Maggie Robinson's Blog, page 8

RT Book Reviews: Master of Sin

Thank you, Kathe Robin! From the April issue of RT BookReviews Magazine:

MASTER OF SIN

by Maggie Robinson

Genre: Historical Romance, England

Sensuality: HOT

Setting: Regency England

RT Rating ****

Robinson crafts an intelligent, powerful, emotional, highly sensual love story with a damaged hero and an exceptional heroine, moving the story beyond the typical and into the unconventional. Readers will become so invested in the characters that the fast pace and heated sexual tension only add to the delight. Fine storytelling.

Andrew Rossiter has sold himself to the decadent and wealthy for so long that he believes there is no other life for him. But when the mother of his son is murdered, and the toddler's life is at stake, he flees Italy to a remote Scottish island*.

Gemma Peartree is a plain brown mouse of a woman hired to be a governess to the little boy. Her sardonic wit and sharp-edged tongue is unattractive, yet Andrew is slowly drawn to her. Gemma has her own secrets and no desire to be noticed by her handsome employer. Alone on the island*, caught in a violent storm and with enemies stalking them, Gemma and Andrew discover a mutual need and a blazing desire that could be their salvation or their ruination. (BRAVA, Apr., 300 pp., $14.00)

*corrected Highlands to island

RT BookReviews on Master of Sin

Thank you, Kathe Robin! From the April issue of RT BookReviews Magazine:

MASTER OF SIN

by Maggie Robinson

Genre: Historical Romance, England

Sensuality: HOT

Setting: Regency England

RT Rating ****

Robinson crafts an intelligent, powerful, emotional, highly sensual love story with a damaged hero and an exceptional heroine, moving the story beyond the typical and into the unconventional. Readers will become so invested in the characters that the fast pace and heated sexual tension only add to the delight. Fine storytelling.

Andrew Rossiter has sold himself to the decadent and wealthy for so long that he believes there is no other life for him. But when the mother of his son is murdered, and the toddler's life is at stake, he flees Italy to a remote Scottish island*.

Gemma Peartree is a plain brown mouse of a woman hired to be a governess to the little boy. Her sardonic wit and sharp-edged tongue is unattractive, yet Andrew is slowly drawn to her. Gemma has her own secrets and no desire to be noticed by her handsome employer. Alone on the island*, caught in a violent storm and with enemies stalking them, Gemma and Andrew discover a mutual need and a blazing desire that could be their salvation or their ruination. (BRAVA, Apr., 300 pp., $14.00)

*corrected Highlands to island

First Review of Master of Sin!

From Publishers Weekly:(containing a few spoilers, so if you're someone who wants to be completely surprised…)

Robinson (Mistress by Marriage) turns in an unusual Regency packed with drama. Andrew Rossiter's son, Marco, was conceived at the behest of an Italian duke who was unable to impregnate his wife. Raised as the heir, Marco is a target for relatives who crave the title and fortune, so when the duke and duchess are killed, Andrew flees to Scotland with Marco and hires a Miss Peartree to be the three-year-old's governess. To his surprise, Miss Peartree is actually Gemma Anna Bassano, who has her own unhappy ties to Italy. Andrew, a rape survivor and former prostitute who is not so much bisexual as unable to believe his desires matter, is ashamed of his past and convinced he has to do penance, while Gemma and Marco struggle to show him that he is worthy of being loved. Despite the heavy secrets, the romance is unaffected and pure. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency. (Apr.)

Reviewed on: 02/13/2012

New Sale

Captain Durant's Countess, a London List book, has been sold to Megan Records at Kensington Brava!

Here's a bit of the synopsis:

Time is of the essence…

The Earl of Kelby is desperate—and dying. He cannot allow his estate to fall into the hands of his nephew David, the man responsible for his only daughter's death. But surprisingly, fit young males with suitable pedigrees willing to sire future earls are thin on the ground. After an agonizing vetting process lasting more than a year, a candidate is finally found—Waterloo hero Captain Reynold Durant.

Reynold Durant has spent the better part of his life serving King and country, and lost most of his scruples along the way as he advanced on his enemies. When he returns home to find his younger sister ill, Reyn finds his conscience and wants to make her last days comfortable. He presents himself to the formidable Evangeline Ramsey, editor of The London List, willing to do any quick and dirty job to help his sister Ginny, never dreaming what will be required.

After a successful interview with the earl, Reyn accepts the advance money, but returns to London and a life of vice. With his luck at the tables, he reckons he'll be able to repay the old man before too long. Kelby's plan is too wicked even for him with his tattered sense of honor. What is worse: borrowing a bit of money for a time to support Ginny or walking away from a child? But when he meets Maris, he finds himself uncomfortably tempted…

February Florida Fling

We're on a long vacation this winter, and I'm gathering things for my February contest to bring some sunshine. You can enter up above on the contest page. I laughed at the cover captions for Master of Sin in last month's ARC contest. L. Wiley is the winner with "Slowly I turn." My favorite had to be "I'm too sexy for my shirt," entered first by Virginia Campbell and then a few other people with equal genius.

