Book promo on Lizzy Stevens' blog

*This originally posted here.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Guest Blogger: Marie Lavender


Author Bio
 

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats.  She has been writing for over twenty years.  She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. 

At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories.  Her imagination fueled a lot of her early child’s play.  Even growing up, she entered writing contests and received a certificate for achieving the second round in one.  She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted – to be a writer.  While there, she published two works in a university publication, and was a copy editor on the staff of an online student journal.  After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book. 

Since then, Marie has published sixteen books.  Marie Lavender’s real love is writing romances, but she has also written mysteries, literary fiction and dabbled a little in paranormal stories.  Most of her works have a romantic element involved in them.  Upon Your Return is her first historical romance novel.  For links directly to all of Marie Lavender's books, please visit her website at http://marielavender.webs.com/
A list of her books and pen names are as follows:

Marie Lavender:  Upon Your Return

Erica Sutherhome:  Hard to GetMemoriesA Hint of ScandalWithout YouStrange HeatTerror in the NightHauntedPursuitPerfect GameA Touch of DawnRansom; Leather and Lace (coming soon)

Kathryn Layne:  A Misplaced Life

Heather Crouse:  Express Café and Other RamblingsRamblings, Musings and Other ThingsSoulful Ramblings and Other Worldly Things 
Author Links
 
 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Upon-Your-Return-ebook/dp/B00BFX8YLI/
 
 
Upon Your Return Links
 
 
Book Trailer
 
 
UPON YOUR RETURN blurb
Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced to marry a stranger and live a miserable life.

But, Fara finds herself thrust into adventure a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more compromising position.

Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress. Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is far from immune from her charms.

Fara just never bargained on the passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the rules of society...
Reviews
Upon Your Return has earned four and five star reviews!
5 stars - "With vivid characters, sensuality, and danger, Marie Lavender hits the mark with her historical romance Upon Your Return. Set in 1860s France, Lavender pulls the reader into her story with colorful historical details, authentic settings, and French phrases, making the atmosphere even more realistic." - Lori Zalewski, Lusty Penguin Reviews
5 stars - "The characters are very well developed, the history is well researched and the story line flows along very smoothly." - Sandra Lynne Padgett, Amazon
5 stars - "Fara and Grant's story is one that leaves you hoping for more and the touches of historically correct facts, women's rights issues, and the way society worked back then makes this book a hidden gem." - Amanda Phillips, Editing After Edits blog
5 stars – “I am a very picky reader, and I found this book to be so well-written and beautiful, that I was hard-pressed to put it down when I was done!” – Robin Bailey, Amazon
Excerpt
 
Mademoiselle, you have a guest…”
She struggled to sit up. “What do you mean, Rosalie?” Her tear-numbed eyes adjusted, and she saw him in the doorway. It seemed he would not take no for an answer.
“Shall I inquire to Pierre why he was not escorted to the library, why we were not informed of his presence? At this hour? Really it is not proper, mistress.”
“No, leave us,” she ordered her nursemaid. The woman left the room, frowning. Fara pulled her dressing sacque closer to her bosom and drew a hand across her eyes to stem the flow of tears. She took a deep breath, aware that her heart was hammering itself to death.
“I am sorry to have caught you at a time like this. I know your uncle's death has been hard for you.”
Recovering from her emotional turmoil, she took a deep breath. “Oui.” She frowned. “Capitaine Hill, it is unlike you to enter a lady's boudoir uninvited.”
“But can you really know, chère, what I am capable of?”
“Perhaps not. Yet there are rumors of your bedside manner…”
“Perhaps they are only rumors then,” he said softly as he sat on a nearby chaise.
Oui.” Fara shook her head. “Why are you here, Grant?”
“That does not matter. What will you do now without an escort, Mademoiselle?”
Oui, her uncle was dead and she had no one to look after her. But, why should he care about that? “Are you to fill the position, Monsieur?” she countered with a grin.
“Perhaps with your permission. Is it so funny?”
“Only that you feel you must concern yourself with my affairs.”
“Have I not done so since that first night in the harbor?”
Oui,” she replied. “But you are still in my boudoir--”
“Would you have me leave then--”
“Without permission…” she finished.
“Ah,” he exclaimed softly. “Then, Mademoiselle, may I enter your boudoir?”
She considered it, but with a smile playing on her lips, she answered, “No, Monsieur. You may not.”
He stood quickly and approached her, lifting a hand to gently touch her cheek. “You are a tease, Mademoiselle. You like playing with men, I think.” She frowned as he turned to leave. “Adieu, Fara. I shall see you on Tuesday.”
“What do you mean?”
He glanced back. “Tuesday. The reading of the will.”
“How do you know about that?”
“I have my ways.” He made his exit, whistling a sailor's tune through the dark hallways outside her bedroom. She heard the front door close.
She groaned. Why did he feel obligated to attend the reading of the will? That was her business. His interference in her life was certainly not helping matters these days. It being Thursday, however, she only had the weekend to prepare for what might happen. She couldn't begin to imagine what the will would say; mostly she feared what was on that piece of paper would change her whole life. Losing her uncle had been enough of a shock; losing everything would be devastating.

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