The Duke in my Bed by Amelia Grey

Bray Drakestone has never backed away from a challenge, so when a friend challenges him to a race he is all in. Tragedy soon ensues and Bray makes a promise to marry the dying man's sister. Having no desire to marry, Bray puts off his meeting of his intended.
Miss Louisa Prim has no desire to marry Bray and when he finally makes his proposal, she turns him down. Seeing Louisa's rejection as a challenge, Bray tells her that they will get married but not until SHE proposes to HIM!
Can Bray convince Louisa that he is just what she needs in her life?

A Most Improper Proposal by Molly Ann Wishblade

A Most Improper Proposal by Molly Ann Wishblade
Society doors are barely open for Isabella Adams after four scandalous attachments to her name. Without the help of Lady Watson, she would not be received. Everything she does must be perfect or she will wreck everything the woman has done for her.  When a stranger sweeps her off her feet, Isabella yearns for more from her life.
Lord James Crawford learns that the woman that has so enchanted him is his aunt's companion.  Being warned of Isabella's past, James just can't imagine that the rumors are true. As they get to know one another, they can not deny the attraction they feel.
Can these two lonely hearts get over their past to find the love of a lifetime?
This was my first book by Molly Ann Wishblade and I will definitely be back for more! I liked her style of writing which drew me to the characters and kept me wanting more.
Some stories have so many other sub plots going on that they take away from the love story. That is not the case with this one. The story focused on James and Isabella and how their love for each other grew. It delved into their back stories to let us see what made them into the individuals they are today but the focus stayed on the couple on not on a ton of other extenuating circumstances.
I will definitely be checking out more books by this author. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thanks go out to Carina UK via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Spotlight Feature: Texas Mail Order Bride + Giveaway

 Texas Mail Order Bride

By Linda Broday

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Historical Western Romance

January 6, 2015

“Linda Broday’s books always take me back to a west that feels true. Her love stories run deep with emotion. A delightful read.” —Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Promise Me Texas

Rancher Cooper Thorne thinks his life is finally on an even keel—until Delta Dandridge steps off the stagecoach and claims she’s his mail order bride. Brash and quick-witted, the meddling Southern Belle is everything Cooper thought he never wanted…and everything his heart is telling him he needs.

But Cooper swore long ago that he’d never marry, and he aims to keep his word, especially now that the demons from his past have returned to threaten everything—and everyone—he holds dear…

Buy Texas Mail Order Bride by Linda Broday: Amazon | Apple | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | Indiebound | Kobo

About the Author:

Linda Broday resides in the panhandle of Texas on the Llano Estacado. At a young age, she discovered a love for storytelling, history, and anything pertaining to the Old West. Cowboys fascinate her. There’s something about Stetsons, boots, and tall rugged cowboys that get her fired up! A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda has won many awards, including the prestigious National Readers’ Choice Award and the Texas Gold Award. She blogs regularly at www.PetticoatsandPistols.com. Visit her at www.LindaBroday.com.

Connect with Linda Broday: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Excerpt

Delta covered the space between them so quickly Bandit scurried for safer territory. She glared up into eyes that reminded her of a cold winter’s day. “I can’t believe this. You have a lot of gall, Mr. Thorne. The way I see it, you gave up your right to meddle in my affairs when you told me in no uncertain terms that you weren’t looking for a wife. Therefore, what I do is none of your concern. If I want to—”

 “Do what?” Cooper brushed her cheek with a fingertip. “Women like you won’t throw your reputation to the wind. You want it all or nothing.”

She glared. “You’re awfully sure of yourself.”

“I know more than you think.” His words were soft. “I see the yearning for permanence in your eyes. Dear God, you’re a difficult woman to forget.”

Cooper tugged her against his lean body, lowered his head, and pressed his sensual lips firmly on hers. The long kiss held passion and promise and warmth. Delta’s breath got caught somewhere between the need for more and wishing she’d stayed in town, far away from men who indulged in contradictory behavior.

Her knees grew weak and she clutched the shirt covering his broad chest to keep from falling as the world tilted on its axis.

As the kiss deepened, their breaths mingled in a heated flurry while blood pounded in her ears. She heard a low moan and realized it came from her. Strange how it sounded so very far away.