We've got the whole family together this week minus one son-in-law, and we're off to the beach. I'm about 20,000 words away from completing the current WIP, but they will have to wait until the condo quiets down some. I'm also doing some guest blogs and giveaways this month. (see news page) Happy Valentine's Day in advance!

Emerging. Briefly.

I'm baaack! Sort of. My websites got hacked (why do people use their creative genius for such things instead of doing something useful?) but now things are all shiny and organized on the inside. New server, etc. Newsletter subscribers will see a whole new template in March when I attempt to send one out. It will be a learning curve, but I'm not an old dog who's afraid of new tricks. Although I bet there will be some cursing.

However, I have very limited Internet access for the next two months. In fact, as I typed this those bars conked out. So this will be short! Mistress by Marriage will be published in Turkish! And I have a brand new grandson, Jakob Jason, born on January 3, 9 lbs. 7 oz.! He's the best thing about my vacation so far. Happy New Year!

A Christie Christmas Kiss

A peek into the future…

I had the honor of participating with 23 other authors in "The 12 (Historical) Days of Christmas" sponsored by two romance blogs,Ramblings from This Chick and Not Another Romance Blog. The stories have been just wonderful. I thought I'd share my scene here also as a quick Christmas present, and wish you the happiest of holidays and a fruitful new year! If you go over to the blogs and comment, you'll be entered for prizes. Extra presents, always a good thing!

Some background: Ned Christie (Edward Allerton Christie the Younger) makes his debut in Mistress by Marriage, drunk and despondent about the restrictions placed on him by his strict father, especially his arranged marriage. He's been engaged since the cradle to his cousin Amelia. I know, I know, the cousin thing is icky but historically correct, LOL. Here he is a few years later, sober and about to be seduced by the last person he ever thought to kiss–his own fiancee.

It was so much fun to add a little something to the Christie history. Enjoy!

A Christie Christmas Kiss

"Neddie Christie!"

He knew that voice. It belonged to his dreaded cousin Amelia, the one person he wanted to avoid at his family's infernal Christmas party.

She was his betrothed. His unwanted betrothed. He hadn't seen her since he got sent down from Cambridge two years ago for putting frogs in the turtle soup at the convocation banquet. They were all amphibians, what? Of course the frogs had not liked the temperature much and there had been a great deal of hopping and mess, just as he'd hoped. His stuffy papa Lord Edward Christie had sent him away on his Grand Tour immediately thereafter in the hopes he'd learn to "behave like a proper Christie."

The poor old blighter was doomed to disappointment, expecting a miracle. Let him try anew with Jack and their new baby half-brothers. His father was still churning infants out with Ned's stepmother Caroline—she was as big as a barn and due to give birth again any minute—and Christie Park was a cacophony of squalling children and cats. His younger sister Allie was in her element, ordering everyone around like a drill sergeant.

"It's Ned, now," Ned muttered. Trust Amelia to infantilize him. She always had to have the upper hand. The last word. Which was rich, coming from such an uninspiring, insipid female. He turned to offer her a withering stare and some haughty words, and his jaw dropped.

Amelia used to be a flat-chested lackwit. He wasn't sure about her wits, but something had happened to her chest. In the two years he'd been wandering the mountainous Continent, her own topography had changed.

"I need you, Neddie. Caroline wants some mistletoe for the drawing room and I've found the perfect bunch, but I can't reach it. You're much taller than I. It's up in that fir tree over there, see? Go get a ladder."

Not even a 'please.'

He gave her a frigid glare. "I'm busy, Amelia."

She snorted. "You haven't done a useful thing since you've come home except avoid me. Don't worry, I don't want to marry an idiot like you either. My father and Uncle Edward must be mad to think we'd ever suit."

Ned felt himself flush at the insult. An idiot! Who on earth did Amelia think she was? She was just a mousy-haired know-nothing girl he'd grown up and completely bored with.

"Don't stare at me as if I've grown two heads! It's for your stepmother, Neddie. She wants this Christmas to be perfect and she isn't feeling well."

It was not two heads Amelia had grown but two breasts, which heaved with indignation. Ned supposed he'd better fetch a ladder from the gardener's shed. Since his father and Caroline had reunited several years ago, she had tried to be the ideal wife and stepmother. Caroline was a good egg—if she could put up with his dull father and wanted mistletoe, Ned thought he could manage a few minutes with the dreaded Amelia and get it.

He loped across the lawn and returned with the ladder. Amelia had folded her arms over her chest against the cold which was a bit of a shame, but Ned needed to concentrate on his climb. He reached the clump of leaves and waxy berries and dug into his pocket for the Swiss penknife he'd picked up on his travels.

