Wolf Bride 
by Elizabeth Moss

I would like to welcome Elizabeth Moss today. We are going to have fun. Ms. Moss has a love quiz for all of us. Here goes! Oh, and don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter drawing. The link is after the author bio.

COURTLY LOVE QUIZ by Elizabeth Moss

Follow this quiz to discover what kind of courtly hero you might prefer to curl up with!

Question #1- What word best describes you?

A             Ambitious

B             Romantic

C             Feisty

D             Secretive

Question #2 – Complete this sentence: My preferred courtly hero is most likely to…

A             Set me up in a large palace with servants

B             Serenade me with a lute

C             Ride off with me on his horse

D             Keep my head safe from the block

Question #3 - I prefer my hero’s kisses to be:

A             Forbidden

B             Long and lingering

C             Fierce

D             Intriguing

Question #4 - My hottest historical hero wears…

A             A crown and ermine-trimmed robes

B             Top designer doublet and hose

C             Shining armor

D             Black, for lurking in the shadows

Question #5 - On his day off from courting me, my hero usually…

A             Goes hunting

B             Plays bowls

C             Polishes his lance

D             Reads Machiavelli

Question #6 - I like a hero whose bragging rights include:

A             Absolute wealth and power

B             Fluency in five European languages

C             Ancestors who led the charge at Agincourt

D             A string of political assassinations

Question #7 - For my birthday, my ideal courtly hero would get me:

A             Diamonds, of course

B             A love sonnet tied with a red ribbon

C             A romantic, tumbledown castle

D             A chess set

Question #8 - My hero’s worst feature is probably his:

A             Lack of long-term commitment

B             Poor work/life balance

C             Obsession with his horse

D             Tendency to listen at keyholes

***

If you chose mostly ‘A’s, then you won’t settle for anyone else but the King himself. The King is the man with power over everyone, including his Queen. Regal and dynamic, he dominates his world with natural authority. But like many powerful men, he lives his private life in public. Only an ambitious woman, destined for the top and comfortable with celebrity, can keep pace with this dangerous Alpha male. You’ll need to keep him happy in the bedroom, and never stray yourself, as the King is not known for fidelity or a forgiving nature. Serial divorcer and beheader, Henry VIII got through six wives – and may have been contemplating a seventh marriage when he died!

If you chose mostly ‘B’s, then a charming Courtier is on the top of your list to love. The Courtier is a man skilled in the art of courtly love as well as international diplomacy. He was educated at Oxford or Cambridge, can sing and play the lute, and knows when to compliment the Queen’s eyes and when to hide in the closet. A lady who loves expensive gowns and state dinners would do well with the Courtier, as long as she is not too possessive and does not mind him disappearing off to another European court every few months. Many Tudor courtiers were of noble French descent, like Hugh Beaufort in Wolf Bride, and possessed substantial lands as well as looks and charm.

If you chose mostly ‘C’s, then the strong and brave Knight is just right. The Knight is a courtier with other strings to his bow. He has the charm, wit and courtly manners to seduce the ladies, yet stands ready to charge into battle for his King at a moment’s notice. Less of a smoothie than the Courtier, he’s also better equipped to protect his lady from danger. If you hanker after a Knight, you’re probably earthy and ultra-feminine, and enjoy being in the arms of a big strong man. Although Lord Wolf is noble, he’s also a Knight at heart, a fierce lover and courageous soldier whose loyalty to his lady and his country is beyond question.

If you chose mostly ‘D’s, then you are meant for life at court directing the action behind the scenes with your powerful Political Advisor. The Political Advisor is often a commoner who has risen to power at court through his own skills. A cool and calculating strategist, his innate power and influence can be very seductive. Those who find this courtier intriguing are likely to be intelligent women with low boredom thresholds who enjoy mental stimulation (and maybe some power games in the bedroom). Your main challenge will be to sidestep the scandals that often surround the Political Advisor. Sir Thomas Cromwell was Henry VIII’s right hand man for years, becoming almost as powerful as the King himself during the period in Wolf Bride.

***

 Wolf Bride by Elizabeth Moss

Published & Release Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, May 5, 2015

Time and setting: 1536, England  

Genre: Historical Erotic Romance

Length: 336 pages

Heat Level: 3 Scorching Hot Flames

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Bound to him against her will... 
Lord Wolf, hardened soldier and expert lover, has come to King Henry VIII's court to claim his new bride: a girl who has intrigued him since he first saw her riding across the Yorkshire moors.

