The last thing Garrett, Duke of Calton, expects to find while tracking his sworn enemy is the delectable, mysterious Kate. This beautiful servant girl rouses a longing the battle-scarred ex-soldier had never hoped to feel again. But when she turns out to be the sister of the man he seeks, he's convinced he's been betrayed.

Kate knows her duty to her family, yet how can she ignore Garrett's powerful pull on her heart? Or the heady temptation of his stolen-and sizzling-kisses? Scandal has followed the duke since the war. Now the greatest shock of all is on its way-the one that can separate Garrett and Kate forever.

This is the sequel to Jennifer Haymore's unforgettable "A Hint of Wicked", and tells Garrett's story.

Garrett has left home in search of William Fisk, the man who ruined his life and took Garrett's sister with him. While he tracks the dangerous William, he encounters the sweet yet surprisingly bold Kate, a servant of Mr. Fisk, as she watches him bathe in the nearby pond.

Kate had only wanted to go to her hidden sanctuary and take a few moments for herself when she spies the beautiful man washing in the pond. In fact she looks forward to the end of her day when she can rush back to the pond in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. Only she doesn't expect that he'll notice her there, hidden, admiring his masculine form.

Garrett finds himself drawn to the young woman he finds spying on him, despite her outwardly plain appearance. Yet when she gifts him with that glorious smile, he begins to feel something other than the numbness that has been his companion for so long. Kate soothes his soul, and soon he desires to make love to her, and banish the loneliness that plagues him. But at at the same time, he has come to Kenilworth for a reason, and as much as he'd like the enticing Kate to remind him what it's like to be a man again, and to help him forget his pain, he has a duty to his family, and most especially to his sister.

And it turns out the enemy is closer than Garrett had imagined, and he is once again caught in the clutches of a madman, only this time Garrett is aware of the danger and not fooled like he was before. His only goal is to keep Kate and his sister safe, even if it means dying....

My thoughts:

This is obviously a very different story than A Hint of Wicked, yet still manages to have its own share of twists and turns. Garrett is still somewhat bitter over the years he'd lost due to William Fisk, a man he'd called friend, and he's trying to move on and do what is best for everyone. He wants to be a part of his sister's life, as well as his daughter's. Here, he's lost some of the rage that we saw in him from AHOW, and he's become a more real character, flawed yet likable for it.

Kate is a heroine I really felt for. She's a young woman who cannot even begin to compete with her brothers for her mother's love, and has only been left to feel inadequate. To have a gorgeous man like Garrett pay attention to her is as unsettling as it is wonderful. But Kate has a strength that she keeps hidden. She cares for her much younger and sickly brother, and she is a good companion to her brother's wife. Despite what her family tells her, she does have worth, and a caring heart, which is why she tries to save Garrett. Only she ends up falling in love with him, and knows that they can never be together, even before she realizes that he's a Duke. But that doesn't stop her from helping him when he needs it most.

It's a little difficult to review this story without giving too much away, but I really did like it, though I wish we would have been more Garrett and Kate together. Maybe it's all in my mind, but it felt like we didn't see them interact much, just the two of them, beyond their steamy encounters. Granted, there's a lot going on in this book, but I am left feeling like there's something missing. We understand that Kate has a calming effect on Garrett, that she makes him happy, and of course Kate is quite taken with him as well. But other than a few brief conversations, the rest of the story centers around what has happened to Garrett and what continues to happen because of Fisk's quest for revenge, and the majority of those revelations are discovered either by Kate or Garrett individually.

But don't get me wrong, I still liked this book very much, and was rooting for Garrett to find his own happiness. I liked him ever so much more in this story, and even sympathized with him more than I did previously because now we see how those lost years affected him. Not only did he lose his wife, he lost precious time with his daughter, as well as his sister. I think Kate was the perfect match for him, caring and loyal and able to draw him out like no other. She was still a bit of a hoyden, which was exactly what the serious, somber Garrett needed from time to time. He never got much of a chance to be a child, to play and be a little reckless, and Kate offers him that. I loved how he recognized that and how he loved her all the more for it. Together,they began to heal and truly be happy. That's exactly what I wanted to see.

