Lost Pleasures Found ~ Vikki Vaught

Thanks, Beverly

SSLYblog

Thanks for having me on your blog today. It’s always a pleasure. I originally wrote Lost Pleasures Found in 2010, before I knew anything about writing. The story came to me in late 2009 after reading a book, and I went around for months saying “Somebody need to write that book.” I ended up with some time off from my job in June 2010 and decided to spend two hours a day writing it. Three weeks later I had an 80,000-word manuscript. Obviously, I spend way more than two hours a day, more like twelve. The story flew onto the pages! Wish that would happen again!

That’s went the real work began. I spent months re-writing it, trying to get it in shape. I sent it out to agents and publishers and received plenty of rejection letters. Then my husband told me of a publisher a friend of his used…

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: AN INTERVIEW WITH REGINA JEFFERS

Rakes And Rascals

Regina Jeffers

I’m delighted to welcome to Award-Winning Author and fellow blogger REGINA JEFFERS to Rakes and Rascals today for an exclusive interview.

Diolch, Carol. As often as you and I interact on social media, it only seemed proper that we “meet” and have a pleasant conversation and perhaps a cup of tea. My cup is filled with lemon ginger today.

I’m partial to a cup of Earl Grey, Regina.

~~~~~~~

R&R:
Could you tell us where you were born and what it was like growing up there?

Regina:
I am from Huntington, West Virginia, a small town on the Ohio River, where the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia meet. It is a college town, home of Marshall University (named after Chief Justice John Marshall). It is a city steeped in history, founded in 1775 in what was then the Colony of Virginia, but the area was settled as early…

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WENDY’S FAVOURITES – AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: SIMPLY LOVE BY MARY BALOGH, NARRATED BY ROSALYN LANDOR

I recently listened to this book as well, and remembered it well. It is one of my favorites!

Rakes And Rascals

(Simply Quartet, #2)

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency)

Cover Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns to the elegance and sensuality of Regency England as she continues the enthralling story of four remarkable women–friends and teachers at Miss Martin’s School for Girls. At the center of this spellbinding novel is Anne Jewell, a teacher haunted by a scandalous past…until she meets a man who teaches her the most important lesson of all: nothing is simple when it comes to love.…

She spies him in the deepening dusk of a Wales evening–a lone figure of breathtaking strength and masculinity, his handsome face branded by a secret pain. For single mother and teacher Anne Jewell, newly arrived with her son at a sprawling estate in Wales on the invitation of an influential friend, Sydnam Butler is a man whose sorrows–and passions–run deeper than she could have ever imagined.

As steward of…

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Early Review: Mary Morgan’s DRAGON KNIGHT’S RING, last book of the series ~ it had me blubbering!

Booktalk with Eileen: Journaling a Journey -- Learning the Art of Crafting a Novel

Dragon Knight’s Ring (Order of the Dragon Knights, #5)Title:Dragon Knight’s Ring Order of the Dragon Knights, book 5
Author: Mary Morgan
Genre: Historical Romance, Scotland, Time Travel
Story Setting: Urquhart Glen, Scotland, 1204; The Great Glen in Scotland – 1207; present day Scotland
Pages: 281
Published by: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Published Date: August 12, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
ASIN: B01HDWY8S2

Order of the Dragon Knight’s Series — click to order from Amazon:

Dragon Knight’s Sword
Dragon Knight’s Medallion
Dragon Knight’s Axe
Dragon Knight’s Shield
Dragon Knight’s Ring 

Publisher’s Summary:  Crusader, Adam MacFhearguis is on one last quest to the standing stones in Scotland where he seeks to bury the past. However, a silent prayer sends him to an unknown future and to his beloved Meggie. When he uncovers a shocking revelation, Adam questions everything about the woman he thought he knew and loved. He may have traveled the veil of ages…

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: AN INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE BONE

Rakes And Rascals

I’m delighted to welcome Best Selling Romance Author KATHERINE BONE to Rakes and Rascals today for an exclusive interview.

And what a pleasure it is to be sailin’ in to Rakes and Rascals! Thank you so much for invitin’ me, Lady Carol!!! 🙂

~~~~~~~


R&R:

Could you tell us where you were born and what it was like growing up there?

Katherine:
I’d love to share more about myself with you! Woot!!! I was born in Texas, but flew to Mannheim, Germany, two months later. My father was in the Army and already stationed there, you see. Would you like to see a picture of me meeting my dad for the very first time? I love this photo of us! (My dad was 19 and my mother only 17. She had never flown anywhere before!)