Eloise Tyrell, now lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne Boleyn, has other ideas. She has no desire to submit to a man she barely knows and who-though she is loath to admit it-frightens her more than a little.

Their first kiss awakens in both a fierce desire that bares them to the soul. But as the court erupts into scandal around the ill-fated Queen, Eloise sees firsthand what happens when powerful men tire of their wives...

Lust in the Tudor Court:
Wolf Bride
Rebel Bride
Rose Bride

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1EyqTP7  

Barnes and Noble:  http://bit.ly/196xYeq

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LxuROx

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1bi4PPj 

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24912198-wolf-bride

Vikki’s Musings

While browsing titles on Net-Galley, I came across Wolf Bride. I have always been fascinated by the Tudor era, especially Henry VIII and all his wives. I requested this book from the publisher and I am so glad I did. I noticed a reference on the cover saying it is Fifty Shades of Tudor sex, while the writing is far superior to that series, I could not agree more!

While flirting with the man who has captured Eloise Tyrell’s attention, Simon tells her that her father has arrived at court and has accepted a marriage contract with Lord Wolf and that King Henry has approved the match. He begins to ravish her all while telling her that he has always realized their love had no future. Eloise is appalled that Simon thinks she would give him her virginity and blithely go on to marry Lord Wolf. What happened to his grand passion for her?

Lord Wolf remembers the spirited girl from his youth and knowing it is a good match. He enters into a marriage contract with Sir John Tyrell. When he overhears his future bride flirting with a man, he makes his presence known to Eloise after she has sent her erstwhile lover away without giving into his advances. At least he knows her maidenhead is still intact. Although her honor may be questionable, her high-spirits still exist.

Can this arranged marriage ever bring her love, or will she be banished to the north once she has given Wolf his heir?

Elizabeth Moss has penned an exciting new novel set in the enthralling Tudor court, filled with whispers of treason, betrayal and plenty of lust. Wolf Bride is one of the most erotic books I have read in a while, and it is so tastefully done. The passion between Eloise and Wolf sizzles. It is hot, hot, hot. However, this is a tale of powerful emotion. There is so much more than just lustful sex to love about this book.

I immediately liked both characters, and as the book progressed, I fell in love with them. Wolf is a strong warrior, battle-hardened, yet with a vulnerable side. The romance between him and Eloise, while passionate, is deeply moving as well. Eloise, although innocent, takes to loving quickly and is not hesitant about doing whatever Wolf asks of her in the bedchamber. Eloise’s character is much more complex than initially meets the eye. Her tug of war between loving Wolf and hating him added greatly to my overall enjoyment.

The historical details are excellent and gave me a glimpse of what it must have been like during these troubled times. King Henry’s mercurial temperament comes through loud and clear, matching what has been written by many historians.  Men and women of his court did not want to fall under his radar if they expected to survive. Ms. Moss expertly weaves the history in with this intriguing and compelling story line.

I highly recommend Wolf Bride to anyone who enjoys an intensely passionate book with plenty of great historical detail to satisfy a history buff, while telling a riveting love story. I know it certainly did that for me. Happy reading!

Author Bio: 

Born into a literary family, Elizabeth Moss lives with her husband and five children in South-West England, and is a keen countryside walker. She writes fun and sexy historical romances. She also writes award-winning fiction as Victoria Lamb. For more information, please visit her website: 

www.elizabethmossfiction.com.

       

Social Networking Links

Website: www.elizabethmossfiction.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.moss.566

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizabethMoss1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ElizabethMoss    

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f70/

His First and Last by Terri Osburn

Published & Release Date: Montlake Publishing, April 21, 2015

Time and setting: Present Day, USA      

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 300 pages

Heat Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flame

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

At eighteen, Lorelei Pratchett couldn’t wait to get out of her hometown. Twelve years later, her Hollywood dreams have fizzled and she’s back—temporarily, she thinks. Though she throws herself into saving the old theater and starting a baking business, small towns have long memories, and Lorelei’s wild past still haunts her. It doesn’t help that her ex-boyfriend, Spencer Boyd, is even hotter, smarter, and more distracting than before.

