Category Archives: New Release

New Release from Anna St. Claire

20 Tuesday Oct 2020

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Today I’d like to introduce you to author Anna St. Claire who has a new release for your reading pleasure! Enjoy this excerpt from Lyon’s Prey.

Excerpt:

What is taking the miserable doctor so long? Evan Prescott, the fifth Earl of Clarendon, poured another measure of brandy and took a long sip. The heartbreaking screaming coming from upstairs had gone on for hours. Rogue tears slid down his face as he stared at the open door to his study, and he brushed them aside. He wanted it to be over for her. 

Evan had sent for her family and his, but the weather was making it difficult for anyone to get there. He only hoped the doctor would make it soon. The frosted glass of the large windows drew him, conflicting with the warmth of the room and the brandy. He rubbed some frost away with the side of the hand holding the brandy to peer outside. The pristine beauty of the snow and full moon offered a sharp contrast to the terror he felt inside. Heavy snow covered everything, leaving an almost fairy tale quality to the grounds glimmering beneath the moonlight. It had been snowing all day and showed no signs of letting up.

A throat cleared behind him, and he turned to see his butler, Bernard, standing near him. 

“My lord, the doctor has arrived. His carriage got stuck in a snowdrift, and he had to leave it and walk the rest of the way. He is about the size of your father, so I ordered some dry clothes for him. Do you wish to speak with him before he goes upstairs?”

“Thank God! Thank you for getting him some warm clothes. My needs are all upstairs. Please send him to my wife at once.”

A piercing scream rent the air, causing both men to jump. 

“Immediately, please. She needs him now.” 

“Right away, my lord.” The older man scrambled to move quickly but knew only one speed. 

Unable to control his growing frustration, Evan walked to the door and stuck his head into the hall. “Good God, man. Hurry.” He immediately regretted his action, even though the sound of footsteps almost running away from his door felt more satisfying. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the fireplace and leaned against it, staring as the flames licked wood and ricocheted off the back of the chimney and into the night sky. Evan pressed the now warm glass of brandy to his forehead to dispatch a pounding headache, feeling a weakness he had never known before. 

“God, please pull her through this,” he said aloud to himself. While he was not deeply religious, Amelia was. “I promise to be a better man; please do not take my wife away.” He swiped at the tears that ran down his face. 

Thoughts flooded his mind. Amelia had pronounced the house ready for Christmastide, having been on her feet against his wishes, supervising the footmen and maids as they assembled boughs throughout the house. “It is snowing, and you know how I love it. Will you take me on a sleigh ride?” Amelia had pleaded. She wanted fresh air, tired from the bedrest of the past four months. They even joked about how they may not get another sleigh ride like this for a while after the baby came. 

Rather than disappoint her, he ordered the sleigh and horses brought around, and the two took a ride into the village and purchased trinkets for the baby. 

His wife wanted a little boy that looked like him, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Evan wanted a girl, one that had rosy cheeks, blue eyes, and curly blonde hair like her mother. A son could come later, if that was what happened. He could cherish a house full of girls that all resembled their mother. His own mother was pushing for a son to carry on the family name, constantly reminding him of their duty to produce an heir. Amelia would gently respond that she would do her best. His wife understood his mother, something he struggled to comprehend, yet was always grateful for. 

Memories clawed at him. The two of them had had the road to themselves that afternoon, laughing and kissing as they rode with the snow swirling around them. The clop-clop of the horses’ hooves rhythmically hitting the earth created a romantic, memorable moment. 

“This is the most wonderful day, Evan,” Amelia enthused, snuggling closer under the blanket. “Tell me again that you will be all right if this turns out to be a girl instead of a boy.” 

Evan lightly touched her pert red nose with his forefinger. “Yes, darling. I love this child, whatever it may be. I mean that.” He kissed her nose, basking in her smile.

They spent the afternoon discussing names again, cuddling together under the thick cover as the driver took them on roads, some with perfectly shaped canopies covered in fluffy snow crystals. It had been a day full of beauty and only the hundredth time they had discussed names in a fortnight. They both liked the name Jason, after his father. However, she liked Edward, saying it was a potent name, and as his second name, it was her favored choice. They decided if it was a girl, the baby would take Amelia’s mother’s name. By the time they returned, he realized that they had still made no decision on the boy’s name, but it mattered not. They would meet the babe first. 

Stark quiet invaded his thoughts. How long has Dr. Pembroke been up there? It is too quiet. Unable to wait another minute, Evan threw his drink into the fire and hurried from his office, taking the steps two at a time, praying. The thirsty wail of a baby caused him to stop and look up. There are no voices. He reached his wife’s room in a trice and flung open the door. 

Amelia’s lifeless body lay on sheets still pooled with blood. 

“My lord, she . . .” Her maid’s tear-stained face saw him approaching, and she hurried away from the body to stand near the wall.

 “No!” he howled, moving Amelia’s hands to his shoulders and pulling her up to him as he cried into her damp blonde hair. 

Dr. Pembroke put a hand on his shoulder, and he pushed it away. There was no comfort. He could have no life without Amelia. 

A weak cry sounded behind him, and he tried to turn from Amelia to see the baby. 

“My lord, you have a son,” the midwife whispered brokenly, offering the small child to him.

