Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Holiday Romance: Kisses, She Wrote Excerpt + Giveaway


I don't know about you guys, but around the holidays I tend to gravitate toward lighter reads, ones with lots of romance (and kissing!) that won't rip my heart out and stomp on it or drown me in drama. As such, historical romances are popular picks for me since they, for the most part, tend to be sweet and smile-inducing, so it's with pleasure today that I get to share with you an excerpt from the Christmas novella Kisses, She Wrote by Katharine Ashe.

And don't forget to check the bottom of the post for all the details on a fabulous holiday giveaway!

EXCERPT

“At least you won’t be at a significant disadvantage when you wed,” the princess said thoughtfully.

“Disadvantage?”

“There is . . .” Her voice trailed off. She looked out the window and tilted her head. Her stance was relaxed. This conversation did not, apparently, agitate her as it did him.

“Princess?”

“The thing is, I have never kissed a man,” she said and looked over her shoulder at him. “Will my husband be disappointed to discover that I have no knowledge of kissing?”

Cam’s throat had gone entirely dry. If she had no actual knowledge of kissing, she certainly had excellent intuition.

“Why do you ask me?”

“I cannot very well ask my brother. How horridly embarrassing that should be.” She scowled but her eyes twinkled.

“You might ask your ladies in waiting, or the Duchess of Lycombe.”

“How would they know the answer? They are women.”

He was nonplused. “Well . . .”

She turned to him fully. “You and I are friends, so I trust you will answer me honestly. I know you have considerable experience kissing women.”

His cravat had shrunk again. “Do you?”

She lifted a single, eloquent brow. She was far too intelligent for him, and far too forthright, and he was far too accustomed to consorting with females of much less acute minds and much baser characters. She was not now flirting with him but making a statement of fact.

He nodded in silent admission.

Both brows perked now, like the shimmering feathers of a raven. “So . . . ?”

“I should think that your husband would be delighted to teach you the finer points of kissing.” And learn a thing or two in the process.

“I suppose you may be correct about that. Men like to instruct women. I think it makes them feel more in control.”

He could not hide his amusement. “You don’t say?”

“Well, doesn’t it? You are a man.”

“Good of you to notice.”

“Do you like it when you feel in control of a woman?”

“I like it when a woman feels she is getting what she wants from me.”

Her fine, expressive eyes widened. Then, slowly, she turned to the pianoforte and began rearranging the music on the stand. Cam studied the clean sweep of her back to her gently curved hips and the straight set of her shoulders. She was not petite, not enticingly round, not anything he had ever desired in a woman. But merely looking at her back and knowing what she imagined of him — of them together — made his heartbeats hard.

“I should like to give it a try before I marry,” she said without turning around. Her voice was pitched a bit low. “Kissing, that is.” She glanced at him. Her cheeks were ever so slightly pink.

“Should you?” He suspected where this was going. He’d been the object of countless women’s flirtations. But never this woman. She confined her attentions to him safely in her diary.

This was a different woman before him now.

“Yes,” she said. “I think it would be a useful experience to take into marriage. Don’t you?” She turned her hungry gaze upon him . . .

• • • • • • • • • •

KISSES, SHE WROTE


From award winning author Katharine Ashe, comes an enchanting Christmas novella about a shy but imaginative princess and the rakish Earl who could make all her wildest fantasies come true….

The Christmas season has never been so steamy.

Handsome as sin and scandalously rakish, Cam Westfall, the Earl of Bedwyr is every young lady's wickedest dream. Shy wallflower Princess Jacqueline Sensaire knows this better than anyone, because her dreams are full of the breathtaking earl's kisses. And not only her dreams--her diary too.

But when Cam discovers the maiden's not-so-maidenly diary, will her wildest Christmas wishes be fulfilled in its pages . . . or in his arms?

