Unwrapping a Guest Review by Connie Fischer of SOME LIKE IT SCANDALOUS, a Gilded Age Girls Club novel by Maya Rodale

Greetings my darling readers, I know I’ve been remiss in providing you reviews of good reads this past year and I apologize. Life has a hold on me which does not allow me much reading time. I have tried to make up for that in publishing my own good reads for you and I hope you’ve given them a try. So to make up for my neglect, I will be offering up guest reviews for you enjoy. I hope to be back reviewing for you soon but in the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy my dear friend, Connie Fischer’s reviews to guide you to good reads. Enjoy and Happy Reading!

I present to you a guest review of SOME LIKE IT SCANDALOUS, a Gilded Age Girls Club novel by Maya Rodale, published June 18, 2019.

Blurb for SOME LIKE IT SCANDALOUS:

They are sworn enemies…

Theodore Prescott the Third, one of Manhattan’s Rogues of Millionaire Row, has really done it this time. The only way to survive his most recent, unspeakably outrageous scandal is marry someone respectable. Someone sensible. Someone like Daisy Swan. Of all the girls in Gilded Age Manhattan, it had to be her.

Pretending to be lovers...

Daisy Swan has plans and they do not involve a loveless marriage with anyone. But when a devastating family secret threatens to destroy her standing in society, suddenly a fake engagement with Theo is just the thing to make all her dreams come true.

And now it’s time to kiss and make up…

Daisy Swan aspires to sell cosmetics that she has created, but this brainy scientist needs a smooth talking charmer’s flair for words and eye for beauty to make it a success. Before long, Daisy and Theo are trading kisses. And secrets. And discovering that despite appearances, they might be the perfect couple after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Connie’s Review:

New York City - 1883

Miss Daisy Swan, age 13, is not a pretty young girl and the other children of Manhattan’s finest families tease her constantly. It doesn’t bother her because she’s busy reading books on chemistry which fascinates her. After being teased and humiliated by Theodore Prescott, the third, Daisy swears that she will hate him forever and will remain a spinster.

New York City - 1895

Now Daisy is 25 and still not considered to be pretty. Her sisters, Rose, Camilla, and Lily are all lovely young women and married. Daisy is soon to graduate from Barnard College and then, with her knowledge of chemistry, hopes to create and sell beauty products for women. However, her mother wants her to marry. When Daisy reminds her mother that she had been promised to be able to remain a spinster and have her own business, her mother confesses that her father has made some bad business decisions recently and now they need money. She tells her that she must get married and she will marry Theo. What? Not Theo!!

Theodore Prescott, the second, is a hardworking man who has earned millions of dollars. His son, Theodore (Theo) Prescott, the third, on the other hand, spends his time entertaining himself. Theo has no interest in the making of steel. Rather, he just enjoys women. However, the recent scandal in which he was involved has convinced his father that he is to get married and he will marry Daisy or he will be cut off. What? Not Daisy!!

Daisy and Theo meet up to discuss their predicament. As they chat, Theo learns that Daisy has created a face cream that has left her own complexion lovely and dewy. With his help, they name the face cream and open a store to sell it. This togetherness sparks a friendship of sorts that leads to an attraction. Will it be enough for them to actually go through with the wedding that Daisy’s mother is planning?

This is a lovely enemies to lovers novel with some strong characters and lots of humor. I was impressed with Daisy and Theo’s ingenuity in setting up and selling her face cream. I enjoyed the story and I think other readers will as well.

Copy provided by NetGalley and Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

SOME LIKE IN SCANDALOUS, a Gilded Age Girls Club novel by Maya Rodale, Avon Romance, available now ebook, print, and audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

Unwrapping a Review of AT THE BILLIONAIRE'S WEDDING, an anthology by Miranda Neville, Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, and Maya Rodale

Everyone loves a wedding and when the wedding is the biggest thing to happen and stars the lovely Jane Sparks and her handsome billionaire, Duke Austen, everyone is going to want an invitation. So what happens when four of the most talented romance authors get us inside the action and a front row seat to the event of the year? We get to attend a week-long celebration where all kinds of things might happen – AT THE BILLIONAIRE’S WEDDING by Miranda Neville, Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, and Maya Rodale – the best wedding ever!

***eARC provided by authors in exchange for an honest and unscripted review – thank you, my darlings.  

AT THE BILLIONAIRE’S WEDDING:

A stately home in the English countryside seems the ideal place for a bad boy billionaire and his bride to tie the knot. Until the Internet fails. And the oven breaks. And paparazzi invade. And police crash the bachelorette party. And four unlikely couples discover that passion never waits for perfection, and happily ever after is just an “I do” away.