Her stomach whirled and dipped as though she’d fallen from a great height. Tingles raced up her spine in some kind of mindless confusion. The anger that had propelled her into dangerous territory melted away and left a strange desire in its wake. Before she could unclench her hands from his shirt to take a step back, he released her.

The kiss ended suddenly, leaving her wanting more.

Cooper’s sinful half smile turned her knees to jelly. “And that, Miss Delta, is how we do things here in Texas.”

To Love and to Cherish by Leigh Greenwood

Determined to be independent after her husband's death, Laurie Spencer invests in Jared Smith's ranch. She doesn't have enough money for a full partnership, so she throws in herself as the housekeeper for the ranch to make up the difference.  Knowing that she will never marry again, Laurie is dismayed by her attraction to Jared.
Jared needs to save his ranch. His taking Laurie's money was a last ditch effort to do so. But in doing so, he cuts out his other partners in the ranch.  If he can get a loan from the bank, that will save his problems.  Unfortunately the owner, Laurie's former brother in law, will only loan him the money if Laurie no longer works for Jared.
Can Jared set aside the woman he has come to love to save his ranch?

His Saving Grace by Sharon Cullen

Lady Grace Ashworth has been mourning her husband for almost a year. She is still madly in love with him and can't imagine loving another man. She is shocked when her brother-in-law decides it was time she re-married. That all changes when her husband shows up alive at her front door.
Having received a devastating head injury during the war, Michael has finally made his way back home. But he is a different man than the one that left and he doesn't think that he deserves Grace's love.
Despite all the obstacles that Michael puts in their way, can he and Grace capture the love they once had?

Season of Love by Leanne Tyler

Season of Love by Leanne Tyler
This is book 1 in the Devereaux series.
Holly Marcum is trying on a restored dress for her birthday celebration when she falls and bumps her head. When she wakes up, she finds herself being accused of being a thief and 150 years in the past.
Jeremiah Deveraux can't believe that he caught a woman trying to steal the dress of a wealthy client out of his store room. He immediately has his sister, Tabitha, call for the constable.  When he arrives, he questions Holly and she swears that the dress is hers and that she was not trying to steal anything.
The doctor comes and examines Holly's head wound and determines that she needs to rest for a few days. Jeremiah reluctantly agrees but knows that he can keep a better eye on her while she is there. Tabitha quickly becomes attached to Holly and when she suddenly gets sick Tabitha nurses her back to health.
Jeremiah finds himself drawn to Holly, but an incident from his past colors his view of women. He is constantly bickering with Holly and does not trust her at all given his past experiences.Tabitha and her aunt think that Jeremiah and Holly would make a great couple. They arrange for the two of them to spend time with each other while Tabitha and her aunt travel to a nearby town.  
What will happen when Jeremiah and Holly find themselves alone with each other without the interference of others?
This is my first novel by Tyler and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I always love a good time travel and Tyler threw in a twist that made it even better!
It is always interesting to see how a modern woman will fit in to the dictates of a historical setting. They are so use to doing as they please and not having to please the general public with their behavior.  Holly is definitely a strong willed woman and often butted heads with Jeremiah because of this.  She is use to do what she wants and not having to fit her actions into what other deem as proper. Jeremiah on the other hand is about as straight laced as you can get. They always say that opposites attract!!
I can't wait to read the next book in the Devereaux series which stars Jeremiah's sister, Tabitha.

You can get the book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thanks go to the author for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

An Oath Taken by Diana Cosby

An Oath Taken by Diana Cosby
This is book 1 in the Oath Trilogy series.
Sir Nicholas Beringar, the new castellan of Ravenmoor Castle, is trying to gain the trust of the locals. It doesn't help that one of the locals has started stealing from the Englishman in his employ. When he catches the young man, he makes him his squire instead of punishing him.
What Nicholas doesn't know, is that his new squire is really Lady Elizabet Armstrong. She needed a way into Ravenmoor to see if her people were ok. Her brother and father were put into the dungeon by the previous castellan.
What will Nicholas do when he finds out that his squire is not who he thinks he is?
This is my first book by Cosby but it definitely won't be my last.  I sat down and read the book in one sitting as I didn't want to put it down.
I love that Elizabet was willing to do anything to help her people, even if that meant going into the place where her family was being held captive. She didn't want to like Nicholas because of all the awful things that his predecessor did, but he showed Elizabet that he was a much better man through his actions with the prisoners and his interactions with her (whom he thought was an orphan that had been wrongly used by others).
I can't wait for the next book in the series which stars Elizabet's brother Giric, the Earl of Terrick.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Kensington Books

