all photos provided by the author
Please join me today and take a journey into a series that I have not had the pleasure to read but in reading others reviews can heartily recommend for those who like "swoonworthy" heroes and "naughty" leading ladies! Without further ado the blog is turned over to author Natasha Blackthorne.
"I Do", may not be a guarantee to "Happily Ever After":
This is the underlying conflict in my new release, White Lace & Promises. New York Merchant Prince Grey Sexton may have decided to commit himself in marriage and offer Beth McConnell the protection and position of his name but has he really changed his mode of operation in relationships?
In addition, Beth's secret life comes into collision with her ordinary life.
Grey knew Beth as the bold beautiful temptress who seduced him in a Philadelphia booksellers shop. He grew to know her as the fiery spirited girl who broke through all his cold self-protection. However, there's another side to Beth, a softer, more vulnerable side. She has relationships with other people. She's a dutiful sister and aunt.
But Grey wants Beth's attention and loyalty all for himself. This is just the start of their new troubles as Beth and Grey strive to come together as man and wife.
After an idyllic courtship where Grey had been generous with his time and attention, Beth is shocked at the compartmentalized life he expects to live as a married man. With Beth won and his at last, Grey put his business as first priority and everything else, including his bride, second.
Having grown up without a father of her own, she knows all too painfully how important it is that he play a vital role in their home life. She comes to realize that she must stand up to him and demand that he change his outlook before she can start a family with him.
However, Beth is overwhelmed by her struggle to find a way to bring the two sides of herself, the spirited girl and the mature lady, together. She also must cope with her half-siblings' increasing pleas that she share her newfound wealth with them. Because he sees himself primarily in the role of provider and protector, Grey is determined to separate Beth from the family he can only view as opportunistic leaches that play on her affections. This only increases the tension for Beth as she tries to find the right balance between being a proper lady and being herself.
In addition, there’s something very near and dear to Grey that his behavior also affects. He can’t see it as clearly as Beth can and he dismisses it until it is almost too late.
Under the weight of all these issues, their marriage comes to an impossible impasse. Grey has what he thinks is the best of all possible solutions. Can Beth accept it or will she be forced to walk away from everything she never realized she wanted?
I will always love to read a good historical romance, that being said reading an Erotic Historical Romance is a very different kettle of fish. I hope you enjoy learning about author Natasha Blackthornes "Carte Blanche" series and remember if you are under 18 it is best you not follow the links provided as these books are meant to be read by adults that are of the legal age of consent as they are very explicit.
Grey’s Lady by Natasha Blackthorne
[Length Novella and best read in order of series.]
Beth and Grey’s passionate battle of wills continues...
New York Merchant Prince Grey Sexton loves the audacious, spirited young temptress who seduced him in a Philadelphia bookseller’s and made passionate love to him in his carriage. Her fiery nature broke through his cold self-protection. But in a time of war and trade disruption, he cannot allow himself to be distracted. He vows to put business above all else in his life, including his bride.
Shocked and hurt by Grey's distance, Beth wonders whether he truly returns the burning love she feels for him. Beth demands that Grey prove he can truly change once and for all or else she will not start a family with him. But will the dark, sensual secrets she yet keeps repel this arrogant, self-controlled gentleman she has married?
White Lace and Promises is the sequel to Grey's Lady, best read as part of a series. Length: Super Novel, 257 pages
An Excerpt:
He kept his hand wrapped around her wrist, holding her hand to her thigh. “You’re not listening to me.”
Her spine stiffened. “Well, this is a chilly reception after a week’s separation. A whole week without—”
A muscle twitched in his jaw. “I sent you a message, explaining why.”
Her stomach began aching like the first indication that something she’d eaten had begun to sour. “Yes, and I am certain you put more warmth into your bank drafts.”
He tapped his fingers on her hand. “Beth, I was preoccupied. I shall often be engaged with business matters. You shall have to accustom yourself.”
A hot retort rushed to her tongue. She gritted her teeth to stop it. Yes, he was a man of business. He had important things to do, places to go and people to see. But surely he could have spared her an hour or two somewhere in those seven days to pen a decent lover’s letter. She had ached for his company—she hated to admit how much. She ached right now for his hard body, pressing hers down on the plush velvet seat cushions. She ached even more for the reassurance of his lips on hers, his soft words in her ear.
Why must he deny them? What had changed? He’d said he was over the issue with the money. He’d said it that night before he’d left the shop. And now again this evening.
All right, he was no longer angry over their quarrel. He was over it. Then so was she.
Only, he didn’t truly seem to be over it.
With her free hand, she cracked open her fan and drew it in front of her face. Then she threw him a deadly gaze over the painted yellow silk. “I don’t see why you must enforce this hypocritical chastity upon us.”
He laughed, low and sensual, the first real warmth he’d shown since he’d come for her at her brother’s Southwark cobbler shop that evening. “You will not arrive at the house of your former benefactress—at the ball where we shall announce our engagement to society—smelling like a brothel.”
The mention of the ball cooled her blood—considerably. She was dreading tonight, when they would announce their engagement. Yes, others certainly suspected, but she feared the grudging tolerance with which society had accepted her into its midst would suddenly evaporate when those suspicions were confirmed. She sighed and fanned her face. “I don’t see why we must make such a huge fuss over our engagement.”
“You wanted a proper courtship and marriage.”
She couldn’t deny that. At first he’d wanted her for a mistress, but she’d refused his carte blanche. Vexed he couldn’t gain her commitment, he’d cast their attachment aside. Thrown her over. But he’d returned within a matter of weeks and asked her brother’s permission to court her.
In the weeks of their courtship he’d been unbelievably generous with his time and money—and his body. Oh, definitely generous with his body. But maybe now the formality of becoming engaged had chilled their affaire. Changed it from something rooted in the most heated passion to something proper.
Proper.
The word echoed in her mind, a mocking refrain. She feared she could no more transform herself into a proper lady than she could reinstate her virginity.
If he wanted a proper wife, then she had nothing to offer him. The thought made her blood freeze.
He took her left hand and lifted it. On her ring finger, a sizable sapphire on a gold band, along with its attendant circle of smaller diamonds, glittered in a shaft of light entering through a crack between the curtains. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lingeringly. A flare of fire melted the ice in her veins. Then he met her eyes and the severity in his piercing, silver gaze froze her anew. “You didn’t want to be my mistress. You wanted to be my wife. You must accept the responsibility that comes with your new status.”
His harsh tone cut into her. Why was he behaving like this? To hide her dismay, she curled her lip. “I am surprised you haven’t insisted on a chaperone for us.”
“There’s no need to ape a European’s ostentatious manners. It is just that I have an important place in the world. A reputation to protect. A certain level of conduct is expected of me. You shall have to adapt and adhere to it.” He dropped her hand back into her lap and the ache in her stomach increased.
Adapt. Adhere. Behave. Hurry.
He’d done nothing this evening but lecture her. She’d feared all along that letting him slip that expensive ring on her finger would bring out the tyrant in him.
Coming February 28th 2012 Book #3
[Full length novel]
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5 comments:
It sounds very good to my historical romance lovers heart. But to make it erotic, well, not sure that is my kind of read. Good luck on the new release though!
Dear Jackie,
Thank you for setting my post up so beautifully and for hosting me here today. :)
Hello Aurian,
Thank you for stopping by to check out my post.
Natasha it was truly my pleasure and your series sounds really pleasing to the senses as well as intriguing characters that I may meet someday if I ever have the time.
Love a steamy historical, and Natasha knows how to steam up the kindle! :)
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