I’m so happy Grace Burrowes is back with us again. She is not only a fabulous author, but a wonderful friend and mentor as well. She has graciously offered to give away a copy of her latest release to one of you who take the time to tell her you want it. Now, without further to do, here is the cover!!
Tell me you wouldn’t buy the book on the cover alone!
The blurb because you like them.
After all, why else to you buy a book, other than for the cover.
Michael and Brenna finally have the time, privacy and most of the trust necessary to consummate the marriage vows they took nearly a decade earlier. For Michael, the stakes for this campaign eclipse those of any he’s fought before…
“Shall you undress me, Wife?” Michael asked.
Brenna set her footwear tidily beside the bed and scooted back against the pillows.
“I think not. A grown man can undress himself if he’s properly motivated.”
Michael considered her suggestion as he arranged his boots beside hers. Brenna wasn’t being entirely shy, though she was being entirely Brenna.
Making him work for his pleasures, which he was more than happy to do.
“Watch, then, and plan our afternoon while you do,” he said, unbuttoning his waistcoat. The better to entertain his wife—and the better to stop himself from falling upon her like a beast—he moved away from the bed, making a proscenium of the hearth rug.
The waistcoat he tossed in the direction of the privacy screen.
“Michael Brodie, for shame.”
Brenna wasn’t teasing, though she was watching, so Michael hung the blasted waistcoat on the back of the rocker and got busy with his neck cloth. The knot had become Gordian at some point in the day’s rambles, but he managed to wrench it open without strangling himself.
When he would have whipped the damned thing out the window, Brenna arched one fine, eloquent eyebrow.
That eyebrow promised that husbands who were cavalier with their clothing would suffer retribution at the hands of their wives. Michael folded his neckcloth and laid it tidily over the back of the rocker as well.
“Am I to be the only one sporting about unclad?” Michael asked as he took a seat on the hearth and started on his cuffs.
“The breeze is fresh. When you’re done dawdling, I’ll consider your question. One doesn’t want to suffer an avoidable chill.”
Because his head was bent toward his wrist, Michael permitted himself a smile.
“I am available to assist my wife,” he said, which was, at last, the blessed, blasted truth. He pulled his shirt over his head, draped it neatly over the waistcoat, then rose, clad only in his kilt.
Brenna remained on the bed, crossed-legged and barefoot, but otherwise fully clothed. She gave nothing of her mood away, not in her expression, not in her posture, not in her silence.
“Brenna, have you changed your mind?” Asking the question nigh killed Michael, but never, never, even by persuasion or innuendo would he prevail on his wife for favors she was reluctant to grant.
She regarded his chest, her brows knitting at a particularly bewildered angle, and that’s when insight struck: Brenna wanted to be in charge of this situation, but had no idea how to go on. She needed to be in charge, in fact, but had never traveled the path they would follow.
Whoever had betrayed her youthful trust, whoever had trespassed against her person, had left scars where a woman’s natural sense of her own urges and pleasures should lie.
Michael would deal with the rage such a conclusion provoked—later. For now, he had a wife to please. Wearing his kilt and what he hoped was a reassuring smile, he climbed onto the bed and took her hand.
“Brenna, I love you. I want very much to please you, and right now, I’m a bit nervous of my prospects.” More than a bit, though determined, nonetheless. “Can you meet me halfway?”
“Meet you halfway?”
“I am your willing slave in all that might transpire in this bed, but a slave needs instructions, hints, the occasional command. A husband needs them even more.” A husband needed them desperately, because so much that was wondrous, sweet, and nourishing to the soul might be lost if Michael misread his wife in the moments that followed.
Those delicate, lovely brows rose on the word husband.
“You are not my slave, Michael Brodie, and I will never be yours. Not your slave, your plaything, your wee pleasure, your little secret—”
She closed her eyes, as if willing herself to put aside the ire gathering in her words.
“I am your husband,” Michael said, kissing her knuckles. “I would like to become your lover, and I would adore having you for mine.” He would like to be so much more to her, too—her friend, champion, partner, confidant, most loyal opposition, lady’s maid, companion, and favorite pest, for starters.
Brenna took the hem of his kilt between her fingers and thumb and rubbed the wool slowly back and forth. “I know nothing of being a lover.”
She spoke with regret and rubbed the wool the way a child grasps a favorite blanket for reassurance.