Swiping at his face, he looked down at the bundle of wrinkled pink skin. Carefully laying his wife back down, he reached for the baby. Blue eyes framed by tiny wisps of blond hair looked into his face, and a small hand grabbed his finger and held on. 

“Edward. You are Edward.” He smoothed back the baby’s hair as the door opened.

His sister had arrived. Through swollen eyes, he watched her glance first at Amelia, then at Edward before rushing to his side.

“She is gone. My Amelia is gone,” he cried hoarsely, thrusting the baby into her arms. “I need air,” he croaked, looking down once more at the bed and noticing the rattle and cloth doll he and Amelia had purchased just that day. “Please understand.”

I am broken. 

Enter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made… unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON’S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives… and loves.

Haunted by his wife’s death, he vowed to never marry again…until he meets her!

Evan Prescott, the fifth Earl of Clarendon lost his wife during the birth of their child. Broken, Evan seeks solace in the Lyon’s Den, a world of drink, cards, and excess—where wins and losses are easier to navigate than responsibilities. Overconfident and in his cups, he makes a bet that will change his life. 

Still mourning the loss of her father and elder brother…

Lady Charlotte Grisham saves her young brother from the path of a speeding carriage. In a fit of pique, she throws propriety to the wind and storms up the steps of the owner’s London townhouse—and meets the man that upends her world.

The stars align when his high stakes bet and her lapse in judgement give the Black Widow of Whitehall the perfect opportunity to spin her web of hearts, while untold danger lurks a step behind. 

Can a marriage of convenience give rise to love in time to avoid deadly disaster?

(Note: This is an introductory novella to the Rakes of Mayhem Series -The Earl of Excess, Book One, coming soon!)

Buy Link: https://amzn.to/33FlSZG

About Anna St. Claire

Anna St.Claire is a big believer that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. She sprinkles her stories with laughter, romance, mystery and lots of possibilities, adhering to the belief that goodness, love, dark chocolate and popcorn will win the day. 

Anna is both an avid reader author of American and British historical romance. She and her husband live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their two dogs and often, their two beautiful granddaughters, who live nearby. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, and Mimi–all life roles that Anna St. Claire relishes and feels blessed to still enjoy. And she loves her pets – dogs and cats alike. 

Anna relocated from New York to the Carolinas as a child. Her mother, a retired English, and History teacher, always encouraged Anna’s interest in writing, after discovering short stories she would write in her spare time. 

As a child, she loved mysteries and checked out every Encyclopedia Brown story that came into the school library. Before too long, her fascination with history and reading led her to her first historical romance–Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, now a treasured, but weathered book from being read multiple times. The day she discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss,’ books, Shanna and Ashes In The Wind, Anna became hooked. She read every historical romance that came her way and dreams of writing her own historical romances took seed.

Today, her focus is primarily on the Regency and Civil War eras, although Anna enjoys almost any period in American and British history. She would love to connect with any of her readers at these social media outlets:

Website: www.annastclaire.com
email–annastclaireauthor@gmail.com
BookBub – www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-st-claire
Twitter – @1AnnaStClaire
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorannastclaire/
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Anna-St-Claire/e/B078WMRHHF?ref=

New preorder from Sherry Ewing

13 Sunday Sep 2020

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♥¸.•*´💖 *•.¸♥¸.•*´*  **•.¸♥¸.•*´💖 *•.¸♥

It’s always a good day when I get to put up another story for preorder. The Piper’s Lady was previously in the Bluestocking Belles’ boxset Never Too Late. I’ve now given Coira and Garrick a proper happily ever after ending by extending this sweet novella!

True love binds them. Deceit divides them. Will they choose love?

Lady Coira Norwood spent her youth traveling with her grandfather. Now well past the age men prefer when they choose a wife, she has resigned herself to remain a maiden. But everything changes once she arrives at Berwyck Castle. She cannot resist a dashing knight who runs to her rescue, but would he give her a second look?

Garrick of Clan MacLaren can hold his own with the trained Knights of Berwyck, but as the clan’s piper they would rather he play his instruments to entertain them—or lead them into battle—than to fight with a sword upon the lists. Only when he sees a lady across the training field and his heart sings for the first time does he begin to wish to be something he is not.

Will a simple misunderstanding between them threaten what they have found in one another or will they at last let love into their hearts?

This novella was previously released in the Bluestocking Belles boxset, Never Too Late. It has been revised with additional material and an alternative ending. The Piper’s Lady is now being released for individual sale.

Release Date: November 17, 2020
Preorder for $2.99

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3k11es5
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2Fs1l1a
Apple Books: https://apple.co/32fFMJT
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2GNWzvw

AU: https://amzn.to/32j9Vs
BR: https://amzn.to/2FqcvDe
CA: https://amzn.to/3maunmS
DE: https://amzn.to/2DNii5C
ES: https://amzn.to/32gvKbH
FR: https://amzn.to/33hIBcZ
IN: https://amzn.to/3k0avRl
IT: https://amzn.to/33cwFcq
JP: https://amzn.to/3hmcY76
MX: https://amzn.to/3h8Wa3e
NL: https://amzn.to/3herOME
UK: https://amzn.to/32fKiYM

Happy Release Day ~ Love Will Find You!

19 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, New Release

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It’s sometimes hard to believe that Love Will Find You: The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time (Book Four) will mark my 16th story that’s been published since 2014. That feeling of launching another book baby out into the world never gets old, including holding a print copy in my hands.

