Victoria Vane's Blog, page 5
October 29, 2015
Breton Wolfe and Kathryn LeVeque’s Kindle World!
Hi everyone! I am beyond thrilled that today is the official launch day for KATHYRN LEVEQUE'S DE WOLFE PACK Kindle World and the release of BRETON WOLFE, my first historical romance in almost two years!
Kathryn Le Veque’s World of De Wolfe Pack is an absolutely amazing multi-author series with 14 new novels all based on THE WOLFE and the other books in Kathryn' LeVeque's huge bestselling medieval romances (THE WOLFE, SERPENT, WALLS OF BABYLON, SCORPION, THE LION OF THE NORTH). I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a part of this group of tremendously talented authors all lending their skills to William and the gang. We’ve got books set in the Wild West, Scotland, dragon shape-shifters, contemporary times… so many new stories! It’s going to be an event not to be missed. There are several blogs that are going to help launch the world, but we’re also having a spotlight event on Facebook with The Three Bookateers on October 29, 2015. Please join us from 8 am PST to 8 pm PST on their Facebook page for fun and prizes. It’s an all-day, drop-in event and I hope to see you there!
The World of de Wolfe Pack Spotlight Event
BOOKS IN THE DE WOLFE PACK KINDLE WORLD
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October 11, 2015
ROPIN’ THE WRANGLER CONTEST
I recently attended the fabulous (not-to-be-missed) IND’Scribe author and reader conference sponsored by InD’Tale Magazine, where I had the absolute delight of playing dress up and having pictures taken with one of the awesome and incredible (as well as sweet and sexy) Period Images cover models, Michael Foster. We were totally goofy and playful and had a great time. After I got home and got the pictures back, I decided to play some more and made some “fake” book covers that I posted online. I was surprised when a number of readers said I should use these as real covers. I was flattered but thought they were a bit over-the -top and don’t really go with any of my books anyway. At the same time, I thought it would be great fun to use them somehow.
SO, HERE IS THE CONTEST:
I have posted five covers on my website that I am going to use for five short stories that I will (attempt to) write based on your suggestions! All you need to do is fill out the entry form for each book cover. At the end of the contest period, I will choose the winner and write the short story/episode based on the winners characters and plot idea. There will be at least one winner per story. There could be more than one winner per episode if I combine different people’s ideas.
THE PRIZES:
The winner of each short story will get co-author credit on the published books! The stories will be published as free books (no profit for anyone) on Wattpad and several e-book retailers and MIGHT even be combined in a print copy but that will be determined by final page count. They will also get a framed copy of the book cover autographed by both myself and Michael Foster. THIS CONTEST BEGINS OCTOBER 10, 2015 AND WILL END OCTOBER 10, 2016 (I have to allow time to write the stories!!!)
CLICK ANY IMAGE BELOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST!
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October 9, 2015
NEW “must read” releases from VICTORIA VANE
Hi Everyone! I haven't had much time to post lately as I have been far too busy writing! Having said that, I am thrilled to share that I have EIGHT new releases coming over the next six months! Here's a sneak peak at six of these great reads that I hope you will add to your "must read or die" list!
Breton Wolfe- October 29, 2015
She swore to defy him to her dying breath... But passion blurs the line between love and hate...
The bluest blood and the hardest heart... at least when it comes to marriage... The daughter of a duke and granddaughter of a king, Adele of Vannes was bartered at birth in a marriage treaty for the sole purpose of producing a royal heir. When her philandering husband is slain by Norse marauders, Adele’s only desire is to retire to the peace and solitude of a cloister—until the bishop decrees that she wed a savage Norseman. Adele knows that her beloved Brittany needs a strong hand to survive, but how can she ever reconcile her bitterness and hatred with the desire she feels for her avowed enemy?