The fiery Lorelei that Spencer knew years ago may have become closed off and cautious, but their chemistry hasn’t faded one bit. Losing her a second time is unthinkable to him, yet Lorelei is convinced she doesn’t belong in Ardent Springs. Somehow, Spencer needs to show her that everything she needs is right here: family, friendship, new beginnings…and a man who’s never stopped loving her.

Warm, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny, His First and Last is an irresistible story of first love and second chances.

Buy Link:

Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/His-First-Last-Ardent-Springs-ebook/dp/B00PWMS3K0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429295889&sr=8-1&keywords=his+first+and+last+by+terri+osburn

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24433070-his-first-and-last

Vikki’s Musings

Contemporary romances are not my first to go to genre, but when Montlake invited me to read and review an ARC of His First and Last via Net-Galley, the book description intrigued me so I accepted their offer. I like reunion/second chance romances and this one is excellent.

Lorelei Pratchett is returning to her home town after following her dream to become the next Meryl Streep. Unfortunately that didn’t pan out and now she’s back with nothing to show for the past twelve years, except her bruised pride and heart. While she looks forward to seeing her beloved grandmother, she does not look forward to the biased attitudes of the citizens of Ardent Springs.

After throwing his ring back in his face and leaving him for the bright lights of LA, Spencer Boyd has never been able to move on. After a failed marriage and years of lamenting the one that got away, he realizes that he is still in love with Lorelei when he picks her up at the airport for her grandmother.

As Lorelei gets involved in the campaign to save the Ruby, the theater in town that holds some wonderful memories, she works with Spencer on the project and spends a lot of time with him. She realizes that her feelings are as strong as they were back when they were engaged all those years ago.

Can Lorelei’s depleted self-esteem and aching heart allow Spencer to work his magic and heal her soul, or will she keep him at arm’s length while she works at rebuilding her life?

This is the first book I have read by Terri Osburn and I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful story of young love surviving even though the hero and heroine have not seen each other in twelve years. This is a story that pulls at the heart-strings and puts a smile on your face. I know it did that for me.

Lorelei is a spunky kid type of character. She may be down, but is far from defeated by life. She pulls on her big girl panties and sets out to reinvent herself and show Ardent Springs she is not the same person who left right after high school. Whether she is fighting the committee as she tries to convince them she has the plan to restore the Ruby, or making her wonderful treats for her fledging company, Lulu’s Home Bakery, her feisty spirit comes through. I loved her character from the first page.

Spencer is a great hero. He’s steadfast and loyal as he helps Lorelei re-establish herself in their hometown. His ability to see that he had just as much culpability in their break-up as she did, melted my heart. And to top it off, he’s a hunk with well-defined muscles, sun-kissed light brown hair and deep penetrating brown eyes. And did I mention he loves his dog? You have to love a man that is not afraid to show his tender side, and Spencer does it while still coming across as a strong-willed individual.

While this is a story line written many times, Ms. Osburn puts a fresh spin on it with her great character building and ability to give the reader a new look at small town USA . This is a fast-paced read and kept me entertained from start to finish. If you enjoy a story with great characters and plenty of emotion, you will love His First and Last. I suggest you give it a try. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Author of the Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestselling Anchor Island Series, Terri Osburn started putting words on the page in 2007. Five years later, in 2012, she was named a finalist in the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest for unpublished manuscripts. Shortly after, she signed with an agent and moved into publication, with her debut releasing from Montlake Romance in May 2013. Terri lives on the east coast with her teenage daughter, three frisky felines, and a hyper Yorkiepoo with attachment issues. 

To learn more about Terri, check out her website at www.terriosburn.com

SPOTLIGHT ON: A Lady’s Addiction 

by Angelina Jameson

Published & Release Date: Wild Rose Press, March 25, 2015

Time and setting: 1818, England  

Genre: Regency Historical Romance

Length: 318 pages

Heat Level: 1.5 Scorching Hot Flames

Rating: 4.25 Gold Crowns

Anna, a widow battling alcohol addiction is convinced she is worthless unless she bears a child. She hires a lover to prove she is not frigid and may marry again and have children. 

Devlyn, sterile from an accident, has returned from an assignment for the Foreign Office and inadvertently becomes Anna’s lover. 

Anna and Devlyn join forces to protect an innocent child from a blackmailer. Can they come to terms not only with their feelings for each other but whether they will allow society to dictate the true significance of life?

