Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 56

52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy Monroe!

Week 18's Featured Book
The Sicilian's Marriage Arrangement
by Lucy Monroe
Feb 2007 North America
ISBN 0-373-12604-2










 Buy the book.
Contest Question
(Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.)



The Sicilian's Marriage Arrangement, originally published in 2007, was reissued in 2010.  The reissue contained a story by Julia James.  What was the title of Julia's story?

Humpday Hottie!

May's Retro Release!

Watch Over Me
Book 4 in The Goddard Project series
Trade Paperback
Kensington Brava - June 2009
ISBN-10: 0758229178
ISBN-13: 978-0758229175


MISSION: IRRESISTIBLE

Super spy Mykola Chernichenko comes from a family of geniuses, and though he's no idiot himself, he'd rather be where the action is than analyze it to death. That's why his vacation has just been cut short by a call to get two of his siblings out of some serious trouble—while protecting a nerdy scientist who's latest project could change the world...and get her killed.

The guy who'd rather act than think guarding an egghead in a lab coat? Myk would appreciate the irony more if he weren't so busy trying to figure out how, exactly, to get under said lab coat. Because Lana Ericson just happens to be the hottest thing working the scientific method since, well, ever. Myk has a feeling Lana's laser-like focus would translate to something equally intense in the bedroom. And if she's as curious about him, Myk might just be willing to donate his body to science—each and every night...


Buy the book. 



Contest Question:Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.

On Friday, Bronwen Evans was our guest blogger.  She shared a little of her Bio with us and a lot about her newest book, Invitation to Scandal.  Looks like a great read.  What is the name of the heroine in Invitation to Scandal?

Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!
Moon Craving
Congratulations  misskallie2000 you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's Moon Craving.  Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 


52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy  

Congratulations   flchen1 you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book Come Up and See Me Sometime. Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 



Reader Fitness Challenge - Week 3 Winners
If you are a winner, you do not have to do anything (except maybe thank your giver  ). Your prize will be shipped (emailed in case of eBook) directly to the address provided on your registration form. Carolyn will be contacting prize givers with your mailing address this week.


Tammy BoyerFitness DVD by Lucy Monroe
Tisa AiKeyInvitation to Scandal by Bronwen Evans
Judy FlohrA Desperate Journey from Debra Parmley
Erin WestA Book from Kay Stockham
Sandy SeelyHer Cinderella Complex eBook from Jenna Bayle-Burke
Cindy NewlanThe Greek's Pregnant Lover from Lucy Monroe

Terms:


Prizes cannot be substituted or exchanged. If the prize is lost in the mail or customs, the giver cannot be held responsible and will not be shipping out replacement prizes.


Please do not contact me or the giver about not receiving the prize until a full thirty days have passed from today.  I can't tell you the number of people who have contacted me over the years about a "lost" prize only to have it arrive the day after I asked my PA to take some of her very limited time in my office (I'm not Nora Roberts - my staff is small and all work very part-time) to look into it. Which is why I've had to follow in many other author's footsteps and institute the 30 day rule. 


Congratulations to all the winners! 

Guest Blogger - Bronwen Evans

Welcome Bron to my blog!  I'm excited that you have agreed to come back and blog with me.  Thank you for being a Team Captain in my Reader Fitness Challenge.  Your team is doing great!

About Bron - After spending years working in the finance industry she was determined to have her own business. She set up a successful e-commerce business and sold it in 2005. But even that didn’t fulfill her. It wasn’t until a critically ill friend told her to follow her dreams; she took the plunge into the world of writing historical romance. Finally she’d found a job which wasn’t in fact a job, it has become a passion. Writing romance was as much fun as reading them.  Her debut regency romance, Invitation to Ruin, was a nominee for Best First Historical in the RT Reviewers’ Chocie Awards 2011. When she isn’t writing, Bron stays busy working part-time as CEO of a surgical association in New Zealand. 