She’s the jewel he seeks for his Breton crown...A Barbarian bent on building a dynasty, Valdrik Vargr, ‘the Norse Wolf,’ is renowned for both his bravery in battle and shrewdness in statecraft. Setting his sights on claiming the kingdom of Brittany, he knows that siring sons from royal blood would solidify his hold, but the woman he would claim as his queen refuses to have him. Will he fuel her hatred by taking her to his bed, or will the man who strikes terror in the hearts of men be reduced to wooing his bride? (This title is not up for pre-order but will release on October 29, 2015 through Amazon Kindle Worlds.)
Ring In A Cowboy – December 28, 2015
MULTI-AUTHOR ANTHOLOGY
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors Donna Michaels and Lexi Post are joined by award-winning authors Amanda McIntyre, Tori Scott, Gem Sivad, Kathleen Ball, Hildie McQueen, Rhonda Lee Carver, and Victoria Vane to bring you nine sexy cowboys in this New Year's collection that will warm you from the inside out. Ring in a Cowboy. (My contribution to this collection is a brand new novella featuring Tonya and Jared, secondary characters from my Hot Cowboy Nights series.) Coming December 28, 2015 PRE ORDER NOW AVAILABLE: B&N iBooks KOBO
Once Upon A True Love’s Kiss- January 4, 2016
MULTI-AUTHOR ANTHOLOGY
USA Today Best-selling author, Julie Johnstone, joins best-selling, award-winning authors, Katherine Bone, Collette Cameron, Jillian Chantal, Samantha Grace, Alanna Lucas, Lauren Smith, and Victoria Vane in this delightful limited edition, containing eight tantalizing kiss-and-tell stories. Meet dashing, wildly charming rogues, spies, pirates, rakes and their extraordinary, intrepid heroines as they whisk you along on sweet to sizzling romantic romps in these wickedly entertaining historical romances. (My contribution to this collection is a brand new Regency set novella.) PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon B&N ITunes Kobo
HELL ON HEELS- January 19, 2016
PLACE YOUR BET... The Hotel Rodeo in Las Vegas has seen better days, but managing partner Ty Morgan has come up with a way to return it to its former glory. His plan looks promising until the unthinkable happens. Suddenly Ty is working for the boss’s daughter. And Miss Monica Brandt, hot as she may be, doesn’t share his vision…
ROLL THE DICE... She left a fabulous career and a frustrated fiancé in New York to move to Vegas and save her father’s investment. But now Monica is locking horns with a sexy cowboy-turned-businessman. What does Ty think he can do that she can’t? All Monica knows is that she doesn’t dare trust him—or is it herself she doesn’t trust...
AND WIN... The battle lines are drawn. The stakes are high. And the attraction can’t be denied—especially the more closely Ty and Monica have to work together. Some odds are just meant to be played, and with chemistry this electric, it may be time to grab life by the horns… PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Kobo
TWO TO WRANGLE- February 15, 2016
A COUNTRY BOY...Maybe having a hot and heavy affair with the boss’s daughter wasn’t the smartest move. But Ty Morgan didn’t regret a moment with city girl Monica Brandt…until she left Las Vegas to return to her life in New York. When devastating news sends her running back, Ty can’t help but open his arms. His heart, however, is another matter.
AND A CITY GIRL...Now that Ty has what he’s always wanted—controlling interest in Hotel Rodeo—Monica is certain their time together is at an end. Then Ty asks her to come on board as a partner. Maybe it’s just her money he needs, but the chance to stick close to the sexy wrangler sure could make work a whole lot more interesting.
GET READY TO TANGO...Their partnership doesn’t come without a heap of problems. The two can’t agree on anything—except their iron-hot attraction. As the hotel’s grand opening approaches, the truth is all too clear: Ty and Monica must find a way to mix business with pleasure if they have any shot at dancing off into the sunset together… PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Kobo
BEAUTY& THE BULL RIDER- March 15, 2016
WHEN BEAUTY WANTS A BABY...Championship bull breeder and former Texas beauty queen Delaney McCall was having a heck of a time finding a daddy for the baby she craved. A failed marriage left her with no desire for another husband, but finding the right stud to satisfy her needs presents a bigger problem that she could have imagined.
