‘Lord of Devil Isle’ by Mia Marlowe/Connie Mason

BOOK BLURB: Is Eve Upshall jumping from the frying pan into the fire when she lets a half-naked stranger pull her from the stormy sea? Captain Nicholas Scott is a rogue who takes advantage of every situation, whether it’s salvaging priceless loot or seducing a proper lady. And he makes it very clear he plans to take advantage of his new find in the most delicious way possible.

Eve’s whole future depends on everyone believing she is the soul of propriety. But with Nick refusing to transport her to her prospective bridegroom, and the balmy Bermuda nights whispering of unimaginable pleasures, how can any woman resist the lure of the … Lord of Devil Isle.

EXCERPT:

“Nicholas reached over to brush an errant lock off Eve’s cheek, but she shied like a whipped pup.

“Easy, lass,” he said, as he tucked the strand behind her ear. Her cheek was soft, but lightly grained with salt from her time in the sea. “Check your bearings. You’re safe now.”

Nicholas opened his sea trunk and pulled out a dry shirt. He thought about offering her one, but she’d been given an opportunity to find dry clothes and dismissed it. Besides, she was now thoroughly engulfed in his heavy oilskin coat. Pity. He’d have enjoyed the show till the muslin dried.

“I’m deeply grateful for your assistance this night, and in truth, I’ve never seen such a reckless display of courage. Nevertheless,” she said primly, “you owe me an apology, Captain.”

“Indeed? For what offense?”

Her cheeks flamed. “For kissing me without permission.”

He laughed. “That was hardly a kiss, lass. It just seemed a shame to waste a pair of lips at the time.”

He considered her for a moment. Fashion favored a little pink bow of a mouth, but this wench’s red lips were a wide, full ribbon, slanting sensually across her oval face.

Nick decided little pink bows were overrated.

He leaned forward, bracing himself on the arms of her chair. “Now this,” he said simply, “is a kiss.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but it only made his job easier. He slanted his lips over hers, capturing her with ease. She was rigid with surprise at first, but he expected that. He also fully expected the way her mouth softened under his in the next heartbeat. Her lips were dusted with sea salt, but he slid his tongue past them to search out the honey inside.

Damn, she was sweet. She made some noises, but they didn’t sound like the usual moans of pleasure he coaxed from his mistress. He tried to tease her tongue into chasing his back into his mouth, but she played coy.

Her hands found his chest, raking her nails across his skin.

Encouraged, he deepened the kiss.

And then the little minx grasped a few of the dark hairs that whorled around his nipples and yanked them out!

“Ow!” He jerked away from her, rubbing his chest.

“The next time you force something into my mouth without my permission, I will bite it off,” she promised with an evil glare.”

FEATURED AUTHOR: Mia Marlowe

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SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER by Connie Mason with Mia Marlowe

From the first paragraph you’re sucked in as the authors are letting us into Rob’s dream and it is a dream that Rob keeps having frequently of loving his dead wife. These dreams are the only thing that keeps this man who everyone calls ‘Mad Rob’ somewhat ‘sane’. Without having Fiona’s ‘visits’ in his dreams he would be lost and the pain would truly drive him insane.

They were married on Christmas day and twelve days later, by Epiphany, she was abducted by Lachlan Drummond, repeatedly raped by him, and one day she jumped out the tower window to her death.
Rob has lived with this knowledge and hate towards Lachlan for two years, and finally he is ready to spring revenge on the man who hurt his Fiona. He aims to have an ‘eye for an eye’ and is planning to crash Lachlan’s wedding and take his bride, Elspeth Stewart.

Elspeth Stewart is a dutiful daughter and in order to please her father she is willing to wed a man of his choosing, Laird Lachlan Drummond. Accepting this marriage, doesn’t make her happy as much as it makes her apprehensive. Right before she is to say her vows Mad Rob enters the Kirk on his black stallion and dumps her across his lap, telling Lachlan that if he wants his bride in one piece, he is to come to Caistal Dubh in one month’s time so they could finally have it out. Coming any sooner, let alone follow him, would certainly bring on her death!

What follows is a story of Rob and his men, with Elspeth in tow, making their way to his castle, while Lachlan and her father are following a trail that clever Elspeth leaves for them. However, once Elspeth learns the truth behind Rob’s thirst for revenge against Lachlan, she slowly realizes that Rob saved her from the same faith.

This story is brimming with action; the plot is full of twists and turns and the characters of Elspeth and Rob had me sigh and cry while I followed their road to happily ever after. To listen to Rob finally tell Elspeth about his love for his wife was heartbreaking not only for Elspeth but for the reader too.