Hi, Everyone!  Thanks for having me on your blog today, Lucy!
I’m really happy to be here to chat with your readers because I’m one of Lucy’s team leaders on her fitness challenge and I have to say I’m loving every minute of it!  
My eating is changing so much. I’m actually thinking about what I put in my mouth.  I try not to eat processed foods and avoid those foods high in carbohydrates and fat, such as my normal cakes and biscuits. 
This focus on diet made me think about the size of the ladies in the Regency era (the period I write in). Ladies were generally shorter and plumper. Working class woman would have been lean (not enough food and probably prone it illnesses), and fit due to the hard life they lived. Ladies of the ton wouldn’t have done much exercise, except perhaps horse riding and walking in the park, but they probably didn’t have so much refined or processed foods either. It also helped that the plump, fuller figure was admired. Sigh – I still wouldn’t have wished to have lived during that time. 
Rheda Kerrich, the heroine in my new release out on 1 May, INVITATION TO SCANDAL, the second book in my Regency series, Invitation to… is definitely not fat. She’s slightly unconventional in that she wants to start a horse stud—breeding horses for the cavalry. All she needs is a stallion, but she can’t afford the stud fess.  Then the gorgeous Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore comes to town with his thoroughbred stallion and if [CLUE TWO: IS] Rheda could only find a way to ‘borrow’ Caesar for the night, her mares would be very happy.  
Her secrets are coming undone...
Plagued by scandalous rumors, Rheda Kerrich will stop at nothing to restore her reputation and make an honest living for herself-and she's determined to do it without a husband. But times are hard, and smuggling is a risky though profitable trade. So when a dashing agent for the English government catches her in the act, she desperately resists his charms and conceals her illicit profession. Until she realizes he may be the key to her ultimate freedom-and unbridled passion.
Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore, has never had trouble beguiling the ladies of Kent. When his search for "Dark Shadow," a cunningly elusive smuggler, leads him to alluring and headstrong Rhe, her objections to his amorous advances merely incite a tantalizing game of cat and mouse. Soon, they'll find the very secrets driving them apart could ensnare them in a love they can't escape…I’m giving away a copy of INVITATION TO SCANDAL to one lucky commenter today. Simply tell me a good idea that helps me with my fitness challenge.
I’ve just started my Invitation to Romance Blog Tour. Find out how to win the INVITATION TO ROMANCE Book Tour Grand Prize of a $200 Gift Card from Amazon or B&N PLUS 30+ ‘signed by the author’ romance novels by visiting www.bronwenevans.com
There will be a one WORD hidden in each blog post [WHO] in brackets (the word 'WHO' is the first clue from Shana Galen’s post on 26th April). There are 30 words altogether. These words will spell a paragraph related to Bron's 1 May release INVITATION TO SCANDAL.
Connect with Bronwen:Website:   www.bronwenevans.comBlog: http://www.bronwenevans.com/bronwen-blog.htmlFB:   http://www.facebook.com/bronwenevansauthorTwitter:   @authorbevans

52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy Monroe!

Week 17's Featured Book


Come Up and See Me Sometime
by Lucy Monroe


(Connected to Goodness Had Nothing to Do With It)
Kensington Zebra - May 2005
ISBN 0-8217-7770-X




CHAPTER ONE

“I think we’ve got a spy.”
Marcus Danvers’s announcement erupted in Alex’s mind like Mt. St. Helens on a bad day.
Pushing his chair back slightly from the massive walnut desk that sat in the center of his office, Alex met Marcus’s expectant stare. “Why?”
Leaning in the open doorway, his six-foot-two-inch frame exuding casual relaxation while, Marcus’s blue eyes glittered with anticipation and amusement. “Harrison’s daughter called this morning.”
The closer they got to seeing John Harrison’s company dismantled, the less humor Alex found in anything.
“Explain.”
Marcus crossed the oversized office and sat down in one of the chairs facing Alex’s desk. “She wanted to know if I liked the idea of changing employers. Ms. Harrison said that she had a client interested in someone with my skill set and experience.”
Alex shrugged, making a concentrated effort not to overreact and feed Marcus’s off-beat sense of humor. “She works for one of the most exclusive headhunting agencies in the Portland area. She makes a lot of calls like the one you received this morning.”
Although he’d never met Isabel, Alex had no doubt she was a lot like her father. He stole men’s ideas. She stole employees, specializing in the hi-tech industry. According to his sources, she was very good at her job.
Marcus stretched out his long legs and crossed them at the ankle. “If you ask me, it’s too much of a coincidence right now. Our client is only months away from closing the deal on her dad’s company and she calls your most valuable employee trying to lure him away.”
“My most valuable employee being you?”
“Well, yes.” Marcus attempted a modest look of acceptance. “Not to mention an employee with inside information St. Clair’s plans to take Hypertron apart.”
Alex nodded. “I’ll look into it.”
Marcus stood up to leave.
“What did you say to her?”
Marcus turned around, his brows raised in mockery. “If I’d said yes, I wouldn’t have told you about the phone call, now would I?”
“With your twisted sense of humor, that’s not a given.”
“I told her no, boss. I’m not interested in leaving CIS. Working for you gives me a chance to use my hunter’s instincts without dressing up in fatigues and chasing some poor animal through the forest.”
With a sardonic smile, Marcus left.


