Cerise DeLand's Blog, page 32

TOP PICK for Cerise's military romance starring female nurse #veteran, WHENEVER WE TOUCH!

   So delighted with my new Christmas gift from NIGHT OWL REVIEWS that gives my contemporary military romance WHENEVER WE TOUCH a TOP Pick, 5 star review.
 
   Tickled as I am, I give you the link and the word-for-word deliciousness of it.

Here first is the blurb:
   Lieutenant Amy Rawlins flies home from her year nursing wounded GIs intending to jettison the sexy rancher she married the weekend before she left the States. She and her husband Garrett have only two things in common, a last name…and lust. She’s too damaged to be a proper wife, so she’s got to end their sham of a marriage and set him free.
But Garrett knows why he and Amy were so wild to claim each other. From the moment they touched, their chemistry went nuclear. But there’s more to their union than hot hookups all over his house. There’s passion, yes, but love too, the kind that can last a lifetime. He won’t let Amy walk away from that so easily. Instead, he demands a week with his luscious, loving wife. He’ll use his hands, his lips and all his other sizable attributes to prove to her that when two lovers touch, their hearts speak as loudly as their bodies.

AND HERE IS NIGHT OWL'S REVIEW!
This novella is one that is both touching and arousing in a winning combination. The sensitivity with which the author presents the issues that confronts those who care for the brave souls who put their lives on the line provides an emotional hook, while the deep loyalty displayed by a man who has done the best he could to support and prepare for the return of the woman he loves makes this a richly romantic tale. The way the story builds is a great journey and I was mesmerized from the very beginning. I look forward to more stunning stories from this talented author.“Whenever We Touch” by Cerise deLand is the wonderfully emotional contemporary erotic military romance story of Lieutenant Amy Rawlins and the husband, Garrett, she hasn’t seen in a year. A marriage that took place at the spur of the moment is in danger of being destroyed when Amy returns from the front lines and isn’t sure what she has to contribute to the relationship. Garrett is prepared to use the determination that allowed him to become a champion bronco rider to fight for his marriage and remind his wife of the sizzling connection they share, but he may have an impossible task to overcome.REVIEW LINK: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/ELF-reviews-Whenever-We-Touch-by-Cerise-Deland 

BUY LINKS:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Whenever-We-Touch-Cerise-DeLand-ebook/dp/B00O3AIEOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418070320&sr=8-1&keywords=Whenever+we+touch+cerise+deland

Ellora's Cave:
http://www.ellorascave.com/whenever-we-touch.html

A Scorching New Release from Sabrina York and a #Tiara #Giveaway

Snow Angels, the final book in the Decadent Calendar Men Series is here!
SNOW ANGELS by Sabrina York
Available December 1stfrom Decadent Publishing
The last thing Wade Masters wants on his month-long getaway to his sister’s wilderness cabin is company.  A wounded warrior, Wade is looking for complete isolation to deal with the tragedy of his life and his screaming guilt.
But company he gets, in the form of Lyssa Salk, a spunky, diminutive massage therapist. Who says she can talk to dead people.
Trapped together in the snowbound cabin, Wade and Lyssa have little else to do but help each other heal, spiritually, physically and sexually.