THE BEST LAID PLANNER by Miranda Neville

Arwen Kilpatrick gets her big break when she’s hired to organize the wedding of an old friend—to a billionaire. Arwen doesn’t have time for romance, not even with the sexy hotel handyman, Harry Compton. But putting on the wedding of the year means dealing with one surprise after another, including the discovery that Harry is so much more than he seems. 

*               *               *                *                *

Arwen Kilpatrick has landed the wedding of the century and all she has to do is make sure it comes off without a hitch and stays as private as possible. Of course, the English estate where it’s originally planned burns down, then when she goes to check out the private English manor procured by Duke Austen himself, she discovers it needs a lot of work and has virtually no cell signal or wi-fi, which just won’t do at all. However, it does have a very sexy handyman. Now, if she can just stay focused.

I loved THE BEST LAID PLANNER by Miranda Neville. It is a delightfully sweet and a very steamy start to this wedding anthology. Miranda writes with humor, and realism while creating a setting in which you can almost feel you’re there. Of course, Miranda has a way of doing this anyway but this time, I could almost smell the wildflowers. I love how it has a WEDDING DATE meets THE HOLIDAY feel to it while being true to itself without effort. Through Arwen and Harry, we meet a bevy of characters who we will get to know better as we progress through the anthology as we attend the wedding of Jane Sparks to her billionaire, Duke Austen. Let the fun begin...

WILL YOU BE MY WI-FI? by Caroline Linden

All Natalie Corcoran wants is peace and quiet while she writes her cookbook. The lavish wedding party at the hotel next door is driving her crazy—especially the sexy lawyer who wants her wi-fi password. But Archer Quinn is swamped with work and will do anything to convince her to take a chance on him… first with her wi-fi, then with her friendship, and then with more. But he only has a week to persuade her they'll be scrumptious together…

*               *               *                *                *

Natalie Corcoran hoped for some peace and quiet so she could think, and work on a cookbook, which is actually just an excuse to escape everything stressful back home at the restaurant and with her brother – the know it all. Borrowing a friend’s cottage in the English countryside seemed like the best plan until the noise and trucks trekking back and forth on the road become more than a distraction, they become an annoyance. As if the noise wasn't enough, now she has strangers wandering around her patio and even one couple having sex out there. What was going on next door? It seems there’s a wedding happening, and now one of the guests – albeit a very handsome one – wants to pay her to use her Wi-Fi for work. He is very handsome, and very charming – and he says he’ll stay on the patio and out of her way. Then again, maybe she doesn’t really want him to stay on the patio…

WILL YOU BE MY WI-FI? by Caroline Linden continues the wonderful feel of this exciting week in the English countryside started by Miranda in the first story. Then she pumps it up with sexual tension dipped in dabbles of chocolate, blueberry juice, and all kinds of sweet treats. The heat in Natalie’s kitchen rises major degrees when Archer treats her to some kitchen magic against a particular pantry door. Natalie and Archer are a delight and it’s a good thing he learns how talented she is in the kitchen – oh, and she can bake yummy goodies too. The wedding festivities continue…

THE DAY IT RAINED BOOKS by Katharine Ashe

Swept away by a mysterious benefactor to the wedding of the year, librarian Cali Blake is living a fairytale. The only thing missing is Prince Charming. Instead, the guests include the last man she wants to see—her archenemy, millionaire playboy Piers Prescott. Piers is determined to conquer Cali’s resistance to him, and he’ll stop at nothing to have her. As long as she can remember it’s just for one week, could he be the perfect wedding fling?

*               *               *                *                *

Cali Blake has a crush, and she doesn’t even know him. She’s never even seen his face, but it’s a crush all the same. He’s hat man, and he’s there in the park every Friday when she brings her bookmobile to that corner of the park. She provides him books, and he leaves her notes. One day, she receives an envelope with a ticket to England, and enough money to buy a dress, pay for a nurse for her sister, and anything else she needs so she may attend the wedding of the year. She thought she had to pass on being a bridesmaid in her friend Jane’s wedding until a mysterious benefactor provides her the means to go. Was it her friends? Or does she actually have a fairy godmother somewhere? Thrilled she’s attending the fairytale wedding in the English countryside, the last thing she expects is to meet up with the man whose foundation turned down her proposal for the bookmobile in the first place. However, he is very sexy and he seems to follow her wherever she goes, and would a wedding fling with Philadelphia’s own bad boy millionaire be such a terrible thing?

