This blog is intended to provide updates about Marie Lavender's books, other author news, guest interviews, and miscellaneous items such as Wednesday special feature posts.
This review is from: Upon Your Return (Kindle Edition)
I reviewed another book by this author and was
so impressed with her writing style that I wanted to read some of her
other work. This book struck me as fascinating with all the
requirements of a good read. The author has written a compelling, yet
beautiful love story, keeping in tune with the nineteenth century and
the situation of the women's rights or rather the absolute lack of any
woman having any rights. The constraints that society put on all women
during that period was maintained through out the story with colorful
historical details showing that she certainly did a great job on her
research and informed the reader with all the details, staying true
with the authentic settings without boring them to death. The best
thing I liked about the story was the vivid characters, so well
developed and brought to life with the powerful descriptions. Of course
the story line was full of interesting people, mysterious plots with
surprising twists, romance, delicious seduction, but yet fascinating
with the play on all of the emotions. At times I was crying, then
laughing, upset with a fierce anger, totally surprised, shocked, full of
happiness or in complete despair and then cheering for the good guys or
girl but so completely drawn into the story that I read the whole thing
at one setting. I just could not stop reading even though I really
tried to so that I could get some sleep...it just kept playing in my
head and I finally gave up and was so glad I did! Our heroine, Fara
Bellamont, starts out as a young child that is orphaned due to pirates
attacking her parents ship. She is send to live with her very cold,
hard, unloving uncle which immediately sends her off to boarding school
at the Cluny Abby. After she returns he coldly arranges her marriage to
a man she has never even met, her new fiance proceeds to set her up for
what ever his reason, to get rid of her and she is attacked by
ruffians. Here enters our hero, handsome, single, ship captain, La
Capitaine Grant Hill which saves her from the attack. By the way he
also has a few problems going for him, including a colorful past. Now
at this time Fara is still very young and our author proceeds to show us
the beautiful growth that she goes through, some being, bereavement
from the death of her uncle, betrayal, awakening of her body, love,
ostracization from society, new found love, danger to her and her family
and finally, well I'm not going to give up the ending and there
definitely are a few more growths that Fara goes through but I'll leave
that for you to discover. Definitely a great read and for me a new
found author to add to my favorites list.
This review is from: Magick & Moonlight (Kindle Edition)
Magick & Moonlight is a sweet vacation book.
As Ethan Hamilton and Jessie Anderson find both love and themselves
the reader is treated to a nice escape with a good read.
5.0 out of 5 starsBeliving in Yourself!, April 19, 2014
This review is from: Magick & Moonlight (Kindle Edition)
Ethan Hamilton needed peace and thought that he
had found that in a small town in Oregon. On his first night at the
cabin he had rented, while walking and in thought he noticed a fire in
the woods. While investigating he found a beautiful girl dancing nude
in the moonlight near a campfire. He was captivated by the sight and in
standing there made a noise, Jessie Anderson heard him and demanded to
know what he was doing there. She could not understand what was
happening but she stood there telling him the truth about
everything....everything that her grandmother had drilled into her head
that no one should ever know about. Now after Ethan had stolen a kiss
and dropped her off at her house she panicked. In her haste she decided
the only thing to do was to tie Ethan to her with a love spell and then
he would not be able to tell her secrets and ruin everything she had
worked so hard to build. This is the beginning to a story that will
fascinate you and keep you glued to the story. The story line is very
well developed with many twists and turns but strongly tied to the human
emotions, love, pain, recovery and belief. I was impressed with the
style with which the story was told and the details that were included.
The characters were rich and so easy to fall in love with. Believing
in yourself and someone else is hard for the best of us but our author
made that seem like child's play in the way that she told this story. I
enjoyed the way that the love developed between Ethan and Jessie and
how they both encouraged each other to believe in themselves. Not to
let the everyday interfere but to let the world fall at their feet and
grow strong. This is the first time I have read this author but I have
already downloaded and read another one of her books and have added her
to my favorites list. The other book I downloaded was also as good as
this one. Check out Upon Your Return...I loved it along with this one.
Both great reads!
