Blurb:
A reluctant heiress resigned to her fate …Mary
Elizabeth Edwardes possesses one of the largest fortunes in England, but has no
desire to leave her quiet country existence… and even less to acquire a husband
she cannot choose for herself.
A dissolute nobleman bent on retribution …Trapped
in a duplicitous existence since scandal destroyed his fortune and family name,
Lord Hadley Blanchard has spent the better part of a decade posing as a
disaffected exile while spying and seducing in the service of the English
Crown.
A dangerous game of seduction, and intrigue …
By employing the full measure of his seductive charm, he woos the
ward of the man who destroyed his life, little knowing that winning Mary’s
fortune will mean risking his own treacherous heart.
All Titles in the series are $.99 for today only through Entangled Publishing!!!
EXCERPT: The First Kiss from Treacherous
Temptations
"It's
not that—" she turned to protest but stopped when he brushed the corner of
her mouth with his thumb. Her gaze widened as he inspected it with a
half-smile.
"A
vestige of jam tart, I believe. But alas," he gave a helpless shrug.
"I have no napkin." Before she realized what he was about, he brushed
her lips in a feathery kiss, lingering at the corner of her mouth, where his
tongue flicked out to taste her. The unexpectedness of it stunned her.
"Lord Hadley! Wh-what are you doing?"
"If
you have to ask, I must be losing my touch. Perhaps I should try again? You are
deliciously sweet, Mary, like ripe strawberries, but now I have taken a taste
of you, I only want more."
"No."
She averted her head with what he surely knew was a toothless protest.
"Come
now, Mary." He turned her back to him, his warm gaze seeking hers, his
honeyed voice cajoling. "It's only a kiss, after all."
Only a kiss?
"Don't,"
she whispered.
He
muted her protest with his mouth, catching her breath and replacing it with his
own. This kiss was different, paradoxically soft and firm, it demanded a
response that she was helpless to deny. Mary closed her eyes, responding and
melting into him as he nipped, and licked, and suckled her lips. Like a vortex,
he pulled her into the kiss, stealing the air from her lungs, along with any
remaining will. His warm slick tongue teased, gently urging her to open. He
entered her mouth deeply, seeking, exploring with his smooth, wet tongue, the
contact instantly sent a flood of warm moisture between her thighs.
Only a kiss?
It
was staggering.
Her
mind was lost to time and place, as if nothing existed beyond his divine mouth.
He discarded her bonnet and tangled his fingers in her hair. She whimpered,
clutching at his lapels. Mercilessly, he intensified the kiss, pulling her so
far in; submerging her in so much sensation that Mary thought she would drown
in the pleasure of it.
TREACHEROUS TEMPTATIONS by Victoria Vane
Excerpt #2
"You
must meet the girl soon." Barbara gave a languid stretch, arching her back
to display her breasts to best advantage. He had already capitulated to her
demands once, but Barbara was never satisfied for long. She had come to his
rooms before he could even unpack his bag and had nearly torn his clothes off
in a lust-inspired frenzy.
"I believe I have." Hadley ignored
the blatant invitation for a second course, threw his legs over the side of the
bed, and pulled his shirt back on over his head.
"How
so? When?" she demanded.
"This
morning, shortly after my arrival. In the music room. She was receiving most
ineffectual dance instruction."
"But
Monsieur Gaspar is the best…at
dancing anyway. Unfortunately, his lack of …inches… makes him quite inadequate
in other capacities." She rose and pressed her breasts to Hadley's back,
stretching her arms about his waist and licking the shell of his ear. Once,
that might have driven him near insane, but now it was faintly annoying.
He
gently but firmly disentangled himself and continued dressing.
"Nevertheless, he had her so agitated the poor thing was positively
tripping over herself."
"But
that is only her natural predisposition!" Barbara laughed. "Didn't I
tell you what a coarse creature she is? I despair that she'll ever be ready to
present. 'Tis a good thing you are arrived. Mayhap we can now forgo the certain
fiasco of taking her out into society." "Perhaps
her manners and deportment lack refinement, but there's nothing coarse about
the girl. To be frank, I though her artlessness rather refreshing." He
smiled inwardly at their moment of ludicrous laugher at the dancing master's
expense. He couldn't recall the last time he'd chuckled so naturally and spontaneously.
"That's
absurd! You can't be saying you are
taken with her, Hadley?" Something in his expression made Barbara's gaze
narrow. "Well, I suppose it's best if she doesn't altogether repulse you.
It will facilitate the task at hand."
"And
what task is that?" he asked. He had far more important matters on his
mind—like how to secure a loan and garner sufficient support to petition the
king. Perhaps he would do better to try the queen? Walpole had managed to run
the country through her and Hadley could charm the petticoats off any woman.