READ AN EXCERPT:He probably stayed in the shower too long; the water was turning tepid. But Wade didn’t care. He stepped out and dried off, ruffling his hair with the fluffy towel. He tried to ignore the pink hearts. But it was either pink hearts or Hello Kitty.He resolved, if he ever visited this cabin again, he would bring his own towels. Something manly.Camo maybe.A sharp series of barks brought his head up with a snap.Bo.Bo rarely barked, and then only at a threat.Wade snapped into gear, wrapping the towel around his waist and stopping in the bedroom to grab his pistol. He’d seen bear tracks and scat on his run and though it was the middle of winter, he knew they could come out of hibernation. They’d been known to break into cabins if they smelled food.His heart leapt into his throat at the thought of Bo facing a hungry five-hundred pound beast with no protection.Towel flapping, he pounded down the short hall into the great room of the cabin, expecting the worst. He stopped in his tracks.Yeah.It was the worst.Not a bear.But an even greater predator.There, pressed up against the door, cornered by his snarling protector, be-speckled with snow and clutching a mangy backpack, was a woman.He could tell she was a woman, even though she wore about six coats, one on top of the other, and a knit hat pulled down over her ears. Long black hair escaped from the cap, trailing over her shoulders. But it was the eyes that gave her away, wide and round and fringed with thick lashes. And her chin. It was delicate, dimpled, quivering. Her lips were parted. Her exquisite face pale.Bo glanced back at him as if crowing, look what I caught! And then edged forward with an ominous growl.The girl clutched her backpack closer and issued a panicked little peep. She tried to press back into the door, making herself as tiny as she could, but there was no give.  Besides, she was tiny enough.Like a woodland sprite.He would have thought her a fairy come in from the woods if he’d had a hint of whimsy in him. And if she hadn’t been wearing everything she owned. He didn’t know much about fairies, but he was pretty sure they had some fashion sense.Bo’s growl became a snarl, a snap, and the girl warbled a wail. “Please!” she cried. “Call him off!”Wade snapped his fingers, fully expecting Bo to heel. He’d been methodically trained by a world-renown expert. He always behaved.He did not.His hackles rose and he took another menacing step toward the girl. A tear tracked down her cheek. Her entire body shook. “P-please!”“Bo! Fuß!” The command to heel in the language he’d learned as a puppy, penetrated and Bo licked his muzzle, gave a canine whine and padded to Wade’s side. “Braver Hund.” Wade riffled the scruff of Bo’s beck and gave him a scratch. “Good dog.”The girl collapsed against the door, but her attention did not waver from Bo, whose hackles were still up. Wade didn’t understand his dog’s reaction. He’d always been friendly to strangers before, more likely to whap them to death with his tail than to so much as growl. But then his gaze fell on the small cage at the girl’s feet and he froze. He could see a hint of the creature inside and he suddenly understood.Hell.She had a cat.Perfect.Not only was his solitude shattered by an unwanted female guest, a bedraggled homeless ragamuffin, she’d brought a cat.Damn.He hated cats.
GET YOUR COPY NOW!
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Angels-Calendar-Sabrina-York-ebook/dp/B00NF6LWZS/KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/eboo...ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/snow... http://www.decadentpublishing.com/ind...
About the Calendar Men SeriesRead all 12 stories in this brand new multi-author series for 2014...and you'll have a new book-boyfriend for every month of the year!

http://calendar-men.blogspot.com/

Off the charts swoon-factor.
Hot heroes.
A man for every month.

Told by some of best authors in the world of romance, the Calendar Men stories have contemporary settings and star strong heroes doing good while
looking great; men pose for a charity calendar to help military families of fallen heroes. Each has his own special reason for wanting to help the fictional Hero Family Fund, and each has his own obstacles to overcome.
January – Outback Dirty by JoAnne KenrickFebruary – February Lover by Rebecca RoyceMarch – Seducing Helena by Ann MayburnApril – Frontier Inferno by Kate Richards
May – Shockwaveby D. L. Jackson
June – The Other Brother by Lucy FelthouseJuly – The Letter by Mina Carter
August – Burning Love by Cassandra Carr
September – A Model Hero by Sara Daniel
October – Falling For her Navy SEAL Again by Clarissa Yip
November – Thankful For You by Cindy Spencer Pape
December – Snow Angels by Sabrina York
WIN A TIARAI admit it, I am a bling addict. As a result, I occasionally need to empty out my tiara closet so I can buy more. Enter to win one of your own and a signed copy of one of my print books here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway ends December 31st
About Sabrina YorkHer Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching erotic romance.  Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebook or on Pintrest. Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on Amazonor wherever e-books are sold. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!
Favorite my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sabrinayorkLike my Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaYorkBooksFollow me on Twitter @sabrina_york https://twitter.com/sabrina_yorkFollow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5817917.Sabrina_YorkCheck out my Pintrest boards (prepare to spend the day): http://www.pinterest.com/sabrinayork/boards/ Other Books by Sabrina York
Tryst Island Series—Steamy Contemporary Romance  ReboundBook 1Dragonfly Kisses Book 2 Smoking Holt  Book 3Heart of Ash  Book 4Devlin’s Dare  Book 5Parker’s Passion  Book 6
Anthologies and CollectionsHeartbreak on a Stick (Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After Collection)Five Alarm Fire (Erotic Contemporary for the High Octane Heroes Anthology, Cleis Press)A Cowboy for Delilah (Erotic Contemporary for the Cowboy Heat Anthology, Cleis Press)Saving Charlotte (Erotic Contemporary for the Smokin' Hot Firemen Anthology, Cleis Press) Stone Hard Seal (Hot Alpha Seals: Military Romance Megaset)The Real McCoy--in the Cowboy 12 PackWhipped--in the WTRAFSOG Collection #8  
Stand Alone Contemporary Romance
Heartbreak on a Stick
ALSO FROM DECADENT PUBLISHING!
Fierce (A One Night Stand Story)The last thing Katie expects—when she meets her friend Joy for a girls’ weekend in Vegas to celebrate her divorce—is an ambush. But Joy, determined to get Katie “back on the horse,” has submitted her profile with Madame Eve—who’s found her the perfect man.
Katie doesn’t want another man. She certainly doesn’t want or need confirmation that it’s her fault Mark could never satisfy her.