Thanks go out to Kensington Books via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Dare to Love by Alleigh Burrows

Dare to Love by Alleigh Burrows
Nivea Horsham has been in love with Dare Landis, the Marquis of Raynsforth, since she was introduced to him. When Nivea's step-mother arranges for Dare to share a ride with her, she hopes that this will be the time that he notices her.
Dare is not ready to settle down even when all of his friends are. He likes that he is a rake and beholden to no one. But will what happens at the wedding he is attending change all that?
I'm going to be honest. I thought I would really like this story based on the write-up I read.   Unfortunately it just fall flat for me.  The hero was a j@ck@$$ and the heroine didn't think enough about herself to stop chasing said j@ck@$$.
The first thing that irritated me was that Dare was with 2 other women in the story before getting together with Nivea.  The first one being at the very beginning, which I was ok with since the story had not really started yet. But I don't want to read about the hero in a story getting together with someone other than the heroine after their story starts...yuck!
Another thing that bothered me was that the weight of the heroine was brought up constantly.  Yes, I liked that the she wasn't a tiny little thing, but don't keep going on and on about it.  At one point in the story, after Nivea had ridden a horse all day for maybe 3 days straight, her maid says like ...I'll have to take in your dress as you've lost half a stone.  Seriously you would lose 7 pounds (equivalent to 1/2 a stone) in 3 days of riding a horse.  If that could actually happen, I'm going to start riding a horse every day!!
I just couldn't like either of the characters and couldn't get into the story, although I did finish it....
As this is the first book by the author I will probably give her another chance and see what she comes up with next...

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kensington Press 

Thanks go to Kensington Books via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Two Days of Temptation by Evie North

Two Days of Temptation by Evie North
This is book 2 in the Brothers Mortmain series.
Hannah wants Sebastian to pay for the paid he has caused her. When she finally locates him, she has to devise a way to get into his home.  The perfect opportunity arises when she learns that he needs a woman for the night.
Blinded in the dual, Sebastian hides himself in seclusion where he can mourn the love that he lost. To satisfy his physical needs, his servant gets him a woman when needed. He always requests that they look a certain way and leave soon after the deed is done.
That happens when the girl sent to him is the long lost love that he thought was dead?
This was a very quick read and because of that, it didn't go very deep into characterization of the H/H. I did enjoy the story and will be reading more by this author.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Samhain

Thanks go out to Samhain Publishing via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Alanna By Kathleen Bittner Roth

Alanna By Kathleen Bittner Roth
This is book 2 in the When Hearts Dare series.
Alanna Morgan was drawn to Wolf the first time she saw him in San Francisco. When he turns up on the the ship she and her family are traveling to Boston on, she actually gets to know the man. Alanna's parents have arranged a marriage for her, but she will do anything to get out of it including stealing from her father.
Wolf doesn't have time for a woman in his life and when reaching Boston, he spends weeks trying to find information about his mother's killer without any luck. It's not until he runs into Alanna and her bodyguard, Old Chinese, that he gets any information.
Can Wolf let go of the past long enough to find the love of a lifetime?
I really loved this story. We meet Wolf in Roth's Celine, the first story in the When Hearts Dare series. He intrigued me then and I couldn't wait to read his story. Roth did not disappoint! There are so many elements to this story that keep you reading to the very end.  Wolf needs to find his mother's killer and in the process finds out his true heritage which leads to more uncertainties.  His travels take us from San Francisco to Boston to Scotland.
Alanna's bodyguard, Old Chinese, basically raised her. We see why she isn't anything like her scheming parents. We also see a woman that is not like others of the time period. She has learned many things from Old Chinese including a form of martial arts.
This is definitely one of my favorite books that I have read recently and can't wait to see what Roth comes up with next!

