Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Book Blog Barrage: The Count's Last Mistress (The Valencourts #1) by Bess Greenfield...







The Count's Last Mistress (The Valencourts #1)
by Bess Greenfield
Historical Romance
Publisher: Self/Indie
Release Date: March 12, 2013
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 91,000

Buy Links





Description

She set out to expose his true nature, but the secrets revealed were her own…

In the aftermath of war and revolution, cavalry officer Olivier Valencourt, the comte de Chaumenay, only wants peace. But his discovery of his deceased brother’s child in a Montmartre hovel leads to a battle of wills with the lovely but evasive American struggling to provide for him. Determined to gain custody of his nephew, Olivier sets out to win the audacious bohemian’s trust with patronage and patience, but her courage, wisdom, and innocent sensuality divert his agenda.

Painter Jeanne Delancy has good reason to despise the portrait-worthy count before she ever meets him. She believes he’s the man who seduced and deserted her friend long ago. Unfortunately, the talented and persuasive Olivier is hard to dislike or resist in person.

Conflicted by loyalty to her missing friend and her duty to the abandoned six-year-old she’s vowed to protect, Jeanne feels obligated to give the war hero the opportunity to prove he’s worthy of knowing his son. But the independent woman who thinks herself immune to temptation underestimates Olivier in many ways and reveals far more than she ever anticipates. While the strong-willed opposites struggle to reconcile their deepest longings, dangerous alliances and scandalous secrets threaten a tragic repetition of history.

Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.

Excerpt

The door opened, and the impersonal explanation he’d memorized vanished from his mind. He’d expected to see the lithesome, titian-haired beauty he’d known long ago in Burgundy. Instead, he encountered a petite brunette in a paint-smeared smock. There was also paint in one of the corkscrews of hair which had fallen free of her chignon. Something about the woman arrested him though he deemed her unconventionally pretty at best with her wide forehead, long nose, and dainty mouth. Perhaps it was her reaction to him. He could sense the frantic beating of her heart, and her golden brown eyes telegraphed wariness.

He regretted causing her distress and hastened to explain himself. “Good afternoon. I am Olivier Valencourt.” He bowed instinctively. “I’m looking for Claudine Ardaut, and I was informed she lived here. Is she at home?”

The young woman swallowed and hesitated, clearly debating her reply. “I am not familiar with anyone by that name.”

Her French was grammatically correct, but her accent revealed her as American. It surprised him to find a foreigner in Paris now. It was unlikely that she’d come here recently. The ruins of landmarks and homes and the mass burials of the executed made Paris a tourist destination only for those with a morbid taste for tragedy. She must have come before the war. There had been little warning when France declared war against Prussia. Many foreigners found themselves trapped inside the barricades along with working-class Parisians without the resources to leave.

“I was given this address by a reliable source,” he persisted. Instinct told him she was lying.

“Are you implying that I’m lying to you?” she asked in her slow, unnatural-sounding manner of speech.

“Certainly not. I was merely hoping you might know some little detail which would enable me to find her.”

Absently, she touched her face, leaving umber fingerprints upon her cheek. He felt an irrational urge to wipe the paint from her smooth, fair skin. She was pretty by any standard, he decided.

“Why are you looking for this woman? Has she done something wrong?”

“No. I’ve come on a personal matter.”

If anything, she looked even more defensive. Her enormous eyes filled with censure as if she knew what he’d done and the ramifications. The guilt he’d been trying to suppress for weeks finally assailed him. If only he’d kept his opinions to himself, so many lives might have turned out differently.

Her evasiveness maddened him. He only wished to complete his mission and be done with the whole matter, and she was keeping him from accomplishing that. He’d overcome far more challenging obstacles than a reticent female. He’d been good at persuading women at one time though he could scarcely recall those years now. Searching for some way to draw her out, his glance fell upon her voluminous smock. Sometimes the best strategy was the most obvious one. “You are a painter, I see. I recently came into possession of some property and could use some new art for decoration. Do you have anything for sale?”

She frowned, instantly suspicious. “Nothing is finished.”

“I know how you artists are. Nothing is ever completed to your satisfaction.” He took a step toward the threshold. “Why don’t you allow me to be the judge?”

She held her ground. “I’m certain my style would be too modern to suit your taste.”

She folded her arms about her waist, and his eyes were instantly drawn to her small form. She possessed a better figure than he’d thought, full round breasts and a tiny waist. A strange sort of agitation arose inside him. With astonishment, he recognized the sensation as lust. He hadn’t felt desire for so many months he’d feared he might never regain that part of his nature. Though he felt reassured that all was in working order, the inappropriateness of his irrational attraction irritated him. “And you know my taste.”

She surveyed his uniform from his polished boots to his fitted jacket with its neat rows of small gold buttons and black braiding. “You are an officer of some sort. A military man. I would guess you are conservative and view art primarily in terms of investment.”

