The Earl's Enticement

It's finally here! The Earl's Enticement, by award winning, historical romance author Collette Cameron, hit Amazon a couple days ago and it's already making its way toward the top 100. A few weeks ago, Collette came by to give us a sneak peek at her book cover. Now she's back teasing us with not one, not two, but THREE juicy excerpts specially selected by the author herself for your reading pleasure. 

And just in case you missed it the first time around, here's a brief synopsis of The Earl's Enticement to go along with the equally enchanting cover. 

The Earl’s Enticement

She won’t be tamed. 

A fiery, unconventional Scot, Adaira Ferguson wears breeches, swears, and has no more desire to marry than she does to follow society’s dictates of appropriate behavior. She trusts no man with the secret she desperately protects.

He can’t forget.

Haunted by his past, Roark, the Earl of Clarendon, rigidly adheres to propriety, holding himself and those around him to the highest standards, no matter the cost. Betrayed once, he’s guarded and leery of all women.

Mistaking Roark for a known spy, Adaira imprisons him. Infuriated, he vows vengeance. Realizing her error, she’s appalled and releases him, but he’s not satisfied with his freedom. Roark is determined to transform Adaira from an ill-mannered hoyden to a lady of refinement.

He succeeds only to discover, he preferred the free-spirited Scottish lass who first captured his heart.

Intrigued? I am. To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2 and keep on reading for your first of three juicy snippets of the book.  

Excerpt #1

Adaira stepped around the mare and ever-so-gently touched the foal. Was the new addition a laddie or lassie? Skimming her hands over the newborn, she bent to take a peek. A colt. The sheen of his coat glistened in the muted light. Other than a white face and leg markings, he was the color of rich Turkish coffee.

“Ooh, you’re magnificent!” she breathed in awe.

“He is, indeed,” rumbled a harmonious baritone.

She whirled around. The Earl of Clarendon leaned across the stall door. His forearms rested on the top edge. He clasped a silver flask loosely in one hand. His shirtsleeves were rolled to his elbows, and he wore no waistcoat or jacket. The top of his shirt was unfastened too.

Just perfect. She wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near the earl, and here he was, in her sanctuary. She ought to be afraid, after his parting words, but she sensed something altogether different.

No, she wouldn’t stare at the crisp dark hair on his forearms or peeking from the collar of his open shirt. Bugger it. She curled her hands into fists against the oddest urge to run her fingers through the curly hair on his chest.

A bolt of unease speared her, though whether from his disquieting presence or her awareness of him as an attractive man, she couldn’t be certain.

Clearing her throat, she asked, “What are you doing here, my lord?”

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite parts of any romance novel is the first moment when the two would-be lovers feel that sudden jolt of awareness. Just listening to the way the heroine describes the Earl's appearance sets the stage for what's to come. 

To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2

Alright, I won't torture you any longer with my commentary. Here's our second snippet of the day. 

Excerpt #2

Casting one last look over her shoulder, she opened the heavy door. She deftly nudged the bulky bundle onto the landing with her foot. With the buckets looped over one arm, she made quick work of lighting the lantern. Then, she shoved her way through the partially open doorway. Seldom used hinges squeaked and groaned in protest. She swallowed.

Had no one opened it since . . .?

Grimacing, she laid a shaky hand across her knotted middle. Possibly not.

She edged the thick wooden slab shut. It closed with a portentous thunk. One hand on the cold, stone wall for balance, she turned and peered into the blackness. The heavy air settled around her, its cool dampness thick and suffocating. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. Adaira closed her eyes, fighting to draw air into her lungs.

The lamp sputtered and hissed. Her eyes flew open. Her heart thudded loudly in her ears.

Please, don’t go out.

The flickering stopped. The weak flame leaped to life. The orangey-red fought against its glass constraints before yielding to the inevitable. Adaira’s nose twitched at the acrid smell of burning oil.

She’d not be surprised if bats weren’t hanging by their horrid little curled toes on the beams far above her head. She cast a hurried glance upward. Nothing. Thank God. Rats and mice she tolerated. But bats? No. Not since she’d hidden in a cave when she was eight and disturbed a colony of the little flying devils.

Her gaze raked the stairwell once more. Blast, but it was black as the Earl of Hell’s waistcoat.

There was a time when the darkness hadn’t bothered her. Back then, she used to visit the lower chambers regularly. Well, truth to tell, she’d sneaked into them to avoid her lessons from the time she was twelve until four years ago.

Sigh. 

The ease with which the action is interspersed with emotions and interiority and setting details. O.M.G. The writing tugs at every one of the five senses. Be still my heart. If only my students wrote like this. 

Here's another chance to drop what your doing and purchase this title. Simply click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2

Before we get to the final excerpt of the day, lets get to know the author a bit better. 

About Collette Cameron
Award winning, Amazon best-selling, and multi-published historical romance author, Collette Cameron, has a BS in Liberal Studies and a Master's in Teaching. A Pacific Northwest Native, Collette’s been married for thirty years, has three amazing adult children, and five dachshunds. Collette loves a good joke, inspirational quotes, flowers, the beach, trivia, birds, shabby chic, and Cadbury Chocolate. You'll always find dogs, birds, quirky—sometimes naughty—humor, and a dash of inspiration in her novels. Her motto for life? You can’t have too much chocolate, too many hugs, or too many flowers. She’s thinking about adding shoes to that list.

Connect with Collette

Website   Blue Rose Romance Blog   Twitter   Facebook

You can connect with Collette on Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Google+ too. Go to her website for the links, her email address, and mailing address.

To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2 

And here it is. The final scene of the day. If this doesn't convince you to buy this book, I don't know what will. 

Excerpt #3

Smiling, a heart-wrenchingly sad smile, she said flatly, “I’m quite used to being the source of gossip and disapproval. One really does become immune after a while.”

Shoulders sagging, she dropped her gaze to her hands, and fidgeted with a ribbon on her gown.

Like hell one did.

People erected barriers and defenses and lived a lonely life of isolation. Or behaved outrageously, keeping the company of those even more scandalous than themselves. Or they became bitter and unfeeling, afraid to hope for anything better than the harsh hand they’d been dealt. He couldn’t let that happen to his free-spirited Adaira.

Stifling an oath, Roark straightened his shoulders. The infernal pounding in his head and throbbing in his nether regions affected both his patience and his ability to focus.

“You’d prefer censure and ostracism?”

Adaira tilted her chin, meeting his eyes. “I prefer them over being compelled to marry a man who doesn’t want me. You have made it very clear you disapprove of everything about me. I’m not foolish enough to mistake your lust for anything more than what it is, pure animalistic drive.”

She gave him a cynical smile and shrugged again. “You forget, my lord, I have a stallion that becomes crazed with the need to copulate. He doesn’t give a rat’s whisker about the mare he’s mating. She’s a means to an end. Humans are little better in my observation, at least the males of the species.”

By God, she’d compared him to her rutting stallion. Roark almost touched his jaw to make sure it wasn’t sagging open.

Ouch! I don't know about you all, but I can literally picture the glint of Adaira's eyes as she  challenges Roark. Talk about a battle of wills. Will he be able to prove his love is more than just lust? Will she trust him with her heart?

Here's your last chance of the day. To purchase this title, click here: http://amzn.com/B00KLO64S2. When you're done devouring Adaira and Roark's love story, be sure to post your review of The Earl's Enticement on Amazon. 

Congratulations, Collette! This book is on the top of my TBR pile for the summer. 

Thank you all for joining me today for another fun installment of Thursday Talent. And thank you Collette for giving us a sneak peek at your new book. Please be sure to leave a comment before you go!