Tuesday, September 30, 2014

An American Duchess Release Day Blitz

An American Duchess
By Sharon Page
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Summary: Set on a crumbling English manor estate during the height of the Roaring Twenties, an American duchess must decide how much she's willing to risk for the life she truly desires…

It's 1922, and New York heiress Zoe Gifford longs for the freedoms promised by the Jazz Age. Headstrong and brazen, but bound by her father's will to marry before she can access his fortune, Zoe arranges for a brief marriage to Sebastian Hazelton, whose aristocratic British family sorely needs a benefactor.

Once in England, her foolproof plan to wed, inherit and divorce proves more complicated than Zoe had anticipated. Nigel Hazelton, Duke of Langford and Sebastian's older brother, is as austere and imposing as the family's ancestral estate. Still reeling from the Great War, Nigel is now staging a one-man battle against a rapidly changing world—and the outspoken Zoe represents everything he's fighting against.

When circumstances compel Zoe to marry Nigel rather than Sebastian, their heated quarrelling begets passion of another sort. But with Nigel unwilling to change with the times, will Zoe be forced to choose between her husband and her dreams?
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Available at:

Amazon // B&N


 About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Sharon Page sold her first book, an erotic romance novel A GENTLEMAN SEDUCED, in 2004. Since then, she has published more than 20 novels and novellas, both traditionally through NY publishers (Kensington, Random House, Harlequin), and on her own through self-publishing.

Sharon writes:
Historical romantic women’s fiction (AN AMERICAN DUCHESS)
Erotic historical romance (SIN, DEEPLY IN YOU)
Erotic paranormal romance (BLOOD RED, BLOOD CURSE)
Sensual historical romance (THE CLUB, ENGAGED IN SIN)
New adult contemporary erotic romance (The Yardley College Chronicles series).

Sharon’s books have won many awards including two RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Awards, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Colorado Award of Romance, and the Golden Quill. Sharon was nominated by RT Book Reviews in 2013 for Career Achievement in Erotic Romance.


She graduated with a degree in Industrial Design (School of Engineering) and worked for years in the structural engineering field. Married, with two children, Sharon now writes almost full time.

Goodreads // Website // Twitter // Facebook


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Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Were Hard For Me to Read


This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Books That Were Hard for Me to Read


1. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
I read the entire thing in AP Lit and still have no idea what it's about. 

2. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
I don't know, I just wasn't a huge fan with the way Suzanne Collins ended everything. 

3. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
I loved Jeremiah SO MUCH and she had to go and ruin him :(


4. Fifty Shades Darker by EL James
Somehow, I made it through Fifty Shades of Grey, but when I picked up the second novel of the series, I couldn't handle the redundant details/phrases and lack of originality in the writing. 

5. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
I went into this one with super high expectations because I had heard some great things about it. As soon as I started, though, I really couldn't stand the main character Greg and had no emotional attachment to any of the characters. 

6. Matched by Ally Condie 
Again, I didn't really connect with the characters and was bored by their story. I don't think I even finished this one because I couldn't get into the novel. 


7. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
This one was hard to read, but for a good reason. It was so gosh darn emotional and I became so invested in the characters! Even though I knew what happened when watching the movie, I still cried because I just remembered how I felt during those when they were happening in the book…

8. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
The only reason this one was hard to read was because I was so obsessed with it that I couldn't put it down. I was studying abroad in London at the time and would literally walk to class reading my Nook. It was annoying having to pay attention to where I was going while trying to read the story, but I just couldn't put it down!

WHY DID IT HAVE TO END???


10. Pride and Prejduice by Jane Austen
There's nothing like reading one of your absolute favorite novels for the first time. When it's over, though, you can never have the first-read experience ever again. I wanted this novel to last forever, but, sadly, it had to come to and end. Can't I just wipe Mr. Darcy from my memory so that I can fall for him all over again??? 