When Sebastian—scarred by the infidelity of his wife—overhears Katie’s confession, and the fact that she was faithful to her husband for ten years even though he never met her needs, he’s intrigued. More than intrigued. He’s determined to prove to this gorgeous, tempting, fascinating woman that she is not frigid. In fact, she is fierce.

Cerise went to #Paris and came home in raptures over #Fontainebleau, Part 5

The main entranceThe wonderful bit about my latest trip to Paris was that so many of the sights we wanted to see had double or triple significance for my research.
   I know. I know. Your eyes glaze over. You want to get to the good stuff!
   Hmm. Licking my lips.
 
A closer look at the main entranceOkay. One fine day, hubbie and I traveled to Fontainebleau. Gorgeous serene Fontainebleau at the end of an RER ride from our apartment in Montmarte was such a treat (at the end of a bus ride after the train). All worth the effort!
   We stopped before we entered the chateau to have lunch. In a cafe on the main street, we walked in to order champagne (because what else would you have, if not a bottle of Sancerre from the nearby Loire Valley). We each ordered the mussels, too. And let me say, OMG (like a screaming girl) I counted no less than 5 dozen mussels in my fabulous white wine broth. Served, yes, it was, with French bread . We were stuffed as we crossed the street and took our first look at this building.
   Famous for the attention given the original hunting lodge by Francis I, the chateau was occupied by many French kings and queens. Anne of Austria, the mother of Louis XIV, loved this palace and her receiving room and bedroom are grandiose examples of the sumptuous appointments in which French royalty lived.

Fontainebleau was also a favorite of Napoleon. In fact, in 1814, he abdicated his imperial throne from here and spoke harshly to his generals whom he felt had deserted him in his time of desperation.
The enormous tombs of Francis I and his wife, Claude of France in the Basilica of St. Denis in Paris suburbs.
This cathedral, one of the first examples of gothic architecture is where all French kings and queens are buried.
This relief is life size, which means Francis was at least 6 feet tall. 
And let me just say, his feet had to be size 15!   From here in southern areas of Paris, Napoleon left for Elba in the Mediterranean for his first exile, but returned only months later to rouse the country to his cause. Arriving in March 1815 in Paris, he gathered troops but the latest alliance of Allies met him on the field at Waterloo in June 1815 and defeated him.
   The furnishings are scrumptious, many assembled from lesser castles and chateaux and restored. The friezes and art, including innumerable tapestries, take your breath away. But the sight that stopped me cold and kept me enchanted was the hallway you see pictured here.
This picture does little justice to the high relief of these whimsical plaster casts. They fairly leap from the walls.
This was a hallway constructed by Francis I to allow him to meet with his advisers easily, passing from the far part
of the monarch's residence to that used more by his ministers. The art is high Rococco, 
glorious in depiction of humans and animals.   Other rooms, many of them redecorated by Napoleon, Josephine and the emperor's second wife, are as stunning for their color and form. In the enfilade type of French architecture, where one room empties into another, you also gain the sense that no one had much privacy. Nor heat! That, too, is another reason why people died young and/or suddenly of horrible maladies.
Napoleon's throne room with his famous imperial bees decorating the canopy. The side apartments to the left of the main entrance where
attending ministers and servants lived when the king or emperor was in residence.   Originally a hunting lodge, successive kings of France enlarged Fontainebleau into a sprawling entity, requiring hundreds of staff and enormous amounts of money to run.
   Seeing the gilded splendor on the walls and door knobs, the richness of Aubusson carpets and fine Sevres china on the tables, you do understand why and how the French ultimately revolted from a system that favored the few above the many.
The far gate, looking away from the cobblestoned main entrance, adorned with Napoleon's imperial Eagles.