THE DAY IT RAINED BOOKS by Katharine Ashe might be my favorite in this anthology but since I enjoyed them all so much, it’s truly hard to say for sure. There is such a modern day twist on the Cinderella story in this one that I can’t help but enjoy it all the more. The story is steeped in secrets and as each one is revealed to Cali, the budding romance between her and Piers becomes more, and more complicated. Piers wants only to win her trust, her love, and her heart but with each passing day, Cali becomes more distrustful of Piers’ true intentions. Is it just a fling or can a wedding romance become more with the man she wishes was her real Prince Charming? If books can lead her to the man she loves then perhaps, books can help her believe him as well. Back to the wedding of the year...

THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU FALL IN LOVE by Maya Rodale

Sassy reporter Roxanna Lane might be falling for her date, sexy media mogul Damien Knightly, who just happens to be her boss. But he ruins everything by asking her to report on her best friend’s wedding. Damien Knightly is definitely falling for Roxanna but thanks to an impulsive wager, he must choose between losing the crown jewel of his media empire...or the woman he loves.

*               *               *                *                *

Roxanna Lane is thrilled to be part of her best friend’s wedding, and to be spending the week with her boss, Damien Knightly. But, instead of relaxing and enjoying time together in the English countryside, he’s asked her to do the one thing which will either destroy her friendship or any chance of a relationship developing between her and the man who makes her knees weak. He wants her to betray Jane and Duke by getting first pictures for him to post online. This goes against everything Jane wants for her wedding and the deal Duke made with People magazine to have exclusive rights to the pictures. Once she discovers Damien’s real reason for wanting the pictures, she teams up with Jane to resolve both problems, but will it work or will it end in disaster? Her feelings for Damien become deeper and she suspects his are too, but will things be over even before they can get started? Why do weddings have to be so troublesome?

In THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU FALL IN LOVE, Maya Rodale brings us to the moment when Jane and Duke get their happily ever after and Roxanna and Damien learn what being in love really means. Roxanna started her friend’s romantic fairy tale love affair with her online antics, but now she’s worried she could bring her own to an end even as she begins to believe in the magic of love. Roxanna and Damien are wonderful together. They think alike, they strategize alike, and they deny their feelings for each other with the same level of stubbornness, only to succumb to what they both intend to fight – their love for each other. They are passionate together whether in bed, or putting their heads together to solve their problem. Damien proves himself a true hero even as he tries to win a wager which may ruin Jane and Duke’s plans to keep the wedding private. When he springs the ultimate romantic surprise on Roxanna, you can almost imagine him rising from the pond soaking wet like that Austen character about whom we all love to fantasize. 

I highly recommend the anthology AT THE BILLIONAIRE’S WEDDING, to everyone who loves weddings, steamy sweet romance, and laughable antics from creating the perfect wedding to drunken fun at hen and stag parties, to swoon-worthy moments in Regency-style fancy salons, to falling down libraries, delicious smelling kitchens, and surprise destinations. If you’ve read Maya Rodale’s Bad Boy Billionaire novellas, you will thrill for sure but truthfully, even if you haven’t you’ll still enjoy the most incredible wedding you’ll ever attend.

Be sure to read the thank you notes at the end. Sweet secrets are revealed. Although I'm still trying to figure out which couple was having sex on a lawn chair and in the woods. J

Happy Reading Everyone!

AT THE BILLIONAIRE’S WEDDING, an anthology featuring stories by Miranda Neville, Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, and Maya Rodale, The Lady Authors, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble (Nook), Barnes & Noble (print), and Kobobooks.

***click on links above or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank You.

   

Special #Excerpt Spotlight for WHAT A WALLFLOWER WANTS, a Bad Boys & Wallflower novel by Maya Rodale

WHAT A

WALLFLOWER WANTS

Book Three in the Bad Boys & Wallflower series

by Maya Rodale

Releasing September 30, 2014 from Avon Romance

In the third novel in Maya Rodale's charming Wallflower series, London's Least Likely to Be Caught in a Compromising Position finds temptation in a devilishly handsome stranger . . .

Miss Prudence Merryweather Payton has a secret.

Everyone knows that she's the only graduate from her finishing school to remain unwed on her fourth season—but no one knows why. With her romantic illusions shattered after being compromised against her will, Prudence accepts a proposal even though her betrothed is not exactly a knight in shining armor. When he cowardly pushes her out of their stagecoach to divert a highwayman, she vows never to trust another man again.

John Roark, Viscount Castleton, is nobody's hero.

He's a blue-eyed charmer with a mysterious past and ambitious plans for his future—that do not include a wife. When he finds himself stranded at a country inn with a captivating young woman, a delicate dance of seduction ensues. He knows he should keep his distance. And he definitely shouldn't start falling in love with her.

When Prudence's dark past comes back to haunt her, John must protect her—even though he risks revealing his own secrets that could destroy his future.

