Guest Author: Margo Maguire & Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a very talented historical romance author featured on the blog today.  She’s Margo Maguire, and she’s got seventeen novels published in twelve different languages, including manga-animated books in Japan.  How cool is that?

After several years as a nurse—during which she says she drew enough blood to keep the hungriest vampire satisfied—Margo decided to go back to college to study history.  She fell in love with her studies, which eventually led to the creation of her own fictional characters placed in historical settings.  Her first books were Medieval romances, released by Harlequin Publishing.  Margo even has some cool paranormal books, featuring sorcerer-warriors who must time-travel to England to save their race.  Fun!

You can check out all the details on  Margo’s Book Page.

Margo’s more recent books are published by Avon, and with those she’s moved into the Regency era.  Her Regencies have gotten lots of acclaim and one of those, Seducing The Governess, was recently nominated for Best Regency-Era Romance of 2011 by RT Book Reviews.


Seducing The Governess was the first of Margo’s two releases in 2011.  The heroines of these books are the granddaughters of the Duke of Windermere. Their mother was disowned by the hard-hearted old duke years before, so they’ve never met him. Now that the duke is on his deathbed he wants to make amends, and sends out Captain Gavin Briggs, a trusted former army officer, to find them.

Margo’s second book in this series, Brazen, has just come out, and it’s already getting great reviews.  Publisher’s Weekly had this to say about it:

“With affable characters and plenty of emotional tension, this sizzling, suspenseful Regency will hold great appeal for fans of the genre.”


RT Book Reviews called it “an exhilarating tale,” and gave it a K.I.S.S. designation (Knight In Shining Armor).  Here’s the blurb for Brazen:

Lady Christina Fairhaven is devoted to her adoptive family – and most protective of her wayward brother. So when a battle-scarred and world-weary Captain Gavin Briggs arrives at her cottage bearing shocking news – that she is the granddaughter of an aged, bad-tempered duke, Christina is stunned… temporarily.

She will not meet the duke who abandoned her when she was a child; Gavin will not receive his significant – and much needed – reward. However, should the good Captain agree to help her locate and rescue her endangered sibling, then perhaps…

But with a fortune at stake, the road to London is paved with peril. Treachery awaits them… not to mention attraction, temptation, and a most unanticipated passion.

To regain his soul, to protect his lady, Gavin must be more than brave.

To win his love, Chrtistina must be positively… Brazen.

Sounds yummy, doesn’t it?  You can find all the details on Margo’s website, including an excerpt.While you’re visiting Margo’s website, make sure to stop by her media link to watch her video, which features her beautiful covers and the stirring music from that uber-romantic move, Last of the Mohicans.

For my readers today, Margo will donate a copy of one of her wonderful books.  Since Margo has such great, sexy covers, let’s talk about that.  What’s your favorite kind of book cover—clinch, manly chest, or something a little more discrete?  One person who comments will win a copy of one of Margo’s books.


Guest Author: Marie Force & Giveaway!

This is a bit of a squee day for me on the blog, because I’m featuring my good friend, the very talented Marie Force.  Marie writes both contemporary romance and romantic suspense, and if you haven’t yet heard about her…well, you will!  In just a few short years her career has gone into orbit.

Like most authors, though, Marie started off on another career path.  She majored in journalism and political science in university, worked as a journalist for a community paper, and still works as a communications director for a non-profit agency in Virginia.  Marie also married a Navy guy, spending part of her married life in Spain and then in Jacksonville Florida, where her husband was stationed.  During those years, her hubby spent quite a lot of time at sea, so Marie raised two little kids and continued to work, all while her muse was kicking her in the butt and telling her to pay attention.

Finally, Marie got down to it and her first published book, Line of Scrimmage, was released by Sourcebooks  in 2008.


Line of Scrimmage, a contemporary romance, got great reviews, as did Marie’s subsequent books like Love at First Flight, which received a Reviewer Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews, and was nominated for the LASR Best Book of 2009.  Here’s what Book Binge had to say about Love at First Flight:

“Marie Force really has a knack for getting the reader emotionally involved with her characters. I felt the same way when I read Line of Scrimmage and Love at First Flight is no exception. I have to give kudos to her for writing such an unconventional romance so well. The fact that she could engage my emotions throughout the whole book really is a testament to her skillfulness of storytelling.”

Well, the accolades have kept on coming, both for Marie’s contemporary romances and for her romantic suspense novels put out by Carina Press, Harlequin Publishing’s digital imprint.  Her romantic suspense books are part of the Fatal Series, starring Nick and Sam, and set amongst the political intrigues of Washington D.C.  Here’s what New York Times bestselling author, Christy Reece, had to say about the first book in the series, Fatal Affair:

Sizzle, mystery and suspense…Fatal Affair has it all! Nick and Sam are a perfect pair and Marie Force is definitely an author to watch!

You can read all about this fantastic romantic suspense series on Marie’s website.

Not content with resting on her laurels (the scamp!), Marie decided to branch out into the world of indie publishing.  No surprise to anyone who knows her, she’s been phenomenally successful with these new books published in digital format.  In fact, Marie has a new one just out this week.  It’s another contemporary romance, and it’s called Georgia On My Mind.


Here’s the blurb for Georgia On My Mind:

Since Georgie Quinn’s mother died after a brief battle with breast cancer, the highlight of her life has become “jogger stalking” every morning with her roommates Tess and Cat. Stuck running the senior center her mother founded in Newport, RI, until a replacement director is found, Georgie dreams of returning to her glamorous life in Atlanta. As that life begins to unravel, she discovers a whole new one in Newport where the jogger turns out to be sexy detective and tree hugger Nathan Caldwell. Determined to get her mind off her many problems—including a possible threat to her own health—Georgie indulges in what she intends to be a no-holds-barred one-night stand with Nathan. Unfortunately, Nathan has other ideas and sets out to have a relationship with her. Tess, on the run from an abusive husband, and Cat, who raised her younger brother and sister, hook up with Nathan’s brothers, Ben, an injured Iraqi war veteran, and Ian, a single-father and talented musician. Add a zany cast of seniors who seem determined to drive Georgie slowly mad with their never-ending needs and comparisons to her sainted mother, and you’ve got the ingredients for a fast-paced, often comical, emotional journey that leads Georgie straight to the home of her heart.

Sounds great, doesn’t it!  You can get all the details about Georgia On My Mind on Marie’s website.  While you’re there, you can also have a look at her McCarthy’s of Gansett Island Series and find out more about her upcoming contemporary trilogy.  The first book in that series, Treading Water, will be out in October.

For my readers today, Marie is giving away a copy of her new book, Georgia On My Mind.  Let’s talk contemporary romance.  Who are some of your favorite contemporary romance authors and why?  Do you like warm, heartfelt contemporaries, or something a little zanier and fast-paced, like chick lit or the fabulously funny books of Jennifer Crusie?  One person who comments will win a copy of Marie’s fabulous book!

 


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