AND THE BULLRIDER WANTS BEAUTY...After hanging up his spurs, bull rider Zac McDaniel wants nothing more than to fulfill Delaney’s dream of having a family. After all, his best friend’s ex has been his fantasy for years. Zac, however, has no desire to be seen as just a means to an end. When Zac insists on doing things the “old fashioned” way, their passion explodes like a bull out of the chute.
SOME BUCKING IS BOUND TO HAPPEN...While insisting it’s all just a passing fancy, the more Delaney sees the softer side of the rough and tumble cowboy, the harder it is to keep her emotions corraled. Zac, meanwhile, is more determined than ever to prove he’s what she really needs, and will do whatever it takes to tear down the mile high fence around her heart…
Pre-order
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September 18, 2015
$.99 Sale Treacherous Temptations by Victoria Vane
TREACHEROUS TEMPTATIONS2014 RONE Winner Best Historical Post Medieval Romance
A reluctant heiress resigned to her fate … Mary Elizabeth Edwardes has one of the largest fortunes in England, but has no desire to leave her quiet country existence… and even less to acquire a husband she cannot choose for herself.
A dissolute nobleman bent on retribution … Trapped in a duplicitous existence since scandal destroyed his fortune and family name, Lord Hadley Blanchard has spent the better part of a decade posing as a disaffected exile while spying and seducing in the service of the English Crown.
A dangerous game of seduction, and intrigue … When summoned from abroad by a former lover, Lord Hadley perceives an opportunity for vengeance at last. By employing the full measure of his seductive charm, he woos the ward of the man who destroyed his life, little knowing that winning Mary’s fortune will mean risking his own treacherous heart
Buy Now for $.99: B&N Amazon Kobo iBooks
Excerpt
Blanchard House, Hanover Square – 1727
As the solo harpsichord began a Corelli air, Mary watched mesmerized. In flawless synchrony with the music, and bodies posed in perfect symmetry, the couple performed the intricate figures of the dance with fluid grace—ebbing and flowing in an elegant wave, moving in absolute harmony with one another. Rising and falling in gentle rhythm, arms gracefully rounded, reaching, touching, and turning, they seemingly floated across the floor.
It was lovely beyond description.
Monsieur Gaspar had rightly described the stately minuet as the perfection of dancing and Mary was entranced. But lost in her admiration of the dancers, she forgot she was supposed to be studying their intricate steps and patterns, until the couple executed the final two hand turn and then faced her with the final elegant dips to honor their audience of one.
The dancing master raised Lady Blanchard’s hand to his lips. “Vous êtes toujours incomparable, Madame la Comtesse.”
Lady Blanchard answered the compliment as if it were her due, with an elegant inclination of her head and only the merest hint of a smile.
“It is true, my lady,” Mary gushed. “I’ve never beheld anything so lovely.”
Lady Blanchard turned to Mary and smiled archly. “Dancing is the premier mark of gentility in any woman, my dear Mary, and the minuet is foremost amongst the dances. Thus, you must master it—along with the sarabande, gigue, bourée, and gavotte, before you may attend any of the balls.”
Mary’s stomach dropped. “All of them? But I have no experience of this kind of dancing.”
Lady Blanchard regarded her with raised brows. “Do you mean to say you’ve never danced?”
“Only country dancing, my lady. Never like this. I fear it is well beyond my ability.”
The countess waved her hand. “Nonsense, child. You have the benefit of a master’s tutelage and must simply apply yourself.” She glanced to the clock with a frown. “I am expecting someone. I leave you now in Monsieur Gaspar’s capable hands.”
In dismay, Mary watched the countess depart.