Love Will Find You was a long time in the making. I know my readers have been patiently waiting for another book in my medieval or time travel series. But this full-length novel took on a life of its own and became very complicated. I had to ensure that the timeline of this book stayed consistent throughout my series. My editor, Jude Knight, did a remarkable job to make sure it did. I hope you feel that it was worth the wait!

Happy Book Birthday, Love Will Find You!

Love Will Find You:
The Knights of Berwyck,
A Quest Through Time (Book Four)

Sometimes a moment is all we have…

Ella Fitzpatrick is a woman with a secret. As she comes and goes from Berwyck Castle, seeking refuge within its gates, she yearns to be reunited with the one for whom she crossed time from the twenty-first century. She has lived another lifetime in the twelfth century waiting for the date of their reunion and it is almost upon her. But how could she have known the man she believes she loves is not the person she needs?

Killian of Clan MacLaren has been infatuated with Ella for many a year but has guarded his heart, knowing her affection lies with another. When Ella must flee Berwyck, Killian vows to escort her to her encounter with destiny. But passion flares between them and there is no doubt the bond they have is far greater than either of them expected.

Their time together is running out. Killian has a decision to make that might give him and Ella a future together. If you could change someone’s past, would you seize the moment?

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Apple Books  | Barnes & Noble |  Kobo

Amazon AU  |  Amazon BR  | Amazon CA  |  Amazon  DE  | Amazon ES  | Amazon FR  | Amazon IN  | Amazon IT  |  Amazon JP  |  Amazon MX  |  Amazon NL  |  Amazon UK

New Release from Cathy and DD MacRae & a Giveaway!

13 Wednesday May 2020

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It’s always my pleasure to share the love of a new release from my friends. Today we’re celebrating the book birthday of The Prince’s Highland Bride by Cathy and DD MacRae. This novel will be on sale for a few days so be sure to grab it while you can before the price goes up. I just love this cover, don’t you? Here’s an excerpt for your reading enjoyment!

Excerpt:

“Marry ye?” The words spilled in a whoosh of disbelief before she could stop them.

Phillipe raised a brow. “’Twould not be the hardship ye seem to envision.”

Maggie swallowed, pulled her hands free. She flattened them against the cold stone at her back. “I dinnae know what to say.”

“Might I hazard the thought ye care for me a bit? Ye did say ye’d missed me.”

A teasing glint lit his eyes.

“I willnae deny it.” She glanced down, then back to him from beneath her lashes. “There is something between us that speeds my heart. Compels me to listen for yer step.”

“And what else, mon coeur?” Phillipe eased closer until the hem of her gown fluttered intimately about his feet.

Maggie’s skin tingled. Her lips parted, silent words pouring forth. 

It pulls me to yer presence—yers and none other’s—begs for yer touch—for yer kiss.

As though he’d heard all she hadn’t said, Phillipe’s head lowered until his lips skimmed hers. Rough silk. Coarse hairs of his beard lightly tickled her skin. The sensation was exhilarating—and completely unsatisfying. Maggie leaned closer, needing the fullness of his touch, the heat of his mouth. His lips firmed beneath hers, parted slightly. Their tongues touched, polite query, then tangled in a flurry of passion.

She pressed against him and his arms encircled her waist, pulling her tight.

A moment later, he released her. “This . . . this will require more honesty, Maggie. A story ye must know before ye answer me yea or nae.”

The Prince’s Highland Bride
by Cathy and DD MacRae

He abandoned his crown to begin a new life. She sought a place to heal her heart. Love was the last thing on their minds.

Phillipe de Poitiers, a prince of Antioch, finds himself a breath away from wrongful execution. Risking everything, he leaves behind his crown, his family, his country—and a body sworn to be his by the Bishop, himself.

Free of court intrigue and drawn to Scotland by memories of a woman who once possessed his heart, Phillipe sells his sword to pay for his travels and accepts the task of guarding the daughter of Laird MacLaren.

When Maggie MacLaren’s abusive marriage fails, she wants nothing more than to retire to her childhood home on the banks of Loch Lomond. Trouble follows her, putting her clan in danger, and she travels to the Isle of Hola, placing her safety in the hands of a mysterious mercenary with a haunted smile and a kind heart.

As Maggie and Phillipe struggle with their pasts, love blooms. But when a pirate’s treasure offers a seductive lure, will it free them—or prove the downfall of all they hold dear?

Phillipe of Antioch, briefly king of Cilicia, would be remembered by the world as an arrogant, presumptuous man, poisoned two years after his marriage to the queen of Cilicia, accused of crimes against his adopted country. This re-imagined telling of Phillipe’s life, one of court intrigue, distrust, and the lust for power, shines a different light (and ending) on the tale.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amzn.com/dp/B086Z153VH
Kobo:  https://bit.ly/TPHB_Kobo
Barnes & Noble:  https://bit.ly/TPHB_B_N

Author Bios:

Cathy MacRae is the award-winning, best-selling author of Scottish historical romance novels. Her books are known for their strong heroines and deeply researched storylines.

Writing with long-time partner DD MacRae, their Hardy Heroines series has fascinated readers and earned glowing critical reviews. A series linked by their strong women set against pivotal times in Scotland’s history, it has garnered its fair share of critical acclaim.

