She must marry him.
Cursed with the sight and rumors of witchcraft, Rosalind’s only chance at an ordinary life is marriage to Lucien, Viscount Hastings. She doesn’t expect love, only security and children of her own. Determined to go through with the wedding, she allows nothing she encounters at the gloomy Castle St. Clare to dissuade her.
He wants nothing to do with her.
Recently returned from the Continent, Lucien has no time for the English mouse his family has arranged for him to marry, not when he’s plotting to avenge the murder of his beloved Francesca. He has no intention of bedding Rosalind, not even to sire an heir.
Dark secrets will bind them.
Though spurned by her bridegroom, Rosalind turns to him for protection when she is plagued by a series of mysterious accidents and haunted by terrifying visions. Forced to keep Rosalind close, and tempted into passionate kisses, Lucien soon finds himself in grave danger of falling in love with his own wife…
Huge success has so far eluded musician Jane Rock. Coming from a modest background, she’s had to work hard for everything she has. When a music agent attends one of her rock band’s performances at a local club, she thinks her big break has finally come, until an inebriated—though handsome and muscular—patron spoils her show.
Classical pianist Chandler Hamilton has had most of his success handed to him due to his family name. He has his reasons for detesting rock music, but he finds himself drawn to beautiful and talented Jane. Although the two sizzle between the sheets, outside the bedroom they bicker endlessly and envy what they perceive as the other’s good fortune. When Jane needs a favor, Chandler resists. Can love blossom amid clashing notes and tempos?
Yes! We have some more lucky winners!!!
And now for my final guest on the Forbidden Launch party! Lila DiPasqua writes steamy retellings of classic fairy tales for Berkley Sensation. I first met Lila over at Facebook, where we discovered we were not only debut authors with the same publishing house but we also share the same awesome editor!Lila DiPasqua – Forbidden Fiery Tales!
I’ve written a historical romance anthology for
In AWAKENED BY A KISS, I’ve created three of them.
There is something about seeing an unrepentant rake fall hopelessly in love with the heroine that I find downright delicious. And in AWAKENED BY A KISS, my three heroes do fall for them – hard.
There is much that is forbidden in AWAKENED BY A KISS. Most of which is initiated by my three very different heroines.
In my retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Sleeping Beau, my heroine, Catherine, did something reckless. Outrageous. Something forbidden for any proper lady to do. One night she stole into the room of a handsome stranger – only after she’d tainted his wine with an aphrodisiac – and ultimately surrendered her innocence to him. Now she definitely had her reasons for her brazen behavior, but still. . . She wasn’t supposed to ever see him again. He wasn’t supposed to leave her with memories so heated, she couldn’t vanquish them – even after five years. And the man she’d drugged and experienced a night of pure raw ecstasy with, wasn’t supposed to turn out to be the bastard son of the King, gorgeous Adrien d’Aspe. Legitimized by His Majesty, Adrien is considered royalty.
When Catherine and Adrien meet five years later, their physical attraction is strong – no aphrodisiac needed! Adrien stirs tender feelings in Catherine, as well as hot desire. Despite the sizzling passion between them, she knows he can’t be hers, for many reasons. . . She’s engaged to another, about to enter a loveless marriage. . .
Anne de Vignon, is deeply involved in something forbidden. In Little Red Writing, Nicolas de Savignac, (a.k.a. le Loup – the wolf) has been assigned by the King to uncover the secret identity of the author writing scandalous stories about powerful courtiers. He never expected his investigation would lead to his grandmother's house, or to the beautiful, highly desirable Anne. Anne knows the stories being published under the penname Gilbert Leduc are against the law, but her desire to help woman compel her to keep writing them. She never should have succumbed to the charm and allure of the very man sent to arrest her. How can she be in love with Nicolas when he is on a mission to collapse her carefully crafted world?