Dominique Eastwick treats us to her new #Regency, THE EARL AND THE VIRGIN COUNTESS

The House of Lords Book 31 Night Stand RegencyBy Dominique EastwickDecadent Publishing.Price 2.9986 PagesHeat Level 4ISBN 9781613337707ASIN B00PKVPMRK.   Lord Andrew Masterson, Earl of Windenshire has had a string of bad luck with women. While his best friends are all getting leg-shackled, he can’t seem to get a lady to stay in his presence long enough to court them. Not sure what he might be doing wrong, he turns to Madame Evangeline, hoping she can help him change his luck.Betrothed since before her birth to Lord Masterson, Miss Miranda Beauchamp has prepared to be his countess ever since. Although the Earl of Windenshire maintains her upkeep and pays for everything she needs, she might as well not exist for all the attention he pays her. Determined to break the marriage contract, she’ll go to desperate measures to achieve her goal, even if it means losing her virginity to do so.Can Madame Eve show Andrew and Miranda there is more than a contract between them? Or will family secrets and years of hurt be too much for the earl and his virgin countess to overcome?
Excerpt: Copyright 2014, Dominique Eastwick.
“Yes, please. Perhaps it’s unladylike to admit, but I am starving.”He smiled, taking her plate. “It’s actually quite refreshing. I grow tired of petite young things who eat nothing and pass out at a drop of the hat.”“I am neither young nor petite.”No, she had curves in all the right places. Making sure it wasn’t ignored, his cock twitched as it hardened. “You seem perfect to me.”“Ha! Far from perfect.” Again her lips formed the tantalizing O before she asked, “Did you put something in my tea?”“I did not.”“Then I have no excuse for my behavior.”He laughed that time, filling her plate with a bit of everything. “You have done nothing in need of excusing.”“But I would have thought you’d prefer a perfect woman.” Her eyes clouded with what appeared to be confusion. He supposed it wasn’t too hard to believe; a peer of the realm would be looking for what society considered would be important in a mate. He handed her the plate laden with delicacies and far more food than he had ever seen any woman eat.“Thank you, milord—Andrew.”“You’re welcome. Now, indulge me.” he said, retaking his seat in the high back chair. “What do you think is perfection?”“I believe....” Taking a bite, she contemplated the question. “Perfection for you would be a woman who is well-mannered and carries herself with decorum at all times. She is the perfect hostess. She does delicate needlework, plays the pianoforte, and sings beautifully. She would complement you, if on your arm, and would never argue.”What she described sounded like a paper doll. A woman with no thoughts of her own. He didn’t want a vacant vessel in his bed only for the purpose of begetting children; he wanted a partner. Andrew yearned to have a woman look at him the way Llysa and Chandra looked at their men. Both women stood up to their lordly men, all the while complementing and supporting Wolfe and Simon. “Sounds bloody boring, if you ask me.”“Really.”“Might as well be with a living statue. I’ll bet this woman would also stare at the ceiling and think about England while I drive into her.”She choked on her bite. “I suppose she just might.”“And she probably eats enough to stay barely alive, ties her corset too tight, and then faints at the slightest hint of impropriety.”“Oh dear, yes, into the most dainty faints possible.”“I would rather face the guillotine than endure a woman of that sort.” Setting his food aside, he turned his attention fully on her. Her face lit up as they continued to banter back and forth, showing none of the disgust she’d found for him earlier. Standing, he grabbed her plate while ignoring her protest. “Would you condemn me to such a cavernous, empty life, Miranda?”“Condemn?”Decadent Publishing || Amazon || ARe || Barnes & Noble || Smashwords || Kobo
About Dominique Eastwick:Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat, because of that traveling is one of her favorite past times. When not writing you can find Dominique behind the lens of her camera following her second passion...photography.
Where you can Find Dominique:Website http://dominique-eastwick.wix.com/dominique-eastwickBlog http://dominiqueeastwick.blogspot.com/ FB https://www.facebook.com/dominique.eastwickTwitter @dominieastwickPinterest http://www.pinterest.com/dominieastwick/Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188870.Dominique_EastwickAuthorgraph http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/DominiEastwick