DD MacRae enjoys bringing history to life and considers research one of the best things about writing a story! With more than 35 years of martial arts training, DD also brings breath-taking action to the tales.

You can connect with DD through www.cathymacraeauthor.com. It’s always exciting to hear from readers!

Other social links:

Facebook    (https://www.facebook.com/cathy.macrae.58)

Twitter: @CMacRaeAuthor

Instagram: cathymacrae_author

Amazon author page       (https://amazon.com/author/cathymacrae)

Pinterest.      (https://www.pinterest.com/authorcathymacrae/)

Bookbub   (https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathy-macrae)

Giveaway Opportunity

To be in the running for your choice of an eBook from Cathy, be sure to leave her a comment and a winner will be chosen randomly tomorrow.

New Release from Caroline Warfield!

07 Thursday May 2020

Posted by in 2020, New Release

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What a great surprise to learn that I didn’t have to wait until October to read my friend Caroline Warfield’s latest release. Music on the Waters hit my Kindle last night and I can’t wait to read it. Be sure to grab yourself a copy and congratulations, Caroline!

Music on the Waters
By Caroline Warfield
Available now for $0.99

Sir Alexander Bradshaw, solid Scots merchant, needs to acquire a wife, a sensible woman who can manage his unruly sons and sullen daughter. As Orkney’s long, dark winter approaches with no suitable candidates, an acquaintance suggests a music teacher might occupy his daughter. He embraces at the idea.

Ann Dunwood let herself be lured to Orkney by the opportunity to play The Kirkwall Organ. For the beauty of the instrument, she can endure the tedium of choirs and parishioners who wish only for the most banal of hymns; she’s done it before. She knows how to fade into the shadows and keep to her place.

When Alec comes upon her filling the cathedral with a Bach fugue he is enchanted by the magical creature at the keyboard. The object of his fascination sinks into a demure young woman when the music ends. Alec determines to get the magical creature back, and quickly discovers she can fill his life with the music it sorely needs. How long before their solos become a duet?

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086SGRWSG/

Bio:

Traveler, would-be adventurer, former tech writer and library technology professional, Caroline Warfield has now retired to the urban wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania, and divides her time between writing and seeking adventures with her grandbuddy. In her newest series, Children of Empire, three cousins torn apart by lies find their way home from the far corners of the British Empire, finding love along the way.

She has works published by Soul Mate Publishing and also independently published works. In addition she has participated in five group anthologies, one not yet published.

For more about the series and all of Caroline’s books, look here:

https://www.carolinewarfield.com/bookshelf/

Happy Release Day ~ Fire & Frost

04 Tuesday Feb 2020

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It’s always a great day to celebrate when you release a new book baby into the world (although my brother would say it’s in honor of his birthday ~ Happy Birthday, Tim).

The Bluestocking Belles and I are pleased to release our latest collection, Fire & Frost. Taking place during the last Frost Fair of 1814, you’ll find five stories to give you hours of reading pleasure. My contribution to the set is A Second Chance At Love with Viscount Digby Osgood and Lady Constance Whittles whom you first met in Under the Mistletoe. Be sure to read to the end to learn about our blog hope and contest!

Be sure to grab your copy for only $0.99 and remember that with your purchase a percentage of the sales will go to our mutual charity The Malala Fund.

Fire & Frost: A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Only $0.99!

In a winter so cold the Thames freezes over, five couples venture onto the ice in pursuit of love to warm their hearts.

Love unexpected, rekindled, or brand new—even one that’s a whack on the side of the head—heats up the frigid winter. After weeks of fog and cold, all five stories converge on the ice at the 1814 Frost Fair when the ladies’ campaign to help the wounded and unemployed veterans of the Napoleonic wars culminates in a charity auction that shocks the high sticklers of the ton.

In their 2020 collection, join the Bluestocking Belles and their heroes and heroines as The Ladies’ Society For The Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans pursues justice, charity, and soul-searing romance.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day 2020 with five interconnected Regency romances.

A Second Chance At Love

Viscount Digby Osgood returns to London after a two-year absence, planning to avoid the woman he courted and then left. Surely she has moved on with her life; even married by now. A bit of encouragement from a friend, however, pushes him to seek the lady out. Can she ever forgiven him and give them a second chance at love?

Lady Constance Whittles has only cared for one man in her life. Even after he broke her heart, it remains fixed on him. Another man tries to replace him, but she soon learns she can never feel for him a shadow of what she still feels for Digby. One brief encounter with Digby confirms it; she is more than willing to forgive him. Can they truly take up where they left off?

Charity projects and a Frost Fair on the Thames bring them together, but another stands in their way. Will he tear them apart?

Fire & Frost Buy links:

Amazon US  |  Apple Books  | Barnes & Noble | Kobo  | Smashwords

Amazon Global:

AU BR CA DE ES FR IN IT JP MX NL UK

How about a blog hop & contest to celebrate?

Read and comment on five original pieces relating to our stories at each hop, comment on the Belles’ blog and you’ll be in the running for a $50 Amazon gift card. We’re keeping this contest open until Saturday, February 8th. Start the hop here!

