If you’re like me, you’re busy busy busy. I love to visit blogs, but it seems I never have time to get by in a timely fashion…and never in time to win anything! Well, no worries about that here. The Historical Reader Salon will be open all month long and you can come by anytime during the month to join the conversation and enter to win! No rush, no hurry…just a nice relaxing visit (or three) at your leisure. Each month, I’ll throw out a topic for discussion as well as ways for you to win. We’ll keep the conversation going in the comments section and just see how our Reader Salon grows. Hopefully it will develop into a thriving community centered around what we all love—historical romance!

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Day 12: When You Give a Duke a Diamond by Shana Galen



Welcome to day twelve of March SWEET Madness—a month long party to celebrate the upcoming release of my novel, SWEET MADNESS, available April 2, 2013.


Can you believe how much fun we’ve had and we still have most of the month to go! Today, our featured author is Shana Galen. Shana is a national bestselling author and her books have garnered not only great reviews, but nominations for numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s® prestigious RITA.


She has so many fabulous books to choose from, but when deciding which to feature, I settled on When You Give a Duke a Diamond. It’s the first in her Jewels of the Ton series, the second of which, If you Give A Rake A Ruby just came out last week!


Here is what When You Give a Duke a Diamond is about:


He had a perfectly orderly life...

William, the sixth Duke of Pelham, enjoys his punctual, securely structured life. Orderly and predictable—that's the way he likes it. But he's in the public eye, and the scandal sheets will make up anything to sell papers. When the gossip papers link him to Juliette, one of the most beautiful and celebrated courtesans in London, chaos doesn't begin to describe what happens next...

Until she came along...

Juliette is nicknamed the Duchess of Dalliance and has the cream of the nobility at her beck and call. It's disruptive to have the duke who is the biggest catch on the Marriage Mart scaring her other suitors away. Then she discovers William's darkest secret and decides what he needs in his life is the kind of excitement only she can provide...




And now for the fun part—your chance to win! Just fill out the rafflecopter form below. Contest will be open for 2 weeks—US & CANADA only, please).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you don’t win (or just can’t wait to start reading!), here’s where you can get the book!


And to find out more about Shana, you can visit her website at:




I am also giving away a copy of either my debut, SWEET ENEMY or SWEET DECEPTION (winner’s choice) EVERY DAY of March SWEET Madness! (you will need to enter this contest separately every day for a new chance to win! OPEN INTERNATIONALLY)

Sweet Enemy

Beakers and ball gowns don't mix, so when lady chemist, Miss Liliana Claremont, goes undercover as a husband-hunter to investigate Lord Geoffrey Wentworth, the earl whose family she suspects murdered her father, romance isn't part of her formula. But it only takes one kiss to start a reaction she can't control...

Read the Prologue and First Chapter HERE...

Sweet Deception

Lady criminologist, Miss Emma Wallingford, unknowingly finds herself tangled up in the dangerous final mission of Lord Derick Aveline, a spy who also happens to be her long-lost first love. But when deception, however sweet, is the name of the game, no one can be trusted. And every love--and every life--is at risk.

Read the First Chapter HERE.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And don’t forget SWEET MADNESS, coming April 2, 2013!

There’s a fine line between love and insanity…

Ever since her husband’s sudden and tragic death, Lady Penelope Bridgeman has committed herself to studying the maladies of the mind, particularly treating traumatized soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars. It is this expertise that brings the Marquess of Bromwich’s family to her door.

Gabriel Devereaux’s unexpected and unpredictable episodes are unlike any Penelope has studied. The once proud soldier has been left shaken and withdrawn, but she manages to build a fragile trust between them. Strangely, Gabriel seems completely lucid when not in the grips of his mania, and in the calm between bouts, she is surprised by how much she is drawn to him.

Despite his own growing feelings, Gabriel knows that he is fit for no one, and is determined to keep Penelope away from his descent into madness. But even though she knows firsthand the folly of loving a broken man, Penelope cannot stop herself from trying to save him, no matter the cost.

Read the Prologue and First Chapter HERE...

"In this emotional, compassionate romance...the powerful love story will sweep readers away."
~RT BookReviews, 4 1/2 stars

“The brilliance of Sweet Madness shines strongly and completely. Heather Snow is cutting edge…a master storyteller. Sweet Madness is a magnificent story.”
~Book Obsessed Chicks 5 stars

See you tomorrow, where our featured author is Stefanie Sloane!!!