Meet the House of Lords!
The DUKE, His Grace Wolfe Thane, Duke of Foxhaven (The Duke and the Virgin)The MARQUIS, Lord Simon James Winston, Marquis of Breckinridge (The Mistress and the Marquis)The EARL, Lord Andrew Masterson, Earl of Windenshire (The Earl and the Virgin Countess)
The VISCOUNT, Lord Jonathon Railey, Viscount of Aunton (The Viscount and the Heiress.)

Cerise went to #Paris and came home w. tales of Josephine from #Malmaison! Part 4

Entrance to enchanting MalmaisonJosephine's home in what is now suburban Paris truly gives the feeling of having been hers. From the decor to the flower gardens, the furniture and appointments, the house is a glorious example of Directorate and Imperial decor.

But it tells you about the feeling conveyed by what we Anglophiles call the period, the Regency. The colors are muted, pastoral, juxtaposed by splashes of vermilion, encrusted in gold filigree.

I showed you one pillar from the lobby and parts of Josephine's reception room or Music Room. Here I give you tastes of more.
(Do please note these are my pictures and while they may not be professional grade, please do cite them as my copyright, should you download and use them.)
Seating in one part of her large and inviting Music Room

Napoleon's bedroom made to look like a military tent!
Portrait of Josephine
Josephine's Boudoir with her dressing table Josephine's Bathing room where she bathed, dressed and
occasionally ate because it was so warm in here! One set of gold plated serving ware created for the Empress and Emperor, bequeathed to Josephine's son, Eugene.
The service, passing down through generations of Eugene's descendants, wound up in Russia prior to WWI.
Between the two world wars, the owners sold the set back to the State of France.
Josephine's gardens, famous when she was alive for their beauty, astonish visitors still today. The French government cares for the property, employing landscapers and gardeners. Here, even in mid-October, we see one of her rose bushes in beautiful bloom.

Today a trip to Rueil-Malmaison on the RER from Paris is a joy. The town retains the charm of its former smaller self and Josephine's house is tucked into a corner of it, a bit of a walk from the train station but worth it on a fine day.

What I came away with was a feeling of how much Josephine enjoyed the house, how she relished the gardens and how she lavishly entertained. It is a fine credit to her that she had the foresight to leave the house and its contents to her son and that he tried, as did the family and subsequent non-family owners, to keep the possessions in tact. Though time and wars took their toll and many of the items in the house are now "claimed" from the palace at Saint Cloud or the Tuileries, the house is a marvelous representation of the Empress's personality and taste.

Cuz you need a NAKED cowboy, you need a Desiree Holt naked cowboy! All of them! Including her new man!