Perhaps Michael should have waited for the dark of night, not to spare Brenna’s sensibilities, but to spare himself the sight of her bewilderment. He spun a half-truth as delicate as the dust motes wafting about on the afternoon sunbeams.
“This part of being married is not complicated, Brenna Maureen. We touch, we kiss, we pleasure each other, and pleasure each other yet more. If God is generous, we conceive a child, the first of many, and then we sigh and hold each other and wonder at all the loveliness we’ve shared.”
And Michael would wonder, too, at all the years they’d missed. For as surely as desire hummed softly through his veins, so to, did regret. He’d made decisions any soldier would be proud of, and served in a difficult position loyally and well.
Those same decisions were something any husband—any lover—would regret for all his days and nights.
“So kiss me,” Brenna said. “We’ve kissed before, and I think I have the knack of that much.”
Her posture was wary, her eyes downcast, and yet she still stroked her fingers over the hem of Michael’s kilt. Michael kissed her palm, and without giving up her hand, stretched out on his back.
“Let the kissing begin,” he said. Let the loving begin, for Brenna did love him. She had to have some form of tender regard for him, or she would not take these steps with him.
He’d amused her, though, and that was good. “I’m to do the work?”
“A little guidance to your husband shouldn’t be too much to ask.” Brenna had been guiding the entire castle for years, navigating past financial difficulties, clan jealousies, Angus’s backward notions, and Highland winters. Appealing to her sense of responsibility earned Michael a considering look that turned into a shy grin.
Brenna swung a leg over his thighs and straddled him. “Fine, then. Here’s a place to start.”
You can find the link to all the buy links here.
About Grace:
Grace Burrowes grew up in central Pennsylvania and is the sixth out of seven children. She discovered romance novels when in junior high (back when there was such a thing), and has been reading them voraciously ever since. Grace has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Bachelor of Music in Music History, (both from The Pennsylvania State University); a Master’s Degree in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University; and a Juris Doctor from The National Law Center at The George Washington University.
Grace writes Georgian, Regency, Scottish Victorian and contemporary romances in both novella and novel lengths. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America and Novelist, Inc. and enjoys giving workshops and speaking at writer’s conferences. If you’d like Grace to speak or present at your conference, contact her here. Giving back to the industry is a large part of the fun of being published!
Oh, Grace I love the excerpt and desperately want to know what happens next! Such a sexy cover as well.
We can thank Jon Paul for the covers on this series. I love them too!
Jon Paul’s cover art is just fabulous!
I enjoyed the excerpt. I want a copy so I can find out what happens next. 🙂
Missy, the fun thing about this sort of scene in a romance is we all sorta KNOW what happens next, but for the characters, it’s new ground, they don[t know it, and we read it for them as much as ourselves.
I would love a copy of this book! Sounds like a great read!
Thanks, Jennifer. Best of luck!
Congrats on your release! Wonderful excerpt!
For this blog, I knew I could pull from a part of the book that I won’t use for excerpts elsewhere. And I stopped about two pages before I wanted to.
I have enjoyed reading the chapters on your website and am interested to see how this couple will overcome the many obstacles in their path.
The cover is gorgeous– who couldn’t resist a man in a kilt?
Most of all, I would love a copy of the Laird to complete my Captive Hearts trilogy collection.
The kilt is simply luck. When I was writing this book, I had no idea that Outlander was going to take Saturday night by storm. Oddly enough, I’m working on Scottish contemporaries now!
Oh, I always enjoy Grace’s books and I know this one will be no exception. I really enjoyed the excerpt and can’t wait to read it :0)
This is the darkest book I’ve written, Lori, and am sure some readers will take exception to that, but then in October, we’re back to mistletoe and holiday nonsense with What A Lady Needs for Christmas
Thanks for sharing this!! and I’m glad you’re writing some contemporariy stories also!!
Where I’d like to end up next, Kate, is Scottish contemporaries. I think the market is ready to sway that direction, and geez just think of the research!
Ooohhh I would buy every one of those!
Sigh is all I can add. A wonderful series and I must admit, I was very curious about Michael but more about who is wife could be….she seems formidable.
She has become formidable, but I think most military spouses have to be, and then was no different.
Can’t wait for this release! 🙂 Love all of Grace’s books!
Hiya, Birthday Woman! Thanks for stopping by!
You had me at the cover and now I can’t wait to read this!!!!
The power of Jon Paul… he’s been doing covers since before computers, and that means he sees them as paintings, with composition, light sources, contrast, and a lot of artistic elements I don’t think the post-computer crowd handles as well as a more mature talent can.