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | Book Depository | Indigo | Powell's Books | IndieBound

Thanks go to Kensington Books via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Sinfully Ever After by Jayne Fresina

Sinfully Ever After by Jayne Fresina 
This is book 2 in the Book Club Belles Society series.
After having taken care of her father and brother for years, Rebecca Sherringham believes that she knows all there is to know about men. Having met Captain Lucius "Luke" Wainwright several years earlier, and having an indecent conversation with him, she thinks she has him figured out.
Coming to town to claim the inheritance that is rightfully his, Luke never imagined that he would see the girl that owed him a kiss as a forfeit for her brother's debt. He also never thought to be thoroughly intrigued by her.
What happens when two people who don't have much use for the opposite sex, start to find themselves falling in love?
I really like the ladies in the Book Club Belles Society and have enjoyed reading their HEAers. The ladies are not part of the ton, so it is a nice change from typical story placed during this time period.
Fresina has brought together two unlikely people for Sinfully Ever After. Rebecca really doesn't think much of men. After having to take care of her father and brother for so many years, so really doesn't have any use for them. Luke is known as the love them and leave them type of guy.Why settle down with one woman when you can have many. This definitely led to an interesting story.
I can't wait to read more about the Book Club Belles Society and eagerly await the next book in the series.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thanks go out to Sourcebooks via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Jayne Fresina Sinfully Ever After Spotlight Blitz

Title: Sinfully Ever After

Series: Book Club Belles Society

Author: Jayne Fresina

Pubdate: December 2, 2014

ISBN: 9781402287794

Teaching scandalous young men a lesson? This is not your typical book club

To Rebecca Sherringham, all men are open books—read quickly and forgotten. Perhaps she’s just too practical for love. The last thing she needs is another bore around—especially one that’s supposed to be dead.

Captain Lucius “Luke” Wainwright turns up a decade after disappearing without a trace. He’s on a mission to claim his birthright and he’s not going away again until he gets it. But Becky and the ladies of the village Book Club Belles Society won’t let this rogue get away with his sins. He’ll soon find that certain young ladies are accustomed to dealing with villains.

An Excerpt:

He was going to kiss her.

Her skin shivered with anticipation until she could barely sit still. There was something proprietary about his gaze, the way it claimed her as surely as an arm around the waist.

After the meal, she left the table and Lucky Luke stayed to talk with her father. Becky found the dog Ness, now with a full belly, snoring happily by the fire, his paws twitching. The scene was peaceful for once with no Mrs. Jarvis angrily crashing her pots and pans about. Snow piled up against the window, and a stronger wind had sprung up to send the flakes spinning and spattering against the glass panes, but it was warm and cozy in that kitchen, and her smile, reflected in the window, was sunny. It was pleasant to hear her father’s distant laughter and the low murmur of male voices in the house.

She took three leaves from the pot of mint on the windowsill. If he was going to kiss her, she ought to have sweeter breath. Several other leaves had also been very recently ripped from the stems, she noted. Had he also taken some to be prepared? Smiling, she chewed the mint and resumed wiping down the table.

When Luke came in, she was still cleaning up the kitchen.

“Your father has fallen asleep, Miss Sherringham. I hope I didn’t bore him too badly.”

“Oh, it’s quite normal for my father to drift off midsentence. I’ll see him up to bed shortly.”

Becky had extinguished the lamps in the kitchen, and now light came only from the fire and the soft glow of the hall sconces through the open door behind him. He cast a great, bulky shadow across the flagged floor, a black, three-legged spider. His eyes were very dark and wary again as he paused there, just inside the kitchen doorway, leaning on his cane.

“Thank you for preparing the dinner,” she said. “It would have been cold game pie if you weren’t here to share your talents.”

“Well, I had to repay your kindness somehow, Miss Sherringham.”

He was being very polite now, she noted. His tone changed back and forth, one minute casual and even too familiar, the next formal, distant, as if he couldn’t decide what he ought to be. When she’d first met him in Brighton, she’d never imagined that he even knew how to be courteous, but now, seeing him converse civilly with her father, she suspected there were hidden sides to Lucky Luke.

She looked at his scars, his watchful eyes, and then his lips.

I tell you what…you’ll owe me a kiss…One kiss. To clear your brother’s debt to me.