To have these two authors take a fairly unoriginal trope of ‘bride abduction’ and turn it into a unique and heartwarming tale is awe inspiring.

I loved taking this danger filled journey with our hero and heroine. To watch them fight off an attack by a pack of howling wolves exhilarating and fun. Along the way they’ll come across many secondary characters that will aid them and we’ll come to care for them as well.

I was riveted by both Elspeth and Rob and their strong feelings for each. Both had a hard time accepting and admitting it to themselves let alone to each other. As someone who has The Sight, Elspeth was hoping it would help her ‘see’ what might come next, but alas every time a vision appears it seems to be just a bit too late.

Rob has regrets and the quilt he feels in not being able to protect his Fiona, is something that he has a very hard time coming to terms with. Oh, and wait until you meet the villain and Elspeth’s attended, Lachlan. What a piece of work this dude turned out to be. It has been awhile since I’ve encountered such a thoroughly despicable human being. This man had not only raped and tortured Fiona, but he felt not a bit of remorse and planned to do the same to Elspeth. She was only means to an end for him, and worth only the dowry she brings. Besides lying to her parents, which was the least of his numerous sins, he at one point accuses her of witchcraft and plans to see her burned. As far as villains go, this guy is second to none!

But our hero is ever ready to come to Elspeth’s rescue and to read the last chapters of this book was one pure pleasure! I’ve literally paced the floor with my Kindle, rooting for Rob to end that bastard’s days once and for all.

Can you tell I liked this book? I hope that you can because I certainly gave enough clues! This is one fast paced journey that I was made to feel a part of, and for that I must thank the authors who are masters of their craft. I have no doubt that this book will be one of the best reads of 2012. I will not be surprised if it is nominated and awarded a prize. Everything in it is prize worthy.

I have to admit that I am stunned at Connie Mason’s and Mia Marlowe’s writing. SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER does not read as a co-written story. I am not sure who wrote which part, or how does that work anyways? Everything flowed seamlessly and I couldn’t tell that it was written by two people.

This is one story that all Highlander fans will love, but especially Connie Mason’s fans that have been waiting for this story for some time now. I also think that Mia Marlowe’s old and new fans will love this collaborative work and ask for more! As for myself, I have added two new authors to my wish list, my to be read pile and an auto buy list. Need I tell you this is a five quill read or will you deduce this from my review? I wish you a happy reading!

*This review posted on Romantic Crush Junkies Reviews eZine*

“A Duke for All Seasons” by Mia Marlowe

STORY: Sebastian Blake, His Grace the Duke of  Winterhaven, has an inviolate rule when it comes to mistresses. He never keeps one longer than a turn of the season. But then he’s never met a woman as tempting as Arabella St. George…

A fiery operatic diva, Arabella is blackmailed into helping the French. When she gives the envelope intended for a French assassin to the Duke of Winterhaven by mistake, she’ll do anything to retrieve it. Even if she has to seduce it away from him…

REVIEW: Since I am always on the lookout for new authors (to me at least) and interesting and entertaining stories, I stumbled on a website of an author by the name of Emily Bryan and she offered free chapters of her novella A DUKE FOR ALL SEASONS which was very intriguing, very sophisticated and had an element of surprise that I just loved.

Alas, I never read anything after Chapter 8 and I was left to wonder what happened to the Duke and his Opera mistress and how it all ended.

Fast forward to this year, and I’m surfing the net and I see the title of this book and next to it the name that’s not familiar to me of Mia Marlowe. By reading synopses of the story, I can see that it’s my Duke and his Mistress, but the name was confusing me and a little research was a relief to find out that Mia and Emily are one and the same.

Sebastian, Duke of Winterhaven, is a man who has to have order in his life, even in regards to his mistress’s. In order not to get too attached to them, or rather for them not to get too attached to him, he maintains a ‘schedule’ of them. Every Season he engages a new one. It all works out for the best, for all parties concerned.

Arabella St. George is an Opera performer with a passion for two things, her art and her daughter, who she’s given to her sister to raise as her own. The reason behind it is a man who will stop at nothing to hurt her or her daughter.

After setting his eyes on her and watching her perform, Sebastian is considering her for his next mistress. He is all set to hand her his proposition one evening and surprises her backstage. She on the other hand doesn’t seem to be surprised by his visit mistaking him for a contact she expected to hand over a letter.

A DUKE FOR ALL SEASONS is a novella that will grab you from the start and its fast pace will keep you anticipating the next curve. Its romance with a dollop of sensuality will keep you wishing for a fan, and the dialogue will have you chuckle, while the suspense will keep you turning pages and guessing.

