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!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Day 17: Pleasure Me by Monica Burns


 

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

 

And a Happy St. Patrick’s day to you! I don’t know if our featured author is Irish or not (it didn’t say in her bio!), or for that matter, whether you are! What I do know is we ALL have the luck of the Irish today, because we get to spend it with the fabulous Monica Burns!

 

Today, I’m featuring Pleasure Me, her RT Reviewer’s Choice and Gayle Wilson Award For Excellence winning novel.

 

Here is what the book is about:

 

Youth and beauty are a courtesan’s greatest assets. At forty-one, Lady Ruth Attwood appears to have lost both, as her latest lover just abandoned her for a younger mistress. Struggling with the knowledge that she’s no longer considered desirable, she’s uncertain whether to be offended or flattered when a younger man makes her an unusual offer. In need of funds, she agrees. But then she does the unthinkable. She falls in love.

Despite his reputation as a man’s man, Baron Garrick Stratfield has never been with a woman. His physical impairment is such that he knows not even a whore will touch him, and he needs a mistress who’s willing to be kept without sharing his bed. But passion is just a delicious kiss away because his new mistress is wreaking havoc with his senses. Worse yet, someone is not only out to ruin his reputation, but frame him for murder.

Read the First Three Chapters HERE

 

 

And now for the fun part—your chance to win! Monica has graciously offered to include two additional prizes today! 2 winners will have their choice of her e-books, Obsession or Love's Revenge. SEE? I told you we all had the luck of the Irish today!!!

Just fill out the rafflecopter form below. Contest will be open for 2 weeks—This contest  is open INTERNATIONALLY).
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

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

B&N | Amazon | Books-A-Million

International Readers The Book Depository
(free shipping – some restrictions apply)


 

And to find out more about Monica, 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 Juliana Gray!!!

 

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!


48 comments:

  1. I don't really have any traditions other than wearing green. I have some Irish in me on my dad's side of the family and would love to visit there, but that's about it.

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    1. We never had much tradition growing up, either, but my friend's family always made corned beef, cabbage and soda bread. Yum!

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  2. I don't celebrate St Patrick's Day. I'm Asian & it's not a well known holiday where I live at all.

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  3. The only tradition I have is wearing green.

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  4. I don't have any fun traditions for St. Patrick's Day.

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  5. When we were little our teacher would tell us to wear something green to school. No real tradition, but we do each corned beef and cabbage during this time.

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  6. We have never done much on St. Pat's since we didn't think we were Irish at all. It turns out a great-grandmother (that died young) was Irish. We do like corned beef and cabbage once a year.

    Just want to tell everyone to read Pleasure Me. An unusual book. I loved it.

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  7. No special traditions....except the earing the the green!

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  8. I don't really celebrate St Patrick's Day. I don't have friends who are Irish!

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  9. I don't usually celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but I will try to wear something green.

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  10. I always watch "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. It is my favorite movie and so very Irish. I'm about to sit down, relax and watch my movie because the dog's tummy is full and I just put him down for his afternoon nap.

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  11. My St. Patrick tradition is fixing corn beef casserole for the family....and of course wearing something green....babyruthmac16ATyahooDOTcom

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    1. Oooh, corn beef casserole? I think I need a recipe...

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  12. Don't really celebrate it. Don't have any traditions.

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  13. I wear something green for St. Patrick's day and we always have corned beef and veggies in the crock pot. The house smells so good.

    I have to say I recently read and loved PLEASURE ME and LOVE'S REVENGE by Monica Burns. Both books have older heroines which was great to see and she did them wonderfully well. Very believeable. I love books with unusual characters/settings. Like yours, Heather. :)

    Marcy Shuler
    bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. Awww, thanks Marcy! Isn't Monica's writing great?

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  14. The only tradition is that I wear green and sometimes make a cabbage dish.