The Book Palace on Ice for Imaginative and Curious Minds

02 Sunday Feb 2020

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Lord Digby Osgood held tightly to the lady on his arm after she lost her footing on the ice. He gave her a reassuring smile silently telling her he would never let her fall.  Lady Constance Whittles murmured a soft thank you and Digby swore his heart flipped end over end when she moved a little closer to his side.

They continued on their way through the stalls of the Frost Fair. It had already been a fun-filled day despite the cold weather. They had enjoyed the Tea Shoppe on the Ice followed by the stall featuring Anna’s Hot Roasted Chestnuts. He had been more than thrilled when they had come upon Wilfred Bagshotts Portraits on Demand and he insisted Lady Constance sit for a drawing. The miniature was now tucked away in his coat and he would see that it was properly framed once he returned home.

But when they came upon The Book Palace on Ice for Imaginative and Curious Minds, a squeal of delight escaped Constance’s lips. Digby could not refuse her plea to take only a small peek at what the stall had to offer. Small peek, indeed. He should have known the lady would become lost in the makeshift bookstore the moment she stepped foot inside. Digby had been waiting for the past twenty minutes. Not that he minded. Constance loved her books and he would deny her nothing as long as she was happy.

“Checking out my sister’s competition, Lord Osgood?” That voice held a hint of sarcasm but still remained civil enough to not offend.

Digby turned and saw none other than Samuel Clemens, the editor and owner of The Teatime Tattler. “Mr. Clemens,” Digby replied with a nod of his head. “What brings you here in such inclement weather?”

“My stall is just around the corner and business has never been better. Not only have I sold more copies of my newspaper than usual, but everyone wants a keepsake from the Frost Fair. We keep running out of paper,” he said before he held out a sheet for Digby to take.

His newspaper was nothing more than a gossip rag, Digby thought but took the offering of the keepsake knowing Constance would like it. “It appears the Frost Fair has been a big success for everyone who has a stall,” he replied before pulling the edges of his coat closer together.

“I could not agree more,” Samuel said before his attention turned to the people in The Book Palace stall. “Ah… I see what keeps you here. Lady Constance has been very helpful to my sister’s business. I hope she does not lose the lady to another store once this is over,” he said with a chuckle.

“I am certain Lady Constance is more than happy to work for your sister as long as Miss Amelia will have her.”

Samuel tipped his hat. “I must be off. I cannot keep the world waiting for the latest news.”

Digby watched the man leave before he noticed Constance reaching for her reticule to make her purchase. He quickly stepped forward. “Allow me, my lady,” Digby said.

“I do not mind paying for the book, my lord.” Constance once more brightened his day with her smile.

“I must insist.” Paying the man, Digby offered his arm again to his lady as they began perusing the other stalls. They came upon the next stall, The Mystical Oracle Madam Amy Quinton. “Do you wish your fortune to be told, Constance?” he asked with a grin.

“Perhaps after we see the elephant? You did promise me you would take me to see it,” she said, her eyes twinkling in delight.

“And so I did. Let us make our way to see the beast then we can return here to see what the oracle has to say about our future.”

Constance gave his arm a squeeze. “I already know our future, Digby,” she replied.

“You do?” he said looking down into her beautiful face. Constance never looked lovelier.

“Of course! We shall live happily ever after!”

Digby swore his heart melted right then and there. His future indeed looked bright as long as Lady Constance remained in his life.

Was there really a bookstall at the 1814 Frost Fair?

None of my research found an actual bookstall on the ice but there were nearly a dozen printing presses producing keepsakes and commemorative poems. A printer named George Davis published a 124-page book called Frostiana; or A History of the River Thames In a Frozen State and the Belles referenced this material when we were working on our common theme for Fire & Frost. The entire book was typeset and printed in Davis’s printing stall set up on the frozen Thames.

The 1814 Frost Fair was also it’s last. With the old London Bridge being demolished in 1831, it was replaced with a new bridge with wider arches. This allowed the tide to flow more freely. The river was also embanked during the 19th century causing the river less likely to freeze.

You can read more about printing at the frost fairs here: http://www.letterology.com/2014/02/printing-at-frost-fairs.html

 

My contribution to Fire & Frost is A Second Chance At Love featuring Lord Digby Osgood and Lady Constance Whittles whom you first met in Under the Mistletoe.

Can the bittersweet frost of lost love be rekindled into a burning flame?

Viscount Digby Osgood returns to London after a two-year absence, planning to avoid the woman he courted and then left. Surely she has moved on with her life; even married by now. A bit of encouragement from a friend, however, pushes him to seek the lady out. Can she ever forgive him and give them a second chance at love?

Lady Constance Whittles has only cared for one man in her life. Even after he broke her heart, it remains fixed on him. Another man tries to replace him, but she soon learns she can never feel for him a shadow of what she still feels for Digby. One brief encounter with Digby confirms it; she is more than willing to forgive him. Can they truly take up where they left off?

Charity projects and a Frost Fair on the Thames bring them together, but another stands in their way. Will he tear them apart?

Fire & Frost:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Release Date: February 4, 2020
Preorder for $0.99

In a winter so cold the Thames freezes over, five couples venture onto the ice in pursuit of love to warm their hearts.

Love unexpected, rekindled, brand new or rediscovered—even one that’s a whack on the side of the head—heats up the winter. After weeks of fog and cold all five stories converge on the ice at the 1814 Frost Fair when the ladies’ campaign to help the wounded and unemployed veterans of the Napoleonic wars culminates in a charity auction that shocks the high sticklers of the ton.