Monday, September 29, 2014

Holiday Heat Week Blitz + Giveaway


I am very excited to share with you four fantastic holiday novels to heat up the cold days that are sure to start moving in as Christmas looms closer and closer (less than 100 days!). Christmas is my favorite time of year and some of my favorite romance authors have written some holiday romances that I can't wait to share with you! 

Ring in the Holidays
By Molly Cannon
Summary: Psychologist Ellie Simpson is about to get a healthy dose of sex therapy. Leaving her cheating boyfriend behind, she has everything she needs for a quick rebound: Vegas, plenty of champagne, and a proposition from the sexiest man she's ever seen. As her handsome stranger helps her ring in the New Year-over and over again-Ellie finds herself blissfully losing all of her inhibitions. 

Attorney Matthew McPherson is good at making women lose things, like their minds and underwear. With his athletic build and soulful eyes, he doesn't need to use his powers of persuasion or famous last name to get a woman into bed.  But when morning comes, Matthew finds Ellie is the only woman he can't bear to leave-ever.  It's enough to make him wonder if what happens in Vegas really has to stay there.

She dropped her gaze and cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, but—”

The elevator came to a jerky stop, and she glanced over and forgot what she was about to say.

While the bright lights highlighted her flat hair and mascara- smudged eyes, they made him appear even more of a god. A god in vivid color. His skin was a smooth, even brown that no tanning product could duplicate. His lips a subtle, tempting rose that held a trace of moisture as if his tongue had just swept over them. His hair expertly cut waves of black velvet that begged for a woman’s caress. All set off by a pair of piercing green eyes. A green so vibrant and intense it reminded her of the eighteenth hole at her father’s golf course after a light spring shower. Those eyes stared straight through her as his finger slid away from the bright red stop button on the wall of the elevator.

“Did you just stop—?”

The rest of what she was going to say ended up muffled beneath firm lips as she was guided back against the wall and lifted to her toes. Unlike Riley’s gentle hunt and pecks, this man went straight to the good stuff. And the good stuff was the best she’d ever had.

She tried to remember what she was going to tell him, but his mouth wiped away all thoughts from her mind like a damp paper towel on a dry- erase board. He devoured her hungrily, leaving no room for breath or refusal. Not that she wanted to refuse him. At least, not yet. Once he ended the kiss, she would put a stop to things. But for now, she was quite happy doing exactly what she was
doing. She liked how his lips molded to hers and how his long fingers flexed at her waist with each sexy flick of his tongue. But she especially liked the way his body held her in place, the hard press of his chest, stomach, and thighs papering her against the wall.


Amazon // B&N // iTunes // Goodreads

A Christmas to Remember Anthology 
By Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, and Marilyn Pappano
Summary: Jill ShalvisDream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . . 

Kristen AshleyEvery Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . . 

Hope RamsaySilent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger. 

Molly CannonHave Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . . 

Marilyn PappanoA Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?


“Which one of these ornaments is yours?” she asked.

He took a funny- looking Santa Claus from the tree. “I made this in my third grade art class.”

Santa was made out of paper plates and construction paper. His hat was folded and bent, his beard was shaped from the rippled edge of the plate, and his button nose was falling off. Linc studied it critically, thinking it was pretty good for third grade. “I do my best work in construction paper and glue.”

“It deserves a place of honor, for sure,” she said solemnly. She reached out to take it from him and her fingers brushed his. He stopped short. It was impossible to ignore the electrical charge that zipped between them. If she’d been any other woman he wouldn’t have hesitated. He would have pulled her into his arms, crushing the silly ornament between their bodies, and kissing her right then and there.

She smiled invitingly and her lips parted a bit, enough so he could feel her soft breath on his cheek. Her eyes softened to a leaf green, and he felt his caution crumble and transform into a maddening urgency. He let the ornament fall to the ground.

Then he was kissing her. She tasted like peppermint tea and smelled like cinnamon and pine needles. Her body melded against his, her breasts pressing against his chest. He wrapped both arms around her like he was claiming something rare and long lost. His fingers tangled in her hair, pulling it from that infernal ponytail. Her mouth opened under his and while their tongues dueled, her hands roamed across his back. It wasn’t enough. Without another thought, he picked her up and headed down
the hall.

