Daughter is a fresh take on the timeless theme of forbidden love.

SPOTLIGHT & EXCERPT: Redemption by Heather Gray

Heather Gray is back again today with an excerpt from her new book, "Redemption", a historical romance. Heather is the author of the Ladies of Larkspur inspirational western romance series, including Mail Order Man, Just Dessert, and Redemption. Other titles include Ten Million Reasons, His Saving Grace, and Nowhere for Christmas – everything from Regency England to modern-day America. Aside from a long-standing love affair with coffee, Heather’s greatest joys are her relationships with her Savior and family. She decided years ago that she'd rather laugh than yell. This theme is prevalent in her writing where, through the highs and lows of life, her characters find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her.

DISCLOSURE: This book is an Astraea Press title; I work for Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for this post. ~ Bea


Find Heather Online:

My Website – http://www.heathergraywriting.com
My Blog – http://www.heathergraywriting.com/blog
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/heathergraywriting
Google+ – https://plus.google.com/+Heathergraywritingnow
Twitter – http://twitter.com/LaughDreamWrite
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/LaughDreamWrite

SPOTLIGHT & GC GIVEAWAY: Goddess Born by Kari Edgren

I am excited to bring you the Release Day Launch and Blog Tour for Kari Edgren's GODDESS BORN! GODDESS BORN is a New Adult Historical Paranormal Romance being published by Carina Press. How could I resist a book inspired by my namesake, the goddess Brigid? :D

CarolKat Reviews Gargoyle: Three Enchanting Romance Novellas

Publisher: SB Group
Format Read: ebook
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 10, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The mysterious lives of gargoyles.
They don't just hang out on buildings.
They right wrongs. They wreak havoc.
And they change the lives of unsuspecting people who never see them coming.

The hero...
Craig knows that Bea is in trouble. But Craig can't do anything about it--because he's a garden gargoyle and Bea can't hear his warnings. When unexpected visitors arrive to help, Craig finds the power he had all along. Now the neighborhood will never be the same.

The touchstone...
When a thunderstorm transports software expert Rose Waldman to thirteenth century France, she meets hunky stonemason Julien, who is secretly creating a gargoyle in defiance of his master mason. Can independent gadget loving Rose trust her life and heart to Julien, and can she really never go home again?

And the freak just trying to get along...
Sentenced to burn at the stake for sorcery, Merofled volunteers to help jaded warrior Alaric kill a gargoyle that threatens her village. But Merofled soon discovers the gargoyle is not a monster at all. It's a misfit just like her. Can she persuade Alaric to spare the gargoyle-and herself?

Blog Tour Giveaway & Review of Betting It All by Cate Masters

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Format Read: PDF
Source: tour company in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 14, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | ARe* | Decadent
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Blurb from tour company:

Can the daughter of a well-known prostitute start a new life where no one knows her family history? Norah Hawkins is sure going to try. When a letter arrives deeding her property in San Francisco, she packs her bags.

Irishman Gerard MacKenzie likes his life free and easy, but is tired of the snobbish East Coast folk. San Francisco has enough vice and folly to suit his needs. Meeting Norah gives him the opportunity to bartend in her saloon. Maybe he can convince her to let him play the piano. She’s a shrewd businesswoman, and negotiating with her makes his blood boil. Damn if she doesn’t make his blood boil in other ways, too.

The morning of April 18, 1906, a terrible earthquake buries their dreams beneath the city’s ruins. Can Norah and Mac rebuild their lives? Will rebuilding their dreams bond them forever, or tear them apart?

The Friday 56 #7

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join on the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.


I just finished a historical romance, Betting It All, by Cate Masters; my review will be up on Monday. This quote is from 56% into the ebook. Click on the cover to go to it's goodreads page.

No, she mustn't think that way, let him infect her, win her over. Too long, she'd waited. 