He’d never given a second thought to art, but he didn’t appreciate her making assumptions about him. “There you are wrong. As it happens, I prefer more modern pieces. Besides, your refusal to let me judge your work only makes me more curious about it.”


About the Author

                                    

Bess Greenfield grew up in Pittsburgh and graduated from Cornell University and University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Before coming to the conclusion that she should pursue her passion and become a novelist, she worked as a journalist for several newspapers, as a lawyer, and as a waitress (disastrously). She is a lifelong aficionado of romantic literature and currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, three children, and overly affectionate chocolate Labrador. When she is not dreaming up and researching new stories or driving her children somewhere, she enjoys traveling, walking in the forest, and adding to her growing collection of native Virginia plants. For more information about Bess Greenfield and her books, please visit www.bessgreenfield.com.

Giveaway

Prize is an eBook copy of "The Count's Last Mistress"
Contest is tour-wide and ends May 5. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.


To enter this giveaway click here.




To follow the rest of this tour, click on the schedule here.



Good luck
and
Happy reading!

~Stephanie

Mustache Cookie Cutter giveaway....





Check out these awesome Mustache Cookie Cutters from Fuzzy-ink.com.  It is a set of three mustache shaped cookie cutters.  These were so much fun for the kids and I when we made cookies today.  Typically we use the more traditional cookie shapes or holiday shapes.  These are awesome and such a fun surprise to serve to others.  

These are our creations...



And Sephora enjoying one...


Wear it, eat it, flaunt it... Whatever you want...

You can get your own Cookie Cutter Set at Fuzzy-Ink.com.

They retail for $16.00 and will bring so much fun to your cookie making. (4"W x 1.25-1.5"T but vary depending on shape)


Fuzzy-Ink.com is also offering a set for TSOS readers...




I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sugar Scrubs Giveaway ...




ActzStore has some great products such as soaps, scrubs, body and hair products, masks, washes, lotions and more.  

ActzStore uses only the finest products available on the market today. All raw materials are purchased at Fair Trade. They have 4 cosmetic makers on staff, which 2 of them take special care of the Vegan Line. The Vegan Safe Soaps, Scrubs, Lotions, Masks, and more are all done in their own separate tools. Including but not limited to melting, mixing, stirring, packaging, and pouring. We truly understand the importance of being Vegan and we honor and respect the Vegan Lifestyle.


The Founder of ACTZ Cosmetics found her passion for soap when she was only 9 years old. Her mother, ACTZ Cosmetics Master Soap Maker was a Candle Maker; showed her to make her first soap and candle at this young age and it was an instant love affair. Her mother was born with severe eczema under eyes. She had under gone a rare radiation treatment that tragically left her with little to no eyelashes and eyebrows. As a daughter, seeing your mother in pain is terrifying and heartbreaking. She wished nothing more than to give back to her mother, to find something anything to help, to soothe, and to make her feel better. Then the Founder gave birth to her first and only Daughter, and she was born with eczema. Now she is giving as a Mother & Daughter products that will not further irritate their eczema, and give comfort when it is needed most.

This is the Pineapple Candy cupcake.  It definitely smells good enough to eat.  My daughter immediately scoffed up this cupcake and put it to good use in the bathtub.  Anything that makes her welcome a bath is fine by me.  And it definitely smells like a nice fresh pineapple.  The consistency is very smooth and luxurious.  I have no doubt she felt like a queen using it.  She has placed it off limits to anyone else in the house.  



This is a Body Shot sugar scrub.  It is a tiny little tub of sugar scrub specifically designed for traveling or being on the go.  Great for the gym.  Now this was my favorite.  So sweet smelling and smooth - now I feel like a queen!


This one is Tangerine Calandula Face Wash and Nude Face Polish.  The Nude Face Polish is a nice gentle scrub for my face.  You mix the crystals with a little water then rub onto face - using 2 to 3 times per week.  I received a small amount so I couldn't use it 2 to 3 times per week but it definitely left my face feeling refreshed and clean when I did use it.  The Tangerine Calandula Face Wash was probably my favorite product.  First of all I love the colors orange and tangerine but it isn't just about the colors. I love the scent and this did not disappoint.  

I can already see a bunch of little girls having a great party with all the assorted soaps.  Personally I think the ice cream cone is so cool.  Who wouldn't want to wash with that?  I love the fact that they are natural and safe while also having fruit filled scents.  Perfect in my "book".

To purchase your own go to www.ActzStore.com.

An excellent discount code is being offered to TSOS readers - to get 50% off use code:  FreeClear


ActzStore has offered to giveaway One Cocoa Butter Fruit Bar Pack.





I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.





Book Blast Tour: Have No Shame by Melissa Foster....