Stark NakedReenie Davenport learned the hard way that men are cheating, promotion-thieving poison. A month after making a fresh start in Texas, she looks forward to taking a breather at her old college friend Amy’s family ranch. Instead, she’s left breathless when Amy’s very drunk, very sexy, very naked brother lands at her feet. Even as she hardens her heart, a small part of her wishes that quickly tossed towel would shift…just a little. When Matt Stark shows up at Reenie’s door to apologize, he can barely squeeze a word past her emotional barriers. Suddenly nothing else matters except convincing her not all men are clones of her ex. Sweet-talking her into lunch is only the beginning. One touch, and boom! Much to Reenie’s dismay, lunch ends in a hot, flaming dessert—in her bed. Shutting Matt out isn’t as easy as simply blowing out a match. Especially since this cowboy is equally determined to unlock her heart.
Buck Naked Amy Stark has it all together—except for chronic bad taste in men. She’s firmly in hands-off-all-men mode when a flat tire forces her to accept the help of exactly the type of man she’s sworn off. Arrogant, cocky and condescending.When she runs into him again later that day and then finds out her brother has invited him for dinner, the fire between them has a sizzle of a different kind.At eighteen, Buck Montgomery left home to make his mark on the bull-riding circuit. He may have had wild success in rodeo but his personal life is in the dust, and while he’s ready to start a new life he’s wary to expose his heart. Buck knows he should tell Amy the truth, but every time he opens his mouth, hers is right there with kisses like molten lava.When his past resurfaces at the worst possible time, Buck can only wonder if Amy will love the man he has become…or if the man he was will chase her away.

Stripped Naked Taking over as publisher of The Hill Country Herald was supposed to help Jinx Malone put her personal and professional disasters in New York behind her. Instead, she’s barely settled at her desk when news of a murder hits the police scanner.Who knew Rowan County could be this exciting? And who knew her first story would bring her into head-butting, hormone-pumping contact with something that’s an even bigger pain in her ass than a cheating ex—a know-it-all cop?Sheriff Dillon Cross thought retreating to Rowan Country would help him get over a bad case of burnout. But only a few weeks into his job, he’s standing over a dead body in a ditch, arguing with his least favorite thing: a sexy, in-your-face reporter.Before they’re through buzzing around each other like angry hornets, the last thing either expected happens. They’re in bed, burning up the sheets. But is it a new beginning, or just a bad rerun of past mistakes?

Bare Naked   Tired of the devious twists and turns of the corporate world, Georgie Zielinski takes her savings and her 401K to little Saddle Wells, Texas where she has bought a closed, rundown Bed & Breakfast. Using her knowledge of years in the hospitality business she plans to rehab the place and open her own B&B. Cade Hannigan was once on top of the world and disgustingly arrogant about it. Now he has fallen to the bottom of the barrel, working as the janitor at the Lone Star Bar and drinking himself to sleep every night. Cade loses his job at the exact moment that Georgie needs a handyman to help her with the B&B. They are a most unlikely pair, the world weary blond and the down and out cowboy, but electric sparks fly between them. As they work to bring to life the old building to life, something sexually explosive grows between them. Then Cade’s past comes back to slap him in the face and it all falls apart. It will take more than hot sex to put this couple back together. Come take a wild ride with a hot blonde and the latest naked cowboy.
One click takes you to all of the above:AMAZON

And now……Naked Desire In Saddle Wells, she hopes to build a business—and maybe a new life—on the strength of that recipe. But she’s totally unprepared for her sizzling attraction to the artisan carpenter her new friends send her way. Jesse Orosco is ready to roll up his sleeves to renovate Cyn’s storefront, but it’s the self-doubt lurking in her beautiful eyes he wants to tackle first. The five-foot-nothing red-headed dynamo makes his mouth water, and not just because of the tantalizing aromas drifting from the back of her shop.  The buzz about the rub’s mysterious ingredient has customers lining up for more, and soon everyone who tries it is making beautiful music in the bedroom—including Cyn and Jesse. But her reluctance to go public with their relationship—and someone in town with a jealous bone to pick—could drive a wedge between Cyn and her smoking-hot cowboy. AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE  ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS KOBO

#Cover Reveal for #3 in my #Regency Romp #series, MASQUERADE WITH A DUKE! Take a peek!