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  15. Hello Monica and Heather! Well, I've been spending the weekend with my grandchildren and we did several things to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. First we went over a simple grade-school history of how St. Patrick's Day came about and who St. Patrick was, we all wore some clothing with green in it so we wouldn't get pinched, we ate Irish Soda Bread for breakfast, and we planted a Shamrock plant (national plant for Ireland) in a sheltered area of the back yard. We retold the stories of Leprechauns and rainbows and pots of gold...and I gave them chocolate coins covered in gold foil that came in small pouches...and my grandson wore a green hat and my granddaughter wore a green tiara in her hair. It has been a fun-filled weekend with a bit 'o' the green and tradition. jdh2690@gmail.com

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  16. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! We used to do the bar crawl in our youth... out by 9 and home by 9. But as we've gotten older, the crawls got shorter and shorter til we finally pettered out. Now, it's corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot and snuggling with the pups :)

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    1. Crock pot corned beef and cabbage? TOTALLY want that recipe...

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  17. We don't really celebrate in any special way.
    We don't really have any traditions. There were times we did enjoy a few drinks with friends, but not this year. Thank you for the post and the contests. lisagk(at)yahoo

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  18. No traditions per se :) I think we traditionally slap on a green item of clothing and that's about it. lol No fuss or muss.

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  19. No special traditions - just make sure I'm wearing green!

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  20. Since my family is Irish on my father's side of the family and my oldest sister is married to an Irishman every year we try to beat each other bycalling on St, Patrick's day by saying when they answer the phone:

    "May the road rise to meet you,
    May the wind be always at your back,
    May the sun shine warm upon your face,
    The rains fall soft upon your fields,
    And until we meet again,
    May God hold you
    In the palm of his hand."

    Happy St. Patrick's day to you all!

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  21. all our St. Patrick's day traditions are food related, but a good soda bread is a lot of fun!

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  22. I've read some samples of Monica's books on my Nook & she's definitely on my to read list. Especially Love's Revenge--love the idea of older woman younger man!

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  23. well atm my hubby is parading around in a kilt ;) so I get to enjoy the view...other than that, beer <3

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    1. WOOHOO! Hubby in kilt. That's a GREAT tradition ;)

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  24. I feel really lame that I don't ever do anything fun for St. Patrick's Day. If I plan on leaving the house I make sure to wear my "Dublin" shirt with my shamrock bracelet and earrings. That's all though. I don't go out drinking or anything like that. I'm Irish, too.

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  25. We just wear green so we don't get pinched and try to have some green foods for special treats.
    Nothing big but our family have a lot of fun :)
    Thanks

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  26. Oh, goodness! We travled all day today, so nothing special. Though I did wear green-- so I wouldn't be pinched ;-)

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  27. My family and I actually don't celebrate it. When I was in school I would pinch people who didn't wear green though. Lol Happy St. Patrick's Day! and the cover of the book looks amazing btw! ;)

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  28. Don't tell anyone, but I didn't wear green today. The boys were camping this weekend and so I stayed in the house in my pajamas all by my little lonesome. Didn't pinch myself either. It was heaven :)

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  29. let me see i don't have any irish in me with mexican parents lol ... but as to tradition my mom always decorates and its something that me and my sisters do for our kids...we decorate for for valentines, st. paddys, cinco de mayo, 4th of july, easter every holiday that there was the house was decorated to match...

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    1. That's awesome, Marilyn. I used to do that...before I had kids. LOL! Now I feel I don't have time. But reading your post reminds me that I'm cheating them of something fun. I have all of the decs for all of the holidays stored downstairs in the basement. Next year? We're totally decorating.

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  31. I usually just have a bit of a party with my friends, some of them are Irish so they host :)

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  32. When my fol was still with us, we would all gather and celebrate St. Patrick's Day, by drinking traditional green beer.

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  33. I don't have any Irish traditions but do try to where green on St. Patrick's day.

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  34. I didn't do anything special to celebrate St Paddy's Day. I read and took some videos of my daughter acting silly.

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  35. I usually wear green and drink a wee bit of green beer and/or Baileys Irish Cream ~ :) And we can't forget our corned beef and cabbage. Thank you for all the lovely giveaways ~ Happy Reading and Writing ~ Cheers ~ Elizabeth

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  36. We don't do much of anything but I usually at least try to wear green.

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  37. We all are Irish that day. All we do is wear green and pinch those who don't wear it. We make green desserts and drinks. I have never had green beer though, since I don't like the taste.

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