And don’t forget, giveaways are open for TWO weeks, so if you’ve missed any of the fabulous authors featured, visit the archives section and enter!

95 comments:

  1. I'm not really into jewelries. I'm okay with my watch, but a Turquoise necklace or earring would be lovely (my birthstone) :D

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    1. Lory, I actually don't wear much jewelry either. I do love turquoise, though. It's one of the few stones I do wear often.

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    2. I love to look at jewelry, but I don't wear much. I've never felt delicate enough to do most of it justice :)

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  2. I like jewelry, but I don't wear much myself. I usually only have on my wedding ring and a pair of stud earrings.

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    1. Sheryl, I'm so bad that I usually don't even wear my wedding ring. I have to brush my daughter's hair and help her dress and undress. I don't want to scratch her.

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    2. I try to remember to wear my wedding ring when I go out. For the first 6 or 7 years or so, I never took it off...but then we had kids!

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  3. I'm not much of a jewelry hound. I have one pair of earrings I never change and I wear a wedding ring. But my favorite gem is my birthstone, sapphire, which is what is on my engagement ring.

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    1. I love sapphires too. They are so pretty, and all you September babies are lucky!

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    2. Sapphires are stunning! I'm also a fan of emeralds

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  4. I love jewelry! As a hobby, I create my own pieces, necklace and earrings made with Murano stones and beads! But my favorite gem is my birthstone the Alexandrite

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    1. I think the Murano stones are so pretty!

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    2. I've never seen a Murano stone....going to Google it!

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  5. I love jewelry. I love earrings, necklaces and rings.

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    1. Olga, I have a lot of necklaces I love, but I seem to wear earrings and rings the most.

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    2. I love the variety...so many talented jewelry makers out there!

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  6. I love Jewelry but I love to wear bracelets. I also have a fascination with keys so any necklace with one I want.

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    1. I think it's fun that keys are kind of your signature. I bet people give you key gifts a lot.

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    2. Oh, I wish I could wear more bracelets! Alas, I'm short...everywhere! Short fingers, short span between wrist and elbow and most jewelry makes it seem even more so. How I wish I had long, elegant arms and fingers...

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  7. I've done office work most of my life.. enjoyed jewelry, but have usually only worn small earrings due to phone work, no bracelets because they tangled in typewriters [hey, I am old] so I generally only wore my wedding ring, a watch and small earrings.. but I own a lot of jewelry from my earlier days...
    Diamonds are my favorites!

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    1. I can't wear big earrings either because of the difficulty with the phone and little hands grabbing at them!

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    2. I sort of miss wearing watches, but like most people, I check my phone for time now

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  8. I used to be a jewel hound... i loved diamonds but now i have no time for it...

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    1. I don't have much time for it, either, May. It's fun to browse.

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    2. Yes, once I put on my engagement and wedding rings, I really stopped shopping for rings as wearing more than one feels strange to me

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  9. I love jewellery, especially with wolves and dragons. One thing that I always wear is a golden necklace with a small pendant with love on it. I gave it my grandpa several years ago and I am wearing it since his death.

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    1. I love that you have signature pieces. My grandmother has given me a lot of her jewelry, and I wear it and think of her.

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    2. Jewelry with sentimental value is the best kind!

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  10. i love all the color gemstones i cant pick one... i have a ring in almost every color and different settings my hubby gave me a multi color stone braclet that i love becasue i can wear it with any of my rings...

    am i a jewel hound... i didn't think so till i started writing my last repondse lol.. :-) my favorite peice of jelery is a thaitian pearl ring, pendent and earring set that i got from my father in law when i had my daughter. he passed away a year or so later and i threasure those jewelry peice now even more i'm always worried that i will lose them...my hubby on our wedding day gave me a set of fresh water pearls that i wore that day and still wear on special occasions.... :-)

    and finaly last year my daughter gave me a plastic bracelet with the rubber band like string through it that broke a month ago and that made me sad too...

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    1. Oh, Marilyn! You sounds very sentimental. I think that's the best reason to wear jewelry--whether diamonds or plastic.

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    2. Awww...sorry to hear about your bracelet :(

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  11. I love diamonds, rubies, and amethysts (my birthstone). I keep my jewelry-wearing pretty simple, usually just a couple of rings, my watch, earrings, and maybe a bracelet. For special occasions, I wear a little more.