SPECIAL EXCERPT:

Miss Prudence Merryweather and Viscount Castleton find themselves stranded at a country in...with secrets. There is only one thing to do: he asks her to dance.

“Just one dance…that is all,” Castleton said. “I promise I won’t get any ideas.”

Prudence gazed up at him. Too bad she couldn’t explain why she was so hesitant. She was wasting her life, letting this fear hold her back. There was a handsome man before her, who had shown her nothing but kindness, and all he wanted was a dance. The truth was: she yearned in her heart of hearts to dance with him.

“All right,” she said softly.

The last time she placed her hand in another man’s it was the beginning of the end.

They began to dance.

She did not, as she feared, forget the steps. Hours and hours of her life spent practicing them so when this moment came—waltzing in the arms of a handsome man—she could move in time to the music without counting to three and so she could look into smoldering gaze instead of at her feet.

Prue forced her breath to be even. In. Out. In. Out. She willed her heart to beat in a steady rhythm as she tried to reclaim power over her emotions and fears.

Castleton’s gaze settled on her face. She peered up at him. This time she really looked at him focusing on his mouth, which was firm, sensual and smiling encouragingly.

“Are you having fun yet?” Castleton asked her affectionately.

Her gaze flew up to his. Ah, those eyes. Knowing. Dark.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maya Rodale began reading romance novels in college at her mother’s insistence. She is now the author of numerous smart and sassy romance novels. A champion of the genre and its readers, she is also the author of the non-fiction book, Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation Of Romance Novels, Explained and a co-founder of Lady Jane’s Salon, a national reading series devoted to romantic fiction. Maya lives in New York City with her darling dog and a rogue of her own.

If you’d like to learn more about Maya and her books, please visit her website, and feel free to follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

WHAT A WALLFLOWER WANTS, a Bad Boys & Wallflower novel by Maya Rodale, Avon Romance, releasing September 30, 2014, and will be available in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobobooks, and HarperCollins.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information, remember even pennies per sale using my links help keep this blog alive. Thank you.

   

Unwrapping: Review of THE WICKED WALLFLOWER by Maya Rodale

Unwrapping Romance came about because of something I read regarding a view on romance readers written by an already favorite author of mine, Maya Rodale. Well now my amazing muse has stepped up and created a new series that gives historical romance a whole new look, and future. I hope it will bring some former readers back to the fold because something tells me that Maya is getting ready to take us for a wild ride with THE WICKED WALLFLOWER as a most delightful introduction.

***eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for THE WICKED WALLFLOWER:

Maya Rodale's captivating new series introduces London's Least Likely—three wallflowers who are about to become the toast of the ton…

Lady Emma Avery has accidentally announced her engagement—to the most eligible man in England. As soon as it's discovered that Emma has never actually met the infamously attractive Duke of Ashbrooke, she'll no longer be a wallflower; she'll be a laughingstock. And then Ashbrooke does something Emma never expected. He plays along with her charade.

A temporary betrothal to the irreproachable Lady Avery could be just the thing to repair Ashbrooke's tattered reputation. Seducing her is simply a bonus. And then Emma does what he never expected: she refuses his advances. It's unprecedented. Inconceivable. Quite damnably alluring.

London's Least Likely to Misbehave has aroused the curiosity—among other things—of London's most notorious rogue. Now nothing will suffice but to uncover Emma's wanton side and prove there's nothing so satisfying as two perfect strangers…being perfectly scandalous together.

*                *                 *                *                *

Emma Avery has spent three seasons in the wallflower corner and she sees no truly constant prospect for marriage before Lady Penelope’s Anniversary Ball. No graduate of Lady Penelope’s Finishing School for Young Ladies has failed to match a good marriage match and Emma was not in want of being the first. Of course, she wouldn’t be alone for it seems that her two best friends, Olivia Archer and Prudence Payton, are still unmatched as well. It helps not that each has been nick-named cruel monikers – London’s Least Likely to Cause a Scandal (Olivia), to Misbehave (Emma), and to Be Caught in a Compromising Position (Prudence). Emma despises her additional name given to her by her nemesis from school – Buxom Bluestocking – because of her love of reading. And so is the reason we find them sitting together in Emma’s bedchamber drinking far too much sherry after Lady Wrotham’s ball, which started the fourth season and drove it home that they were still among the wallflowers. The mischief begins - a letter is written in jest, tragedy strikes, the letter is lost, lost anyway until the contents turn up in the London Weekly. Emma awakes to find an announcement there that she is currently betrothed to Blake Auden, the Duke of Ashebrook, who happens to be the most infamous rogue in London, renowned for making women swoon with just a smile.