“Mademoiselle?” The dancing master flourished a bow and then offered his arm and an indulgent smile on painted lips. Yet an hour later found him tearing at his periwig. “Non! Non! Et non!” cried the Frenchman. “You must rise on the toe and sweep the foot. Thusly.” He demonstrated with exaggerated patience. “And the arms, they are too stiff!”
“Like this?” Mary rounded her arms and began the steps again.
“Par blue! Elle se deplacer comme une vache! You move like the cow and the figure, it is all wrong! It is zed.”
“Zed?” Mary repeated blankly.
“Oui, zed!” he insisted.
“I don’t comprehend you, monsieur,” Mary cried in growing frustration. “I’ve told you already I have no French.”
Throwing up his hands in Gallic fashion he shouted, “Zed! Zed!” as if bellowing would bring enlightenment. “Etres vous simple? It is the last letter of the English alphabet! Comprenez? Zed! S’il vous plait dancez la figure maintenant.”
“I’m sorry, Monsieur Gaspar. Would you please show me once more?” Mary asked, flustered beyond despair and on the verge of tears.
“Perhaps, monsieur,” a deep-timbered, cultured, and slightly accented voice arrested the dancing master’s impending tantrum, “the difficulty lies not so much in the student’s lack of aptitude, but in the instructor’s method of tuition.”
Mary turned to face her would-be rescuer, a vision that stole her breath. Tall and elegant, he was dressed in hues of richly embroidered satin, bedecked with yards of frothy lace, and jewels that would be the envy of any woman, yet paradoxically, there was nothing effeminate about him. He advanced into the room with a languid gait to halt before them, flicking over the Frenchman with inscrutably dark eyes and an expression of frigid hauteur.
It was his eyes that first entranced her, deep-set and piercing indigo-blue beneath straight, dark, brows, that seemed starkly incongruous compared to the fashionable white powdered wig. To Mary, his face was a fascinating study of contrasts, at once strong, proud, and distinctly aristocratic. Yet, the imposing vision he presented was somehow softened by a generous mouth and the most fascinating dimple in his chin. Mary was next riveted to that dimple, and then lastly to the softening curve of his mouth when the stranger inclined his head to her alone, as if the dancing master were completely beneath his notice.
It was an intentional snub that made the Frenchman tremble with indignation. “I will have you know, monsieur, that I am le maitre-de-dance to the very Princesses Royales!”
“I should never make such a confession, were I you,” the stranger drawled.
The frenetic little Frenchman puffed his chest. “You think it an idle boast?”
The gentleman chuckled, a low, warm, rumbling sound. “No indeed, monsieur, for I have seen how execrably they dance!”
Available Now in E-Book for $.99
August 31, 2015
Hotel Rodeo Teaser #10
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) coming February 2016
Excerpt:
“You’re welcome, Ty,” Monica replied tightly as they exited the hotel.
“I know you meant well, but that was emasculating as hell.”
“For you or for him?” she asked with a laugh. “You came out the clear winner.”
“That’s not the point. I didn’t want or need your interference, Monica,” he grumbled. “I can handle arrogant assholes like that. Been doing it my whole life.”
“So what did you expect me to do? Stand there and let him insult you? The way you two were eyeballing each other, I was beginning to think I might see some blood.”
“I doubt it would have come to that,” he said.
“So it was all just ridiculous male posturing?”
“Pretty much,” he confessed.
“He really does have more money and influence than you, Ty,” Monica said. “He made Forbes Top 100 mogul list just last year. There’s no way you could ever top him in anything related to business, but you are in fact much better endowed. That shut him right down, didn’t it?”
“Sure did. He may never get it up again.” He signaled the limo. “I miss my damned truck.”
Some Odds Are Meant To Be Played…
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) by VICTORIA VANE
A COUNTRY BOY…
Maybe having a hot and heavy affair with the boss’s daughter wasn’t the smartest move. But Ty Morgan didn’t regret a moment with city girl Monica Brandt…until she left Las Vegas to return to her life in New York. When devastating news sends her running back, Ty can’t help but open his arms. His heart, however, is another matter.