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    1. I wish amethyst was my birthstone. So pretty!

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    2. cheryl c, we have a cursed amethyst brooch in our family. It's the most gorgeous thing, but no one is allowed to wear it in their weddings anymore, as every one of the women who wore it in our family ended up divorced! Sooooo pretty, though, and the great thing is we get to wear it after we're married :)

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  12. Thanks for the fun post! Congrats to Shana on the new release! I'm not a big jewelry "hound". I mainly just wear earrings and bracelets of which I don't have very many and none expensive! But I do love the bright, colorful gemstones.

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    1. Hey Erin, I like the bright ones too. Sparkly is even better!

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    2. I buy a lot of my conference jewelry at Target...that's the fun kind that is inexpensive, you buy it to coordinate with outfits and you don't have to cry if you lose it!

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  13. I like my birthstone - a blue sapphire. I also like a deep purple tanzanite.

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    1. Di, you must be a September baby! I think I would love a deep purple tanzanite too. Sounds gorgeous.

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    2. Blues and purples...nice taste :)

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  14. I tend to wear the same jewelry all the time, gold claddagh earrings, necklace, gold chain necklace. For special occasions I may change it up maybe to pearls.

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    1. I love Scottish art in jewelry, Di. It's so pretty.

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  16. Hi Shana and Heather! My fave gemstone is the diamond, although I favor all of the precious gems (ruby, sapphire, emerald). My birthstone is the topaz and I'm not particularly enamored of it. My fave pieces of jewelry are earrings as I don't wear necklaces or bracelets (except for one diamond solitaire diamond necklace that I never take off--it's from my hubby of 33 yrs). I prefer dangly earrings and I really don't care if they sparkle or are of natural stone or handmade ceramic/glass. I just like earrings! jdh2690@gmail.com

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    1. I think I like earrings best, too, Janice. They are easy to throw on and can dress up an outfit easily.

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    2. Mine is topaz, too :/ But my sons are diamond and ruby, so at least I'll get pretty mother jewelry!

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  17. I hoard jewellery so badly. My earring collection is absolutely huge. My favourite piece of jewellery is a Tiffany necklace my Dad got me for my 18th, I wear it everyday and I feel super weird if I don't wear it because I'm so used to it lol

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    1. Cerian, I finally got a jewelry organizer so I could see all my jewelry. I would forget what I had.

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    2. I totally need an organzer! I got one of those hangers that look like a mannequin in a cool dress, but that just keeps my necklaces from tangling and a few hook earrings...the rest is sadly mingled in a drawer

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  18. I love jewelry, but the nicest pieces I have are the ones my mom gave me. One is a lovely brooch, but not many wear those anymore.

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    1. That's true, Jane. Brooches aren't worn nearly as often, and I have a few I rarely get to wear.

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    2. I have one that I adore, but it is rare I get to wear it. Luckily, it has a pendant hook, as well, so sometimes I wear it as a necklace.

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  19. I do love jewelry. I love the color purple, so tanzanite and amethyst are my favorite gemstones. My favorite piece of jewelry is a diamond ring that I bought to celebrate my Master's degree.

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    1. Kimberly, what a great way to celebrate your Master's!

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    2. Celebration jewelry is the best! Sentimental and proud at the same time

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  20. My favorite pieces of jewlery are definately my rings! I had a "thing" for gold for many years and owned many different styles of gold rings. Now it is opals! ..my favorite!!

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    1. Betty, I love opals, and though for years I preferred silver, I am starting to really like gold again.

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    2. Opals are lovely...it's funny how our tastes change. When I was younger, I wanted all non-traditional. I wanted an emerald engagement ring in platinum or white gold, etc. Yet, when it came down to it, I chose a traditional set and I'm glad I did

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  21. I don't wear much jewelry - just my wedding rings, my mothers ring, but I LOVE bracelets! I probably have over 50 of them. I have problems with keloids on my ears so I can't wear earings and over compensate with bracelets!!!

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    1. Diana, I think I would wear more bracelets, if they didn't annoy me when I typed. I love to wear them out.