In their 2020 collection, join the Bluestocking Belles and their heroes and heroines as The Ladies’ Society For The Care of the Widows and Orphans of Fallen Heroes and the Children of Wounded Veterans pursues justice, charity, and soul-searing romance.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day 2020 with five interconnected Regency romances.

Melting Matilda by Jude Knight – Fire smolders under the frost between them.

My One True Love by Rue Allyn – She vanished into the fog. Will he find his one true love or remain lost, cold and alone forever?

Lord Ethan’s Courage by Caroline Warfield – War may freeze a man’s heart; it takes a woman to melt it.

A Second Chance at Love by Sherry Ewing – Can the bittersweet frost of lost love be rekindled into a burning flame?

The Umbrella Chronicles: Chester and Artemis’s Story by Amy Quinton – Beastly duke seeks confident woman who doesn’t faint at the sight of his scars. Prefers not to leave the house to find her.

Buy Links:

Amazon US  |  Apple Books  | Barnes & Noble | Kobo  | Smashwords

Amazon Global:

AU BR CA DE ES FR IN IT JP MX NL UK

Comment to Win

Comment on this post, each of the other four, and the page on the Belles’ website here https://bluestockingbelles.net/frostfairhop/?fbclid=IwAR2qQS4IMhZYgVNvhbfFVmTf6Bm5tFwAJy5bxu21remzDRHzcM5rcRXa1sU to go into the drawing for the main prize in the blog hop, a $50 US Amazon card.

Tell me… what would have piqued your interest at the frost fair? What would you have liked to see? All comments on this post will go in a drawing for an eCopy of one the previous four Bluestocking Belles’ collections, plus a copy of Under the Mistletoe a prequel to A Second Chance At Love found in the Belles’ new box set Fire & Frost.

Did you miss the previous blog hop stop? You can access it here.

And don’t forget you have one more hop that surely you don’t want to miss. Find your way to That Mystical Oracle Madame Amy Quinton here: http://amyquinton.net/?p=2308

New Release From Sherry Ewing

28 Saturday Dec 2019

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There’s never a better feeling in the world then when you release a new book. It’s like a beautifully wrapped present just waiting to be opened. Today marks the fifteenth book that I’ve published and I hope you’ll enjoy the continuing saga of Lady Freya of Berwyck and Sir Charles de Grey in To Love An English Knight: De Wolfe Pack Connected World. I’ve given you a brief excerpt, my lovelies. Happy reading and enjoy my latest book baby!

Excerpt:

Now was the time to set her plan into motion. She only needed to make her way to the stables to change! In her haste to quicken her own departure from Berwyck, she dodged around one knight and then another before she ran straight into one. ’Twas as though she had run into a wall. She mumbled an apology, but arms of steal wrapped around her waist.

“Where do you go in such a hurry, Lady Freya?”

 That voice… Was there anything else in this world that could make her insides quiver in delight than to hear such a tone as his?

Lifting her head from examining his tabard, her eyes met his, and she could see he was amused. ’Twas a startling surprise considering their past was littered with her mistakes that had cost him so much. He had hated her for months since their return from Caen, and she could hardly blame him.

“Sir Charles,” she said while a small smile lifted at the corners of her mouth. “I thought I would return tae the keep and up tae the battlements tae watch everyone’s departure.”

An amused chuckle rumbled in his chest as he let go of her. For one brief instant while he held her, her heart rejoiced at being in his arms. He pointed in the opposite direction from where she had been heading. “The keep is that way…or have you forgotten?”

Her eyes widened as she realized she had been caught in a lie. Instead of admitting she had other motives, she cocked her head to one side to examine him more closely. “Are ye perchance jesting with me?”

“Mayhap, although you are going the wrong way if ’tis your intent to return to the keep,” he replied while his eyes crinkled at the corners.

To Love An English Knight:
De Wolfe Pack Connected World
By Sherry Ewing
$0.99 or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Can a chance encounter lead to love?

Sir Charles de Grey is in turmoil. He cannot forget the Scottish lass he kissed in Caen, but her jealous spite toward the lady he was sworn to guard infuriated him. Living at Berwyck Castle, he is torn between his desire for Lady Freya and his need to rebuke her sometimes reckless behavior. Leaving her almost tears him apart, but it might give him time to recover some balance.

Lady Freya of Clan MacLaren didn’t expect to become blinded by love until she became quickly besotted on first seeing the English knight in Caen. How quickly everything fell apart when she defies him! Even worse, when he begins to show signs of returning her feelings, he receives a message from home that will tear them apart. Defying him again may put an end to any chance they may have together, but what other choice does she have when he leaves her?

Can the fragile love they found blossom into something more or will circumstances beyond their control continue to provoke behavior that keeps them apart?

Buy Links or read for #Free in Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon BR | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon ES | Amazon FR | Amazon IN | Amazon IT |  Amazon JP | Amazon MX | Amazon NL | Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing

27 Friday Dec 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday, New Release

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Welcome to the last First Kiss Friday of the year, my lovelies. Let’s end the year with a bang, shall we?