You put LADY VARNEY in your TBR pile and she became a big seller. You bought RENDEZVOUS WITH A DUKE and put him at #15 and #2 on various best seller lists. THEN you bought the box set of THE STANHOPE CHALLENGE, Regency Quartet, for 99 cents and made them #2 (to date on Amazon) and put me on the Top 100 Best Historical Fiction authors list!!!

Color me grateful I could bring you hours of pleasure!

Now?

Drum roll!

Here is the cover reveal of #3 in the series starring Victor Cameron, MASQUERADE WITH A MARQUESS!

Cerise made #59 on Amazon's Top 100 Historical Authors list for #Regency, RENDEZVOUS and THE STANHOPE CHALLENGE! OMG!

There is that sublime moment in your life when you see something so wonderful, so terrifically glorious that you stare and blink, then DROOL!
That just happened to me this afternoon when I stumbled across the notation on THE STANHOPE CHALLENGE page on AMAZON that I am #59 on their Top 100 Historical Authors list!
I could barely speak. Jaw worked. No sound came out. Had to read. Re-read.
Grateful.
Squealingly happy. Yeah, I know that squealingly is NOT a word, but you get me!
Above me at #58? Georgette Heyer. So you know, I was TOTALLY blown. Like totally.
And wow, am I really thanking all of you who put me up there. Working on my next Regency Romp and ready to do the Cover Reveal for #3, MASQUERADE WITH A MARQUESS, starring Victor Cameron.
Tomorrow!
Return for that...and him!
Yum.
AND THANKS AGAIN for loving my novels.
I am honored.

Cerise went to #Paris, came home w. tales of #Josephine's #Malmaison (and ate best #frites ever!) Part 3

My pix of entrance to Malmaison, taken a few weeks ago!Bet you didn't know that Malmaison means Bad House. Who named it that? Not Josephine Bonaparte. Not Napoleon, either.

The Vikings!

Yes. They used to raid and hunt in the forests around town of Malmaison-Rueil and the French named the area the Bad House or Bad Area because no one should be caught there.

That, my friends, is one tidbit I learned on my recent 2 week trip to France. On the day hubby and I took the RER to Rueil, the sun was gloriously shining and the temperature hovered in the mid-60s. We walked from the train station, turned down an offer of a cabbie to drive us to Josephine's house and hoofed it toward the south east part of the town. Two miles later, we looked around and said, as we often did, we're hungry. We decided on a FAB.U.LOUS cafe in the center of town and ordered two champagnes (cuz tourists get thirsty) and our luncheon.  Here, (yes, I want you to drool), I had a marvelous French onion soup and a hamburger with frites.
A pillar in the entry.
Onward!

The house is in pristine condition, saved by the French at the behest of Josephine herself. When she died in 1814, she bequeathed the house and all its contents to her son, Eugene who was to keep it in trust for the State of France. For the most part, his descendants were able to do that and the result is this truly enjoyable house.

Yes, as hubby agreed, it is a home. Comfortable and colorful and rich, the house is a marvelous representation of Josephine's taste. I have pictures galore and will share the best.

Here you see detail from a pillar in the entryway. When Josephine bought the house, as ever, she was in need of funds. She wanted to make the house look grand, especially because Napoleon had just waged his Egyptian Campaign. She wished to welcome him with symbols of that and so when she had the entryway reconstructed for his return, she asked for marble pillars. But she had not the money for marble. The pillars are therefore stucco and painted to appear as if they are marble. This decoration recalls the Egyptian influence atop the faux marble!

Here is the glory of Josephine's Music Room where she entertained and had others do so as well! More pictures
of this in Part 2 of her house.



















Throughout the house, color and textures are vibrant. Most of the furniture is original to the house or was brought from other homes Josephine shared with Napoleon. The effect is dramatic and comforting. Also throughout are representations of Napoleon in various forms. In sculpture and painting, this house where he lived with Josephine from approximately 1798 until he became emperor is filled with his presence.
A marble bust of Napoleon in a side stairway!
Oil by David of Napoleon Crossing the Alps in a room with many of his swords and uniforms.
Oil of Napoleon celebrating the Italian Campaign.
Josephine's gardens, most famous for her roses, were in bloom when we visited. Though it was mid-October, the gardeners had done their work and we were treated to glorious blooms.

