Happy Sunday!!
We’re starting with the winner of Alison Stuart’s book. Congratulations to Diana Huffer
I’m so excited I’m doing a mini-spotlight!!! I received the cover for Enticing Miss Eugénie Villaret. I think it’s the best one yet!! What do you think?
Now the blurb.
Ella Quinn’s intriguing and irresistible bachelors are masters in the game of seduction. But nothing has the power to change a single man’s mind like a captivating woman…
William, Viscount Wivenly, plans to remain the most eligible of bachelors. He refuses to surrender to the schemes of husband-hunting ladies and matchmaking mamas. Fleeing the pressure of the ton, he’s bent on finding refuge in the West Indies. What he finds instead is a fascinating stranger, a woman so unlike those of his society that he can’t resist such a beguiling distraction…
Determined to let nothing complicate her mission to protect her family’s livelihood while covertly rescuing orphaned slave children, Miss Eugénie Villaret does her best to evade suitors. But when dashing William lures her down a path of forbidden adventure and delicious danger, she may be convinced that business can indeed be mixed with pleasure—and persuaded to add passion to her priorities…
And an unedited excerpt.
July, 1816, England
William, Viscount Wivenly, caught a glimpse of sprigged muslin through a thinly leafed part of the tall hedge behind which he’d taken refuge.
“Are you sure he came this way?” an excited female voice whispered.
Damn. He didn’t like the sound of that. Will found himself in sympathy with the fox at a hunt.
“Quite sure,” came the hushed response. “You must be careful, Cressida. If I reveal to you what Miss Stavely told me in the strictest confidence, you must vow never to repeat what I’m about to say. I swore I’d never breathe a word.”
“Yes, yes,” Miss Cressida Hawthorne replied urgently, “I promise.”
He’d been dodging the Hawthorne chit for two days now, and unfortunately she wasn’t the only one. The other woman sounded like the newly betrothed Miss Blakely.
“Well then,” Miss Blakely paused. “I really shouldn’t. If it got out, she’d be ruined!”
“I already promised,” Miss Hawthorne wheedled.
After a few moments, the other girl continued. “Miss Stavely said she followed Lord Wivenly to the library, so that they’d be alone, and he’d have to marry her.”
“What an excellent plan.” Miss Hawthorne’s tone fell somewhere between admiring and wishful.
“Well it wasn’t.”
Even thinking about the incident with Miss Stavely made Will shudder. There were few worse fates than being married to her in particular. Fortunately the lady was not as intelligent as she was crafty. The minute she’d turned the lock, she announced he’d have to marry her. However, she’d failed to take into account the French windows through which Will had made his escape.
“What do you mean it wasn’t a good idea?” Miss Hawthorne asked.
“Have you heard a betrothal announcement?”
Their footsteps stopped. Drat it all, there must be another way out of here. He surveyed the privet hedge, which surrounded three boundaries of this part of the garden. Across from him was a wooden rail fence about five feet high. Large rambling roses in pale pink and yellow sprawled along it completing the enclosure. Whoever designed this spot had wanted privacy. Will’s attention was once again captured by the voices.
“No.” Miss Hawthorne said slowly, as if working out a puzzle. “So it didn’t work.”
“Do you know what Miss Stavely failed to take into account?”
When Miss Hawthorne didn’t reply, Miss Blakely continued. “She didn’t bother to ensure she had a witness at hand. Miss Stavely said Lord Wivenly looked her up and down like she was a beefsteak and told her he’d ruin her if she wished, but not to think he’d take her to wife.”
Perhaps not his finest moment, though Will had wanted to scare the chit. Not that it had worked. She had practically launched herself at him.
“Oooh, how wicked.” Miss Hawthorne giggled. “He’s so handsome, and has such nice brown hair. I’d love to be compromised by him.” She paused. “But only if he had to marry me, so you must make sure to bear witness.”
Will had no intention of marrying Miss Hawthorne, or any other fair English maiden. Harpies in disguise, all of them. More interested in being Viscountess Wivenly and the future Countess of Watford than their duties as a wife.
