To Charm a Naughty Countess (+Giveaway)

It’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

Season For Scandal Tour And Giveaway

I’m delighted to be participating in author Theresa Romain’s  Lit Connect Virtual Book Tour for her new historical romance novel, SEASON FOR SCANDAL.

This is Book #3 in Theresa’s Holiday Pleasures series. SEASON FOR SCANDAL, published by Kensington Zebra, released this week and is available in print and digital formats.

Here’s a brief description of SEASON FOR SCANDAL……

UNLADYLIKE RISK
    Jane Tindall has never had money of her own or exceptional beauty. Her gifts are more subtle: a mind like an abacus, a talent for play-acting—and a daring taste for gambling. But all the daring in the world can’t help with the cards fixed against her.
    And when Edmund Ware, Baron Kirkpatrick, unwittingly spoils her chance to win a fortune, her reputation is ruined too. Or so she thinks, until he suggests a surprising mode of escape: a hasty marriage. To him. On the surface, their wedding would seem to satisfy all the demands of proper society, but as the Yuletide approaches, secrets and scandals turn this proper marriage into a very improper affair.

Theresa has graciously answered some questions about her book and writing, and then she’ll share about the wonderful giveaway being held with her tour.

Mason - When writing a series, is the first book the hardest or do the installments get harder as you go, especially if you make each book where it can be read as a standalone while tying to the other books?

Theresa:
A little of both! With the first book in a series, a whole world of characters, buildings, personalities, and traditions have to be created. That requires a greater level of planning, but also a greater freedom, because (within the bounds of history) anything is possible. Because later stories in the series have those ground rules established, the writing might go a little more quickly but there are some things that can’t be done. 

Jane, the heroine of SEASON FOR SCANDAL, appeared in my previous holiday romance as a brash, blunt-spoken poor relation with a talent for acting and a not-so-secret love for longtime family friend Edmund. When it was time to write her story, it had to suit the personality I’d written for her—which was fun. In SEASON FOR SCANDAL, Jane and Edmund wind up in a marriage of convenience and begin to see each other in a whole new way.

Mason - With the book’s release, as you look back what was the biggest surprise that occurred while you were writing the story?

Theresa:
I had a story arc planned out for Jane and Edmund’s marriage and the way it would fall apart. But as I wrote, the things that drove them apart surprised me. There were more layers to their relationship than I had ever expected. As they got to know each other in a more honest way, I was getting to know them too!

Mason - Have you always wanted to write or was there an event that lead you to writing?

Theresa:
I’ve always made up stories, but I never thought of being a writer—even though my parents have both written books, so they set that

example for me. When I was in grad school, I researched and wrote huge amounts of nonfiction. Once I graduated, I missed the writing. That’s when I started thinking about what I’d enjoy writing next. The obvious answer was historical romance, because that was my favorite sort of book to read for fun. It took me nine months to plod through the first draft of my first romance novel, which I’m sure read more like nonfiction than a love story! Next lots of revising and rewriting, then more and more stories.


Mason - How would you encourage someone who has never read your genre to give it a try?

Theresa:
I’d mention that most people enjoy romance, even if they don’t realize it. What would Star Wars be without the witty flirtation between Han and Leia? Or Casablanca and Gone with the Wind without the heartbreaking love stories at their center? If I learn about a person’s favorite stories, I can usually think of a romance he or she might enjoy. The great thing about the romance genre is that there’s a story for every time period, age, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, and heat level a reader might prefer.

Mason - What can readers look forward to next from you?

Theresa:
I’m very glad to be working on two series right now. My next “Matchmaker” historical romance, TO CHARM A NAUGHTY COUNTESS, is a Pygmalion story with a rakish heroine and a super-responsible duke. That’ll be out in May 2014, and in October 2014, my next holiday historical romance will be released. My books all stand on their own, so readers can jump in at any point in a series.

Theresa, thanks so much for joining us today and sharing this look at how SEASON FOR SCANDAL came about. I like that you got to know your characters as they developed.

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, where she is working on her next book. Last month she began a new historical romance trilogy with IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE.  

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

GIVEAWAY DETAILS….
One commenter per the total number of tour stops will win a signed print copy of SEASON FOR SCANDAL, open internationally. Additionally, Theresa is generously offering a Grand Prize of all three Season books (signed print copies), open internationally! You can find all the tour stops here!

Please follow the Rafflecopter widget for ways to enter, as well as for Terms and Conditions.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway


SEASON FOR SCANDAL can be found on Goodreads and purchased at the following locations:
    Print: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Books-A-Million, IndieBound, Kensington, Posman books, Powell’s, and Watermark.
    EBook: ibook, Kensington, Kindle, and Nook.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Have you ever considered just how much romance is woven into other genres?