Today I have the first kiss scene from my upcoming book that releases tomorrow, To Love An English Knight: De Wolfe Pack Connected World. This novella picks up the story of Freya of Clan MacLaren who is the sister of Douglas, Laird of Berwyck Castle (hopefully you read his story in To Love A Scottish Laird), and Sir Charles de Grey. Sir Charles is the captain of the guard of Douglas’s wife, Lady Catherine (who used to be a de Wolfe). Happy holidays and a Happy New Year. Enjoy this first kiss scene, my lovelies.

Excerpt:

Caen, Normandy
1152

Lady Freya of Clan MacLaren peaked around the canvas of a tent to watch the English knight as he made his way through the crowd. She had first seen him leaving his own tent just this morn, and on impulse she asked a nearby squire for the knight’s name. Sir Charles de Grey, she had been told, and a small smile had lit her face upon hearing it while she began following him through camp. ’Twas as though all of England and France’s nobility were in attendance considering a small village had been erected overnight.

At the request of Henry, the Duke of Normandy, her brother Douglas, the laird of the clan, had answered the duke’s summons to attend the celebration of his recent marriage to Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine. With their home of Berwyck Castle sitting at the border of England and Scotland, Douglas could do no less knowing he must keep peace between himself and the man who would one day be England’s king. Freya had begged her brother to allow her to accompany him, and he had reluctantly agreed. He would be mortified to learn she was following an English knight about camp.

Heart pounding, she continued to dodge people and other obstacles in her pursuit to stay near Sir Charles. She was unprepared when he suddenly turned as though he felt her presence. She quickly ducked behind another tent in hope he had not caught her following him. She could not say why she was so drawn to this handsome stranger, but he had certainly held her interest from afar. No harm could come from a closer look, could it?

With her chest heaving at the near thought of being found out, she dared another look around the shelter only to find him gone! She stepped from her hiding place in order to once more continue her search for him. She was unprepared when her arm was taken in a fierce grip. Forced backward against the canvas that had obviously not provided any source of concealment, she stared into the eyes of the very person who had momentarily escaped her. He was taller up close than she expected, for she barely reached to his chest. With his blond hair and vivid, blue eyes, she almost sighed at how handsome he was now that he stood before her. And then he spoke, and her world crashed down around her.

“Why are you following me?” he asked in an amused tone. Before she could answer, he continued, much to her dismay. “If you are looking for a bit of sport, I do not have time to dally at the moment. Perchance later, although I must admit, you are prettier than most of the wenches who meander about.” He took hold of her chin as though to examine her closer before leaning down to quickly kiss her lips.

“How dare ye kiss me!” Freya sputtered. Heat flushed her face.

He began fumbling at a leather pouch upon his belt. Drawing out a coin, he held out the meager offering for her to take. “For your troubles.”

A gasp escaped her. “Do ye ken who ye are speaking tae?”

A chuckle escaped him. “Given you have been dodging my every move this morn, I assumed you were one of the women camp followers who earn their way at such events. Was I mistaken?”

He thought her a whore! His insult stung even as she knew she would never hear the end of Douglas’s tirade if he learned she had been observing the stranger in the first place. Swinging her arm to smack the smirk off his face, he easily caught her hand before pulling her closer. Her breath left her while she tried to think clearly.

“Perchance I have a moment or two to spare after all.” His grin was pure sin, and he began to tighten his arm around her waist.

She struggled in his embrace. She would in no way bed this stranger no matter how handsome he was. She was still a maid and obviously not what he took her for.

“Ye braying arse! I am Lady Freya of Berwyck,” she shouted. He let go of her so swiftly she stumbled to right herself and not land in the dirt.

“As in the sister to Laird Douglas of Clan MacLaren?” A look passed across his features showing her that he was not pleased.

“Aye. I will tell him of yer insult tae me,” she hissed.

“Tell him anything you like, but for your own sake and mine, stay away from me. I apologize for making the wrong assumption, my lady, but I have had all I can handle from a MacLaren for one day.”

Freya continued to stare at him while he stomped away. As she watched him go, she was uncertain if she was happy or sad at his leaving. In the months to come, she would wonder if she would ever be able to win his love.

To Love An English Knight:
De Wolfe Pack Connected World
By Sherry Ewing
Release Date: December 28, 2019
Only $0.99 or FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Can a chance encounter lead to love?

Sir Charles de Grey is in turmoil. He cannot forget the Scottish lass he kissed in Caen, but her jealous spite toward the lady he was sworn to guard infuriated him. Living at Berwyck Castle, he is torn between his desire for Lady Freya and his need to rebuke her sometimes reckless behavior. Leaving her almost tears him apart, but it might give him time to recover some balance.

Lady Freya of Clan MacLaren didn’t expect to become blinded by love until she became quickly besotted on first seeing the English knight in Caen. How quickly everything fell apart when she defies him! Even worse, when he begins to show signs of returning her feelings, he receives a message from home that will tear them apart. Defying him again may put an end to any chance they may have together, but what other choice does she have when he leaves her?

Can the fragile love they found blossom into something more or will circumstances beyond their control continue to provoke behavior that keeps them apart?

Buy Links or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon BR | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon ES | Amazon FR | Amazon IN | Amazon IT |  Amazon JP | Amazon MX | Amazon NL | Amazon UK

First Kiss Friday with Kathryn Le Veque

13 Friday Dec 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday, New Release

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Hello, my lovelies, and welcome to another First Kiss Friday! Today’s guest is the fabulous Kathryn Le Veque who is not only sharing a first kiss scene but she’s also celebrating a new release! We hope you enjoy reading this excerpt from The Best Is Yet To Be. 