AND A CITY GIRL…
Now that Ty has what he’s always wanted—controlling interest in Hotel Rodeo—Monica is certain their time together is at an end. Then Ty asks her to come on board as a partner. Maybe it’s just her money he needs, but the chance to stick close to the sexy wrangler sure could make work a whole lot more interesting.
GET READY TO TANGO…
Their partnership doesn’t come without a heap of problems. The two can’t agree on anything—except their iron-hot attraction. As the hotel’s grand opening approaches, the truth is all too clear: Ty and Monica must find a way to mix business with pleasure if they have any shot at dancing off into the sunset together…
PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Kobo
August 24, 2015
Hotel Rodeo Teaser #9
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) coming February 2016
Excerpt:
“Do you have some kind of wrap or shawl you could wear with that dress?” Ty asked, wanting a moment to set things straight for the intruding asshole. “You might get cold later in such a little bitty dress.”
“Give me a minute and I’ll look for something,” Monica replied.
“Sure thing, Sugar.”
Evan scowled at the pet name.
Both men watched her departing ass. Hot damn that dress was about to give him a heart attack. “You’d best stop looking at her like that. And I better never see your hands on her again either,” Ty murmured with a smile.
“She’s way out of your league, cowboy.”
“Is she now?” Ty remarked, stretching his smile.
“Are you implying she dumped me for you?” Evan asked with a laugh.
“Apparently she knows a good thing when she sees it. You didn’t.” Ty shrugged. “Guess that means I win. You lose.”
“Who says the game’s over?” Evan replied. “I never lose, cowboy. I’ve got more money and more influence than you could even imagine. I always get what I want.”
“Is that so, Evan?” Monica stood in the doorway, wrap around her shoulders and bag in hand. “Did I just interrupt some kind of pissing contest? If so, I can end it now.” She looked from one man to the other, and then added with a smile, “For the record, Evan, Ty’s is bigger.”
Some Odds Are Meant To Be Played…
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) by VICTORIA VANE
A COUNTRY BOY…
Maybe having a hot and heavy affair with the boss’s daughter wasn’t the smartest move. But Ty Morgan didn’t regret a moment with city girl Monica Brandt…until she left Las Vegas to return to her life in New York. When devastating news sends her running back, Ty can’t help but open his arms. His heart, however, is another matter.
AND A CITY GIRL…
Now that Ty has what he’s always wanted—controlling interest in Hotel Rodeo—Monica is certain their time together is at an end. Then Ty asks her to come on board as a partner. Maybe it’s just her money he needs, but the chance to stick close to the sexy wrangler sure could make work a whole lot more interesting.
GET READY TO TANGO…
Their partnership doesn’t come without a heap of problems. The two can’t agree on anything—except their iron-hot attraction. As the hotel’s grand opening approaches, the truth is all too clear: Ty and Monica must find a way to mix business with pleasure if they have any shot at dancing off into the sunset together…
PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Kobo
August 17, 2015
Hotel Rodeo Teaser #8
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) coming February 2016
Excerpt:
“Ever heard of an adrenaline junkie?” Ty asked.
“Of course,” she said. “But I always picture those as the crazy people who free climb buildings and cliff faces.”
“Not the same at all,” Ty said. “I’m not sayin’ you can’t get hurt or even killed climbing rocks or buildings, but it’s not like the rock is out to get you. If you mess with a two thousand pound bull, you’re eventually gonna get the horns. Knowing he can kill you is the ultimate adrenaline rush.”
“You’ve never struck me as a thrill seeker, Ty.”
“I’m a different man now than what I was back then. Part of the change is age and wisdom. Part of it’s a lifestyle choice. Eight years ago I chose to leave it behind.”
“Do you miss it?” she asked. “The adrenaline? The excitement?”