And of course, we see Rebecca, Garrett's sister, again. The young woman has gone through a lot, and has her regrets over her part in this epic disaster, but she's resilient and has many friends who will get her through the scandal. And she has her brother, who at one time terrified her, but now has proven to be a truly remarkable man. After all she's suffered, now it's her turn to find happiness...

So if you liked A Hint of Wicked and are dying to know what happens to both Garrett and Rebecca, then definitely I recommend picking up a Touch of Scandal to find out. Because I'm not going to tell you ;) Besides, wouldn't you like to read it for yourself?

Rating: **** out of *****

Labels: Jennifer Haymore, review

Labels: bookcovers, Jennifer Haymore

As I may have mentioned, oh, a few times, I'm having a contest to win a copy of Jennifer Haymore's debut novel, "A Hint of Wicked". It will be a random drawing, and anyone is eligible to enter, regardless of where they live. As long as you can receive mail, you're in.

The contest is running from now until noon CST on Sunday, May 31st. Rules: They're pretty easy and painless, but required *g* All you have to do is answer the question(s) at the bottom of this post and your name will be automatically entered into the drawing. This is very important if you wish to win. If you don't answer at least one question and only say "please enter me", your name will not be included in the drawing. That's my only requirement. I know, I'm so mean LOL.

The release date was actually May 26th, so I will be shipping a copy probably on Monday from Barnes & Noble provided the winner contacts me right away. Please don't include your email address in your response. I will post the name of the winner on Sunday and you can email me at that time. This just makes things go a little quicker and much smoother. Now please, go forth and enter :)

Love triangles: love them or hate them?

What is your favorite or the most memorable love triangle

from a book, movie, or t.v. show?

Labels: contest, Jennifer Haymore

I am so excited that today I am sharing with you my interview with author Jennifer Haymore, author of "A Hint of Wicked". This book was one of those that captured my attention right from the beginning, and I think readers will really respond to her writing. I can't promise that Jennifer will have a chance to stop by today, but feel free to ask questions, just in case *g* And tomorrow I'll be having a contest to win a copy of "A Hint of Wicked".

Now, heeeeere's Jennifer......

S ~ Congratulations on the release of your first novel, "Hint of Wicked", a historical set in the early 19th century, right after the Battle of Waterloo. What appealed to you about this time period for this particular story?

JH: Thank you for the congrats! This is my first novel published as Jennifer Haymore. I do have some shorter e-books out as Dawn Halliday, and my first full-length historical erotic romance as Dawn, Highland Obsession, releases in August.

I’ve always loved European historicals, specifically those that take place in England. I’m an American, but my family’s roots are in England, and I’ve always felt a special bond to the place. I love going there, I love visiting the areas where my family lived before immigrating to the USA, and I love the history that you can find around just about every corner in England.

Over time I also learned that English historicals, particularly those that take place during the Regency, are a favorite of many readers. When I first came up with the concept of A Hint of Wicked, the story actually did take place during the Regency period. I really wanted to use the Battle of Waterloo, however, as the “starting point,” and as I researched the marriage laws, I decided to stretch the timeline a bit beyond the Regency.

S ~ What was the inspiration for "Hint of Wicked", and how did it evolve over time as it was being written?

JH: The core idea for A Hint of Wicked was my husband’s—I use him as a sounding board and a brainstorming partner all the time. The story, however, has developed quite a bit from his original “vision,” which was of an enraged husband catching his mourning wife in bed with another man. I latched on to that scenario and ran with it…but I don’t think I ran in the same direction he envisioned for the story! I guess that’s my prerogative as the writer .

S ~ I really liked the character of Sophie, a very independent woman who has loved and lost, and is now finding love again after many years. How were you able to create the delicate balance of Sophie's independent nature with her unwillingness to hurt her loved ones, while at the same time not making her come across as weak and indecisive?