The rest of my childhood was spent traveling every 2-3 years to another Army base…

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Book & Audio Review: The Redemption of Julian Price by Victoria Vane

The Redemption of Julian Price

by Victoria Vane

The Redemption of Julian Price 

Publisher & Release: Vane Publishing, April 11, 2016

Time and setting: 1815, England

Genre: Historical Romance/Regency

Length: 197 pages

Heat Level: 3 Flames

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

She gave him a chance to bury his past… but the price would be his heart

Burdened by the past…Orphaned at a young age and left to run wild, at eighteen Julian Price joins the fight against Napoleon in the hope of attaining honor. Devastated when his best friend, Thomas, is killed in battle, Julian returns home burdened with guilt, only to find his wastrel uncle has squandered his inheritance.

Desperate to live her own life… Facing a bleak future caring for her aging mother and raising her brother’s children, Henrietta Houghton believes her chance at a real life died with Thomas, the only man who ever wanted her. But Henrietta is still full of dreams. When her wealthy aunt offers her a gift of ten thousand pounds, Henrietta finally has the chance to choose her own destiny.

Everything has a price…With a fortune at her command, Henrietta offers Julian a marriage of convenience, unaware that she really offers Julian a means of salvation—not just his fortune, but his very soul.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Redemption-Julian-Price-Victoria-Vane-ebook/dp/B01B0SFLW2

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/The-Redemption-of-Julian-Price-Audiobook/B01GINWY1U

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28952181-the-redemption-of-julian-price

Vikki’s Musings

I just love Victoria Vane’s historical romances. I can always expect to be entertained and given a chance to become enmeshed in the glittering Regency world. The Redemption of Julian Price did just that!

Henrietta Houghton believes she will never find a husband. Not wanting to live with her brother once she marries, she decides to visit her great-aunt in London. The day before she is set to leave, Julian Price shows up and offers to give her a ride her to London with him. This gives them a chance to catch up on each other’s lives.

Julian has returned from the war to find out his uncle has mortgaged his property and he is facing foreclosure. The last thing he wants is to become a mercenary soldier, an occupation that is sure to take the rest of his soul, but what choice does he have?

When Henrietta learns that her elderly aunt is giving her a substantial dowry, she asks Julian to marry her, thus saving him from losing everything and giving her a chance to be free. Can the alliance between them lead to heartache, or will it give them the love they both desperately long for?

This is a fast-paced story and grabbed my attention from the first page and held me in its thrall until the end. Ms. Vane has definitely penned another wonderful Regency romance. I found the story very realistic and enjoyed it tremendously. This is a great friends to lovers story, one that I will want to read again.

I fell in love with Henrietta’s character from the very beginning. She is truly endearing and has a great sense of humor while still being grounded in reality. I loved her loyalty to Julian and her desire to help him.

Wow! Julian is just the kind of hero I love, and there is a lot to love about him. He endured a tragic childhood living with his reprobate uncle. Then he goes to war at the tender age of eighteen and loses one of his best friends in battle. He comes back to find his estate on the verge of foreclosure and is faced with the awful decision that will destroy what is left of his soul. Yet, he still has tender feelings toward Henrietta. I truly love a hero who does not let the horrors of his past turn him into a cynic.

I listened to the audio version performed by the talented Stevie Zimmerman. I always know I’m in for a treat when she is the narrator. She does such a good job on the male characters. She truly brings the story to life. Although she reads with passion, she does not become overly dramatic. She does it just right.

If you enjoy a book that will sweep you back to the Regency period with entrancing character and a believable plot, then you will love The Redemption of Julian Price as much as I did. Happy reading!

Unpredictable Love ~ Jean C. Joachim

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Banner - Unpredictable Love

BOOK INFORMATION

TITLE– Unpredictable Love
SERIES(& Book #) – Pine Grove Novels, Book #1
AUTHOR– Jean C. Joachim
GENRE– Contemporary Small Town Romance
LENGTH(#Pages/# Words) – 47,000 Words


UnpredictableLove_Kindle

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Uh oh. Amber signed her sister’s name on a pen pal letter to a Marine. As usual, Jory Walker was stuck fixing her sister’s little white lie.

When letters poured in from SSGT Trent Stevens in Afghanistan, Jory had no choice but to correspond. Sure he’d be drooling over Amber’s bikini photo, thinking it was Jory. Since they’d never meet, what harm could it do if she sent him a few letters?

Would her charade boomerang replacing happiness with pain? What started off as an innocent ruse, morphed into a monstrous web of deceit. Maybe unpredictable love was destined to break her heart.


BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE USAMAZON KINDLE USAMAZON…

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Early Review: MACLEAN’S PASSION by Sharon Cullen

Booktalk with Eileen: Journaling a Journey -- Learning the Art of Crafting a Novel

A Highlander Adventure! Book 2 of A Highland Pride. Releases June 28, 2016.