  









The racially-charged prejudice of the deep South forces eighteen-year-old Alison Tillman to confront societal norms—and her own beliefs—when she discovers the body of a hate crime victim, and the specter of forbidden love turns her safe, comfortable world upside down.
Alison has called Forrest Town, Arkansas home for the past eighteen years. Her mother’s Blue Bonnet meetings, her father toiling night and day on the family farm, and the division of life between the whites and the blacks are all Alison knows. The winter of 1967, just a few months before marrying her high school sweetheart, Alison finds the body of a black man floating in the river, and she begins to view her existence with new perspective. The oppression and hate of the south, the ugliness she once was able to avert her eyes from, now demands her attention.
When a secretive friendship with a young black man takes an unexpected romantic turn, Alison is forced to choose between her predetermined future, and the dangerous path that her heart yearns for.
HAVE NO SHAME is an emotionally compelling coming of age novel featuring a young woman who cannot reconcile the life she wants with the one she’s been brought up to live.Have No Shame will resonate with anyone who has ever fallen in love, and those who have been forced to choose between what they know in their hearts to be true, and what others would like them to believe.




PRAISE FOR HAVE NO SHAME


“A gripping and poignant novel dealing with a subject once taboo in American society.” Hagerstown Magazine
“Have No Shame is a powerful testimony to love and the progressive, logical evolution of social consciousness, with an outcome that readers will find engrossing, unexpected, and ultimately eye-opening.” Midwest Book Review
“A historical novel of love and its triumph, told with a unique and compelling voice.” Bestselling Author Kathleen Shoop
.
“Have No Shame is a delightful eye opener and a rather poignant book that everyone everywhere should put on their must-read list.” Readers’ Favorite
“A dynamic and heartwarming tale of young love, giving testament to those who struggled so we can live in an integrated society.” Author Rachelle Ayala
“…a stunningly impactful read.” Rabid Reader Reviews
“A book that brings the evilness of racial bigotry to light, through the eyes of one awakening to its reality.” Cindy Smith, avid reader
“[HAVE NO SHAME] Perfectly catches the South at the dawning of the Civil Rights Movement. Melissa Foster takes us on an adventure that twists and turns unpredictably to a tense climax that renders this novel a true page-turner. This is undoubtedly the best novel I have read in a long time.”  Roderick Craig Low, Author of ‘Promises of Love and Good Behaviour’
“This book is not just a story; it’s an experience.” Author G.E. Johnson

Buy now on:



ABOUT THE AUTHOR




Melissa Foster is the award-winning author of four International bestselling novels. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. Melissa is also a community builder for the Alliance for Independent Authors. She has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.


Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.





Visit Melissa on The Women’s Nest, Fostering Success, or World Lit Cafe. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.








Find Melissa Foster



Giveaway


(1) Winner will receive a gift bag full of goodies, including:
-Snacks
- Signed copy of CHASING AMANDA
- Signed copy of COME BACK TO ME
- Signed Copy of MEGAN’S WAY
- 1 Pink Journal
Shipping in US Only, No PO Boxes. Must be 13+ To Enter





Good luck and as always,
Happy Reading!!

~Stephanie :)

Book Trailer Tour: Trust: A New Beginning by Cristiane Serruya....







Title: Trust: A New Beginning
Series: TRUST #1
Author: Cristiane Serruya
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: self-published
Format: Ebook, Paperback, Hardcover
Length: 393 pages


Buy Links: Amazon | B&N 








Book Description

They are beautiful. They are rich. They are strong willed and successful. They have everything, but love. And each one of them has a dark secret looming in their past.

Sophia is a 25 year old Brazilian widow. Intelligent and ravishing, she flees from her own country after a tragic incident. Hiding from everyone and everything, she remains alone, torn between the love for a dead man, the torment of living without part of her memory and the fear of moving on. 

Ethan is one of the most important tycoons in the steel industry. As the memory of an awful evening in his adolescence haunts him night and day, he keeps looking for an elusive woman whom he could love - and who would love him - as he never has in all his 35 years... Until he finds Sophia. 

Alistair is a 34 year old powerful banker, searching for one–night stands with women who will warm his bed. And that he can punish physically to abate his anger for his late wife's black deeds and his own guilt for being such a debauched man for so many years. Any woman will do, and he has many to choose from, as they all fall instantly for his manly, devilish charming ways.

In Europe, in the months after October 2009, their paths will cross and clash.
This is the first book of the trilogy TRUST, this is an adult contemporary romance lavishly set in a billionaire's Europe, deriving its strength from realistic and dramatic character interactions in their hunt for trust and love.

Contains strong language and graphic sex scenes.





Tour-wide Giveaway

(2) eBook copies of Trust: A New Beginning (TRUST #1) by Cristiane Serruya 

Ends 05/05/2013

Check out the schedule to the rest of the tour by clicking here now!!