Buy Link:

Amazon:

http://smile.amazon.com/Ladys-Addiction-Angelina-Jameson-ebook/dp/B00TZ9O08A/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429115522&sr=1-1&keywords=a+lady%27s+addiction

TWRP:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=244_235_238&products_id=6135

B&N:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-ladys-addiction-angelina-jameson/1121647950?ean=2940151226394

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25242147-a-lady-s-addiction?ac=1

Short Excerpt:

She couldn’t remember the question she’d asked. His nearness unsettled her. Her entire body had flared into wakefulness the moment he entered her room. Cecily could be right; this man might be able to help with her problem.

Tonight she would play a part. She would emulate the sophisticated façade her friend Cecily Pickerel displayed. The scandalous nightgown underneath her thin robe was in fact a gift from Cecily. She would never have had enough courage to buy such a shocking garment for herself.

“You are discreet?”

“What is your name?” Franco asked, ignoring her question.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered Cecily telling her she needn’t share personal information. She would never see this man again. He didn’t move in her circles. With the slightest of shrugs, she answered truthfully, “Anna.”

“Anna,” he said in a husky rasp. The way her name rolled off his tongue sent the lightest frisson along her skin. “It is a graceful, pretty name. It suits you.”

“There is no need to flatter me.” She felt heat on her cheeks. “It is a common enough name.”

“Despite our current situation, my dear, I do not believe you are at all common.”

Vikki’s Musings

I received an ARC from the author for an honest review. This is Ms. Jameson’s debut novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed this emotionally-charged love story. A Lady’s Addiction has a unique story line, one that I have not read before. For a first novel, it is incredibly well-written, and I enjoyed it tremendously.

Lady Stafford believes she is frigid. Her late husband reiterated this over and over in the year of their marriage before he dies in a riding accident. She is determined to find out whether it is true. Is she truly Lady Ice as she is known by society or could she be passionate in the arms of the right man?  

Through her friend, Lady Pickerel, she arranges to meet a man known for his sexual prowess. When she opens the door, she sees a deliciously virile male and thinking it is Franco; she invites him in.

When she asks: “Are you coming in or do you intend to remain out there all night?”

The gentleman answers: “I am at your service, my lady.”

Lord Devlyn Maitlin knows Lady Pickerel, so he enters and accepts the woman’s overtures. When he discovers that she is intoxicated, he tells her he will not take a woman under the influence of spirits and tells her he will continue at another time when she is clear-headed. He assures her he will find her again and leaves.

While her encounter with the man does not end as she desires, she takes comfort in the fact that she did respond to the passion he aroused in her until he stopped because of her inebriated state. It is enough for her make up her mind and begin her search for a husband.

Devlyn believes Anna may have become embroiled in one of his sister-in-law’s nefarious schemes, and sets out to find her in the ballrooms of London society. He soon discovers her at Lady Cairs’ ball. When Anna leaves, he makes his way to Stafford House where he climbs up a tree to a balcony that leads to her chamber.

This begins the love affair between the couple. There are several highly sensual love scenes that threatened to set my Kindle on fire. Ms. Jameson definitely knows how to build sexual tension and how to deliver during the actual sexual encounters.

There is a well-thought out mystery running through this tale of love that begins in an unusual way. I enjoyed this part of the story as Ms. Jameson takes me on the emotional journey these lovers travel while they go about solving the dilemma Anna is involved in.

Lady Pikerel proves that she is willing to sacrifice a friendship that has endured from childhood. Anna’s character is able to accept this with a great deal of equilibrium, personally too much in my estimation. I would have liked her to be angrier over this betrayal. After all, the woman has done her a terrible disservice and placed her in danger.  

Angelina Jameson has penned an interesting story that is fast paced and kept me entertained long into the night. I just had to finish it! I loved the romance between Anna and Devlyn and liked the hero’s character a great deal. He is brave and honorable from the first scene and remains so until the last. I loved his determination to protect Anna from the machinations of his sister-in-law, Lady Pickerel and the villain in the piece.

While I felt sorry for Anna’s struggle with her addiction to spirits, I could not fully warm up to her character until well into the book. Ms. Jameson does an excellent job showing the effects of alcohol on Anna. It is obvious she researched this topic very well for her story. This plot point is what makes this book so unique. While I have read many romances where the hero battles addiction, I have read very few where the heroine does.  