 MacLean's PassionTitle:MacLean’s Passion A Highland Pride Novel, book 2
Author: Sharon Cullen
Genre: Historical Romance, Scottish
Story Setting: Scotland, June 1746
Pages: 293
Published by: Loveswept
Published Date: June 28, 2016
Sold by: Random House LLC
ASIN: B0165I3W1E

A Highland Pride Novel Series:
Sutherland’s Secret
MacLean’s Passion

About the Story:

Perfect for fans of Maya Banks and Monica McCarty, Sharon Cullen’s Highland Pride series continues as Scotland’s most reckless smuggler meets his match in a beautiful spitfire who arouses a renewed sense of duty, camaraderie, and passion.  Colin MacLean has always felt like a black sheep—especially after his brothers are slain before his eyes in the Battle of Culloden. A smuggler by trade, Colin makes for an embarrassing chieftain. He can’t even save his friends from their British pursuers without getting himself captured. But…

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Book Review: Duke of sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt

(Maiden Lane series)

  Duke of Sin

Publisher & Release: Grand Central Publishing, May 31, 2016

Time and setting: 1741, London

Genre: Historical Romance/Georgian

Length: 360 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A MAN OF SIN

Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans.

 A WOMAN OF HONOR

 Born a bastard, housekeeper Bridget Crumb is clever, bold, and fiercely loyal. When her aristocratic mother becomes the target of extortion, Bridget joins the Duke of Montgomery’s household to search for the incriminating evidence-and uncovers something far more dangerous.

 A SECRET THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY THEM BOTH

Astonished by the deceptively prim-and surprisingly witty-domestic spy in his chambers, Montgomery is intrigued. And try as she might, Bridget can’t resist the slyly charming duke. Now as the two begin their treacherous game of cat and mouse, they soon realize that they both have secrets-and neither may be as nefarious-or as innocent-as they appear . . .

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Duke-Maiden-Lane-Elizabeth-Hoyt-ebook/dp/B015NRKJRI

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Duke-of-Sin-Audiobook/B01DDYSLOQ/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1464706320&sr=1-1

Add to Goodreads:

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26804433-duke-of-sin

Vikki’s Musings

I have been a fan of Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series ever since the first one was published. When I found Duke of Sin on Net-Galley, I immediately requested it in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoy this book!

Bastard daughter of a lady, Bridget Crumb is the housekeeper to the notorious Duke of Montgomery. He’s amoral, a blackmailer, a man without a heart. Determined to foil his plan to blackmail her mother, she searches his chamber for the evidence he holds against her.

Valentine Napier is a troubled man, scarred by his childhood. He is determined to never fall in love. After all, then he would have to kill her because love kills. That was the message he learned at an early age, one he will never forget.

Their secrets should forever keep them apart, but the passion they feel for one another burns brighter than any secret. Can Bridget overlook Val’s many sins or will they drive her away?

I fell in love with Bridget’s character from the first page. She is fierce and loyal when she has very little reason to be so. I loved her passionate nature which she tries very hard to deny. She fights furiously to push away her desire for the evil duke, but her soft heart interferes when she learns what drives his atrocious behavior.

Val’s character is definitely a tortured soul, my favorite kind of hero. He is deliciously gorgeous, and Ms. Hoyt does an astonishing job of painting a clear picture for me. While he is indeed very wicked, he does have vulnerabilities. Hoyt has given me a truly flawed character, one that could be too much for some. I really worried there was no way she could ever redeem him, but she worked her magic. I became so emotionally involved and began to overlook his terrible behavior. Val is truly a villain, one that a reader will either love of hate.

Ms. Hoyt is a true master at pulling me into her story, even when I fought it. I already mentioned that Val is not an easy character to like, let alone love, but she managed it with me. Duke of Sin is fast-paced with plenty of suspense woven into the vivid Georgian setting. From the description of the costumes to the manner in which her characters speak, I felt as if I were living in this period of history. It would be easy to overlook her brilliance in this area with her incredibly compelling characters driving the story.

If you’re looking for a truly emotionally-charged story with unforgettable characters, then you will love Duke of Sin as much as I did. This entire series is a true pleasure to read and this book definitely lived up to my high expectations. Happy reading!

 

Life Below Stairs, Part 9 – The Valet

Another great post!

Every Woman Dreams...

62822851_servants-poster_large_graphic The Servant Hierarchy | countryhousereader.wordpress. com

Footmen as we learned the last time often thought to join the upper servants in the role of valet or butler. (We saw the character of Thomas Barrow work in all three positions in Downton Abbey.) Today we have a closer look at the role of the valet in an aristocratic home. 

The valet is sometimes referred to as the “gentleman’s gentleman.” Often, in finer homes he was of foreign extraction. In the manner of keeping a “French cook,” many British gentleman sought the skills of a foreign valet. There were certain servants, such as the governess, the valet, etc., who did not quite fit into the categories of upper servants and lower servants. Through his connection to the master of the house the valet was often among others of Society at sporting events, social engagements, etc. This placed the valet in a…

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