“Sometimes I do,” he admitted. “The bull arena is purely a male domain. There’s something raw and primitive about it. There’s not much of that kind of thing left in our modern world. I guess that’s part of the appeal—for both the competitors and spectators.”
His words made her think again of the ancient Roman gladiators.
Ty tilted his head back to the chutes. “Zac’s up next. Even with a bad wrist, that ol’ geezer will show you how it’s s’posed to be done.”
“Old geezer? He doesn’t look any older than you, Ty,” Monica remarked.
“He’s thirty-four, but that equates to ‘bout a hundred and two in bull rider years. It’s not the years but the mileage that counts in this game, and Zac’s got a lot of long hard miles.
Some Odds Are Meant To Be Played…
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) by VICTORIA VANE
A COUNTRY BOY…
Maybe having a hot and heavy affair with the boss’s daughter wasn’t the smartest move. But Ty Morgan didn’t regret a moment with city girl Monica Brandt…until she left Las Vegas to return to her life in New York. When devastating news sends her running back, Ty can’t help but open his arms. His heart, however, is another matter.
AND A CITY GIRL…
Now that Ty has what he’s always wanted—controlling interest in Hotel Rodeo—Monica is certain their time together is at an end. Then Ty asks her to come on board as a partner. Maybe it’s just her money he needs, but the chance to stick close to the sexy wrangler sure could make work a whole lot more interesting.
GET READY TO TANGO…
Their partnership doesn’t come without a heap of problems. The two can’t agree on anything—except their iron-hot attraction. As the hotel’s grand opening approaches, the truth is all too clear: Ty and Monica must find a way to mix business with pleasure if they have any shot at dancing off into the sunset together…
PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Kobo
August 10, 2015
Hotel Rodeo Teaser #7
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) coming February 2016
Excerpt:
I admit the chemistry between us is incredible, but we burn too hot.”
“You’re right about that part,” he broke into a dark chuckle. “We’ve been playing with gun powder from the get go. But there’s something you need to understand about gunpowder, Monica. Although it’s highly combustible, it’s also what makes fireworks. So only two things can happen here—we’re either gonna blow like a stick of dynamite or we’re gonna make some major fucking pyrotechnics…Don’t know ‘bout you, but I’m banking on the fireworks.”
Some Odds Are Meant To Be Played…
TWO TO WRANGLE (Hotel Rodeo #2) by VICTORIA VANE
A COUNTRY BOY…
Maybe having a hot and heavy affair with the boss’s daughter wasn’t the smartest move. But Ty Morgan didn’t regret a moment with city girl Monica Brandt…until she left Las Vegas to return to her life in New York. When devastating news sends her running back, Ty can’t help but open his arms. His heart, however, is another matter.
AND A CITY GIRL…
Now that Ty has what he’s always wanted—controlling interest in Hotel Rodeo—Monica is certain their time together is at an end. Then Ty asks her to come on board as a partner. Maybe it’s just her money he needs, but the chance to stick close to the sexy wrangler sure could make work a whole lot more interesting.
GET READY TO TANGO…
Their partnership doesn’t come without a heap of problems. The two can’t agree on anything—except their iron-hot attraction. As the hotel’s grand opening approaches, the truth is all too clear: Ty and Monica must find a way to mix business with pleasure if they have any shot at dancing off into the sunset together…
PRE-ORDER NOW: Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Kobo
August 3, 2015
Hotel Rodeo Teaser #6
HELL ON HEELS (Hotel Rodeo #1) by VICTORIA VANE- Coming January 2016
Excerpt:
“Please Ty! Just hear me out. Can’t we just talk about this like two rational adults?” Delaney asked.
“That’s a tall order when one of us is out of her ever-lovin’ mind.”
“Look, it’s not like I’m not asking for us to get back together. It’s just a little sperm, Ty. How hard can that be? Hell you’ve probably wasted enough of it over the years to populate half of Oklahoma.”
He returned a glower. “I’d never be so reckless. I’ve never gotten a woman pregnant.”