If you enjoy a satisfying love story with a bit of mystery and suspense, then you will find A Lady’s Addiction an enjoyable read. I enjoyed it immensely and will be looking for future books by this up and coming new author. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

I joined the US Air Force to see the world. My dreams of visiting the United Kingdom were fulfilled when I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath in the beautiful countryside of Suffolk, England. Five years later I returned to the states having acquired a wonderful husband and a love of all things British. I began writing as a hobby when my husband was remote to Honduras for a year.  I found RWA and a local New Mexico chapter, LERA, and my hobby developed into a dream of sharing my stories with others. I currently live in the great state of Alaska with my husband and our two teenage boys.

Social Media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelinajamesonauthor

Twitter;    https://twitter.com/RegencyLady

Website: https://www.angelinajameson.com

  

Spring in Sweetwater County by Ciara Knight

Published & Release Date: Defy the Dark Publishing, April 29, 2014

Time and setting: Present Day, USA      

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 196 pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweet Heart

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Forty years after the death of her true love, Judy Gaylord discovers he’s alive. With the guilt of her falling into the arms of his cousin to console her grief, she now must face the man she betrayed. 

Dr. James Benjamin has dedicated his life to helping people deal with their post-traumatic stress disorder in hopes of forgetting about his own trauma. Not wanting to risk the safety of others, he’s spent decades alone, but when he sees the woman he never forgot from before the war, his heart awakens. 

When circumstances force Judy and James to work together, they soon discover old feelings never faded. Judy must forgive herself and James will have to face his fear or they will miss their second chance.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/Spring-Sweetwater-County-Ciara-Knight-ebook/dp/B00K1OAXKM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1429279884&sr=1-1&keywords=spring+in+sweetwater+county+by+ciara+knight

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Spring-in-Sweetwater-County-Audiobook/B00NUHUWPI/ref=a_search_c4_1_1_srTtl?qid=1429281532&sr=1-1

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22044516-spring-in-sweetwater-county?ac=1

Vikki’s Musings

What a great addition to the Sweetwater County series! I liked Judy Gaylord's character a great deal in the first book and was pleased to see that this second book was about her and her lost love, James Benjamin. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am a new fan of Ciara Knight. Her writing style is smooth and flowing and the pacing is fast, especially for a sweet romance.

Judy had been engaged to James Benjamin, but before he was due to come home from Vietnam, she receives the terrible news that he was missing in action, presumed dead. Crushed, she turns to James' cousin for comfort, which turned into a bit too much comfort. When Judy discovers she's pregnant, she marries Michael.

While she grows to love Michael, it is never the heart pounding, breath taking kind of love she felt for James. Now Judy is a widow, her son Eric is grown and getting married. Her business with Lisa is taking off, and she's content with her life.

All that chances when James shows up in town to find papers, proving he did return from Vietnam after all. When she meets him again all the same old feelings return. Suddenly Judy has the opportunity to realize her long lost dream, but so much time has passed. Is it too late for them? Can they re-ignite their love and fulfill their dreams from all those years before, or will the nightmares that kept James from returning to her drive them apart?

While this story is shorter, more of a novella than a full length book, it is a fully fleshed out story with wonderful characters. I enjoyed reading about Eric and Lisa’s continuing romance. That is one of the things I like most about series is getting to see glimpses of favorite characters from previous books.

I do want to mention the narration. Lisa Baarns does an excellent job, bringing each character to life. I could easily distinguish between the characters through her change in voice tone and speech patterns. For Judy, she would speed up, allowing me to hear the vibrant personality of her character. At other times, she speaks slower, such as with Lisa, giving me the chance to hear the calm demeanor of her character. That is a great technique, one that I have not noticed before.    

Spring in Sweetwater County is the best kind of reunion story. It shows that love can endure, even when time and distance keeps this couple apart. The feelings are real and painful for Judy and James. This is a story of finding lost love for a couple approaching their golden years. That is a story line rarely explored. Ms. Knight does it in this charming and emotionally –charged love story. I highly recommend this wonderful, sweet romance. I am confident that you will enjoy James and Judy’s story as much as I did. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Ciara Knight writes to 'Defy the Dark' with her young adult speculative fiction books. Her most recent Amazon best-seller, Escapement, book I of The Neuamrian Chronicles, released to acclaimed reviews securing a Night Owl Top Pick and five stars from InD'Tale Magazine.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She's backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

Ciara is extremely sociable and can be found at Facebook @ciaraknightwrites, Twitter @ciaratknight, Goodreads, Pinterest, and her website ciaraknight.com.