I own every book you have published in book format! I love your work and you are one of a few ‘go to’ authors I love that whenever something comes out by you I buy it without even looking at the book description. I know it will be good no matter what! Can not wait for this book, I loved the first two in the series!
Brittany, I am a print reader. For RITA purposes, I had print versions made of The Duke and His Duchess, Mary Fran and Matthew, and Morgan and Archer. If you (or anybody else) would like me to send you copies of those novellas, email me at graceburrowes@yahoo.com. (While supplies last…)
Dang it girl, I already wanted this one (and all that you continue “I Pray”) you will write – Waving hand —“pick me, pick me” What a place to stop!!!!!!!!
Authors have to have their fun too–right Ella? Best of luck, Georgie!
We do. You can always tell when an author loved a book!
awesome excerpt , dying to find out what happens
Spoiler alert: They live happily ever after…. long about 125 pages later.
I hope you enjoy writing your books as much as I enjoy reading them.
Connie, I absolutely do. It’s my happy place, it’s the place where I finally understood, “Oh, this is what people mean when they say running puts them in the zone!” I’ve run a lot of miles, and it never came close to the glee of a good writing day.
Sugar! I never can figure out if I’ve entered too late to win the book. But I can assure you, I’ll have it one way or another. Channeling Harry again. I enjoy your books like some people enjoy fine wine, I may not know anything about wine, but I know Historical Romance and my kindle is my wine cellar. Although, I must admit, a rare signed paperback will always get my attention.
I’d love to read this story early!!! I’ll be reading it either way – win or buy 🙂 Did you grow up out in the country? Or closer in to town?
I grew up on the edge of a university town in rural PA, but I spent a lot of time on my godparent’s farm, too. They had my horse, so….
I found myself living in and around State College for 17 years. My husband is also from rural PA (Apple Country!) so he thought of State College as a city LOL. I grew up in NJ, so I knew better 😉
I’d have spent as much time as possible with the horse too!
Oh, this dialogue! How do you do it? It’s like dessert – scrumptious, rich, and fulfilling.
Geez, I need to quote you, Bonnie, all over the internet. How you do any scene is you put the dialogue going in one direction, and the emotions going in the other, and occasionally, the emotions leap up and snatch the conversation in the more honest direction. Or something like that.
I am reading Christian now, so need the next book, love your books so much.
Grace, I can see why you are a best seller. That excerpt is fabulous. I would truly like to receive a copy of the Laird.
Thanks, Liza! I’m also lucky to have excellent covers, good PR, and loyal readers. I had a lot of completed manuscripts before I attempted publication, and that has allowed me to pursue a publication that was also helpful. Next year, I HOPE things slow down!
Haven’t even finished The Traitor yet and I already want this one!
Gee, I love that kinda talk, Krysten! It’s like that when you write, too. You need to get the last 50 pages for book two done, and Mr. Book Three starts tugging on your sleeve. “I have some great lines for you… You won’t believe my opening scene….Betcha can’t guess how we’re doing our Meet…” Not enough writing hours in a day!
I look forward to reading it and love the cover.
I wish Jon Paul could see how much love his covers get among the readers. They really are special.
I love the cover! Yes, I would buy it based on the cover. But more based on how much I love the author. I would love to win it!
Best of luck to you, Beth, and please be assured that authors love their readers, too!
That sounds fantastic, can’t wait to get my hands on it!
And that cover is to die for Grace, congrats! I love Jon Paul’s covers!
Jon Paul needs his own fan club. I was told he was revamping his website to include a store…. Meanwhile, there’s his pintrest site: http://www.pinterest.com/b2bmelanie/jon-paul-ferrara-cover-art/
I agree, Grace!
OMG! Super want!! Love both characters already.
That’s the idea, Linda, because this book has a truly unattractive villain. To up with a bad guy like that, the readers deserve a very special couple.
Would love that book!
I look forward to your books Grace because I know the next one will be wonderful. I don’t know how you produce such satisfying stories but I know it’s hard work. When I retired I looked forward to more time to read. I have read all of your books and look forward to Michaels story. I would love to meet you sometime since you seem like someone I could be friends with, even without your books. Wish I had your talent. Have a grat day. Judy
What a lovely excerpt! Can’t wait to read this
Hello, Make Kay, and thanks for stopping by. Best of luck with the give away!