Becky swallowed hard, tasting the cooling mint on her tongue. She reached into a drawer of the Welsh dresser, fumbled to the very back of it, and brought out the playing card he had once given her. She placed the IOU, writing side up, on the kitchen table.

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A Measure of Deceit by Jess Michaels

The Ladies Book of Pleasures has taken the ton by storm. Everyone wants to know who the author is, including Connor Sheridan, the publisher. He has spend several years writing the author and has fallen in love with her through their correspondence.
Now that Conner has decided to join the social scene, Lady Grace Hollis, Duchess of Jameswood is afraid that her secret will be revealed. She is the author of the scandalous book! Hoping to find out what Conner knows about her identity and to keep tabs on him, Grace proposes they start an affair.
What started as an attraction on paper, flares to life when they become lovers.  What happens when Conner get threatening letters to the anonymous author? Can he protect the woman that he loves?

A Christmas Reunion by Susanna Fraser plus Giveaway

A Christmas Reunion by Susanna Fraser
Gabriel Shephard has never forgotten the love of his life, Lady Catherine Trevilan. After being caught in a compromising position with her, his uncle sends him away to enlist in the British Army. 
Never having forgotten his humble beginnings, Gabriel can't turn away from the orphan that was left in his care. After being separated from his family for five years, he must go to them for help in placing the child with a loving family. Hoping to find Catherine safely married and no longer a temptation, he comes home to find her about to be married.
What happens when they find their attraction for each other has not dimmed over time?
I loved this novella by Fraser! Star-crossed lovers separated and reunited after several years. Definitely a great story to enlighten the Christmas holiday.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

Thanks go out to Carina Press for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Giveaway

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Beguile a Duke by Ally Broadfield

How to Beguile a Duke by Ally Broadfield.
Catherine Malboeuf is on a mission to get her ancestral home back and to find a diamond tiara that belonged to her grandmother. Unfortunately, Nicholas Adair, Duke of Boulstridge stands in her way.
Having been denied an audience with the Duke, Catherine breaks into his home to search for a diary she hope will lead her to the tiara only to be caught by the Duke himself. During down Catherine when asked about purchasing his home he decides to make a bet with her. If she can get a proposal from a titled member of the peerage, he will sell her the house.
Nicholas doesn't think he can lose. Catherine has been raised out of England, carries a knife and is the daughter of a rumoured pirate. There is no chance that he will have to give up the home that he saved from destruction.
What happens when he himself might be the cause him losing the wager? As he spends more time with Catherine, he can't help but be intrigued.
I loved this story. I tend to gravitate to the heroines that are not typical and Catherine definitely fits the bill.  She was raised where the rules were much more relaxed and it shows in her personality. I loved that she was able to turn the stuffy ol' Nick into a person that everyone would fall in love with.
This is my first novel by Broadfield and it definitely won't be my last.

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBook | Kobo

Thanks go to Entangled Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Forever Mine by Monica Burns

Forever Mine by Monica Burns
One minute Victoria Ashton is in a art gallery and the next she is thrown back in time and being told that she is the Countess of Guildford. The people around her seem to think that she is losing her mind insisting that she is not the Countess. Knowing that she must have time to figure out how to get back home, she starts to play the role.
Nicholas Thornhill, Earl of Guildford, is happy to have his wife back after she had been missing for three weeks if only to verify that he didn't kill her. She keeps saying that she is not his wife, but even knowing that she has lied about everything in the past he starts to have his doubts when she doesn't act as he has come to expect his wife to. 
Even knowing that she must get back to her own time, Victoria finds herself falling for her Nicholas. Can their love survive the boundaries of time?
I always love a good time travel romance and Burns did not disappoint. This one was a little different in that the characters meet again in another life. They meet at the beginning of the novel in modern times but are separated by a bomb explosion. Victoria is in the hospital with injuries from the explosion and Nicholas keeps vigil by her bedside. Although having just met her, Nicholas feels so strong a connection that he can't leave her side. 
While this is occurring, Victoria is transported back in time to meet Nicholas as the Earl of Guildford. We see the majority of the story take place in 1897 where the characters fall in love. Tragedy strikes and we are brought back to present day where we see the continuation of their love story.
The reincarnated lovers was a nice twist on the time travel theme and I would love to see Burns do another time travel.