Marie Lavender joined PnPAuthors two months ago and
we wanted to interview her, feature her, and spotlight her book - Magick
& Moonlight which can be
viewed on Marie’s web site:http:// www.marielavender.webs.com/
Can
you tell us a little bit about yourself Marie?
I
have been writing for over twenty years. I have been writing since I was
nine years old. After graduating from college, I focused on finishing my
writing projects so I could finally get published. Since then I have
published 18 books, 16 of which were self-published.
What
was the most difficult part of writing your book?
Magick
& Moonlight was challenging because I am not Wiccan, but I had to do
a lot of research on the religion to write about it. I even had a couple
of Wiccan beta readers double-check my work just to be sure.
What
are you working on now?
Right
now, I am working on the third book in the Heiresses in Love series. The
second book, Upon Your Honor, will be out very soon.
What
blogs do you belong to and are they blogs that support your book. What is the
address to your book?
I
have three blogs. One contains updates about me and my books.
Another is a blog I run with guest author posts and interviews. And the
third is about the subject of romance. Sometimes I blog on there about my
books and other times, it is simply about love.
When
did you join PnPAuthor? (Tell us a little bit about them)
I
just joined it recently so I am very new to it. Maurice Tudor referred
me. He runs a magnificent set of sites that help promote authors and
other writing services.
When
did you write your first book? What led you to do so?
I
started writing stories when I was a child. But, my first official book
began in 2002. I got the idea in my head one day. I heard the
characters arguing and from there, Upon Your Return was born. It
ended up being a nine year project, but it was my first historical romance so I
was new to it. In between then and now, I published other books
(contemporary romance, romantic suspense, romantic mystery and paranormal romance).
Your
book cover picture goes here….
Tell
a little about your book….Magick& Moonlight
Magick
& Moonlight is a short paranormal romance about two people who have
different secrets. I came up with the title after the first scene came to
me, where Ethan is walking along the shore and then notices a fire in the
distance. When he goes to investigate, he finds something very
surprising.
Here
is the blurb:
Messing
with free will is always a bad idea…
Ethan Hamilton moves to a lazy little town in Oregon, hoping to escape his
demons. But, instead he discovers a woman dancing nude in the moonlight. This
woman who claims she is a witch dazzles him with her sensual presence. He
thinks she’s crazy, but what if she’s not?
Jessie Anderson has been taught that her kind hides who they really are. And
she has a problem on her hands. Someone knows her secret and she has to do all
she can to protect herself. What other choice does she have? Jessie casts a
love spell on a good man, a man with whom she can’t fight her attraction. The
spell doesn’t work quite as planned – she ends up falling for Ethan.
To top it off, Ethan’s treatment of her, his “love”, is so addictive. Deep
down, she knows the spell will wear off, and yet his feelings seem genuine.
It’s just a spell…right?
Jessie
Anderson closed the door and waited for Ethan to leave before she
relaxed. When his truck was gone, she released a long sigh. She
also felt strangely bereft, though she had no idea why. She shrugged it
off. Maybe she was simply tired. It had been an eventful night.
She
removed the coat and lifted it to her nose without thinking. It carried
his scent, of cologne and something very male. It made her feel
warm. She carefully laid the coat on a table, then moved upstairs to
locate something to wear. At the closet, she paused.
She
thought of Ethan Hamilton. He had only been wearing jeans, a tee shirt
and hiking boots. He had looked really good though. Ethan wore his
hair long on top in dark brown layers. His blue eyes were very
compelling. The moonlight had caught the color so perfectly, she had
wanted to drown in his gaze. He was tall and muscular, built very
well. And dear Goddess, his kiss was really something. She had
never felt like she had when he’d kissed her. There was such passion,
such power in his embrace. She had nearly lost herself in the moment.
But,
why had she told him what she was doing out there? That was so
stupid. She wondered if she’d momentarily lost her mind. The man
made her want to be completely honest. And that was just crazy.
Sure, he was a cop, or a former cop – she wasn’t sure – but, that didn’t mean
she had to give him full disclosure.
She
had told him her secret. The implications really hit her then. She
could be found out. What if he told someone? Her grandmother had
told her to be careful for a reason. Her business might suffer because of
it. What if something worse happened? What if they ran her out of town?
Or institutionalized her? Panic could make people crazy.