I love all your books and this series is one of my favorites!!
Mine too, catslady, though I’ll be glad to get to the mischief and mistletoe of the holiday stories too. The year I’ve got a bunny theme going, might do kitties next year?
I’d love to win this book! I’ll buy it anyway, even if I don’t 😉 Ella is right, that’s a great cover – kilted man, readheaded heroine, gorgeous dress – who could resist??
So that’s the hat trick of cover success? I’ll pass it along to Jon Paul, but I think we’re in for a LOT of kilts thanks to Outlander.
I love all of Jon Paul’s covers. He really is the best!
Jon Paul just has an eye for great artistry.
I agree!!
Well I’ve read the first two, what a way to go. Lovely and Sexy man on the cover. If I don’t win, I’ll buy it anyway. Thank you.
Belinda, I wish you luck! I wish me a horde of readers who feel just the way you do!
Have all Grace’s books and want this one ! Love her heroes !
Jayne, have you spotted Eloisa James yet? She’s apparently off to London for a year, though I’m not sure she’s there yet.
She is back in Italy right now.
I love Grace’s books. Thank you for the giveaway. Love that cover. 🙂
crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
Thanks for stopping by, Crystal!
I LOVE this trilogy!! Just finished THE TRAITOR and it was amazing! I cannot WAIT to get my hands on THE LAIRD (with or without his kilt !)
Thanks! I think The Traitor is my best book (so far), and I’m glad you enjoyed it. The whole trilogy has been well received, and just came together as writing unit for me. Now, it’s on to the next series, and the next, and the next…
Oh Grace, you are such a tease for leaving us wanting more!!! Sure sounds like Michael is going to have his work cut out to win Brenna’s heart!
He succeeds, and evil is vanquished, and as Sarah McLean would say, there’s smoochin’… a lot of smoochin/!
I love a good Scottish romance and the cover with the words Grace Burrowes on it makes it a must read.
My sentiments exactly Bronwen.
I love your books Grace! I thought it was hot in Florida today until I read your excerpt, wow! I think I need to go for another swim now! I have read a lot about The Traitor and would really love to win this book.
Love the cover and am not surprised to hear it’s Jon Paul’s work. I’d love to win a copy of The Laird. 1jennajaxon@gmail.com Tweeted.
All I can say this book sounds like it’s going to be just as good as The Survivor and The Traitor. Michael has a lot to make up for to Brenna. Ten long years. But in sure he’s up to the challenge. The cover is delicious. I can just hear Michael talking in his brogue as I read the words. How I would love to read this book sooner.
Oh, boy! Another Grace Burrowes book! I can’t *wait* to get my hands on it, whether I win it or not!
Thank you, Grace, for creating such real characters with real personalities. I can just sink into the story and be swept away from all the every-day stuff here at home and work. Ahhhhh….. 😀
That is a gorgeous cover and definitely caught my eye – of course the authors name always catches my eye too!
Especially when it’s Grace Burrowes, Diane!
Of course, I’d love a copy, Grace. Who wouldn’t? I’m slowing building my paper book library of your books, but have most of them in ebook… There’s something wonderful about a real paper book.
Speaking of wonderful – excellent excerpt! I really liked Michael in The Traitor, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to love him in The Laird! Amazing cover as usual. 🙂
The cover and the excerpt is great 🙂
Grace, you’re one of my go-to authors!! I love, love, LOVE your books! I have the first two books already, but won’t read them until I have the third. That’s just my way. 😉
You have A LOT of upcoming releases, not to mention all the books you’ve released so far. How long does it take you to write a book?
The cover is gorgeous, I’m really loving the colors! And totally loving the excerpt. I can’t wait to read the rest of Michael’s story cause it sounds like he’s going to have his hands full with Brenna!
Awesome cover just starting to read your book and Im in love already!!!!
What a fabulous excerpt! Love the cover, too!!
Congratulations on your new release!!
Grace, the book sounds wonderful. I would love to receive a copy of it. The book cover is lush!
I’ve got it on pre-order from Amazon but would be more than willing to cancel that if I win a copy.
Whoa there!! Enticing excerpt indeed =D
And I have to say covers to many of your books (if not all) are some of my favorite ones, ever!! Yes, we know Mr. Paul makes them but he probably makes them so perfect because he knows your work and know what it’s about
Hi Joanna, I’m so glad my publisher has Jon Paul doing my covers! He does a fantastic job! Thanks for stopping by!