I’m so pleased to feature one of my favorite romance authors today, Monica Burns. Monica is not only a talented writer, she’s a strong, intelligent, and wonderful person – one of my favorite in all of romancelandia. I met her several years ago at a Romance Writers of America conference, and I was immediately struck by her combination of wit, maturity, and heart, which shines through in her writing. The first book I read of hers was Kismet, and I adored it. It’s the story of a courtesan and a sheikh, which is totally cool to begin with, but it also has some interesting twists and a deeply sexy, emotional story.
Kismet won a CAPA in 2010 from The Romance Studio for Best Erotic Historical Romance, and garnered wonderful reviews, including this one from the Sacremento Book Review:
“Kismet is a strong debut, and a strong historical romance in general, and Burns has a charismatic and confident writing style.”
You can check out all of Monica’s earlier books on her Wicked Bookshelf.
Monica’s latest book is Pleasure Me, and it’s another passionate, deeply emotional love story with an unusual heroine and hero. And that’s one of the things I love about Monica – she always brings something new to the table. She writes great love stories, fulfilling all the conventions of the genre, but with incredible intelligence and sensitivity, and with striking characters or settings.
Here’s the cover for Pleasure Me, which is truly beautiful.
Pleasure Me has been garnering wonderful reviews, including the coveted Desert Island Keeper status from the review site, All About Romance. You can check out all of Monica’s great reviews for the book on her website.
Here’s the blurb for Pleasure Me:
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.
Doesn’t that sound like a FABULOUS story? You know you want to read this one! Pleasure Me is now in bookstores, and available from Amazon and other on-line retailers. And you can read an excerpt on Monica’s website.
And we’re giving away a copy of the book! Let’s talk about unusual settings. Just tell me what kind of unusual settings you like, or would like to see, in historical romance. One person who comments will win a copy of Pleasure Me.
I’m absolutely fascinated by the premise of Pleasure Me, It sounds riveting….As for unusual settings, I’d like to see more historical stories set in Spain or Italy,perhaps…Maybe not unusual, but beautiful and romantic.
Italy. Sigh. I don’t know why it’s a not a more popular setting for romance. Loretta Chase has a wonderful book set in Venice – it was SO romantic!
Spain or India would be perfect. All the exotic locales.
India! Great setting.
*blush* wow! You really built me up doll. Not sure I deserve such lush praise, but I’m desperate so I’ll take whatever I can get!! Hugs
Speaking of Italy. Although they’re paranormal contemps, Assassin’s Heart is set in Rome, and there’s a past life connection which is all ancient Rome. The whole series has that ancient Rome feel to it if you’re willing to stretch a bit. 🙂
Thanks for having me here Vanessa!!
Every word is true, dear! And thanks for reminding me about Assassin’s Heart. Folks should definitely check that series out!
Pleasure Me and Kismet seems like a great books! Looking forward to read it. As for unusual setting at Historical Romance, I usually love when it take place outside English. It can be Scotland, Ireland or France.. Zoe Archer’s Blades of The Rose is paranormal historical romance with its set at exotic places, like Mongolia, Greece and Canadian wilderness!
Zoe Archer is a fellow Kensington author, I’m happy to say, and a very talented one!
I love Italy or Greece…then again I love Scotland…I love to read about anywhere..Thank you for the chance to win!!!!!!!
Thanks for stopping by, leisa!
Those covers are so lush! I’m absolutely adoring them. 🙂
I’d love to see more of Asia in romance…although I can see where the actual historical part might not really be all that conducive to romance. xD
Monica has such beautiful covers, doesn’t she?
How about a book set in Costa Rica or Ireland?
Costa Rica! Now that’s interesting!
BTW, Loopy Librarian, you won a book in one of my contests. Did you get my email about it?
I’m thinking Italy or somewhere like upstate NY where there are so many different and pretty neat places,like Clearmont , Rockefeller museum/park and a few others, like Poet’s walk and such. Dating back of course to the time of the late presidents that lived up this way. 🙂
Christine, there are so many beautiful settings along the Hudson River, aren’t there?
Don’t mind me, I’m still staring at the beautiful cover for PLEASURE ME. It sounds like a wonderful story too.
As for exotic settings, right now anything tropical sounds exotic, but I’m not sure how well the Caribbean would work in a historical setting, unless there are pirates (which I love too!) I’m willing to travel just about anywhere a good book takes me though. 🙂
Donna, pirates work very well in the Caribbean!
I’ve always loved Ireland and Scotland… but am interested in Czarist Russia also.
Great choices, Cate!
