Each story in this collection of series-opening novellas is like a kiss, sexy and satisfying in itself while awakening a longing for more. My two favorites were “A Highlander’s Heart” by Jennifer Haymore and “Lord Lucifer’s Disciple” by Sue London.
Seven sexy series-opening novellas from seven bestselling historical romance authors!
A Highlander’s Heart (The Highland Knights, Book 1) By Jennifer Haymore
Once madly in love, Claire and Rob Campbell are now estranged, torn apart by war and loss. When desire rekindles between them, they both hope desperately that they can mend their broken marriage … But some wounds go deeper than the concussion Rob suffered on the Waterloo battlefield. And some wounds can never be healed.
How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days (What Happens in Scotland, Book 1) By Kate McKinley
Lucas Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington, is a man who gets what he wants. So when he sees the alluring Miss Pippa Welby from across a crowded ballroom, he vows to make her his. But the bold and spirited Pippa has sworn never to marry into the haute ton. Now Lucas must win her the only way…
My new novella, Lord Lucifer’s Disciple, will premier in the Scandalous Summer Nights anthology coming out June 30th. This story kicks off a new series of novellas in the Haberdashers world, called Haberdashers Nights. As you might expect from the name, these novellas are sexy.
Sue and guests Rose Gordon & Maya Rodale will be there 4pm Pacific/7pm Eastern
I’m proud to have this new series start in a set with such great authors as Grace Callaway, Sabrina Darby, Jennifer Haymore, Kate McKinley, Sandy Raven, and Vivienne Westlake. You can come to our Facebook party at Scandalous Summer Nights. There will be giveaways and other fun. Each of us will have author guests, and mine include Rose Gordon at 4:15P/7:15E and Maya Rodale at 4:30P/7:30E. Hope you can come have a Scandalous party with us!
Excerpt from Lord Lucifer’s Disciple:
“Every woman wants to be seduced. The challenge lies in helping her to realize that fact.” ~ Lord Lucifer
Elisa lingered along the wall of the ballroom, watching the dancers. Although it was a bit obvious, her Aphrodite costume was proving quite popular and she had refused a good number of invitations to take to the floor. But she found that here, watching the dancers, she could almost believe that they were intriguing people worth meeting. It was only upon conversation, she knew, that she would find them disappointing. Lacking.
“What could make such a beautiful woman look so sad?”
The heavily accented voice came from beside her and she turned to face the gentleman who had addressed her. His shoulder was against the wall, his form a lean study of elegance in evening wear, topped with a cape and black mask. His mouth tipped up in a vague smile, as though she amused him. His accent was unfamiliar to her.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we have not been introduced,” she said. Her reaction only served to make his smile larger.
“True, I can see how that might make you sad, but,” he bent his head closer to her as though confiding a secret, “perhaps we will be introduced before the night is through.”
At that, the gentleman pushed from the wall and walked away through the crowd. Elisa felt a small thrill in her heart. Here, at last, was something interesting. She couldn’t remember anyone from the invitation list that might fit this man’s description. She would need to press Violetta for an introduction.
I am SO EXCITED to announce that my latest story, the beginning of the Haberdashers Nights series of spicy novellas, will premier in the Scandalous Summer Nights collection on June 30! This new Haberdashers-related story will be alongside new stories from some great historical romance authors you may already know. Grace Callaway, Sabrina Darby, Jennifer Haymore, Kate McKinley, Sandy Rave, & Vivienne Westlake. And you will be able to get ALL these stories for only 99-cents while supplies last. (In other words, get your copy soon, because I’m not sure how long we will keep them in this low-priced collection!)
So what story do I have in the collection? Lord Lucifer’s Disciple. You may remember awkward, shy John Howards from Fates for Apate. What sort of scandalous summer nights could John get up to? You might be surprised.
An heiress turns away every suitor until she meets a mysterious foreigner at a masque ball. His kiss ignites her in ways that nothing else has, but he refuses her pleas to elope. Has she lost her heart to a man who doesn’t exist?
John Howards has finally accepted an invitation to one of his cousin’s masque balls. Having always been shy he decides to attend in the guise of his friend from the Congress of Vienna. What he didn’t expect was that playing a role would free him to flirt with a beautiful woman. Or that she would return his regard. After an illicit night in the garden that he regrets, can he convince her to marry as himself?
Elisa Jarvis has made it to the age of one and twenty without falling prey to a fortune hunter. Now her guardian is pressuring her to marry before her next birthday – in less than a fortnight! She needs to find the love of her life, not be distracted by the latest dull gentleman who has decided to court her.
