This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon/BN GC. What's better than a dashing duke? A dozen of them! In this case, a baker's dozen--thirteen of your favorite historical romance authors have come together to bring you more than a dozen tantalizing novellas, with one per month, for a year's worth of never-before-released romances. Read an Excerpt from The Duke and the April Flowers By Grace Burrowes April ***Henning, Duke of Clonmere is bound by a promise made by his late father. He must marry one of the Earl of Falmouth’s daughters, though only the oldest, Lady Iris, who considers herself on the shelf, interests Clonmere… In fact, she fascinates him. *** “The waltz will start soon,” Iris said. “We should be going inside.” His Grace of Clonmere remained on the bench beside her. “Might I confide a secret? I’m all waltzed out. I have no more waltzes, minuets, quadrilles, gavottes or Roger de Coverley’s in me. Not tonight. Your sisters have worn me to flinders.” I want my waltz. And yet, Iris was also relieved. To twirl around in Clonmere’s arms, pretending to be merely amused, pretending to merely enjoy what Iris would instead be savoring and resenting and treasuring…. Clonmere’s demurral was in truth a reprieve. “My sisters thrive on society’s entertainments. You will have a waltzing duchess, Your Grace. Best accommodate yourself to that reality now, even if it’s not precisely what you wish for.” Clonmere plucked a flower from the urn beside the bench. “What do you wish for? If you had a fairy godmother, and she granted you a wish-come-true, what would it be, Lady Iris?” Just as the duke was out of waltzes, Iris was out of witty rejoinders. The plain, honest truth begged to be spoken, if only this once, if only to a man making conversation to avoid the ballroom. “A wish? My deepest, most secret wish?” “The wish your heart whispers as you drift into dreams, that wish.” To not end up with cat hair all over my life. To not be a burden on my family. To never… but those wishes were all in the negative. What did Iris wish for affirmatively? She had the sense Clonmere would wait for her answer until Michaelmas, though by then he’d be married to some sister or other. “I wish that a worthy man would regard me, the true me, as the fulfillment of some of his dreams, Your Grace. Not all, of course, just as I wouldn’t expect him to be the sum total of my life either. I was raised to anticipate that I’d find a partner though, and I’m not ashamed to long for it. I wish that man would find me, and kiss me as if all the love in his heart had finally found a home, and as if all the love in my heart was his dearest treasure. Just once, I’d like to experience such a kiss.” The admission surprised her, but also came as something of a relief. Twenty-six was not ancient, and longing for somebody to love was purely human. “You are very brave,” Clonmere said, rising. “Very fierce.” Now he was ready to return to the ballroom? “I am neither.” He offered his hand—not his arm—and Iris rose. She’d confided much more than she’d intended, but the recitation had given her courage. She would not slink off to Surrey, she would not consign herself to the company of dyspeptic cats and literary spinsters. “Where are we going?” she asked, for the duke was not taking her in the direction of the ballroom. “What matters one more waltz, when I can make a lady’s wish come true?” He came to a halt toward the back of the garden. The sound of the ballroom faded to a distant roar, moonlight glinted on a trickle of water splashing from a fountain sculpted into the shape of a blooming rose. “I must make my own wish come true,” Iris said. Clonmere shifted his grip on Iris’s hand, linking their fingers. “On Saturday, I will choose which of Falmouth’s daughters to court. From that day forward, I will be devoted to her and only to her, if she’ll have me. I must make my choice in a manner that offers none of your sisters insult, or the woman I choose for my duchess will forever regret that she caused her siblings to suffer. Jealousy among siblings is the very devil, and I won’t be the cause of it in my wife’s family.” He was trying to make some point, but Iris grasped only the first part of his declaration. “You have not yet made your choice. You aren’t devoted to anybody yet.” “Precisely.” He took off his gloves, a curious thing to do when the supper was still a set of dances away. “I am free to behave as I please, and I please to make your one, honest wish come true—if I may?” A peculiar sensation welled from Iris’s middle, part glee, part terror. “You’d like to kiss me?” “That was your wish.” Her wish had involved a particular kind of kiss, which Clonmere couldn’t possibly deliver. She nodded. He framed her face in the warmth of his hands. “Then… as you wish, my lady.” About the Author: New York Times Bestselling, award-winning author Eileen Dreyer has published 40 novels and 10 short stories under her name and that of her evil twin, Kathleen Korbel in contemporary romance, paranormal romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, mystery and medical forensic suspense. A proud member of RWA's Hall of FAME, she also has numerous awards from RT BookLovers and an Anthony nomination for mystery. She is now focusing on what she calls historic romantic adventure in her DRAKE'S RAKES series. A native of St. Louis, she still lives there with her family. