Wednesday, May 7, 2014

To Charm a Naughty Countess (+Giveaway)



TCANC book coverIt’s always a delight to welcome author Theresa Romain back to Thoughts in Progress. Today she joins us on her Lit Connect Virtual Book Tour for her latest release, TO CHARM a NAUGHTY COUNTESS.

As part of the tour stop, Theresa is sharing an excerpt from her book and also providing an awesome giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway details.

TO CHARM a NAUGHTY COUNTESS is a regency-set historical romance with a passionate and lighthearted tone. Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, the book hit the bookshelves Tuesday, May 6. This is the second installment in Theresa’s Matchmaker trilogy.

Here’s a brief synopsis:

CAN A RECLUSIVE DUKE …
        Brilliant but rumored mad, Michael Layward, the impoverished Duke of Wyverne, has no success courting heiresses until widowed Lady Stratton takes up his cause–after first refusing his suit.

WIN LONDON’S MOST POWERFUL COUNTESS?
        Caroline Graves, the popular Countess of Stratton, sits alone at the pinnacle of London society and has vowed never to remarry. When Michael–her counterpart in an old scandal–returns to town after a long absence, she finds herself as enthralled with him as ever. As she guides the anxiety-ridden duke through the trials of society, Caroline realizes that she’s lost her heart. But if she gives herself to the only man she’s ever loved, she’ll lose the hard-won independence she prizes above all.

TO CHARM a NAUGHTY COUNTESS can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Book Depository, iBooks, Sourcebooks, Indiebound, and Goodreads.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest.

For more on Theresa and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

You can also connect with Theresa tonight (Wednesday, May 7) during a special TWITTER PARTY held from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m. (EST) using the #NaughtyCountess. For more information, click HERE.

AN EXCERPT …

      “What on earth is the matter, Michael?”
      “I don’t care for your society type of ball.”
      She should have realized that a man ill at ease with touch would not care for the press of crowds or the din of voices. “Ah. That’s why you were out on the terrace at Applewood House. You were escaping.”
      He pressed at his temple with the heel of one hand. “I was enjoying the weather.”
      “Rubbish,” said Caroline. “No one’s enjoying the weather this year, especially not you. Very well, let me consider this. Because you will have to take part in society if you are ever to be accepted by it.”
      She fiddled with the bugled trim that adorned the skirt of her gown. Michael swallowed heavily, watching her fingers.
      “All right,” she decided. “We’ll figure this out using one of your scientific methods, as we did with the whispering.”
      “You didn’t figure out anything related to the whispering. You only said something coarse to amuse me.”
      Coarse? He had no idea. But she only smiled as though he’d caught her in a pleasant little trick. “If you were amused, then I am delighted. But let us call it a hypothesis too. That sounds like something you might enjoy. You do enjoy dealing in hypotheses, do you not?”
      He inclined his head, giving her permission to continue.
      “My hypothesis, Michael, is that when people whisper about you, it is because they are either admiring you or are intimidated by you. They hope, yet fear, that you will take notice of them.
      A word from you, a few minutes at your side, can give them a memory to feast upon for long days ahead.”
      Thus she revealed her long-ago self to him, cloaking it in wrong pronouns and false hypotheticals. Though her memories had held their sweetness only for a short time; they had long since grown stale. She was determined not to let them become bitter, though. She had gained too much to dwell on that old loss.
      And it was sweet again to have him watch her so intently. “That is what you truly think?” His lips pressed together; his dark lashes shadowed his cheekbones with every blink.
      She ached to take away the pressure and the shadows, to learn every angle of his body and mind.


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Theresa is generously gifting all five of her books to one lucky commenter!
*Season for Temptation
*Season for Surrender
*Season for Scandal
*It Takes Two to Tangle
*To Charm a Naughty Countess


The giveaway is open internationally. To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the directions. It may take the widget a few seconds to load, please be patient.


Thanks so much for visiting. What is it about regency-set historical romances that draws you in? Do you like the setting, the language or just the whole atmosphere of the era?


*This post contains affiliate links. a Rafflecopter giveaway

16 comments:

  1. Thank you for the chance to win these books, they look good to me. I think part of what I like about this period is the sense of romance. I like their dress and the the history from this time period. (the facebook party you asked to promote and join was actually yesterday the 6th)

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    1. Angela, that time period does have a great sense of romance that we seem to be missing today. I'm not sure about a Facebook party, but all my material says the Twitter party is today.

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    2. Mason Canyon--thank you for hosting today!

      Angela, I love to explore the differences between out time and the Regency. That's one of the things that makes writing historicals interesting to me.

      And you are both right!--there was a Facebook party last night, and tonight there will be a Twitter party. Hope you'll be able to join up.

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  2. Replies
    1. Alex, you're so right. It could be an intriguing movie.

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  3. Theresa, it's always a great pleasure to welcome you back to Thoughts in Progress. Wishing you much success.

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    1. Thanks so much! I really enjoy visiting you.

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  4. Mason - There's just something about certain eras that just lend themselves to romance novels. I wish Theresa much success.

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  5. we do like and support everything naughty!

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  6. Love the cover on this book. I love the romance of the era. Oh, and the fashion. It had to be fun wearing dresses of that era. The only thing I wouldn't like is changing clothes 4-5 times a day! Way too much for me.

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  7. I love the whole atmosphere of the era because it gives me the opportunity to escape my dull and ordinary life of being a working mother.

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  8. The covers from Matchmaker trilogy are wonderful! :)
    Thank you for the great post :)

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  9. I like the Regency period, but I do read historicals from other eras. The Regency seems to have a certain panache in its characters and atmosphere.

    Thanks for visiting, Theresa. I enjoyed the excerpt and look forward to reading more.

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  10. Looks like a great read - I love the character's expression on the cover!

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  11. Hi Theresa and Mason!
    Great excerpt, thanks for sharing with us.
    I have all your books, lucky me!
    Best of luck to all the commenters, who ever wins, you're going to enjoy your books!
    Have fun as you continue on your book blog Theresa! :-)

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  12. Everything about Regency period draws me in - so the atmosphere. I love the bits of history along with the different rules everyone had to follow.

    Loved the excerpt! Thanks!

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post. Thanks for dropping by.