“I didn’t say you had. I just said you could have, given all the ones you’ve slept with.”
“It’s probably only a fraction of the number you think I’ve been with.”
“Whatever.” She waved a hand. “It’s water under the bridge.”
“Why don’t you just find yourself another husband? Wouldn’t that be a lot better solution? You might be batshit crazy but at least you still have your looks.”
Some Odds are Meant to be Played…
HELL ON HEELS by VICTORIA VANEPLACE YOUR BET…The Hotel Rodeo in Las Vegas has seen better days, but managing partner Ty Morgan has come up with a way to return it to its former glory. His plan looks promising until the unthinkable happens. Suddenly Ty is working for the boss’s daughter. And Miss Monica Brandt, hot as she may be, doesn’t share his vision…
ROLL THE DICE…She left a fabulous career and a frustrated fiancé in New York to move to Vegas and save her father’s investment. But now Monica is locking horns with a sexy cowboy-turned-businessman. What does Ty think he can do that she can’t? All Monica knows is that she doesn’t dare trust him—or is it herself she doesn’t trust…
AND WIN …The battle lines are drawn. The stakes are high. And the attraction can’t be denied—especially the more closely Ty and Monica have to work together. Some odds are just meant to be played, and with chemistry this electric, it may be time to grab life by the horns…
Pre-order now for only $2.51 Amazon, Google Play, Kobo, B&N
July 31, 2015
FORTUNE’S SON by EMERY LEE
Do you enjoy historical fiction with strong romantic elements? My second novel, FORTUNE’S SON (a sequel to THE HIGHEST STAKES) written under my historical fiction pseudonym, Emery Lee, is now $1.99 on Kindle and Nook. Here’s what reviewers had to say:
4 STARS from RT Book Reviews
“Lee brings the atmosphere of the Georgian era to life with lush descriptions that beg the reader to see, hear, feel and touch it all… with a lively cast of characters and surprising twists and turns that are reminiscent of Fielding’s Tom Jones or Defoe’s Moll”- RT BOOK REVIEWS
5 star TOP PICK “FORTUNE’S SON by Emery Lee is a brilliantly written story about a tumultuous love worth fighting for…Such carefully crafted characters and setting engage readers in a novel of breathtaking beauty. This novel will have everything you want and then some. -The Romance Reviews
FORTUNE’S SON by EMERY LEE
She is the ultimate gamble…Beautiful young widow Susannah, Lady Messingham, refuses to belong to any man again. Until she inadvertently draws handsome young Philip Drake into an exhilarating game of terrifying stakes and unimaginable rewards…
And he’ll risk everything on a toss of the dice…Philip is a seasoned gambler who knows all the tricks and isn’t afraid to use them. He’d do anything for Susannah, including sacrificing his honor and his freedom…
EXCERPT:
The Rose of Normandy Tavern, 1739
A vibrantly hued flock of velvet-clad gentlemen, and silk-draped ladies attending the opening night Ridotto, surrounded the table, their rapt eyes glazed, and breath bated.
“Seven’s the main!” the young gentleman called, his voice pitched with anticipation. With a long-practiced flick of a hand, he cast the ivory cubes from the wooden box onto the round, bevel-edged table. The dice clattered to a halt, rolling up six and one.
“Damme, nicked again!” The central Hazard table resounded with the low curses and shrill cries of dismay from its punters, while others at surrounding tables hovered with solemn concentration over their cards.
Daniel Gogh surveyed the scene with pride and satisfaction, thinking his Ridotto al Fresco to open the new Marylebone Pleasure Gardens, would be touted the event of the season.
He had risked both reputation and a small fortune to transform a venue once offering such sanguinary attractions as cockfighting, bull baiting, and bare-knuckle boxing, into an elegant place of genteel dining, gaming, and musical entertainment.