Related articles

• The Friday 56 #6 (beasbooknook.blogspot.com)
• The Friday 56 (evasmoodboard.wordpress.com)
• The Friday 56 #7 ~ Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth ~ A Vampire Intrigue (fuonlyknew.com)
• Book Beginnings and Friday 56 - So Yesterday (Nov 15) (wcs53.wordpress.com)

Excerpt from Loving The Earl by Sharon Cullen

Welcome to another excerpt! Today's is from an historical romance, "Loving the Earl" by Sharon Cullen. The book doesn't come out until November but you can read a selection from it now. Click on the cover to go to the book's goodreads page. I'm not a big historical romance fan so I'll just sit here and admire the cover. :P

In Sharon Cullen’s sizzling novel of scandal and seduction, a headstrong beauty is pursued across Europe by London’s most notorious rake.

Having vowed never to wed again, widowed viscountess Claire Hartford is about to do the unthinkable: travel unaccompanied across the continent in search of a lover. Her adventure begins sooner than expected, when she meets a magnificent cloaked stranger on her ship’s gangplank. He is Lord Blythe, a man whispered about in London’s ballrooms and drawing rooms, a scandalous rogue hell-bent on seduction.

Nathan Ferguson curses the day he agreed to look out for his best friend’s wayward sister. The charismatic earl is traveling to Paris to uncover the truth behind his father’s death, but his desire for Claire threatens to be his undoing. From France to Italy, on a journey of passionate discovery and danger, Nathan is honor-bound to protect her—from himself most of all. What can he offer Claire? Only love, as he sets out to prove to the woman of his dreams that she belongs to him—body, heart, and soul. 
 
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Mistletoe and Magic, What Not to Bare, and After the Kiss.

Loving the Earl by Sharon Cullen (Excerpt) by Romance At Random

Excerpt & Interview: Just Dessert by Heather Gray

Today I'm delighted to have author Heather Gray for a quick interview and an excerpt from her recently released novel, "Just Dessert". I was part of the editing team on this book and enjoyed it. I don't read very many historical romances so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Apparently, I'm not the only one. Last Thursday, HEA at USA Today compiled a list of new releases in inspirational fiction and womens fiction and included "Just Dessert". I think Heather just about fainted when she found out. :D

When she's not fainting :P she has a long-standing love affair with coffee. Besides coffee, Heather’s greatest joys in life are her relationship with her Savior, her family, and writing. Years ago, she decided it would be better to laugh than yell. Heather carries that theme over into her writing where she strives to create characters that experience both the highs and lows of life and, through it all, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her.

Where to Find Heather Online:

Website – http://www.heathergraywriting.com

Blog – http://www.heathergraywriting.com/blog

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/heathergraywriting

Twitter – http://twitter.com/LaughDreamWrite

Goodreads –  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4051662.Heather_Gray

Disclosure: I am employed by Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for putting up this post. 

 

Excerpt from Romance at the Royal Menagerie by Ruth J. Hartman

Today's excerpt has cats! Wild, big cats. I like cats. :D I don't read a lot of historical romance but this one had cats, humor and was put out by my publisher, Astraea Press, so I picked up and read it. I enjoyed it, and I hope you'll enjoy the excerpt that Ruth is sharing with us today.

A former dental hygienist, Ruth recently quit to write full-time. She and her husband and the cats who own them live in Indiana where she is busy writing books. Her newest book, "Love Birds of Regency Park" just came out this week and is set in the same world as "Romance at the Royal Menagerie".

Find Ruth online:

Blog: www.ruthjhartman.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruth.j.Hartman

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthjHartman

disclosure: I am employed by Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for putting up this post. 

Excerpt from Along the Way Home by Christi Corbett

Today I have another Astraea Press author, Christi Corbett here, sharing an excerpt from her recently released debut novel, "Along the Way Home." It's a clean inspirational historical romance set in the western part of the USA. 

About Christi ~ 

I’m addicted to coffee, sticky notes, and the Oxford Comma. I live in a small town in Oregon with my husband and our twins. Our home’s location was especially inspiring as I wrote Along the Way Home because the view from the back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territory and beyond.

