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Archive for regency romance

An Invitation to Romance

By Bronwen Evans · Comments (24)
Saturday, April 28th, 2012

The winner is … Diane P. Diamond. I’ll email you Diane to organise sending you your prize, a copy of Invitation to Scandal.

I’m so excited! My second Regency romance in my Invitation to series is officially released on 1 May. INVITATION TO SCANDAL is already available in most book stores, and web-stores have it for sale now!

To celebrate the release of INVITATION TO SCANDAL I’ve started a fabulous Invitation to Romance blog tour.

This is my first ever blog tour and I’m really excited! Starting on April 27th I’ve offered a blog tour across various blogs and my website, and I’m giving away wonderful prizes of books galore at each stop! In addition, I have amazing historical authors visiting my blog over the next two months, sharing their new releases and offering great prizes,  starting withSHANA GALEN on April 27th.

Beginning April 27th, I’ll be traveling throughout the blogosphere telling people about my newest book, INVITATION TO SCANDAL. At most places I”ll be giving away a copy of INVITATION TO SCANDAL to a random commenter (open to US and international residents).  If you win and read the book, I’d love to hear what you think OR even better leave a review somewhere!

The Book Tour Grand Prize – A $200 Amazon, or B&N, Voucher PLUS… A Book Basket of 30 ‘SIGNED by the AUTHORS’ books…

Apart from the chances visitors have of winning a copy of INVITATION TO SCANDAL, I’ll give away a $200 Amazon or B&N Voucher to spend how you wish, AND at least 30 ‘SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR’ books to one lucky winner at the end of the book tour! All you have to do is collect THIRTY  answers to the clues I  give at each book tour stop or guest blogger spot on her website, and by midnight EST on June 30th, enter your answers in the Contest Entry box on her website or email her at romance at bronwenevans dot com.

One random winner with all the right answers will win a $200 Amazon or B&N Voucher, and at least 30 SIGNED by the author romance novels! Is this easy to do? Yes. Is April to the end of June a long time? Yes, but such a contest is not for the faint of heart. Is it worth it for a chance to win a $200 Amazon or B&N Voucher, and at least 30 romance novels? If you’re a rabid romance fan like Bron it is, definitely!

Please note: that there are 30 clues that must be collected to be eligible for entry into this contest.  Collect all the clues and spell out a paragraph relating to Bronwen’s 1 May 2012 Regency release – INVITATION TO SCANDAL.

Dates: There will be a one WORD hidden in each blog post [WHO] in brackets (the word ‘WHO’ is the first clue). There are 30 words altogether. These words will spell a paragraph related to Bron’s 1 May release INVITATION TO SCANDAL.

For a list of TOUR Dates and PLACES visit Bronwen’s website.

Her secrets are coming undone…

Plagued by scandalous rumors, Rheda Kerrich will stop at nothing to restore her reputation and make an honest living for herself-and she’s determined to do it without a husband. But times are hard, and smuggling is a risky though profitable trade. So when a dashing agent for the English government catches her in the act, she desperately resists his charms and conceals her illicit profession. Until she realizes he may be the key to her ultimate freedom-and unbridled passion.[CLUE TWO:IS]

Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore, has never had trouble beguiling the ladies of Kent. When his search for “Dark Shadow,” a cunningly elusive smuggler, leads him to alluring and headstrong Rhe, her objections to his amorous advances merely incite a tantalizing game of cat and mouse. Soon, they’ll find the very secrets driving them apart could ensnare them in a love they can’t escape…

Read Excerpt

…His forceful gaze swept over her trying to ascertain their identities. A shiver of fear sliced her insides. Damn the moon. She prayed it was dark enough, and her disguise good enough, that he would not know who she was. Perhaps he would think her one of Lord Hale’s stable boys.

She ground her teeth in resignation. What was the worst that could happen? He was too late; the deed had been done, with one horse anyway.

Eyes sharp as flint slashed in her direction, and she took a step back.

Ignoring her, Lord Strathmore bent to study his horse. “Have you been having an enjoyable evening, Caesar? I hope you have not let the Strathmore name down, and you have performed appropriately.”

In a voice she hoped mirrored a young boy’s she said, “Actually we were debating if he had enough stamina to service the second filly.” Since Lord Strathmore appeared to be buying her story, she might as well push her luck.

“I think you will find Strathmore males are perfectly capable of pleasuring more than one female in one night.”

A chuckle escaped from his companion while Jamieson gave a discreet cough.
Rheda, thankful for what little darkness the moon provided simply blushed, his insinuation not lost on her.

Lord Strathmore approached until he towered over her, menace pouring from every pore. Rheda thought the effect was somewhat spoilt because he looked thoroughly enticing in his formal dinner wear. “We shall have to discuss how you are going to repay me for Caesar’s services – Miss Kerrich, Miss Rheda Kerrich – Rhe.”

One lucky commenter will win a copy of INVITATION TO SCANDAL in book or ebook (open internationally) – tell me the name of the smuggler Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore is hunting in Invitation to Scandal. (clue is on my website.)