Lastly, in Bewitching in Boots, Elisabeth isn’t your typical princess. She doesn’t have any interest in marrying a prince. She has her heart set on an impossible man: Tristan de Tiersonnier, the handsome ex-commander of the King’s private Guard. With his confident manner, his tall and powerful body, he exudes authority. And—gracious God—such potent sensuality. He makes Elisabeth ache. Heart and body. She’s been in love with him for years. But Tristan wants nothing to do with the King’s favorite daughter. He thinks she’s spoiled and untouchable. Dismissed from his distinguished position due to a recent injury he suffered in the line of duty, Tristan is suffering from wounded pride as well as a wounded leg. Elisabeth shows up at his chateau dress in men’s clothing, looking nothing like a man in her breeches and tight-fitted boots, demanding fencing lessons. Not the usual attire and request from a highborn lady. Forced to spend time with her, Tristan soon realizes she isn’t a coquette or the spoiled royal brat he thought her to be. She’s passionate, loving and loyal. But they both know that the King will soon select a new husband for her. A man of considerable rank, like the late – old – duke he’d picked as her husband the last time. Can a man who has been in service of his King ever hope to win the hand of the fair princess?
AWAKENED BY A KISS – A Fiery Tales Collection
BY Lila DiPasqua
ISBN: 978 - 0425235560
Available now!
Three classic fairytales--"Sleeping Beauty," "Puss in Boots," and "Little Red Riding Hood"--cleverly retold with enough sensual twists to prove wickedly ever after does exist...
Once upon a wicked time...
Sleeping Beau: Five years ago, notorious rake Adrien d'Aspe, Marquis de Beaulain, was awakened by a sensuous kiss-and experienced a night of raw ecstasy that was branded into his memory. Years later, he spots his mysterious seductress-and this time, he has no intention of letting her go...
Little Red Writing: Nicolas de Savignac, Comte de Lambelle, has been assigned by the King to uncover the secret identity of the author writing scandalous stories about powerful courtiers. He never expected his investigation would lead to his grandmother's house, or to a ravishing woman who would stir his deepest hunger...
Bewitching in Boots: Elisabeth de Roussel, daughter of the King, is accustomed to getting what she wants-and she wants Tristan de Tiersonnier, Comte de Saint-Marcel, an ex-commander of the King's private Guard. A recent injury has forced Tristan to leave his distinguished position, but Elisabeth is determined to make him see he's every bit the man he once was-and more than man enough for her...
Juicy excerpt of AWAKENED BY A KISS –
http://www.liladipasqua.com/awakenExcerpt.htm
Author Bio:
At age fourteen, Lila’s best friend sneaked a romance novel out of her grandmother’s house. After devouring it, Lila was hooked on romance novels for life. Today she lives with her real-life hero husband and three children and is a firm believer in the happily-ever-after. She loves history and enjoys traveling. She has been to four continents so far. Weaving in interesting historical facts she discovers during her travels, Lila write
s stories about historical alpha-heroes and the heroines who make them lose their hearts. Her debut novel, AWAKENED BY A KISS is featured in Doubleday as well as Rhapsody Book Clubs.
To learn more about Lila’s books, visit: www.LilaDiPasqua.com
Question: Who, in your opinion, would make the perfect Prince Charming? --- In your life or in a movie.
Giveaway: One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of AWAKENED BY A KISS!
Tuesday, 7th September (release day for Forbidden!!!) I'm continuing the party at two awesome blogs - Romance Bandits and Not Another Romance Blog - and a copy of Forbidden is up for grabs at both places!!! At Romance Bandits I'm chatting about 
Not Another romance Blog I'm discussing a little about the background and world of the Forbidden series. I'd love to see you over there so we can continue partying all week!!!
Forbidden Love
Hi everyone, and thanks to Christina for inviting me to her Forbidden party. When Christina invited us to her release party she said we should talk about a forbidden love we or one of our characters had experienced, a movie featuring forbidden love, or we should talk about Romans and Druids.
I have to admit it took me a while to decide on my topic.
Forbidden love? Me? Nope, I’m too much of a goody two shoes.
A movie? Hmm, maybe but which one?