It Takes Two To Tangle Twitter Party & More

It’s a pleasure to be a part of author Theresa Romain’s Lit Connect Release-Day Twitter Party as she kicks off her new historical romance Matchmaker Trilogy with the release of IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE.

In this passionate Regency take on the tale of Cyrano de Bergerac, a wounded ex-soldier has no luck with his courtship of the ton’s beauty until he begins receiving secret letters. But are they from the woman he imagines…or from her widowed companion, who just might be everything he dreams of?

Here’s a brief description of IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE: 

   WOOING THE WRONG WOMAN…     
   Henry Middlebrook is back from fighting Napoleon, ready to re-enter London society where he left it. Wounded and battle weary, he decides that the right wife is all he needs. Selecting the most desirable lady in the ton, Henry turns to her best friend and companion to help him with his suit…
    IS A TERRIBLE MISTAKE…    
    Young and beautiful, war widow Frances Whittier is no stranger to social intrigue. She finds Henry Middlebrook courageous and manly, unlike the foppish aristocrats she is used to, and is inspired to exercise her considerable wit on his behalf. But she may be too clever for her own good, and Frances discovers that she has set in motion a complicated train of events that’s only going to break her own heart…

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE is listed as a Regency-set historical romance with tones of passionate, witty, and romance. The heat level could be considered sensual containing love scenes with euphemisms. Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE is Book One in the Matchmaker Trilogy and is available in digital and print formats.

The book can be found on Goodreads and can be purchased at the following locations:
Print: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Books-A-Million. Chapters Indigo, IndieBound, Posman Books, Powell’s, and Watermark.
EBook:  iBook, Kindle, and Nook.

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, where she is working on her next book. This September, she’ll begin a new historical romance trilogy with IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE. In October, her third holiday historical romance—SEASON FOR SCANDAL—will be released.

For more on Theresa and her writing, you can connect with her on her website, Facebook or Twitter.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
    This excerpt stop is part of the IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE Twitter party celebration and does not have its own giveaway.
    You can find the pre-registration event with full giveaway information at http://events.litconnect.com/twitter-party-it-takes-two-to-tangle-by-theresa-romain-historical-regency-romance/ 
    PLEASE NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 6 P.M. (EST) TODAY, SEPT. 3.

OTHER EXCERPT STOPS:
* Romancing Rakes for the Love of Romance
* Urban Girl Reader
* Book Lovin' Mamas
* TBQ's Book Palace

Here’s a teaser from IT TAKES TWO TO TANGLE to entice your reading appetite. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!!

    

She turned her body to face his, hooking her knee up onto the sofa and bumping his hip again. And as she watched him with those bright eyes, shadowed under the candlelight from that mocking bronze eagle, she slid her hands onto his legs.
     Henry held himself perfectly still, certain he was forgetting something important.
     Oh, right. Breathing. Blinking. And probably eventually he should say something.
     His throat felt rusty and dry. He could feel every one of her fingertips on his skin, as though they had burned through his trousers. Combustible as he felt, he might have burned through them himself.
     “I can see the edge of your garter,” he rasped. He couldn’t look away from the loop of ivory ribbon peeking beneath her ruched skirts.
     “An incidental bonus,” Frances said. “The cursed skirts were in my way.” Her fingers began to wander, stroke, dance up his thighs. If Henry had not been sitting down, his knees would surely have unhinged.
     “Well. Shall we continue?” he finally managed to say.
     Frances clapped her hands over her mouth, but not soon enough to stifle a snort of laughter. “Indeed, yes, Mr. Middlebrook. That would please me above all things.”
     Now it was his turn to groan. “Me as well.”
     Grinning, she found his thigh again, slid her hands up a bit more.
     He flinched. He couldn’t help it. He felt stung with disbelief, but this time… this time it was good. Amazing.
     She froze when he flinched, and she started to lift her hands.
     “Don’t,” he said. His voice sounded harsh. “Please,” he said more softly. “Please.” He sounded as if he was begging. He had no pride now, none at all.
     She listened to him. She always listened. She leaned closer, just as he hoped, and she kissed him again as her fingertips clenched halfway up his thighs, clawing ten holes in his reserve.
     She nipped at his lip, and he moaned. Her skin was as warm and soft as a peach under the summer sun, and he tasted her, sipping at her mouth, nibbling at her jawline until she sighed and pressed closer, her chest brushing his.
     He wrapped an arm around her—his only arm, all he had—and tugged her closer, until she was almost sitting on his lap. He could not draw her any closer lest she notice his arousal. Kisses at a ball were nothing more than many people shared. They were a simple pleasure, as ephemeral as a breeze, soon forgotten.
     But not to Henry. Not after three years gone and long years alone. If she knew how hungry he was, and how parched, she would be terrified by the force of his need. He was starving; he was dying of thirst, and she was a feast, and as crisp as cool water.