Please don’t let the word ‘short’ put you off. For me, no matter the length of the story, as long as I can get all the elements of a good read, such as decent pace, interesting plot and emotional connection to the characters, I am a happy camper.

This novella fills that bill to a perfection. It has romance and passion; adventure and danger; a strong and courage’s heroine paired with an equally strong and sexy hero. For a sweet romance that’s sprinkled with intrigue and sensuality that now I have come to associate with Ms. Marlowe (Emily Bryan) I highly recommend it. 

Before I read this novella, I had a privilege to read SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER, which is a book collaboration of Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe and it floored me at how seamlessly they merged their prose in this story of revenge and passion. Mark your Calendar! This is one book you do NOT want to miss!

Mia Marlowe’s ‘Hook-a-Book’ is…’Lord of Devil Isle’!

Mia here. My recommendation is Connie Mason’s LORD OF DEVIL ISLE. First let me share my disclaimer. I owe Connie. She graciously gave me a cover quote for my début book and we kept in touch after that. Now we’re collaborating on a new story that’ll come out in January called SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER. I have so much affection and respect for Connie, I have to confess that this is not an unbiased recommendation.

But none of that takes away from the fact that LORD OF DEVIL ISLE is a terrific read. Set in 18^th century Bermuda, the story has a signature Connie Mason unique setting and an alpha hero to die for! And talk about adventure. The hero Nicholas Scott dallies with his mistress, kills a tiger shark with only a dirk, and rescues the heroine from a shipwreck without breaking a sweat. All in the first chapter or two. (Oh, and he sends the mistress packing in the next!)

In addition to a wonderful love story between two characters who need the healing touch love provides, there’s a fascinating bit of real Revolutionary War history embedded in the book. Nicholas leads a party of men who were responsible for the infamous “Powder Steal” in order to make sure Bermuda will continue to receive much-needed trade from the colonies. For the back cover blurb, click on the book cover and you’ll see what I’m talking about!

Melanie here. Are you familiar with Mia Marlowe? Last year, around this time I believe, I stumbled on a website of an author by the name of Emily Bryan and she offered free chapters of her novella A DUKE FOR ALL SEASONS which I just loved. Alas, I never read anything after Chapter 8 and I always wondered what happened in the end? Fast forward to this year, and low and behold the novella is now on my Kindle! I highly recommend it. It is truly a very sweet romance sprinkled with intrigue and sensuality that I have come to associate with Ms. Marlowe (Emily Bryan).  In reading SINS OF THE HIGHLANDER, which is a book collaboration of both Ms. Mason and Ms. Marlowe, I was awed at how seamlessly they merged this story of revenge and passion. Mark your Calender! This is NOT to be missed!

Now, here’s a bit about Mia Marlowe… 

Mia learned much of what she knows about storytelling from singing. A classically trained soprano, she won the District Metropolitan Opera Auditions and has shared a stage with Placido Domingo. As she prepared for operatic roles, she devised back stories for her characters. Since she’s worn a real corset, and had to sing high C’s in one, she empathizes with the trials of her fictional heroines. But in Mia’s stories, they don’t die in a Parisian garret. They get to live and keep the hero!

Like a lot of the best things in her life, she stumbled into writing. She’s had a rather checkered past, you see. After deciding not to lay her family on the altar of her singing career, Mia dabbled in lots of different things. She’s been–hold on!–a teacher, a choir director, a director of children’s ministry, a homeschooling mom, a real estate agent, a banker, and now an author.

Her dear husband and children supported her completely when she decided to try her hand at writing. She overheard one of her daughters tell a friend, “Well, of course, my mom can do it. She’s a Renaissance Woman. She can do anything!”

After that, Mia didn’t dare fail.

Relationships fascinate her. She loves the delicate dance between two souls and the steamy possibilities along the way. Other times and places call to her, so writing historical romance was a natural choice.

Mia would rather have an adventure than a new sofa. She loves history, art, music and travel. Especially travel. Good thing, since she’s lived in 9 different states. She regards her frequent moves as vacations on which she drags along all her stuff. Currently, she and her family call New England home.
 
One more thing she loves is connecting with other readers and writers. You can find her online almost every day on the social media sites and of course here on her blog! Mia’s online buddies are dear to her. She hopes to hear from you and would love for you to join her circle of cyber-friends.

Now an award-winning author, Mia Marlowe writes historical romance for multiple publishing houses. Her début title received advance ovations from romance luminaries. #1 New York Times bestseller Victoria Alexander says Mia’s Touch of a Thief has “adventure and heat and everything I want in a great story!” UK’s BooksMonthly has crowned Mia Marlowe “the queen of saucy historical romance.”

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