Romans – Christina said we weren’t allowed to venture anywhere near Clive Owen, and she sounded so fierce, I backed away immediately, conceding defeat. Right, Clive Owen was out. I thought and I thought and I thought. Yep, that weird smell. It was me thinking.
Finally, at the very last minute, it came to me. One of my favorite movies actually features Forbidden Love.
The Mummy.
For me The Mummy has all the ingredients of a good movie. There’s the Egyptian setting, the historical element, the feisty heroine and the dashing hero. Brendan Fraser was HOT in this movie and there’s the forbidden love element.
Then there’s the adventure as they race across the desert to find the ancient city of Hamunaptra and the Book of the Living. There are camels and tombs and scarab beetles that like to eat people. Oh, and a creepy mummy.
The mummy is the high priest Imhotep who has a forbidden relationship with Anck Su Namun, the Pharaoh’s mistress. They love each other madly, but they’re going behind the pharaoh’s back, and it’s only a matter of time before their treachery is exposed. When their forbidden love is discovered, Anck commits suicide. Imhotep is cursed and buried alive. A very horrid death to be sure.
Fast forward to 1923 and our hero and heroine attempt to find the ancient city. Competitors are also searching for Hamunaptra and between the two groups they manage to release the cursed Imhotep mummy from his tomb.
Imhotep loves Anck Su so much he’s determined to resurrect her—his forbidden love—by using Evie, our heroine’s body. Evie and Rick are equally resolute this won’t happen. It’s a struggle to see who will emerge the victor. Forbidden love or the indomitable lovers Evie and Rick.
The Mummy stars Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah and Arnold Vosloo. It’s a rollicking good adventure that I highly recommend. There are two Mummy sequels—The Mummy Returns and Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
CONTEST: Have you seen this movie? Did you like it or is there another movie featuring Forbidden Love that you like better? Answer these questions or ask Shelley a question and go into a draw to win a download from her Ellora’s Cave backlist. (If you like The Mummy might I suggest Lynx to the Pharaoh, a historical paranormal set in Egypt?)
Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary, paranormal and historical romance for Ellora’s Cave, Samhain Publishing and Carina Press. Her next release is The Spurned Viscountess, a gothic historical, due out from Carina Press on 20 September. There’s no forbidden love in The Spurned Viscountess, but Viscount Hastings is always forbidding his Viscountess to do things. You’ll have to read it to learn how often Rosalind listens to her husband. You can visit Shelley and learn about her books at http://www.shelleymunro.com
But what a supercharged packed day it is!! First up is Emily Gee who writes dark fantasy and her latest release, The Laurentine Spy has been nominated for the Sir Julius Vogel Award - congrats, Emily!Confession time ... my favourite subject at school was Latin. Yes, I know, I was a geek, but I loved translating the poems of Catullus and the writings of Pliny (who was in
School is a long time ago now, and – alas – I’ve forgotten my Latin, but I still have a love for the Greco-Roman period. During my travels in
The Greco-Roman period was a fascinating mixture of sophisticated culture and savage barbarism. The Romans had poets and philosophers, law courts and theatres – and they also had slavery and the savagery of gladiatorial combat and their legions conquered much of
I love books set in the Greco-Roman world. Brenda Jagger’s Antonia (set in AD 69, during the Year of the Four Emperors) is excellent, as is Lindsey Davis’s The Silver Pigs, which brilliantly combines crime, humour, and romance in
So, given my interest in this time period, you can imagine my excitement when I heard that Christina had written Forbidden! Greco-Roman period – check. Hot romance – check. Great writing – check. What more can a girl want?!
To celebrate the release of Forbidden, I’m giving away a copy of my latest fantasy novel, The Laurentine Spy, which combines spies, magic, romance, and an imaginary Elizabethan world. To be in the draw, tell me what you like most about the Greco-Roman period. The gladiators? The philosophers? Russell Crowe in a legionnaire’s uniform? Clive Owen wielding a sword?
It doesn't seem possible, but the last day of the party has almost arrived!!! And here is a little treat, by way of Eric. Yum, thank you, Eric, for that sultry glance.