The Haberdashers books have never had a booklaunch party, so I’m thinking of doing something different. A Haberdashers Holiday, something of a summer house party (except not at my house, because it’s not big enough) where we all drink tea, eat delightful foods, talk about history and romance, and maybe even dress up as our favorite Regency characters (totally optional). If it goes well I will probably make this an annual thing. Because there’s nothing I love better than a good (and geeky) party.
There are a number of venues in Charlottesville that look likely. Check these out and tell me which one you think would best suit. It will be a “destination” party for some, maybe most, so room prices will matter.
Don’t miss the “I Love My Readers!” Valentine Sale & Giveaway info at the bottom of this blog post!
Click image to go to main blog hop post.
For Valentine’s Day Scorching Book Reviews has invited us to share thoughts about “Romance MY Way.” What are my favorite romance tropes? Wow. That’s a tough question to answer! I read, and enjoy, all sorts of things. I read everything from the very sweet to the very spicy, from historical to futuristic. But if I were marooned on a desert island and could only have a few of my favorite romance tropes with me? I’d probably pick these.
Holding Out For a Hero: Some girls like a bad boy, but me? I’ll take a good one. That’s not to say I haven’t enjoyed my fair share of dark, brooding heroes who find redemption through love, etc. But overall my preference is angels over sinners, the boy next door over the bad boy. And if he has an altruistic streak? All the better.
A Woman of Independence: The heroines I remember are the ones who are fiercely independent. Whether it’s a 19th century woman who insists on thinking for herself, or a modern woman who decides to strike out on her own in business or some other endeavor, I want my heroines to have some gumption.
I Love Nerds: There’s just something special about guys and girls who nerd out over their favorite subjects. It can be a scientist in the 19th century or a software programmer in the 21st century. I have a particular fondness for heroes and heroines who share my love of geekdom – gaming, science fiction, etc. But one way or the other, I love me some nerds.
That’s not to say that every book I read needs to have all, or even any of these tropes. But the ones that stick with me, the ones that I still talk about years later, hit at least one if not all of them.
Thanks for coming by to find out my favorite romance tropes! Don’t forget to check out the rest of the participants in the blog hop and register for great prizes! Blog Hop Rafflecopter! a Rafflecopter giveaway
[cross posted in All Places Sue]
I’ve heard from some people that they can’t afford books for themselves during the holidays, so I wanted to stuff some Kindle ebooks in your stocking. Lucky me, Rose Gordon is also stepping up to help with the stocking stuffing! We’re posting books from people we know and like, so if you like our fiction you should be able to find something you like here, too.
Enter the Rafflecopter here, or in one of the other places this is cross posted, saying which book you’re hoping to find in your stocking and you’ll be eligible to win one of the DAILY giveaways until Twelfth Night. More books will be added as our friends join in the fun.
*All books on this list are 99-cents. Any books that change price above 99-cents will become ineligible and will be removed. We’re not made of money, people!
Athena’s Ordeal, Haberdashers Book Two, should be out in August 2013 (you can pre-order it on the Haberdashers website). To tide you over until then, here’s the summary of Sabre and Quince’s book:
The Duke of Beloin mistakes a Viscount’s daughter for a fallen woman, an error he can hardly afford while trying to divine which of his enemies is blackmailing him.
Sabrina “Sabre” Bittlesworth has practiced the sword since she was eight years old so when a mysterious visitor in her brother’s house offers to make her his mistress she challenges him to a duel, even after she finds out he’s a duke.
Quincy Telford, Duke of Beloin, has hated Viscount Bittlesworth as long as he can remember. Now the man’s daughter is constantly in his path. Can he escape her temptation and avoid peril in the increasingly dangerous game of cat and mouse he is playing with his blackmailer?
Trials of Artemis, Haberdashers Book One is available on Kindle.
From our reviews:
“I enjoyed seeing the relationship play out between the two main characters, especially since the author decided to make them both forthright and honest with each other, being able to pick up on emotional cues, instead of relying on misdirection and misinterpretation to lengthen the story, as is usually the case in this genre.”
“Their characters and their relationship develop at an almost perfect pace as the book progresses (with bumps along the newlywed road, of course). If you like a strong female, this is the book for you.”
![22461686[1]](https://bysuelondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2246168611.jpg)
Seven sexy series-opening novellas from seven bestselling historical romance authors!
Sue London, Author 