JH: That’s a great question—that was one of the most challenging parts of the book for me. From the beginning, I knew Sophie was strong, and I knew she was independent and steadfast, but the trick was to get it across to the readers without making her seem indecisive and weak. In order to do that, I had to make sure to put Sophie in situations she would react to in ways that showed her strengths. Basically I couldn’t let her sit around wringing her hands and moaning a lot (and at times, given the high level of conflict, the compulsion to do that was pretty strong)!

S ~ It's no secret in the story that Sophie deeply loves both these men whom she thinks of as her husbands. It was a gutsy move to have her unapologetically respond sexually to each man individually, and enjoy these intimate encounters without feeling ashamed of her nature, especially during this inhibited time perod. Can you elaborate on why you chose to create such a bold, sensual heroine for her time period and station in life? Were there real women who inspired Sophie's personality?

JH: No, there weren’t real women that inspired her specifically, though if you look at the most celebrated women in history, many of them were as bold and sensual as Sophie is.

I tried not to consider how a stereotypical woman of the period would react to the situation that Sophie was in, but rather how Sophie would react to her own situation, given her past and background. I think sometimes readers and writers get tunnel vision when it comes to personality traits in certain periods, and we forget that in any period, there a wide range of reactions different people will have to different events. A person’s reactions aren’t only derived from general societal norms and beliefs, but on her personal history and experience as well.

I tried to create a heroine who was in truly in love with two men, both of whom she did not want to destroy. Sophie has loved Garrett and Tristan since she was a child, and this love was encouraged by the people who surrounded her. So while she is cognizant that society would condemn her for loving two men, in her mind, loving them both is natural and normal.

S ~ In addition to the love triangle, you also include a subplot involving a villain intent on destroying the Duke of Calton. What inspired this angle of the story?

JH: I felt that this book required a balance between the internal and external conflicts. Without the villain subplot, the book would have been almost entirely about characters mired in angst. Not only that, but the villain subplot was crucial in bringing the three characters back together in understanding and ultimately essential in the resolution of the love triangle.

S ~ I'll be honest, "Hint of Wicked" really riled up my emotions, even on occasion making me rather angry. How do you feel about writing a story that could be considered controversial in some regards?

JH: My intent wasn’t to write a book that was controversial for the sake of being controversial. I just wanted to write a book that worked for me on an emotional level (And if it works for me, I can only hope that it works for readers, but it’s something I find very hard to predict!). I can see why some readers may get angry with certain elements of the characterization and plot, but as I’ve answered in previous questions, I tried to keep my characters true to themselves by having them react to the situations as organically as possible.

As a reader, I’ve found that some of my most memorable reads have made me angry in parts. Sometimes I also find a little touch of bittersweetness along with that happily ever after to be compelling and realistic.

S ~ How long did it take you to write "Hint of Wicked", and then how long to find a publisher?

JH: I sold A Hint of Wicked on proposal—the first three chapters (about 60 pages) and a detailed synopsis. It actually didn’t take me very long to write the proposal—maybe a month or two? It sold fairly quickly after I sent the proposal to my agent, I’m thinking it was about 2-3 weeks. And then when I had a contract in hand—and it was my first major contract!—I was so pumped up that I finished the book in record time (for me, anyway). I think the amount of time from contract to the date I finished and turned it in was about five months.

S ~ What is your absolute favorite aspect of writing? Least favorite?

JH: My favorite part of writing is finishing. There is nothing like writing “the end” and feeling that amazing sense of accomplishment I always feel at having written an entire book.

My least favorite part of writing is knowing that I have a long way to go and that the book isn’t going to be done for another few months. I’m very impatient—I want to be able to write the entire book today. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way!

S ~ Have you been a life-long reader of romance novels, or is it something you gradually turned to over time?