The varied diversions of the evening had included an organ concerto by Mr. Handel, a performance of violinist Knerler, and illuminations at midnight. He had topped it all off by a late supper inside the Rose of Normandy tavern. Hours later, the gaming rooms still buzzed with activity; the resonating clink of champagne glasses, the echo of gay laughter, and cries of anguish and triumph interspersed with the spinning EO wheel, and rattling of dice boxes.
Another young gent of no more than twenty, with all of the affectations of a town beau, remarked to his equally raffish companion who had cast the dice, “You’ve the devil’s own luck tonight, Drake.”
“Don’t I though?” His cohort replied with a wolfish grin as he raked in his winnings. “I should advise you, Bosky, that your money would be better placed on the next cast, rather than trying to set me.”
“Will you never drop that infernal sobriquet? Moreover, that’s the third nick in a row! What were the odds of that?” He lowered his voice and added a pointed look. “Might I warn you that I am not the first to wonder about those dice of yours?”
Philip Drake’s sharp eyes narrowed, losing all trace of good humor. “What are you implying, my friend?”
“Simply to take care if you are up to any tricks. You might take particular heed of that burly fellow with the broken nose.” George Selwyn slanted a warning look across the table. “He looks like a bruiser, and none too pleased that you have so singularly defied the odds this evening.”
“Don’t tease yourself further, Bosky. I doubt my good fortune should continue. The odds, as you so succinctly stated, are certainly against it.”
“Nevertheless, I think you’re up to some mischief to which I shall not be a party.”
“I’ve heard that before, but suit yourself,” Philip said, and tossed another five guineas onto the table, in effect, doubling his stake. Thereupon, the groom-porter announced the new odds, but as he reached for the dice, a low and husky feminine voice stayed Philip’s hand.
“Might I yet place my stakes, gentlemen?” she asked. “I should like to wager with the caster. He appears an uncommonly lucky young gentleman.”
“The rules permit you to wager on or against the caster, madam,” answered the groom-porter.”
Philip looked sharply up from the dice meeting a pair of eyes behind a domino as deep and brilliant as the emeralds she wore. Though much of her face was concealed, her mouth was well formed and as lush as her figure, generously displayed by the low cut gown. The sum effect would cause any but a blind man to stumble.
Philip wasn’t blind, but he was for a moment, stunned.
Who the devil was she?
***
She had watched him with fascination from across the room. He was a cool one, indeed. While others at the tables cursed and shouted with every cast of the die or unlucky turn of the card, the only trace of emotion displayed by the young man at the center of the Hazard table, was a slight upward tilt of his lips as the croupier paid out his winnings. His movements were always deft and self-assured, as if the dice were his to command.
After a time, she nudged Lady Hamilton to ask, “Who is that young gentleman over there at the Hazard table?”
Lady Jane Hamilton squinted. “That would be George Selwyn, an aspiring wit, but more of a sad rattle, I’m afraid. He’s younger brother to Albinia, one of Princess Augusta’s new Maids of Honor. You met her earlier this evening, do you remember?”
“But I do, and I am well acquainted with the Selwyns. Nigel was bosom beaus with the Colonel. No, it’s not George, but his companion whom I inquire after, the one who presently holds the dice box.”
Lady Jane’s eyes narrowed again as she raked the young gent appraisingly. He was taller than average, and uncommonly well proportioned. His complexion was dark, his features more strong than regular, with a determined set to his jaw and a sensuous mouth, but the intensity of his dark eyes was most arresting.
“Hmm. I know him not, but quite a dashing figure he cuts. I think I now comprehend the nature of your curiosity,” Lady Jane answered knowingly. “He’s surely a cut above a hot brick to warm a young widow’s bed, but don’t you think him a bit …fresh… for a woman of your years?”
“I’m hardly in my dotage!” The younger woman protested, “You misapprehend my interest. I only observe his uncommon skill at the tables. It appears he never loses.”
“It is purely his skill you admire?” Lady Jane’s indulgent smile bespoke her utter disbelief.
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