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight. Website: http://eileendreyer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenDreyer Twitter: https://twitter.com/eileendreyer Instagra: https://www.instagram.com/eileendreyerauthor/ Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/19012.Eileen_Dreyer BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eileen-dreyer a Rafflecopter giveaway
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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Ella Quinn will be awarding a $50 gift card - Amazon or iTunes (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. Even the Worthington least likely to wed may find her perfect match Read an Excerpt At a warehouse near the London docks, Lord Phineas Carter-Woods surveyed the numerous boxes he’d brought back with him from Mexico. “The ones marked in red will go to Elsworth.” That was the bulk of them. At some point he’d have to visit the estate he had been bequeathed. “Have the rest sent to my brother’s house in Grosvenor Square, and make sure they aren’t put in the attic.” “Yes, my lord.” Boman, Phinn’s secretary, part-time amanuensis, general factotum, and friend, signaled to one of two carters waiting for instructions. “Have you decided when we’re leaving again?” That was going to be tricky. “I hope to be on our way to Europe in a month, but I’ve promised my brother I’ll look around for a wife. We’ll take it as it comes, shall we?” “What you mean to say”—Boman gave Phinn a stern look—“is that you haven’t told his lordship that you’re not staying in England.” “Let’s just say that I have not had time to divulge all my plans.” Boman was right. Phinn would have to tell his brother, the Marquis of Dorchester, about his intent to leave England again. If only Dorchester and his wife could’ve managed to have a son or two instead of four daughters, they wouldn’t be trying to make Phinn marry. Although, whatever gave them the idea he could do better, he didn’t know. “He isn’t going to be happy.” That was putting it mildly. Phinn had decided not to tell his brother he was leaving again until just before he departed. “I’ll stay for the Season. Once he perceives that I have not found a suitable wife, he’ll be glad to see me go again.” “What happens if some young lady catches your eye?” Good lord! Boman too? “Why is everyone suddenly trying to put a leg-shackle on me?” About the Author: USA Today bestselling author Ella Quinn's studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She is married to her wonderful husband of over thirty years. They have a son and two beautiful granddaughters, and a Great Dane. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make their dreams come true and are now living on a sailboat. After cruising the Caribbean and North America, she completed a transatlantic crossing from St. Martin to Southern Europe. She's currently living in Germany, happily writing while her husband is back at work, recovering from retirement. Ella loves when readers connect with her. Author Contact and Social Media: Website: https://www.ellaquinnauthor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor Twitter: "https://twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7044274.Ella_Quinn Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ella-quinn Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ella-Quinn/e/B00CAE0FSQ Buy Links: Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2kBb73b Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2HbSxgb Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2MbKRcD Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2H8ecFY BN: http://bit.ly/2HUgIuC Apple Books: https://apple.co/2xtw0GN Kobo: http://bit.ly/2sjC2VE Google Play: http://bit.ly/2lfQCJQ Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2Cn79nm Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2RRaMeM a Rafflecopter giveaway |
AuthorLayna Pimentel is a multi published author of romance since 2013. Educated in computer technology, her true passion is all things romance: music, books, movies and food of course. pre-order todayout nowEventsArchives
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