JH: It’s something I gradually turned to over time. As a kid, I read everything I could get my hands on, but as I grew older, I turned mostly to horror, science fiction, and fantasy. In my early 20’s, I read a lot of bestselling political & legal thrillers and literary fiction. I can’t really pinpoint the moment I discovered historical fiction, but as soon as that happened, I was hooked. Then I began to realize that the elements I found most compelling in the historical fiction I was reading were the relationships—how they began, how they developed over time, how the characters dealt with them. I thought I’d give romance a try, and I quickly learned that I’d found my niche.

S ~ Many authors today write in several genres. Do you see yourself branching out into paranormals and/or contemporaries, or do you feel like there are plenty of historical romances you long to write?

JH: Right now I’m fairly focused on historicals. I’ll never say never, though. I enjoy paranormals and contemporaries, so I can definitely see myself writing more of them someday.

S ~ Reading your bio, I admit to being intrigued that you learned how to fly airplanes. Do you see that experience being written into one of your stories? Or perhaps a book inspired by growing up in Hawaii? Maybe even characters who are actors?

JH: You know, I’ve never thought about writing flying into any of my books! I really wonder why that is, because I have often thought about writing about sailing. I think I’m a little more attached to sailing than I am to flying. Plus the fact that it’s easier to write sailing into a historical…

I’ve actually written a book that was inspired by growing up in Hawaii: 10 Days in Paradise by Dawn Halliday. It was the first romance I wrote.

And as for characters who are actors—when I was involved in acting, it was the most un-glamorous life ever. I spent my time hanging around struggling people who were waiting tables at night and working their butts off during the day at auditions. I listened to people tell me I was too (***insert unkind adjective of your choice here***) to ever make it in the business. It can be such a hard life. Take me back to the aristocracy in Regency England any day!

S ~ I see your next book, "Touch of Scandal", will be a 2010 release, set 4 months after "Hint of Wicked". Can you share a little about what we can expect to see?

JH: It’s hard to talk about A Touch of Scandal without revealing spoilers for A Hint of Wicked, but I will say that it’s the continuing story of the “losing” man from A Hint of Wicked. Most of the characters from the first book make an appearance, including the villain, and Rebecca, Garrett’s younger sister, plays a big part in the story’s conflict. The third book in the series (currently untitled) is Rebecca’s story.

S ~ Now for a few fun questions:

a. What are some of your favorite t.v. shows?

JH: I don’t watch much t.v. because I work when my husband gets home at night. But two of my guilty pleasures are Heroes and American Idol.

b. Do you have a favorite romantic movie?

JH: You can find a list of some of my favorites here: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/about/

c. Are you a re-reader, and if so, what is one of your comfort reads?

JH: I very rarely will re-read, but here are a few books I have read more than once:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
River God by Wilbur Smith
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

d. ideal romance hero and heroine in a book or move?

JH: Hero: Jamie from Outlander. Sigh…
Heroine: Hm. There are many I like, I think I’ve yet to find the ideal. Any suggestions?

e. did your husband read "Hint of Wicked", and if so,what was his reaction?

JH: Yes, he reads everything I write. He’s patently positive about my writing, so I’m pretty sure he said something like, “Wow, it’s great! I’m impressed!” upon finishing it.

f. any plans for a book tour?

JH: My publisher has arranged a blog tour. More info about that here: http://www.jenniferhaymore.com/bonus-features/appearances/

g. Can you share the name of a recent romance you read that you highly recommend?

JH: Hm, I’m wracking my brain over this, since I’ve read a lot of good romance lately! But one that really affected me and stayed in my mind long after it ended was Sweet Persuasion by Maya Banks. It’s very, very erotic, though. Definitely not your traditional romance.

h. What would be your dream vacation?

JH: I want to go everywhere! My travel whims change almost on a daily basis.

Today I’d really love to go back to Bora Bora and stay in an overwater bungalow in one of the resorts.

i. What exotic location would you like to have as the setting of one of your books?

JH: I’d like to set one of my historicals in the Caribbean. I really love the history and locale!

j. If you could be doing anything right now - flying, sleeping, climbing a mountain - what would it be?

JH: Right now? Definitely sleeping.