Click to continue reading. ~ Buy the book.
Contest Question
(Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.)



On my website you can find scenes that were cut from the book for various reasons including space.  How many cut scenes can you read on the website?

Humpday Hottie!

Forget the double mint twins...I'll take tripple!  Love those abs.

April's Retro Release!

MOON CRAVINGby Lucy MonroeISBN-10: 0425233049ISBN-13: 978-0425233047A Children of the Moon Novel #2Paranormal Historical WerewolfBerkley Sensation - February 2010
A reader review
This is the first book I’ve read by Lucy Monroe and I enjoyed it immensely. While it is definitely a paranormal historical, with the Chrechte shape-shifting from human to wolf, I found the paranormal elements to be light with the love story being the primary focus of the book. As a bonus, it’s set in medieval Scotland, one of my favorite locations and periods. I found Abigail’s ability to function in a hearing world believable and was glad Monroe injected realism by not making it too easy for her. The interactions between Talorc and his inner wolf were fascinating and, again, totally believable to me. I enjoyed the humorous touches, such as Abigail’s misunderstanding of the word “mate”, and the sigh-worthy, emotional and very sensuous love scenes between Abigail and Talorc.  The Romance Dish

Buy the book. 



Contest Question:Please leave your answer in the comment section.  Winners will be announced on Saturday.  If you leave your email address in your comment I will contact you regarding the prize otherwise you may check back on Saturday to see if you are the winner and email me.  

Last week Erin Nicholas blogged with us and shared her thoughts on books that follow up on secondary characters.  Her newest release, Everything You've Got, is a follow up book to which 2011 release?

Weekly Contest Winners!

Weekly Contest Winners!
The Sheikh's Bartered Bride
Congratulations Debby you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's Moon Craving.  Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 


52 Weeks of Romance from Lucy  

Congratulations Lynn R. you will receive a copy of Lucy's Monroe's book And Able. Please email me with your name and address so I can get your prize in the mail. 


Reader Fitness Challenge - Week 2 Winners
If you are a winner, you do not have to do anything (except maybe thank your giver  ). Your prize will be shipped (emailed in case of eBook) directly to the address provided on your registration form. Carolyn will be contacting prize givers with your mailing address this week.

Jennifer DittrichFitness DVD by Lucy Monroe
Laurel NewberryAnything You Want from Erin Nicholas
Tash NordstrandA Desperate Journey from Debra Parmley
Samantha HodgesA Book from Mary Wine
Mary Jo TayloreBook of choice (backlist) from Kate Davies
Jannielu De PazThe Greek's Pregnant Lover from Lucy Monroe

Terms:

Prizes cannot be substituted or exchanged. If the prize is lost in the mail or customs, the giver cannot be held responsible and will not be shipping out replacement prizes.

Please do not contact me or the giver about not receiving the prize until a full thirty days have passed from today.  I can't tell you the number of people who have contacted me over the years about a "lost" prize only to have it arrive the day after I asked my PA to take some of her very limited time in my office (I'm not Nora Roberts - my staff is small and all work very part-time) to look into it. Which is why I've had to follow in many other author's footsteps and institute the 30 day rule. 

Congratulations to all the winners! 