Find Christi Online:

When I’m not writing I love chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the following locations:

Email: christicorbett@gmail.com

Blog: http://christicorbett.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristiCorbett

Facebook: Christi Corbett—Author

disclosure: I am employed by Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for putting up this post.  

Job Complaints - A Guest Post by Romance Author Ashlyn Macnamara

Please welcome Ashlyn Macnamara to the Nook today. She's touring blogs in celebration of her new book, "A Most Devilish Rogue", releasing today! I'm not a huge fan of historical romances but I read them occasionally and the cover on this one, Yum! A very nice backview indeed; the smuthound in me is quite happy.

Ashlyn Macnamara writes Regency romances with a dash of wit and a hint of wicked. She considers this writing gig her midlife crisis, but figures it’s less risky than rock climbing or skydiving. When not writing, she looks for other excuses to neglect the housework, among them knitting, reading and wasting time on the internet in the guise of doing research. Despite her insistence on looking toward the past, she can be found on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. She also likes to play at being a Duchess from time to time. 

GC Giveaway & Spotlight On A Deadly Truth by Joyce Proell

Today's book is a little bit different; it's a historical romantic suspense. Historical romances aren't my usual thing but this one sounded very interesting plus it's a romantic suspense, and the cover is spooky.

Spotlight On: Beyond a Doubt by Felicia Rogers

Today it's my pleasure to feature Felicia Rogers' newest book, "Beyond A Doubt", the final book in her series, The Renaissance Heart. The first book in the series, "There Your Heart Will Be Also" was the  first book I worked on after being hired by Astraea Press. Before I was hired by Astraea I read and reviewed a contemporary romance Felicia wrote, "The Perfect Rose", also pubbed by Astraea.

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated by either Astraea Press or Felicia Rogers for putting up this post.

Felicia Rogers is an author of six novels and three novellas. When she's not writing, Felicia volunteers with the Girl Scouts of America, teaches at a local homeschooling group, hikes, and spends time with her family.

  

Find Felicia online:

Website: http://www.feliciarogersauthor.weebly.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FeliciaRogersAuthor

Email: feliciarogersauthor@yahoo.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4412925.Felicia_Rogers

*************************************************************

Bryce Cameron is finally going home. Years spent away have him longing for the craggy landscapes from his childhood.

Lucy Lombard is on a mission. The mantel she carries was never meant for her possession yet it has been passed to her anyway. Alone and in danger, Lucy stumbles onto her greatest find.

Rescuing Bryce is either a blessing or a curse but regardless time is running out. With Bryce's help can Lucy fulfill her mission or will she be too late?

 

Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: ebook
Length: 487 KB
Release Date: May10, 2013
Buying Links: Astraea Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Beyond A Doubt, The Renaissance Hearts Series, Book Four
The end is finally here…

The final chapter has been written for The Renaissance Hearts Series. What began with Sarra and Cedric in There Your Heart Will Be Also concludes with Bryce and Lucy in Beyond A Doubt. Set in the turbulent times of Mary I of England, or Bloody Mary, and Henry II of France, the fight for religious freedom abounds. Intrigue, loss of property, and loss of life rule the day. Follow the epic ending of a family’s struggle.

       See what others have said about the Renaissance Hearts Series ~

“I really enjoyed this book. I do not typically favor historical romance, but the romance was not too mushy, and the historical was not too heavy! This was an enjoyable, delightful read!!!.” ~ Taken from Rachel’s Amazon review on There Your Heart Will Be Also, Book One.

“If you are in for a good mystery with plenty of adventure, suspense & romance, you have come to the right place for this recommended novel because "By God's Grace" will give it all to you.” ~ Taken from Arlena’s Amazon review of By God’s Grace, Book Two.

“Okay have to say this is my fav book so far in The Renaissance Heart Series! Felicia Rogers just gets better!” ~ Taken from Danielle William’s Amazon review of Labor of Love, Book Three.