S ~ Any last words, or secrets you'd like to share? Come on now, don't be shy!

JH: Thanks for taking the time to read the book, and thanks for asking such great questions!

S ~ And thank you, Jennifer, for answerng them :) I am so looking forward to your next book!

Labels: interview, Jennifer Haymore

I first heard about this book a few months ago from Lindsey, an online friend, and her reaction to the book convinced me I just had to read it. The backcover blurb reminded me of a story with a similar plotline that I really loved - "Twice Loved" by LaVyrle Spencer - and I admit that I was curious and wanted to see how this book would compare.

Sophie is perhaps my favorite character, infused with strength and compassion and the resolve not to hurt those she loves. It's been mentioned in other reviews about her refusal to choose between Garrett and Tristan, and how her decision is not based on inaction nor a weak nature, but rather because she does care so much for each man and cannot be the one to cause either additional pain. Sophie is determined to make the best of the cards that have been dealt, all the while knowing that her fantasy of loving two men will never come to fruition, and she must eventually make a choice as to which man is her true husband. And she does, but never once is it an easy decision. It breaks her heart.

Tristan is a man of honor, the friend who stood by years ago and watched the woman he loved marry his best friend. He cares deeply for them both and is at peace with his choice, if not exactly happy about what he's sacrificed, but he moves on and builds a life of his own, and he is content. He grieves as much as Sophie for the loss of Garrett, and believes in his heart that being with Sophie is something Garrett would have wanted. Throughout the story we see evidence of Tristan's honor warring with his heart's desire. His strongest impulse was to grab Sophie and the children and run away with them, but he knows he cannot, and that is partially why I loved him so much. He still did the right thing, even when it tore him away from Sophie. He could never live with himself if he broke her spirit.

Garrett. I had a heck of a time warming up to him in the beginning. There were times when he was cruel and unforgiving, though we learn the reason for some of his behavior later in the story. But when he first returns, he's cold, uncompromising, with a deadly edge to him. There is little of the old Garrett left, but Sophie clings to the belief that deep-down, he hasn't changed that much for the young man she fell in love with. And as we get to know Garrett, both from glimpses of his childhood as well as his experiences in the war and afterwards, I felt more compassion towards him. Here is a man who's returned home after being gone for eight long years, which must have felt like an eternity to someone who cannot remember his past. When he returns, it's not just to discover his wife remarried, but also to his seven-year-old daughter, and a sister who is no longer a child. And, there's a very good chance he's completely mad...

Ms. Haymore does not shy away from the intimacy issue. Here is Sophie, a sensual woman who's experienced sexual pleasure in the bed of both her husbands, and her desire does not cease to exist when her first husband returns, complicating her life greatly. In her deepest fantasies, she longs to experience the pleasure of making love to the two men she loves at the same time, yet rationally she knows it can never happen. Tristan and Garrett are not the type of men to share the woman they love. She knows in her heart she must say good-bye to one of them. The love she has for her two husbands is as much a physical part of her as it is an emotional one, and she expresses her feelings with her body as well as her heart. So yes, Sophie does have sex with Tristan, and later with Garrett, and it's deeply pleasurable for her each time. She doesn't let guilt or shame taint her time in their beds. Sophie is a woman who passionately loves two men, and she won't regret loving either of them.

I think this story would have been incredibly compelling if it had concentrated solely on the heart-wrenching dilemma between these three people, that it could have delved deeper into the emotional complications they had to work through. Instead, there is a secondary plot that closely enterwines with Garrett's return and partially explains his strange behavior. I wish there hadn't been so much time invested in this aspect of the story, even though it did make for interesting suspense, but I felt the story would have been more effective without all that subterfuge. Still, "A Hint of Wicked" is a powerful story in many ways, and while the romance angle is resolved, it is not without its share of heartache. Jennifer Haymore wrote an unforgettable story that stayed with me long after I put the book down.

I definitely intend to keep an eye out for Jennifer's next book, called a "Touch of Scandal".

Labels: Jennifer Haymore