Excerpt:

Jemma forgot all about their argument. She was genuinely concerned as she knelt down beside him.

“Tell me where it hurts,” she said.

He just lay there and groaned. “You flipped me off of a horse, woman,” he said. “I am not as young as I used to be. Did you really think this would end well?”

Jemma was trying not to feel guilty for what she’d done. She hadn’t meant to injure the man, only stress a point. “I am sorry,” she said. “I dinna mean tae hurt ye, just… oh, it doesna matter now, anyway. Show me where ye hurt. When William returns, I’ll have him help me get ye back on yer horse and we’ll return tae Castle Questing.”

He seemed to be in great pain. “Nay,” he muttered. “Take me home, to Northwood. At least some of the servants can tend me. I don’t wish to be a burden on William and Jordan.”

“’Tis no burden because I’ll tend ye myself,” Jemma said firmly. “I’ll heal whatever ails ye. I became very good at it when Kieran was sick, so I can care for ye.”

“I could not impose.”

“’Tis not an imposition.”

“You are doing it… out of pity.”

She sighed heavily, all of her irritation with the man gone. “Nay,” she said. “This is my fault. I dinna mean tae hurt ye.”

He lay there, grunting and groaning as he pointed at his neck. “I… I can’t…”

His voice was fading and with great concern, Jemma bent over him, close to his mouth. “What did ye say?” she asked. “Where do ye hurt, Paris? I canna help ye if ye dunna tell me.”

“I… I…”

She bent lower, her ear by his mouth. “What did ye say?”

Suddenly, he grabbed her by the head and planted a kiss right on her lips. When she looked at him in shock, he smiled boldly.

“Were you worried for me? I could tell that you were. Tell me you were.”

Her eyes flew open when she realized he’d been fooling her. “Ye… ye idiot!” she gasped. “Ye had me believing ye were badly hurt!”

The Best Is Yet To Be
By Kathryn Le Veque

The story every Le Veque reader has been waiting for…

Paris de Norville (The Wolfe) and Jemma Scott Hage (The Wolfe) find love in their sunset years… with each other?!

It seems like an impossible suggestion. Paris and Jemma first met in The Wolfe, in a fiery explosion of temper and taunting – her temper mostly because he was taunting. Handsome and arrogant in his youth, Paris was a powerful knight, second in command to the great William de Wolfe, and found great sport in taunting a Scots captive named Jemma Scott.

Pretty, green-eyed Jemma was the oil to his water. The fire to his ice. Perhaps the sparks that flew between them at first were those of attraction, but soon another knight had Jemma’s attention and Paris was relegated to a role of both friend and tormenter. He affectionately called her ‘banshee’ and what she called him is not fit for delicate ears.

It was a like/hate relationship for the ages.

The years passed and Paris married Jemma’s cousin, Caladora. They had a wonderful marriage but sickness took Caladora from him and Jemma lost her beloved husband, Kieran.

Missing Kieran, and missing Caladora, now it is Paris and Jemma again in their twilight years as the sparks that flew between them so long ago are rekindled.

Find out how sweet and romantic love the second time can be as two widowers discover that life is worth living again… with each other. Love can be passionate and powerful, no matter what the age.

“Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be…”

Buy Links

Amazon – https://amzn.to/2kt03sz
Apple – https://apple.co/2lWtvYn
KOBO – http://bit.ly/2mqsQyw
B&N – http://bit.ly/2mp3Mb9

 

About Kathryn Le Veque

USA TODAY Bestselling Author
Charter Amazon All-Star Author
#1 ranked English Medieval Romance Author on Amazon

KATHRYN LE VEQUE is a critically acclaimed 18-time USA TODAY Bestselling author, a charter Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance with over 100 published novels.

Kathryn is a multiple award nominee and winner, including the winner of Uncaged Book Reviews Magazine 2017 and 2018 “Raven Award” for Favorite Medieval Romance. Kathryn is also a multiple RONE nominee (InD’Tale Magazine), holding a record for the number of nominations. In 2018, her novel WARWOLFE was the winner in the Romance category of the Book Excellence Award and in 2019, her novel A WOLFE AMONG DRAGONS won the prestigious RONE award for best pre-16th century romance.

Kathryn is considered one of the top Indie authors in the world with over 2M copies in circulation, and her novels have been translated into several languages. Kathryn recently signed with Sourcebooks Casablanca for a Medieval Fight Club series coming in 2020.

In addition to her own published works, Kathryn is also the President/CEO of Dragonblade Publishing, a boutique publishing house specializing in Historical Romance, and the President/CEO of DragonMedia Publishing, a publishing house that publishes the Pirates of Britannia Connected World series. In July 2018, Kathryn launched yet another publishing house, WolfeBane Publishing, which publishes the World of de Wolfe Pack Connected series (formerly Kindle Worlds).

Kathryn loves to hear from her readers. Please find Kathryn on Facebook at Kathryn Le Veque, Author, or join her on Twitter @kathrynleveque. Sign up for Kathryn’s blog at www.kathrynleveque.com.

Social Media Links

Website – www.kathrynleveque.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/kathrynlevequenovels/
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Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/kathryn_le_veque/