In need of some much-needed respectability, especially after a rather nasty affair regarding a set of twins, Blake Auden sees the bright side of this rather unexpected proclamation in the London Weekly of his betrothal to a woman he’s never met – well, rather to any woman at all. Blake is not the marrying kind. With a plan in mind, he sets out for Avery House to meet the woman to whom he is now publicly engaged.

Emma and Blake come together to protect reputations, build new ones, and compete for a fortune so that each may have their own happily-ever-after. Neither expected to discover that the happily-ever-after that each sought was with each other.

THE WICKED WALLFLOWER by Maya Rodale is a wickedly good time. Mischief and mayhem result when three, too smart for their own good, wallflowers indulge in an evening of drinking sherry and cause one of them to embark on a journey that will make her blossom into something far more appealing than a wallflower. Maya has a knack for creating believably smart, yet rebellious young heroines who manage to take the rogues on whom they set their sights by surprise every time. Emma is no exception. She allows Blake to chase her until he’s finally caught in her web of love. Secondary characters, among them Blake's Aunt Agatha, drive this story will delightful banter and create an environment that forces two personalities to recognize that they have more in common with each other than their peers. The Fortune Games are intriguing, imaginative, and for our couple, love inspiring.

I highly recommend THE WICKED WALLFLOWER by Maya Rodale to anyone who loves a story that intrigues, that manages to keep the reader a little off kilter as to what might happen, and to anyone who loves a wonderful, wickedly passionate, and romantically satisfying tale with a smiling happily-ever-after. I mean anyone – I recommend this one to those of you who aren’t partial to historical romances as well, for Maya has something splendid planned for contemporary readers and it all begins with THE WICKED WALLFLOWER.

Happy Reading Everyone!

THE WICKED WALLFLOWER by Maya Rodale, Avon Romance, available now in print and ebook formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

***click on links or cover below for purchasing information

   

Unwrapping: Review of SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY by Maya Rodale

I know today is usually Wacky Wednesday but I've got some catching up to do. Don't worry, I've got plenty of goodie fun coming over the next weeks. In the meantime - a review.

As anyone who reads this blog knows, Maya Rodale is an author who not only writes wonderful historicals but has also been an important inspiration to me. It was because of something she said in an interview that inspired me to start this blog. Well, my little muse has decided to venture out on her own and has self-published a delightful historical novella called SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY.

***I purchased this novella for my own personal reading but as always, am very willing to share my thoughts with you.

Blurb for SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY:

She's a single lady....
Miss Susannah Grey could have any man she wanted now that she’s beautiful, rich and finally free to encourage suitors after the death of the man to whom she's been betrothed since birth--and who fled to the continent rather than marry the girl he once described as a "scrappy brat."

He's a "reformed" rogue...
Or rather, he's trying to be. After nearly a decade of debauchery, Damien Rhys Redmayne, Viscount Bedford, has returned from the continent, thus dispelling rumors of his death. He's determined to be the dignified son his father never had, starting with marriage to the bride he left behind.

They're crazy in love...
Damien woos Susannah with a day of scandalous adventures--and happily discovers that she is one naughty girl. But when news of his foolish wager hit the gossip columns, all seems lost. Damien's only hope is to destroy the one thing binding them together and hope his broken-hearted girl believes he's irreplaceable.

                                      *                        *                       *                        *                        *

Susannah Grey is finally tasting the first delights of freedom.  Now free of a betrothal at an early age, nearly birth, to a guy who while growing up called her "a ham", a "scrappy brat", and pulled her hair constantly. He even pushed her in the lake, once upon a time, and she nearly died of humiliation when she discovered her white dress, when wet, left her looking almost naked before him. Susannah has decided to enjoy life, perhaps take a lover rather than seek a husband and as soon as she comes into her fortune tell society what they could do with their snobbery. She's happy, she's finally able to breath in her freedom, that is until HE walks in the door.

Damien, the Viscount Bedford, has lived his life to the fullest much to the detriment of his family's disappointment. As soon as he was old enough, he escaped on a wild world tour and when everyone believed him dead, he failed to reveal the truth - until now. Realizing that it was time to become the responsible man his family had expected of him, Damien has returned to London to accept his place in society and marry the woman his father, and her father, had contracted for him as a lad. He had not expected to find her grown into a beautiful woman surrounded by a multitude of beaus jockeying for her attention. Least of all, he hadn't expected her to refuse him.

SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY by Maya Rodale is everything that I would expect from Maya. True romance, emotion, tension, and of course, characters that make you laugh, lament, and cheer when it all comes together. Damien is set upon convincing Susannah that not only would he make a worthy husband but that she will not be giving up her freedom if she consents to marry him. When she declares a wish to experience the thrills a young man is allowed, Damien makes her wish come true by dressing her in britches and taking her out for the day. Maya leads us through this romantic experience of Damien winning and seducing Susannah through inspiration garnered by the songs of Beyoncé. Very clever!