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    2. I wish I could wear more bracelets...I have to be careful to choose very dainty ones or they make me look stumpy...sigh

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  22. Not actually a jewellery hound, but I do have a couple of pieces I really love (namely this yellow glass heart necklace on black string that I won, and an amazing handmade blue book charm on a necklace that's vaguely steam-punky because it's got a real watchface on it). I think my main problem is that a) I don't have that much money and b) since I don't actually wear jewellery that much I tend to spend it on books :)

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    1. Jess, I would rather spend money on books, too!

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    2. Yay, books! Speaking of steampunk jewelry, there is something I could get into! There are some awesome pieces out there

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  23. I really love wearing jewelry esp. bracelets. In my language its called, "gkum lai" which means profit. Some believe that wearing bracelet will bring positive profits to ones life. My favorite gem is the blue sapphire because it is my birthstone and also my favorite color.

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    1. You must be a September baby. I love sapphires too!

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    2. Profit sounds like a perfect excuse to buy more jewelry :)

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    3. Yes! I am a september baby! :) & Profit can be a pretty good excuse, Lol!

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  24. Not much of a jewelry hound.. It's something I tend to lose *pretty* quickly..lol. My mom makes beautiful pieces, and I tend to keep those.. but stuff at one of those stores where they wear suits and stare blankly at you? No thanks. :)

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    1. That's cool that your mom makes jewelry. That makes it even more special.

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    2. Isn't it fabulous when someone in our lives makes jewelry. I have a friend that's done a bunch of mine...she's brilliant, and so creative!

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  25. I like jewelry. My favorite gemstones are diamonds or sapphires.

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  26. I really like malachite although I'm pretty sure it's a rock, lol. I like aquamarines as well. I have a gorgeous ring with two aquamarines from my boyfriend that I really love.

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  27. Even though I was born in January and my birthstone is a garnet, I just love sapphires. The majority of my rings are sapphires with a few rings with garnets.

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    1. Elizabeth, I have a sapphire ring I love!

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    2. I should have been born in May, as I love emeralds. Besides, goats and bulls are pretty similar, aren't we? Both stubborn. I'm going to claim emeralds...

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  28. I have read and loved Shana's first two books in the "Jewels of the Ton" series. Now I'm eagerly awaiting the 3rd book, Lily's story!

    I love Emeralds. I used to wear more jewelry and do have an assortment of nice pieces. But the one that means the most to me is my mother's wedding rings. She gave them to me before she passed away and I treasure them. I don't wear them (I have my own) but would give them to one of my sons if they'd like to have a special diamond for an engagement.

    Marcy Shuler
    bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Thank you, Marcy! My wedding ring has stones from my husband's aunt's ring. It makes it more special.

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    2. Emeralds are fabulous, both cut and uncut! My great grandfather left me two uncut emeralds, which look very like polished lighter green stones...stunning. My mom one of them made into a pendant when I graduated from college. I love to wear it. Still not sure what I'll do with the other.

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  29. Hi Heather!

    My favorite isn't a ruby or a diamond but instead the plain gold band my husband put on my finger the day he asked me to marry him!

    That plain gold band for 43 years has reminded me of the love and devotion he has freely given me every day of our marriage. We got married less than a year after we met and less than 4 months after he placed my wedding ring on my finger and he has never let a day pass in all those years letting me know not only by words but by deeds as well how much he loves me.

    No other jewel or gem could ever replace in my heart my simple gold band that reminds me everyday of his unending love.

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    1. That's lovely, Jeanne. Very well said :-)

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    2. So sweet, Jeanne. You are a lucky woman! (and he is a lucky man)

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  30. I was really into sapphires when I was younger, but I'm more of an amethyst fan now.

    I wouldn't consider myself a jewelry hound, and my favorites vary over time. My current favorites are 3 Celtic knot pendants and a butterfly pendant; I wear them on different chains to work with whatever clothes I'm wearing.

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    1. Isn't it interesting how our tastes change over time? That's one of the reasons I'm glad I never got any tatoos...not that I have anything against tatoos, it's just that every one I ALMOST got, I'm so glad I didn't because I've changed from the person I was at those particular times

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    2. I like amethyst, too! I think Celtic knots are so pretty.

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  31. I love Opal or Moonstone. They're just so pretty. :-D

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    1. I'm really going to have to buy something with opals...

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    2. Both are definitely favorites of mine.

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  32. sapphires and diamonds are beautiful :)

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  33. Diamonds. Diamonds are a girl's best friend. *Grin*

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