Suddenly the ladder shook and pitched to the side. Ned's foot slipped and he found himself holding on to the top of the pine tree as the ladder crashed to the ground.

He couldn't believe it! She'd knocked the ladder out from under him. "Amelia! Do you want to kill me?"

"I wouldn't much mind! That's for staring at my bosom like a slavering dog!"

"I didn't—I wouldn't," Ned sputtered, a little ashamed he'd been found out.

"I've changed, Neddie. The man who is fortunate enough to marry me will have to do more than blindly go along with an ancient betrothal contract."

"I've changed too! And I'm not going along blindly with anything," Ned said, shutting his eyes and gripping the tree harder as the sharp needles pierced through his jacket.

"Good, then we understand each other. I wish to be wooed, Neddie. You may be the man to do it, although I very much doubt it."

"I can woo with the best of them," Ned said hotly. That had been an integral part of his Grand Tour, although he kept such information from his puritanical father in his letters home.

"We shall see."

Ned heard branches rustle and felt the ladder knock into his thigh. Stepping on it gratefully, he sliced the mistletoe from its host and watched it drop to the ground, berries flying. He clambered down as fast as a monkey and took a startled Amelia in his arms.

"We shall see. Right now," he said.

And then he kissed her. She didn't know a thing about kissing, but he could teach her. He didn't need mistletoe, but time. She lived right next door, after all.

Ned stopped estimating the number of minutes and footsteps from Christie Park to Uncle Roger's estate and concentrated on the warm, soft girl in his arms. Good Lord, he was kissing the dreaded Amelia and enjoying it right to the roots of his disordered dark hair. His scalp and other places tingled not from the chill December air but something much more elemental. She fit against him like she'd been formed from clouds and spun sugar to nestle into his every nook and cranny. She tasted like sugar, too—Ned had no idea what clouds would taste like but they were probably delicious also.

"Neddie," she whispered, once he was reluctantly forced to stop before he disgraced himself. Her golden lashes fluttered in adorable confusion on her pink cheeks. He couldn't remember exactly why he'd thought she was an antidote, but he'd been a young fool then. He was a man now, with a man's needs.

And Amelia was his betrothed.

"We will marry in the spring. I will woo you until then." He bent to pick up the mistletoe and hoped she wouldn't recognize his straining manhood.

She touched her swollen lips with a finger. "I-I'm not sure. This is so sudden."

"I'm sure. And it's hardly sudden. We've been engaged since you were in nappies."

"So were you," Amelia reminded him. Always the last word.

"Yes, well. We're both grown up now. It's time we thought about setting up our own nursery."

Good grief. He was sounding just like his father. Ned might have fled from being a Christie, but he had not gotten very far.

"Let's go inside and hang this. I have a mind to kiss you again, Amelia." And again, as often as possible, until the dreaded Amelia became his wedded wife and he could do what he really wanted.

"Neddie Christie!"

This time he didn't want to run away at the sound of her voice. His father would be pleased. It was true—Christmas was a time for miracles.

Book Pushers Reviews A/E's Wicked Wedding Night

Three opinions on my story! The entire review for the first part of Agony/Ecstasy is here.

Wicked Wedding Night – Margaret Rowe

E: Ok I want a novel! I love how Ms Rowe was able to take some familiar tropes and spin them on their heads in such a short story. B+

MinnChica: I loved this as well, which surprised me a little because I'm not usually a fan of historical erotica. However, this one just really worked for me. Both the hero and the heroine were such great and well developed characters. I think the short length took a little away from the story though, this could have been so much more with a little extra word count. B+

Has: I wasn't too keen with the beginning of the story but if it was longer I think that would have helped to expand the story as well as establishing. It reminded me a bit of Anne Stuart's historicals but as the story went on, I really liked the melancholic tone but the changes and acceptance that the heroine faced was too swift but again that is due to the short length. I liked the voice of the author too and despite the short length – the emotions between hero and heroine packs a punch. B

Book Club Sales!

April 2012′s Master of Sin will be published in hardcover and offered by the Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs! I find this especially surreal, because I grew up within a short distance of the Doubleday plant in Garden City, New York. I'd get off the train at Country Life Press and walk home. When I was a little Long Island girl, I did not envision being a published author, but I'm so thrilled I am.

New Reviews of Mistress by Marriage

From Romancing the Book: "I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was not just another romance. I appreciated that it had some very unique circumstances. Mistress by Marriage was a fun rollercoaster ride of secrets, betrayals, passion and love."

I love it! Read the whole review here.

From Nocturne Romance Reads: "Mistress by Marriage is a great historical romance with suspense and mystery mixed in. The chemistry between Edward and Caroline is so steamy you can immediately see it…Ms. Robinson did a wonderful job with this book and I highly recommend it." Yay! The complete review is here.