From Molly Cannon’s A MESSY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

Amazon // B&N // iTunes // Goodreads

It Happened At Christmas
By Debbie Mason
Summary: Free-spirited activist Skylar Davis is out of money and out of options. After using up her trust fund trying to save the world, she hides out in Christmas, hoping the kindness of friends will help her forget the reckless actions of her past. All goes well . . . until she comes face-to-face with one of her mistakes: the town's gorgeous young mayor.

Ethan O'Connor likes his life drama-free and predictable now that he's about to make the move from small-town politics to the Colorado State Senate. Then Skye blows back into town, as impulsive and passionate as he remembers. If word ever got out about their night together-the night he's never been able to forget-the scandal could cripple his career. Yet as he starts his campaign, Ethan finds that, like the town of Christmas itself, he can't get Skye out of his head . . . or his heart.


       He shoved his hands in his pants pockets and asked her the question that had been bugging him since he’d discovered who she was. “How come you never told me your dad was William Davis or that your real name is Kendall?”
       She gave him a bewildered look. “Why would I?”
       “Oh, I don’t know, Skye. Maybe because we spent the night together.”
       “I…,” she began, then frowned. “You’re serious.” She shrugged. “We slept together, Ethan. It’s not like we had a relationship.”
       She was right, of course. But that didn’t stop the slow burn building in his gut. Because the thing was, she had rocked his world that night. He moved closer, leaning into her. “Yeah, well, when I’m deep inside a woman and shouting her name, I’d like to know it’s the right one.”
       “Quid pro quo, Ethan. It would’ve been nice to know before we made love that you thought I was some flighty, spoiled rich girl who needed to grow up, and that the causes I supported were nothing more than a joke to you. For that matter, everything I believe in, everything I feel strongly about, you—”
       It was kind of hard to take her seriously when she was standing in front of him wearing wings, her cupcake crown sliding onto her forehead. He reached out to straighten it while fighting back a grin. “That’s not what I said. You didn’t give me a chance to explain before—”
       Her eyes widened, and she pushed his hand away, shoving the crown back on her head. “You’re doing it again. You think I’m a—”
       At the sound of someone approaching, Ethan looked up to see his mother marching toward him with Claudia in tow. “Uh, Skye,” he went to interrupt her, but she was off on a tangent and didn’t stop to take a breath.
       “You know what? I don’t care. What happened between us was a mistake, and one I have no intention of repeating. I will never sleep with you again, Ethan O’Connor.”
       Because Skye’s voice got increasingly louder the more agitated she became, his mother heard her and shot him an accusatory stare. Claudia shot him a disbelieving one. And Skye, who’d just then realized she had an audience, looked like she wanted to turn him into a toad.
       “Mom, you remember Skye, Madison’s best friend?” He gave Liz a warning look, one he hoped she wouldn’t ignore.
       “Ms. Davis.” His mother directed a tight nod at Skye and looped her arm through his. “Darling, they’re waiting for you to start the hamburger-eating contest.”
       “Hi, Mrs. O’Connor,” Skye said politely. “I have to get going too. Cake Fairy duties, you know. Have fun eating all those cows…I mean burgers.” She started to walk away, then turned and took the bottle of water from his hand. “We can’t have the senator-to-be looking less than his best, now can we?” Before he realized what she was up to, Skye unscrewed the cap and doused his shoes with water.
Ethan raised his eyes from his now-clean but soaked shoes. With a withering smile, Skye handed him the empty bottle. “When you get tired of killing poor, defenseless animals to adorn your feet, let me know. Target has a great deal on pleather ones.”
       Her mouth hanging open, his mother stared after Skye. “I can’t believe she just did that. What is wrong with that girl?” She pinched his arm. “And what is wrong with you? I can’t believe you slept—”
Ethan was only half-listening. He was too busy watching a group of kids swarm Skye. They wrapped their arms around her legs and waist, tugging on her hands. She laughed, playfully spinning in a circle as they hung off her.
       “Ethan O’Connor, get that smile off your face and stop looking at that girl,” his mother snapped. “You’re like a dog in heat.”
       “Nice, Mom, real nice,” he said, as they headed in the direction of the sign-up booth. Both women clung to his arms as if they didn’t trust him not to go chasing after Skye with his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging.
       A distinct possibility.
       Because from the first time he's laid eyes on Skylar Davis, he'd wanted her with an intensity that nearly knocked him on his ass. And once he got her in his bed, he didn't want to let her go. 