Download Now:


 • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Steal your own Christmas kiss with a $100 gift card to Sephora! Follow Katharine Ashe on Twitter, like her on Facebook, or leave a comment with a diary story of your own to enter for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

27 comments:

  1. I too definitely prefer reading much lighter and fun books around the holidays, especially with lots of kissing too! Kisses She Wrote definitely sounds like something that I would enjoy! Thanks for sharing another wonderful excerpt with. It was the best way to start my morning with! ;)

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    1. I will always read books with kissing Jasprit:) Wasn't the excerpt good? Cruel, but good:)

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  2. Jenny, I love lighter romance reads around the holiday time myself, which is why this seems right up my alley. Plus, this excerpt is just the right amount of enticing! ;)

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    1. *high five* I just can't handle anything overly dark during the holidays, I can't get into them even though come January they'll be the first type of book I'll pick up:)

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  3. She's such a tease! I love that excerpt...it's fun, playful and totally romantic...who doesn't want that? I think that this is JUST what I need to read during the holiday season. I'll take a break from the death and destruction for a while ;) Thanks for sharing, Jenny!

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    1. Yes! I definitely need a break from death and destruction. Give me cute and happy please:)

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  4. I do love the sweet, love-y, kissy books during the holidays especially. They don't necessarily need to be holiday-themed but light is the name of the game!

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    1. Exactly. I've been on a highlander kick too. Highlanders for the holidays. WIN!

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  5. It has been awhile since I read a really good historical romance, this one sounds really good!

    I don't keep a diary anymore but I did when I was younger. As far as I know no one ever read it but then again, by then all my siblings weren't around to bother with it either.

    I have tried many times as an adult to keep one and I just..can't. I don't know why but I feel weird about writing all my thoughts and feelings down about mundane things .

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    1. I've never been much of a diary keeper either Ali. I treat the blog as a type of diary, it's my thoughts on one of the things I enjoy most: reading:)

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  6. I like books with smooching in them..LOL I love the cover and this sounds perfect for the holiday. Thanks for sharing the excerpt.

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    1. Smooching and smexy times will always be winners with me Kim!

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  7. Jenny, I do the same thing around the holidays. I just want a loving story with lots of romance and miracles.

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    1. Exactly Savy! I'll save all the dark and twisty stuff for after the new year:)

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  8. YES AMAN! I love them! I just don't review them often on the blog. They tend to be go-to "fun" reads for me that I pick up in between review books:)

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  9. Oh that excerpt had me smiling all the way through! This one sounds delightful, Jenny. Thanks for sharing and putting it on my radar. I'll have to check it out.

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  10. The only romance books I read lately are all from contemporary genre, but I wouldn't mind reading historicals, especially classics. Pride and Prejudice is still one of my very favorite reads. As for the covers of historical romance books--yuck. I'm sorry :D They're rarely like not cheesy, but I did like the excerpt and I hope that you get your fair share of holiday reads my love :)

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  11. Oh if I win, do I get a steamy holiday? I could use one. :)

    This sounds so cute. I do think it would be perfect about now. As for a diary, I used to keep one when I was a kid, but if anyone read it, it didn't include any deep dark secrets...

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  12. I love light for xmas :) If I just did not wait for review books that do not show up :/

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  13. I need more Christmas romance in my life! I adore these kinds of books during this time of year :)

    ♥Isalys / Book Soulmates

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  14. I love light and fluffy around the holidays as well it is especially nice to cleanse my palate after all the dark and spooky of October This sounds delightful and I am so down with winning a Sephora gift card!

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    1. oh and no I don't keep a diary any more but I used to when I was a teenager and to my knowledge it wasn't read by anyone.

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  15. Lots and lots of kissing! I approve. That cover is even christmassy.

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  16. I use to keep a diary when I was a teenager. If anyone read it, they did so without my knowledge. Thank you for giving me the chance to win this amazing giveaway! & Happy Reading! :)

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  17. I kept a diary when I was in college but then I went exclusively to private blogging and now my blog is semi-private!

    demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. Oh that excerpt is delicious! I love novellas, especially ones with kissing and this sounds like it has that and more. At least I hope for the "more" part! Thanks for sharing, Jenny and for the giveaway. :)

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  19. It said download now so I did! I love these too! Such a great relief from shopping for the holidays and review schedules! Thanks for posting this!

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