You can get this book at the following retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo Thanks go out to the author for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

The Earl's Defiant Wallflower by Erica Ridley

Miss Grace Halton must find a husband that will let her take her dowry and go back to America to pay for the medicine that her mother desperately needs. Unfortunately, the man that she is attracted to needs her dowry just as bad as she does.
Oliver York, the Earl of Carlisle, must marry an heiress to salvage his estates from the damage that his father did. As much as they fight it, Oliver and Grace can't stop their attraction for each other and find suitable spouses. What happens when they are caught in a compromising position?

Duke of Thorns by Sara Ramsey

Duke of Thorns by Sara Ramsey
This is book 1 in the Heiress Games series, but is also connected to the Muses of Mayfair series.
Callista Briarly must make her way to England to claim her inheritance. Unfortunately, she must also compete for it with her female cousins. During a house party the three of them are suppose to find husbands and the person with the match, according to Ferguson (from Heiress Without a Cause), wins the house and the inheritance. Callista just wants to find a husband that will let her continue to run her father's shipping business.
Gavin, the Duke of Thorington, is on the brink of financial ruin and sees this competition as a way to ensure his family's future. He is determined to wed his brother to one of the three cousins and has decided that Callista is the one.
But what happens when Gavin finds himself falling in love with the woman he has picked out for his brother?
I LOVED this story!! This is the first story by Ramsey that I have read and it definitely won't be my last. After meeting Ferguson & Madeleine as well as Alex and Prudence, I have to read the Muses of Mayfair series!!
I always love a heroine that is not traditional because their antics always enliven a story. Callie is definitely not the typical miss having grown up with her ship captain father. I love her need for independence and her attitude toward getting what she wants.
I always love when a bad boy fights with what he thinks he wants and what he truly needs in his life and you definitely see this struggle with Gavin. He has had one disastrous marriage and doesn't want another, but he needs to save his family from ruin even if that means marry his brother to the woman he has fallen for.
Ramsey is definitely an author that I will continue to read. I love the banter that she has written between the characters and I was laughing out loud throughout the book.  I can't wait for the next book in the series which features Octavia (Callie's cousin) and Rafe (Gavin's brother).

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | iBooks | Kobo

Thanks go out to Sara Ramsey for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Master of Pleasure by Delilah Marvelle

Miss Leona Olivia Webster allowed herself to fall in love with the wrong man. Left pregnant and alone she did the best that she could with the limited resources she had. Unfortunately, it's not enough. The debt collectors have arrived and are taking all of her possessions. Confronting the men for taking her son's toy, she gets in over her head.
Malcolm Gregory Thayer, the earl of Brayton, comes to her rescue. He pays her debt and even offers her a job while he is in London. Having had a very rough childhood, Malcolm is a champion of the underdog and won't stand by and watch something unjust occur.
Having long ago decided never to get involved with a woman because of his violent tendencies, Malcolm is terrified of the feelings that Leona creates in him. Can he become a better man and win her love?

Guest Post: Twelfth Night in Regency England by Regan Walker plus Giveaway

Twelfth Night in Regency England by Regan Walker
While doing my research for The Twelfth Night Wager, my Christmas novella, I enjoyed vicariously living through Christmastide in Regency England (1811-1820), when Prince George reigned as Regent. Then, Christmas was a more subtle celebration than the one we observe today.   Christmastide began with Christmas Eve (though the evening of Christmas Day was “First Night”) and continued to Twelfth Night, or January 5th, followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th when the wise men who followed the star of the new King, arrived in Bethlehem to behold the Christ child. 
 Twelfth Night has its origins in ancient Rome and was a mid-winter event observing pagan fertility rites, a festival of feasting and public celebration. At some point, this tradition became incorporated into the Christian celebrations and included feasting, drinking, games, plays, dances and masked balls. Shakespeare's play, Twelfth Night, which includes characters disguised as people they are not, was intended to be performed on Twelfth Night.   