Amazon // B&N // iTunes // Goodreads

Mistletoe on Main Street
By Olivia Miles
Summary: Briar Creek's quaint shop windows, cozy homes nestled in snow, and neighborly residents are what Christmas dreams are made of--for everyone except Grace Madison. She left her hometown years ago to pursue a writing career. But when her father's death leaves his bookstore empty, Grace must return to face why she fled Vermont in the first place: Luke Hastings, who still heats her up like a shot of smoky whiskey on a cold winter's night.

Grace is back, and Luke is worried. How much has she changed as a bestselling author in the big city? What memories will she stir up? And was the choice he made five years ago the biggest mistake of his life?

Now, with their past, present, and future rocking around the Christmas tree, it's time for Grace and Luke to face the music . . . and the mistletoe.


       When he glanced over at her, she was staring into the fireplace, the dancing flames painting a warm glow on her porcelain complexion. Her eyes looked flat and far away.
       “Everything okay?” Doubt ate at him, leaving him with the twisting feeling of dread. Had she changed her mind about staying in town?
       “I was just thinking of how things played out between us, the effects they had on everything else. I—I wish I had handled it differently. I wish that I had been able to come back here.”
       He swallowed the knot in his throat, refusing to feel any more guilt. She was a big girl, she had made her choice. Besides, she had been the one to leave him first. She had set all this in motion.
       “If there is one thing I’ve learned in the past few days, it’s that regret is the worst type of emotion.” He met her eyes. “You can’t change the past, Grace, and you have to tell yourself that everything that happened led us to this moment.”
       “This moment?” she repeated.
       He held her gaze, managing a nod.
       “You’re right, I know.” She gave a sad smile. “I miss my father sometimes. I wish I could have seen him more often than his visits to New York. I wish…I’d never left.”
       Luke leaned over and tucked a strand of her hair back from her face, his fingertips tracing the smooth silk of her neck. Arousal burned deep inside him, and his pulse quickened. He reached over and took her wineglass from her hands, setting it on the coffee table. She stared into his eyes, expectation parting her mouth. He met her lips with his, their contact so light it was almost imperceptible, save the shiver that zipped down his spine at the sensation.
       He grazed her mouth, slowly bringing her full lips to his. His hand came around her slim waist, his fingers warming at the softness of her sweater, itching to slide the material away and experience the even softer skin beneath.
       She sighed into him and he parted her lips with his tongue, slowly lacing his tongue with hers and then pulling away to gaze into her eyes. The green of her irises shone in the firelight, the flames reflecting in the flecks of gold around her pupils. She lowered her eyes, smiling shyly, and her long, black lashes dusted the apples of her cheeks. He leaned in again as arousal burned deep and pressed her into his chest. He could feel every curve of her body as her ripe, firm breasts rose and fell with heavy breaths. He lowered his hand, caressing her waist, her hips, and then higher, to trace the contours of her breast and the swanlike arch of her neck. He kissed her lips, her neck, her ear, breathing deep into her skin, memorizing every taste of her skin, every touch.
       The buzzing from the timer on the oven stirred his attention from her, and he groaned. He pulled away, throwing her a bashful grin. “We’re being chaperoned,” he said.

Amazon // B&N // iTunes // Goodreads

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