The book will be released in August, but it’s not up for pre-order yet, so no buy links.
As you know I’m saving my knee, so I didn’t get out on the paddle board this week. Here are some water pictures I took during my water walk.
Have a wonderful week!!
Ella
Wow! I won! Awesome…. I absolutely adore the cover for Enticing Miss Eugénie Villaret. Can’t wait to read it! 🙂
Congratulations Diana!!
Thank you, I love this cover!!
That is one gorgeous cover! 🙂
Thank you so much, Lindsey!!
What a great cover! What a beauty! And the lovely warm sunshine. I am so jealous!
I’m dancing on the moon right now, Melissa!!
I love the cover Ella. Congrats!
Thank you, Layna!!
First of all, Gorgeous cover, one of the best I’ve seen. Second loved the excerpt. Felt really bad for the guy. Thirdly, are you intentionally torturing me with those pictures. It’s like 9 degrees here with a serious wind. Unless, you wish to invite us all to your home, those pics are just plain cruel!
Do you have to conserve water? When I was there, the scuba diver guy was obsessed over water conservation and illegal traps in the ocean. We spent a day disabling traps. That was fun. The water conservation…not so much.
Thank you, Liza!! I love this cover. It’s a work of art!
You are welcome to visit anytime. Most of us here are on cisterns, so yes, we conserve water.
Stunning cover, Ella.
Thank you, Sandra!!
Gorgeous cover! I love the excerpt. Let us know when this one is on the shelves 🙂
Thanks so much, Andrea!! I will let you know.
I loved the excerpt, and can’t wait for this to be released. I think that the cover is absolutely stunning Ella. Kudos to the Art Department.
Thank you so much, Diane!! They did a fabulous job on this cover! I couldn’t be happier!
What a beautiful cover! I love it! You must be thrilled. Congratulations!!
I’m over the moon, Stacey!! Thank you!
Beautiful cover. Wonderful excerpt.
Tweeted.
Thank you, Daryl!!
Echoing all of the comments above! Wonderful, beautiful, fabulous, gorgeous cover. And the excerpt leaves me wanting more. 🙂
Thank you so much, Anita!! I’ve never been happier about a cover.
STUNNING cover, Ella! Enticing excerpt!
Thanks so much for both, Jenn!
Gorgeous cover and intriguing excerpt, Ella! This is on my must-read list already.
I love the first photo with the surf. Where are you going skiing? I thought I saw you mention Austria on FB.
Thank you, Carol!! I’m so happy about this cover. Yes, we’re going to Salzbergerland.
I love the cover, congratulations Ella!
Thank you so much, Deirdre!!
Fun excerpt. My sympathies are with Will. He needs to take offensive action. Once again, I love the cover. I think the colors are beautiful and will attract readers.
Thank you so much, Shelley!!
Gorgeous cover! Loved the excerpt, too. Best of luck. tweeted.
Barbara, thank you!!
Reblogged this on doingsomereading and commented:
Looky Looky!!!! It’s the cover for Enticing Miss Eugénie Villaret!!!!
Ki Pha, thank you so very much!!
OMG! Loving this, Ella, especially the heroine’s selfless act of saving children. The excerpt leads us to believe that it takes this strong, independent woman to turn the head of the dashing Viscount, and in a sea of social climbers and money grubbers, we can certainly see why. We are so excited for this, Ella. Can’t wait. BTW, the cover is exquisite.
I’m so glad you like it the blurb, Inion. She will lead him a pretty dance.
A little late in the day but I love the cover and tweeted and posted to facebook.
Thanks so much, C.K.!!
Such an incredible cover and a fabulous excerpt! Congrats, Ella! The cover gods came through for you in a big way!
They did, Louisa!! I’m thrilled. I’m so glad you liked the excerpt!
Awesome cover, Ella!! Love the excerpt too. Sad state to be in — an unmarried titled gentleman in Regency England. 😉
Thanks so much, Glenda!! LOL. He’s headed for trouble!
Your new cover rocks! I love the purple dress.
Thank you so much, Carole!!