I do wish that SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY had been longer. I would like to have known a bit more of both Damien's and Susannah's past as it led up to the moment when they came face to face. We are given hints but I think their story would've been even more enjoyable if it had been longer. Perhaps her day of scandalous behavior would have been even more naughty.

I highly recommend SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY by Maya Rodale to anyone who is already a fan of this wonderful author and to anyone who has never read her clever story-telling ability. This is a wonderful, fast-paced, and naughty historical novella that will leave you with a smile and a sigh. You might end up humming a few songs by Beyoncé as well.  Oh, there are a few missing words and errors in the manuscript but hey, it's a self-pub. I just ignored them with a shrug, and kept reading. This story shouldn't be missed.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SEDUCING THE SINGLE LADY by Maya Rodale, self-published, available now in ebook formats.

                                                                                          

Unwrapping: Review of THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL, a novella by Maya Rodale

Being a fan of Maya Rodale's Writing Girl series, I knew that I had to read her novella featuring Lady Charlotte Brandon, THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL.  I had hoped to read it as soon as it came out but time didn't allow. Now I'm glad I didn't read it, before reading SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY, because it really is the last story of the women in the Writing Girl series and an absolute delight!

***I purchased this book for my own personal reading but of course, wish to share my thoughts with you.

Blurb for THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL:

Enter the Regency world of the Writing Girls series in Maya Rodale's charming tale of a scheming lady, a handsome second son, and the trouble they get into when the perfect scandal becomes an even more perfect match.

Scheme: A folly, a swan, a little lie . . . a compromising position.

Lady Charlotte Brandon is always up to something . . . but somehow her best schemes for matchmaking often end in disaster.

Scheme: A family feud, outrageously false rumors, a shattered priceless vase . . . an even more compromising position.

It's no wonder she's considered by at least one devastatingly handsome man to be devious, destructive, and dangerously appealing.

Scheme: A fox, a rabbit, a childhood foe, and a dashing rogue . . . the proposal to end all proposals.

It's high time someone turned the tables on the lovely Lady Charlotte, and James Beauchamp is just the man to do it. Even if it means beating Charlotte at her devious game with a scandalous scheme of his own.

                       *                     *                    *                    *                    *    

 

Lady Charlotte Brandon is always scheming and always in trouble but her childhood friend, James Beauchamp knows her best and even as he has been the victim of her schemes in the past, he still finds her too charming to ignore. So when he finds himself the victim of one of her schemes yet again, only to have it backfire on her, he begins to wonder if perhaps he is her best match. Or at least the person meant to keep her from being her own worst enemy.

Charlotte's heart is in the right place. If she feels she's caused a wrong, she schemes to make it right but the best laid plans don't always go as they should. To make up for a wrong she caused Lucy Swan, she decides to place the wayward girl in a compromising position that will draw her the attention of a very handsome and eligible suitor - James Beauchamp.  When things go wrong, it's Charlotte who faces scandal but her old friend, James quickly covers for her only to put himself in hot water with his father. Now Charlotte must scheme once more to remedy the wrong she has caused James. This scheme does more than put her and James in hot water - it makes them both very aware of a passion neither can deny.

THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL is like the cherry on top of a wonderful dessert! As if we hadn't already had enough fun with the Writing Girls, Charlotte's story is the crème de la crème! Reminiscent of classic romantic comedies such as BRINGING UP BABY starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, this delightful novella kept me giggling and happy straight to the end with the most romantic, and nearly tragically planned proposal in print.

I highly recommend THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL by Maya Rodale to anyone who loves a truly uplifting, fun-filled, and seriously romantic story to lift their spirits and leave them saying, "Awwww!" Enjoy!!

Happy Reading Everyone!

THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL by Maya Rodale, Avon Impulse, available now in ebook formats.


                                                                 

And THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL + 2 SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY coverflats go to ...

 

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VISITED AND COMMENTED.

 

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO THE LOVELY

MAYA RODALE

FOR BEING SUCH A WONDERFUL GUEST,

EVEN AS I KNOW SHE WAS SUFFERING THE

AFTER EFFECTS OF THE STORM THAT HIT NYC.

 

ALSO, MAYA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACIOUS GIFTS.