 In additional to all the revelry, there was a Twelfth Night cake, an ornate confection into which a bean, a coin or a tiny carved or cast metal version of the baby Jesus was placed (it could also be a bean). During early evening, the cake was cut and its pieces distributed to guests who were advised to chew carefully. The person who found the icon became the king, the “Lord of Misrule,” or the “Bean King.” His Queen Consort or the Queen of Twelfth Night was the woman who found a dried pea in the cake. The king and queen reigned for the evening, no matter their normal status in society.   By the late 18th century, the selection of Twelfth Night's "royalty" could also be accomplished by the distribution of paper slips with each piece of cake. The slips were opened and the person holding the one with a special mark inside was declared the king. 
 During Jane Austen’s life, the celebration of Twelfth Night was at the height its of popularity. Sets of “characters” were available to purchase from enterprising stationers. They were cut up into small papers and the slips were chosen from a hat. Whatever character the person drew became their identity for the evening. In my novella, The Twelfth Night Wager, the heroine hopes to play Susie Salamander. 

  Fanny Knight, Edward Austen Knight’s daughter and Jane Austen’s niece, wrote about some of her Twelfth Night Celebrations in Kent. Here’s her report on the celebration in 1809: 
 …after Dessert Aunt Louisa who was the only person to know the characters…took one by one out of the room and equipped them, put them into separate rooms and lastly dressed herself. We were al conducted into the library and performed our different parts. Papa and the little ones from Lizzy downwards knew nothing of it and it was so well managed that none of the characters knew one another ..Aunt Louisa and L.Deeds were Dominos; F.Cage, Frederica Flirt (which she did excellently); M.Deeds, Orange Woman; Mama, Shepherdess; Self Fortune Teller; Edward, beau; G, Irish Postboy; Henry Watchman; William, Harlequin; we had such frightful masks that it was enough to kill one with laughing at putting them on and altogether it went off very well and quite answered our expectations. 
 Though by Jane Austen’s time the cake may not have been used to assist in the choosing of characters, it was still an important part of the celebration. They were costly and complicated to make and, if they could afford to do so, many people bought them from confectioners’ shops. 
 In my Christmas novella, The Twelfth Night Wager, two men at White’s club, one of whom is known as the “red headed rake,” make a scandalous wager involving a virtuous widow. The wager, by its terms, must be won or lost by Twelfth Night. 
 The story includes all the fall activities in London and the countryside (pheasant shooting, fox hunting and riding), as well as the Christmastide celebrations leading up to Twelfth Night. Experience the season in Regency London!

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Wanton Christmas Wishes - A Novella

Wanton Christmas Wishes by Monica Burns, Madelynne Ellis, Samantha Kane, Eliza Lloyd, Jess Michaels, and Kate Pearce.
His to Command by Monica Burns
Charlotte Clayworth and John Fordyce have been friends since childhood. Stranded alone one snowy night, they become much more than friends. When John proposes to Charlotte, she doesn't accept. Can the lovers turn their friendship into something much more powerful? This was a great quick read and look forward to reading more of the stories in the Self-Made man series.
The Kissing Bough by Madelynne Ellis Viola Marsh has been disgraced for act she didn't do. Now she is approached by Percy Gilling and Lord William Ricborough to actually participate in the deed. Will she accept their proposal. This story is not my cup of tea, but it was very well written.
Hamish by Samantha Kane
Edith Lambeth has fallen in love with Dr. Phineus Harper. What happens when his former lover Captain Hamish Fletcher comes back into the picture and Edith finds herself attracted to him too. Another one that was not my cup of tea, but again it was a well written story.
All A Mistress Wants by Eliza Lloyd
Eloisa Larkin has done the one thing a mistress should never do, she has fallen in love with her protector.  What happens when he asks her to spend one last Christmas with him and his family? This is my first story by this author and I really enjoyed it. I'll be checking out more of her work. Loving Michael by Kate Pearce
Can a wager with Angelique Delisle, an ex-courtesan, give Michael Waterstone back a part of his live that he thought lost and much more? A well written story that makes me want to run out and get the other books in the series.
A Christmas Kiss by Jess Michaels
What will Amelia, Countess of Blackgrove, do when she finds out her husband has tricked her into spending time with him? Stephen knows that he messed up and Amelia had every right to leave him. Can he win back her love.
As always, Michaels has turned out a very well written short story. Bravo!

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