All of these pictures are mine, FYI, so if you take any to use, please credit me as Cerise DeLand.
Thank you and return for more of the joy of Josephine's house in a few days!

Desiree Holt has a big Xmas story for your sugarplum dreams: BANG THE DRUMMER! LOL!

From The 12 Brides of Christmas from The Wild Rose PressSpicy version of 12 drummers drumming !A Recommended Read from AllRomance eBooksNow available for Preorder
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-bangthedrummer-1660807-149.html
Jill Kennedy has plans for a Christmas wedding. She's put down deposits for the flowers, photos, and venue. Now all she needs is a groom. A drummer who'll keep her life as steady as he keeps the beat to his music. With her good friend Charlie Costello as her wingman, she'll interview percussionists, one per month until she finds the right tempo. But with Christmas approaching and no groom in sight, she's starting to wonder if she'll ever bang the drummer of her dreams.
Excerpt:Jill Kennedy curled up on her couch studying her iPad, frowning. Her Christmas tree still twinkled in the corner although the holiday was long past. Coldplay’s latest CD bumped its tunes out from her iPod docking station. The last of her Christmas candles flicked in glass holders on the coffee table, filling the room with the scent of pine and cranberry. She should be feeling mellow, but instead her nerves were jumping and a headache was creeping slowly up from the nape of her neck.Charlie Costello lounged next to her, sock feet resting on her coffee table, his hands tapping a steady rhythm on his thighs in time to the song. Jill tucked a strand of her shoulder-length sable-colored hair behind her ear as she studied the information on the iPad screen.“I think I’ve got everything taken care of. Booked the Creekside Winery. Ordered the decorations. Set up a tasting for the food and Stella’s designing the wedding cake.” She glanced up at Charlie. “Why are you looking at me in that strange way?”He gave her his familiar lop-sided grin. “You are the only woman I know who plans and pays for her wedding without knowing who the groom is.”She flipped a hand at him. “I’ll have one by then. It’s in the plan. You know.”He threw back his head and laughed. “Yeah, I love your interview process. You aren’t even dating anyone right now.”“Because look how poor my choices were in that arena, right?”He snorted. “So this is better? Tell me how?”Jill pulled up another memo on her iPad. “Okay. I have a list.”“A list? This I gotta hear. Lay it on me.” If she didn’t need his help so badly, she would have smacked him. “It’s very specific. I asked around about different drummers in different bands and narrowed it down to the twelve most likely prospects. You know. Twelve drummers drumming, for Christmas.”“Like a grocery list,” he teased.“No, Charlie.” Damn him! “Like an interview process for a job.”“Is that what this is, kitten? A job?”“It’s a lifetime commitment,” she sniffed. She wished he’d just let her get on with this. All these questions were making her have tiny doubts about the wisdom of her decision. She gave herself a mental shake. “I’ll do one a month until I hit on the right one. The exact right one. First I check out their musical talent and their band history.”Charlie gave a roar of laughter. “Because that’s such a requirement for stability?”“Because it has to be a drummer so I need his performance history,” she snapped.“Maybe it’s a different kind of performance you should be worrying about.”“That comes later. After the phone calls and the coffee dates to see how he is in person and match our likes and dislikes.”“Coffee dates?” He cocked an eyebrow. “Not even a romantic dinner?”She wanted to sling the iPad at him. “I’ve been that route, remember? The whole nine yards, and what did I get? A bunch of losers. No, I’m doing this like a project for work. As a systems analyst, she knew the importance of things being able to mesh on a practical basis. ” So you’re going to interview these bozos and then—what?” “Drummers,” she told him. “Interviewing drummers.”He cocked his head. “And that’s why?”
“I told you.” She blew out a breath of exasperation. “Drummers have the best beat. The best tempo. They’re the heart of the band.” She grinned. “And have the best rhythm in bed.”