 

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO,

THE LUCKY WINNER OF THE PRINT COPY OF

 

THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL

 

IS

 

 

BRITTANY G

 

 

THE 2 LUCKY WINNERS OF SIGNED COVERFLATS

OF THE GORGEOUS COVER BELONGING TO

 

SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY

 

ARE

 

KATHY

 

AND

 

LADY RED

 

ALL THREE (3) WINNERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY EMAIL

SO I HOPE THEY WILL CHECK THEIR MAIL

AND BE SURE TO LOOK IN THE SPAM FOLDER

IF YOU DON'T SEE A MESSAGE FROM ME.

 

THANKS AGAIN, EVERYONE, FOR VISITING

AND JOINING IN THE FUN.

 

PLEASE KEEP THE VICTIMS OF SANDY IN YOUR PRAYERS

AND DON'T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK

BEFORE YOU GO TO BED - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS

2AM SUNDAY!

 

HAPPY READING EVERYONE! 

Wacky Wednesday: A Halloween Visit with Maya Rodale, author of the Writing Girl Series

Happy Halloween Everyone!
I've got a wonderful treat, and no tricks, for you today! On Monday, I reviewed the newly released SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY by Maya Rodale. If you haven't read my review yet, please click on the title and do so but hurry back because Miss Maya is about to join us followed by a fabulous Giveaway! 

Maya Rodale is now the author of numerous “dazzlingly sexy and witty” historical romance novels. A champion of the romance genre and its readers, she is also the author of the non-fiction book Dangerous Books For Girls: The Bad Reputation Of Romance Novels, Explained and a co-founder of Lady Jane’s Salon, a national reading series devoted to romantic fiction. Maya is also, what I affectionately call her, my muse for this blog. It was because of her being such a champion of the romance genre and its readers that I was inspired to write a rant that set me on the course of unwrapping romance, romance novels and their authors. I adore this lady and her books aren't half-bad either.  *wink*

Please join me in welcoming Maya Rodale to UNWRAPPING ROMANCE,

Amy:  Hi Maya, thank you so much for joining us today and taking time from your busy schedule.

Maya:  Hi there! Glad to be here!

Amy:  I have to admit this is a long overdue visit and I'm so thrilled to have you here today. Perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about yourself for those who don't know you yet.

Maya:  My name is Maya and I’m living the dream! I write smart and sassy historical romance novels. I married an actual Englishman, you know, for research (Just kidding! It’s a love match!). My constant companion is my darling dog, Penelope. We all live in New York City.

Amy:  I have to admit that your life certainly does sound like the dream, I know I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat - well, maybe not the domestic life part. I'll let you keep your rogue. *wink*

I've mentioned often that you were my muse, my inspiration for this blog. What first inspired you to write and why romance?

Maya:  Aww! I’m so humbled and happy to know my blogging has been so inspiring!

As for my entry into the world of romance: My mom made me do it! Actually, while she got me started reading them, I started writing them because I would read the books so fast and wanted to stay in that happy Regency romance world a little longer.

Amy:  I love that! I get a kick out of your mom making you do it but I love that you write because you want that imaginative world to continue. I know that feeling well, as I'm sure many of your readers do.

Do you have any favorite authors that you enjoy and do they ever influence your writing.

Maya:  I love Loretta Chase and Eloisa James (and many other historical authors). I also love contemporaries by Julie James or Jenny Crusie. I’m always inspired to write and revise an even better book after reading such fantastic, perfectly crafted novels.

Amy:  Well, you certainly can't lose with such awesome writing models as inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration - your Writing Girl series has been so much fun to read and to be honest, I'm a little sad to see it end. Those scribbling women are inspirational to us just as you were to me. How did they come about in the first place?

Maya:  Thank you! I love those girls. They came about when I was living in London doing research for my master’s degree. I was reading a lot of 19^th century newspapers and walking around the city and searching for a new series idea. I think I started with the newspaper and thought, what kind of women would do such a scandalous thing? And then, who would their perfect heroes be?

Funny thing is, I found a scrap of paper with exactly the same idea to center a series around the newspaper The London Weekly but it was from, like, 3 years earlier and I had totally forgotten about it. In short, the Writing Girls were an idea so nice I thought it twice!

Amy:  Indeed it was and we are very glad you had that idea twice!

I have to admit that I found myself relating very intimately with Annabelle. I know that when is it going to be my time feeling. So which of the Writing Girls, do you relate to the most?

Maya:  That’s a great question and a lovely way to describe Annabelle! I relate to that aspect of her, too. There’s always something of me in my heroines and it provides a snapshot of my life when I was writing. Eliza’s ambition, for example. Or Annabelle learning to take risks and stand up for herself.

Amy:  That's wonderful and insightful. So now you're closing out the series with SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY. Derek Knightly and Annabelle have been with us throughout. Was it planned from the beginning to pair up these two and save them for last or was this something that your muse whispered in your ear along the way?