What a wonderful premise. I love the idea of an older women and a damaged man finding a chance at love. These are not characters (that I) often see in historical romance. Sounds like the making of an emotional and satisfying story.
Unusual settings that I would enjoy are anything from Ireland, Greece, Egypt, USSR. Places that have history (currently existing or not) and places with culture;the Renaissance, the French Revolution, the Salem Witch Trials. The settings and the era itself provide a sense of danger, or change that is dangerous but also sets the stage for forbidden, emotional love stories.
Great point, Na! Dramatic settings can add so much to a book.
I’d love to see more historical romance in exotic settings like India and Spain.
Both books sound great, I’m definitively adding them to my TBR list!
I would love to see more historical romances set in India!
PLEASURE ME was a great read! I have KISMET, too (it has *ahem* Paul Marron on the cover), but I haven’t read it yet.
How about a historical in Hawaii? Beautiful scenery and people and icky, stinky European sailors in dire need of baths. Just joking about that last part. Captain Cook did get killed there.
Hawaii is a great idea!
You know, I didn’t realize our boy Paul was on the cover of Kismet!
Please don’t enter me to win a copy of PLEASURE ME as I already have one. Thanks!
How about a historical from Egypt? it’s somewhere I would love to go, and reading about it would be the next best thing. Although…if some author needed to send someone there to do some research, I’d love to apply for the job 😉
Pleasure me sounds like a good book…and def a totally fresh storyline. And the cover to Kismet is beautiful!!
Betty, Loretta Chase has a great historical set in Egypt called Mr. Impossible. And I do believe Kismet is set in Egypt, if memory serves me correctly.
I’m going with Russia or say Switzerland. Lots of wintry seclusion settings in both lands. With the weather being so cold, there’s always a clear natural way to stay warm!
Russia is very dramatic, and Switzerland is so beautiful!
I went to Italy last fall. I would love to read more historical romances set in Venice. The narrow streets and canals are the perfect setting for stolen romantic moments between forbidden lovers.
Stacie, I mentioned a Loretta Chase book that’s set in Venice. It’s called Your Scandalous Ways, and the hero is a spy for the British Crown. It’s like a Regency James Bond, and it’s awesome! The Venetian setting is very much a part of the book.
Hi Monica & Vanessa! *waving*
Please do not enter me in giveaway, I already have both books.
FABULOUS reads!! 😀
Just a quick “howdy” also wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your books!
My favorite place is Scotland for romance, I know, I know, it’s been done before by loads of authors. I just LOVE a Scot wearing a kilt and their burr is to die for! LOL!!
Basically any setting for me is great, but Scotland is #1.
Have an awesome evening ladies!
Dalila, many would agree with you! Scotland is a wonderful setting for romance.
All the one’s I think of I seem to have already read! So bravo to author’s for bringing sexy back to unusual settings! 🙂
I love to read about exotic loacales and Spain and Greece are 2 of my top “exotic” places. But I also love to read about ANYPLACE I’ve never been, which is most of the world. LOL
Florence is a beautiful place and I woud love to have a great romance take place there. Possible involving a troubled painter…
But any place can be exiting and interesting as a setting. It all depends on the story.
Pleasure me sounds wonderful, they are both wounded and need to heal together through love.
I loved the setting of Zoe Archer’s laterst books. They were all great. I also liked Kate Noble’s Follow My Lead which takes place in Germany and Austria. I was a bit hesitant about it at first because I thought it might be full of prejudices but it was fantastic. But Russia sounds great, too.
Hi everyone, I’m sorry I didn’t get to pop in and chat like I’d planned. My email and exceptionally STRONG, “hard-to-break” password was shared on the internet for all the world to see, so I was busy yesterday frantically trying to get emails and passwords changed at all my critical sites (finance, website, etc.)
I love all the exotic settings everyone suggested. I’d love to do a historical set in Vienna, Austria with the Opera Ball set as the backdrop. And I would so love to do another Egyptian set book like Mirage or Morocco (Kismet). I love unusual places, and writing them gives me the opportunity to learn about new cultures in my research.
Thanks so much for your warm welcome and a special thank you to Vanessa for spotlighting me. Monica
Monica, I’m so sorry you had to deal with that terrible hacking situation! No worries, though. We had a great time talking about exotic locales. And I’ll pick the lucky winner of Pleasure Me later in the day on Sunday. Stay tuned!
Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a high risk decision outstanding post! .
Simply a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding pattern .
Simply want to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness for your put up is simply excellent and i could think you are a professional on this subject. Fine together with your permission allow me to grasp your feed to stay up to date with drawing close post. Thanks one million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
As soon as I found this web site I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
Some genuinely prime content on this web site , saved to favorites .