Why would a young and reasonably attractive queen prove any different?
"Darling,
I never thought you obtuse. You must wed the chit before someone else claims
her fortune."
"Wed her?" the words jarred him out
of his ruminations. "Is your mind disordered of a sudden, Barbara? I have
no plans to wed anyone. Ever."
She
gave him a petulant look. "But how else do you suppose we are to get our
hands on her money?"
"Is
that the scheme you had in mind when you wrote me? To bilk an unwary young
heiress of her fortune?"
"Brilliant,
isn't it?" She laughed. "I told you I had discovered a means of
getting it all back—and so much more. She is exceedingly rich and once we have
the money, it should be no trouble at all to secure the influence needed to
restore your title."
"How
much?" he asked, veiling his interest. "What is the girl actually
worth?"
She
crawled onto his lap and laved her tongue up his neck. "That information
will come at a price." She was begging to be taken again and Hadley felt
nothing…or rather nothing but an immense sense of relief that he was over her.
He jerked his head away. "I'm not in the mood for any more games."
"Pity,"
she pouted. "Have you another lover now, Hadley? Or perhaps you have
developed a penchant for Venice's unnatural
pleasures? Most well-travelled men do, you know. And I confess your valet
was an exceptionally pretty creature."
"How much?" he repeated icily,
ignoring her insinuation.
She
sighed. "I can't begin to tell you how much work that took to discover.
Sir Richard is tediously protective of her assets."
"Sir
Richard? What has he to do with
this?" Hadley demanded.
"Yes,
darling," she rolled her eyes. "That same obnoxious boor. Did I not
tell you the girl is his ward?"
"That
girl is Sir Richard's ward?"
When the girl in the music room had introduced herself as Mary Elizabeth Edwardes he had not made the connection,
but then again, wily Sir Richard had taken care not to reveal anything about
the Edwardes heir.
"One
and the same my love, and worth every bit of fifty thousand a year! That plump
little pigeon is one of the richest women in England, and thanks to me, she is
yours for the plucking."
The
blood roared in his ears. It was just too bloody good to be true. The very one
who held his lands was residing under Barbara's roof. The girl was not only the
means to a large fortune but also of revenge. "That certainly does throw a
different light on matters." He took heed not to betray his growing
excitement. "But you and I both know Sir Richard would see me hanged
before granting consent for me to wed his ward."
She
smiled. "Who said anything about seeking his consent?"
"You
intend for me to despoil her to force a marriage? My dear Barbara, such rude
and crass methods don't suit me at all. The entire thing lacks finesse."
She
scowled. "Then how else do you propose we get control of her
fortune?"
"I
would propose gaining the girl's good faith and cooperation."
"And
then what? Do you think she will just hand it over to you?"
"Something
very close to that."
"You
are overly confident."
"Not
at all," he laughed. "I have never failed to achieve my object where
a woman was concerned, nor has any ever complained
of my methods."
About the Author:
Rakes and Sheiks and Cowboys... Oh My!
Victoria
Vane is a multiple award-winning romance novelist, cowboy addict and
history junkie whose collective works of fiction range from wildly
comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance.
Victoria
also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee and is the founder of
Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the Romantic Historical
Lovers book review blog.
Look for Victoria's sexy new contemporary cowboy series coming from Sourcebooks in 2014.
AWARDS & ACCOLADES 2012:
THE DEVIL DEVERE SERIES
Library Journal Best E-Book Romance 2012, LR Cafe Best Series Nominee 2012
A Wild Night's Bride
• Night Owl Reviews Top Pick
•IRC Reader's Choice historical romance nominee
Ind'Tale Magazine Rone nominee
The Virgin Huntress
• Night Owl Reviews Top Pick
Ind'Tale Magazine Rone nominee
The Devil You Know
• Night Owl Reviews Top Pick
• The Romance Reviews Best Historical Romance Nominee
• LR Café Best Historical Romance nominee 2012
Ind'Tale Magazine Rone nominee
The Devil's Match
• Night Owl Reviews Top Pick
• The Romance Reviews Top Pick
• LASR Reviews Book of the Month December 2012
• Swept Away by Romance Best Historical Romance of 2012
• LR Café Best Author Nominee 2012
• Swept Away by Romance Favorite Author 2012
Ind'Tale Magazine Rone nominee
A Breach of Promise
, December 2011 Ellora's Cave
• Night Owl Reviews “Top Pick”
• Reading Romances 5 flames and “Pen Award”
• TBR Pile 5stars/Book of the month winner September 2012
• LASR Erotic Reviews 5 STAR/Book of the Month Nominee
• The Romance Studio 5 Sweetheart Nominee
• TRS CAPA Nominee 2012