Maya:  Oh, I had plans for them from the very beginning! J I knew from the initial pitch of the series that Annabelle would seek advice from her readers and try all those crazy suggestions on how to get a man’s attention. I knew from the start that her hero would be Knightly.

However, I hadn’t fully developed their characters until I sat down to write it and it was a lovely experience for me to really explore them and what kept them from getting together sooner. After all, Annabelle had been sighing over him for three books and everyone else knew. But with Knightly so focused on his business and Annabelle awkward about drawing attention to herself, they never got to know each other. That is, until Annabelle starts making it impossible for Knightly to not see her.

I’ve been so excited to write this book ever since A Groom Of One’s Own (don’t tell the other Writing Girls!) and it was such a pleasure to write it.

Amy:  That's so amazing and I think it's probably one of the reasons why this story was so wonderful and touching. And something tells me the other Writing Girls won't mind - they do so love Annabelle, as do we.

I know you love Regency but have you ever thought of wandering off into some other time or world, even?

Maya:  Yes! In fact—here’s some breaking news for you—I will be writing contemporaries in the future! But those stories will be inextricably linked to a new series of historical romance novels.

Amy:  Really! Well, can you tell us a bit more about this new direction in Maya's writing world?

Maya:  New series! In a word: wallflowers. In two words: wicked wallflowers. I’ll be posting news and sneak peeks on mywebsite and on Facebook.

Amy:  Awesome news and I'm sure everyone will anxious to learn more about these wicked wallflowers - I know I will.

Last question and the one I love asking most - IF you could be ANY character in ANY book, who would it be and why?

Maya:  Oh my goodness, I have been mulling over this question for days and I simply could not decide, which is probably why I’m author: I can be lots of characters in many books.

Amy:  Well, can't ask for a more sensible answer than that. Maya, you've been a wonderful inspiration to me, and I thank you so much for that.

Thank you again for joining us today. You're an absolute delight as always, and I hope everyone reads the entire Writing Girl series and especially SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY - it's by far your best.

Maya:  Thank you so much!!!!

Amy:  Maya has graciously provided a print copy of Charlotte's story - THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL - as well as 2 beautiful SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY coverflats and they're all signed! So Happy Halloween everyone - you have a chance to win one of these three (3) awesome prizes and Maya will provide a question for you to answer when you enter. Maya?

Maya:  Who are some of your favorite and most inspiring Writing Girls? They can be real, fictional, or even unpublished.

Amy:  Great question, Maya, thank you. Well, you heard the lady, so what's your answer?

Comment and be sure to leave an email address so that you may be entered in the Giveaway!

Giveaway Prizes: 

Grand Prize:  1 print copy of THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL by Maya Rodale

Blurb: 

Enter the Regency world of the Writing Girls series in Maya Rodale's charming tale of a scheming lady, a handsome second son, and the trouble they get into when the perfect scandal becomes an even more perfect match.

Scheme: A folly, a swan, a little lie . . . a compromising position

Lady Charlotte Brandon is always up to something . . . but somehow her best schemes for matchmaking often end in disaster.

Scheme: A family feud, outrageously false rumors, a shattered priceless vase . . . an even more compromising position
It's no wonder she's considered by at least one devastatingly handsome man to be devious, destructive, and dangerously appealing.

Scheme: A fox, a rabbit, a childhood foe, and a dashing rogue . . . the proposal to end all proposals

It's high time someone turned the tables on the lovely Lady Charlotte, and James Beauchamp is just the man to do it. Even if it means beating Charlotte at her devious game with a scandalous scheme of his own.

Second Prizes:
2 signed coverflats for SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY  (they are gorgeous!!)

Giveaway Rules:

* In order to qualify to be entered to win, you MUST comment and leave a valid email address so that I can notify you when you win. Remember the formula:
 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. Thanks for playing!

* This Giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY (void where prohibited)

* This Giveaway will run until 11:30PM EDT, Friday, November 2, 2012 at which time one lucky commenter will be chosen at random to win a print copy of THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL and two lucky commenters will be chosen at random to each win a signed coverflat for SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY. The winners will notified by email and then announced on a special Saturday post. Good Luck Everyone!

To learn more about Maya and her wonderful books, please feel free to visit her website, follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SEDUCING MR. KNIGHTLY by Maya Rodale, Avon Romance, available now in print and ebook formats.

THREE SCHEMES AND A SCANDAL, a novella by Maya Rodale, Avon Impulse, available now in ebook format and print will be available Nov 6, 2012.

Be sure to check out the other Writing Girl books if you haven't already.  : )