Guest Blog - Erin Nicholas

Erin Nicholas is the author of sexy contemporary romances.  Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun.  She loves to write about reluctant heroes, flawed heroines, sex with food and happily ever afters.  She does not like to write dark moments, synopses or bios.  
You can find Erin on the web:www.ErinNicholas.com, www.ninenaughtynovelists.blogspot.comhttp://twitter.com/ErinNicholas


Hi, Everyone!  Thanks for letting me come back, Lucy!I’m really happy to be here to chat with your readers today!  In fact, I have a specific question for everyone:
How do you feel about follow up books?  A book that follows a secondary character that shows up in a previous book?
I personally love them.  Probably why I write them sometimes! I did this with my first Bradford book, Just Right, and that one follow up book turned into a series of three (and we’re adding two more books this year!).  So, clearly *I* like to know what happens to those secondary characters.  The thing is, the Bradford characters are… likeable. Loveable even.  They’re good people in the previous books.  Funny, interesting, charming.  It makes sense that we might want to know what happens to them.  They contribute to the first story (and each subsequent story) in a positive way.
That was a little different in my most recent book--  Everything You’ve Got.  Everything You’ve Got is a follow up book to my 2011 release, Anything You Want.  In AYW, we ended up with a bit of a love triangle.  In fact, the “third wheel” was initially the hero—until I realized that his best friend (that’s right, his best friend) was the right guy… but that’s a whole other blog post.  Anyway, I realized that if I was going to break this guy’s heart, I had to give him a Happily Ever After too.  Yes, I’m one of those people who wants everyone to be happy.  
So, Everything You’ve Got was conceived.  But… I was a little worried.  Luke was the third wheel in Anything You Want and honestly, some readers didn’t like him. Or, at least, they didn’t care about his HEA.  They fell so in love with Marc, the hero in AYW (and Marc’s easy to fall for!), that they didn’t really care what happened to the guy who initially stood in the way of Marc and Sabrina’s happily ever after.Still, *I* wanted to write Everything You’ve Got.  Luke was a good guy deep down, did the things he did for good reasons,  or at least for what he thought were good reasons.  And I really like his story .  (Obviously, right?)  Kat, the heroine, is perfect for Luke and they both have a lot to learn before they can have what they want and need.  I love their journey.
But I’m curious about you.  If you meet a character in a book that makes life a little hard for the hero and heroine, are you interested in what happens to him (or her)?  If they’re a bit of an antagonist would you still want to read about them?  (honest, Luke is a great guy!)
I took a chance with writing Luke and Kat’s story and now I’m thrilled to be hearing from readers that they’ve become Luke fans. In fact, one of my most enthusiastic readers has decided she likes Luke best!  But that may not always be the case.  And, after all, readers have to read the book before they’ll know.So, I’m curious about your general feelings—do you give the “other guy” a chance?  
And just so a couple of people can see what I’m talking about personally, I’m giving away TWO (e-book) sets of the Anything & Everything series—Anything You Want (book 1) and Everything You’ve Got (book 2).  All you have to do is comment here today and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of the two sets!
Thanks for stopping by, everyone!  Erin
Here's a look at Erin's book:
A girl, a guy, a set of handcuffs… What more could happily ever after possibly need?

Anything & Everything, Book 2 
Luke Hamilton’s requirements for the perfect woman are straightforward: live, work and play in his beloved hometown—and get along with his mother.  Dr. Kat Dayton’s got it all.  And Luke’s noticed.  It’s obvious to him that his long-time friend belongs with him, especially after the world-rocking kiss she lays on him at his birthday party.
While Kat can’t deny she’s imagined a kiss like that—and more—for years, she’s less convinced they’re destined for happily ever after.  Still, Luke figures that’s nothing a friendly kidnapping and a three-day road trip won’t fix.
Kat would love to let Luke in, but if he discovers the truth—that committee meetings bore her to tears and she’d rather have a root-canal than go to another potluck—his white-picket-fence dreams will be crushed.
Being stuck in an RV with Luke should be three days of flirtatious fun, but for Kat it’s heavenly hell. The close confines and good old-fashioned lust are making a mockery of her perfect-woman façade, and if he finds out about the mistake that might cost her job—and force her to leave town for good—it’ll take more than a sexy pair of handcuffs to keep him close.

Warning:  Contains a man who's willing to do anything for the perfect woman, an RV and surprise road-trip to help him prove it, and a woman who's wondering just what the hell she's gotten into.