 

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Categories : Bronwen Evans, General
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Yippee INVITATION TO SCANDAL Arc’s are here…

By Bronwen Evans · Comments (9)
Monday, February 27th, 2012

Not only have my INVITATION TO SCANDAL Arc copies arrived, Leap Day is also around the corner.

Look out men, here we come… February 29th heralds in the Leap Year. Leap Year has been the traditional time that women can propose marriage to the man who’s stolen their heart.

So, keeping in the Leap Year theme, since my Arc’s of INVITATION TO SCANDAL are here. Whoever wants one has to answer my question at the end of the post and be in to win.

In the twenty-first century, in many of today’s cultures, it is okay for a woman to propose marriage to a man. Society doesn’t look down on such women. Leap years have sort of faded in importance.. However, that hasn’t always been the case.

When the rules of courtship were stricter, women were only allowed to pop the question on one day every four years. That day was February 29th.

The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland supposedly passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. Tradition states they also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.

In my soon to be released Regency romance, INVITATION TO SCANDAL, Rheda Kerrick, my heroine, has turned down a marriage proposal, determined to find her own financial security.  She’s trying to set up a Cavalry horse breeding stud. Unfortunately she can’t afford stud fees and decides my hero, Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore’s Arabian stallion, Caesar, is perfect for the job. Now all she has to do is ‘borrow’ his horse without him finding out…

I bet you can guess how well that goes! Read the excerpt to find out.

…His forceful gaze swept over her trying to ascertain their identities. A shiver of fear sliced her insides. Damn the moon. She prayed it was dark enough, and her disguise good enough, that he would not know who she was. Perhaps he would think her one of Lord Hale’s stable boys.

She ground her teeth in resignation. What was the worst that could happen? He was too late; the deed had been done, with one horse anyway.

Eyes sharp as flint slashed in her direction, and she took a step back.

Ignoring her, Lord Strathmore bent to study his horse. “Have you been having an enjoyable evening, Caesar? I hope you have not let the Strathmore name down, and you have performed appropriately.”

In a voice she hoped mirrored a young boy’s she said, “Actually we were debating if he had enough stamina to service the second filly.” Perhaps Lord Strathmore would think her being here, with his stallion, was a genuine mistake if she continued as if she’d done nothing wrong.

“I think you will find Strathmore males are perfectly capable of pleasuring more than one female in one night.”

A chuckle escaped from his companion while Jamieson gave a discreet cough. Rheda, thankful for what little darkness the moon provided simply blushed, his insinuation not lost on her.

Lord Strathmore approached until he towered over her, menace pouring from every pore. Rheda thought the effect was somewhat spoilt because he looked thoroughly enticing in his formal dinner wear. “We shall have to discuss how you are going to repay me for Caesar’s services – Miss Kerrich, Miss Rheda Kerrich – Rhe.”

You can win an ARC copy of INVITATION TO SCANDAL by leaving a comment about how, if you were to propose, you’d do it .

Want another chance to win one of my Regency romances? Visit the Contest page on my website and enter the February contest to win a ePub copy of  To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield. Closes 29th Feb.

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Can a Regency Heroine Be Bad To Be Good?

By Bronwen Evans · Comments (5)
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

In historical romances, you will often see the theme of arranged marriages, where daughters are used like bartered chattel. Their only worth is if they find an appropriate match to benefit the family.  Using daughters to form alliances, save family finances or merge two powerful families, has been going on for centuries. In many cultures it still goes on today.

A ‘lady’ of quality had very little option than to follow Societies dictates. These ladies were not raised in a manner that afforded them the opportunity, or ability, to do anything to survive on their own – financially that is. If a woman, who was a member of the Ton, had to survive on her own, most historical romances have them reverting to the world’s oldest profession.

In the modern era woman have more opportunities to support themselves. They can work and have successful careers.  They are educated beyond the skills of the ballroom.

My soon to be released Regency romance, Invitation to Scandal, (April 2012) has a heroine, Miss Rheda Kerrick, the daughter of an impoverished Baron, who is determined to create her own financial independence.  I will admit, that to begin with, she first seeks her financial independence in a rather illegal manner, but she has an estate to save for her younger brother, and a village full of orphans and widows to support. However, she does have a legitimate business venture in mind.

A business the newly arrived, handsome Rufus Knight, Viscount Strathmore’s stallion could very well ensure comes to fruition. Unfortunately, due to her other activities she has to remain hidden from the Viscount, which makes it difficult, but not impossible, to get what she wants….

I like my heroines’ independent and thinking that life owes them more than simply to be bartered like chattel, or sold as breeding stock. Rheda, having a wastrel father, who gambled and drank his children’s livelihood away, has a solid aversion to relying on any man for her wellbeing.  Particularly a husband.

I’d love to hear from you. Is it possible for a Regency heroine to use more than her body to make her way in the world? Even if it might not be completely above board?

While  you are at it, I’ve a new website and I’d love it if you would sign up for my newsletter.  Anyone who signs up before the end of January will receive a FREE copy of my February Novella release – To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield. The sign up place is half way down the Latest News page.

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