Everyone at Ballybrook should be as happy at Christmas as I am, thought Marcia Lattimore, Lady Chadwick, and said a quick prayer that each resident, from the lowliest stable boy to the wine steward to her parents, the Marquess and Marchioness of Brady themselves, felt as loved as she did at that moment.

She finished fastening the pearl earring bobs her new husband Duncan had just presented her and sat back from her looking glass to admire her appearance. She couldn’t help it—she was so madly in love with her man that she knew she looked the best she ever had.

What you do in bed with him has everything to do with it, a naughty voice in her head reminded her. She gave a little giggle. They were spending an awful lot of time away from the Christmas festivities, weren’t they? Ballybrook was filled to the brim with family and good friends. Her parents’ estate in Ireland was never prettier than it was around Christmas, and there was so much to do, every single minute.

But at least three times in the past two days alone—since they’d arrived there with their son Joe, his nurse Aislynn, and a few other beloved servants from their London home—Marcia and Duncan had sneaked out of the charades, the decorating, and the sipping of hot chocolate to rendezvous for a few stolen moments of intimacy: once in their bedchamber, on the rug before the fire; once in the greenhouse, which was warm and cozy; and once outside, in the bright, clear sunlight against the trunk of a tree in the woods behind the estate.

She couldn’t resist Duncan. And it made her heart melt even more with love for him to realize that he couldn’t resist her, either. Together, they were a fire that was almost dangerously out of control. But it was thrilling—and oh, so right—to let herself surrender completely to passion with the man she loved.

“I get so tired of being proper all the time,” she said to her reflection.

With Duncan, she needn’t be.

Which was why her cheeks glowed so pink, why her eyes were the clearest blue they’d ever been, and why her lips felt soft and plump and looked red as raspberries.

The earrings swayed on her earlobes, and she stood.

It was time to sing. It was her favorite part of Christmas, how on Christmas Eve the whole family gathered with friends and sang carols around the pianoforte. And of course, that family included Alice, their housekeeper. She sang louder than everyone else. This was her house and her family, and no one dared argue with her on either point! And on Christmas Eve, Alice wanted everyone to sing their very best. She couldn’t stand a bit of squeakiness or a note sung off-key.

Marcia was so excited when downstairs, all the out-of-town friends staying with the family were gathered, and all the family’s local friends—the shopkeepers, the vicar, and various neighbors from the nearby village--had arrived. Indeed, everyone was already crowding about the pianoforte, where Marcia’s beloved Duncan sat. He would play the Christmas carols this year instead of Alice, giving the housekeeper even more time to ensure that the gathering went off famously.

Marcia blew Duncan a kiss and felt butterflies in her stomach when he sent her a look that she knew was meant only for her. It promised lots of kisses—and more—after midnight, when the house was quiet, awaiting Christmas. But she had to put aside those warm, fuzzy thoughts of Duncan for now. It was time to sing!

She had to restrain a giggle when she saw Alice lift an eyebrow and glance around the company. Was there anyone there who needed some coaching? Alice wasn’t averse to that. Oh, no. In fact, she found great pleasure in taking poor singers aside and conducting an impromptu practice with them, if needs be. But no one had ever objected in the past, as being asked to spend any time at all with the august housekeeper was considered quite an honor by all--such an honor, in fact, that some people even faked being bad singers. They knew that after practice, Alice—if she were in an extra jolly holiday mood--would wink at the lucky person she’d singled out and tell him that she’d sneak him her own special whisky cake—an entire one--to carry home with him when they left!

But Alice saw through the phony awful carol singers every time. No, she was after only genuinely bad ones. Her mission on Christmas Eve was to ensure that everyone at Ballybrook, which was a little piece of heaven, sang like true angels.

So when a newcomer to the group, Samuel Waterson, the new butcher in the nearby village, began singing, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” off-key, why, Alice’s face grew bright pink. And on top of the pink were two bright red circles where her pale white cheeks usually were.

Marcia waited. And waited. So did everyone else.

When was Alice going to intervene and give Samuel Waterson a quick bit of singing practice while the rest of them continued on as if nothing were happening? Because, of course, that was the polite thing to do—act as if you didn’t even notice the poor person—or lucky person, depending on how you looked at it—being trained to sing on key by Alice.

But nothing happened. Samuel was such a bad singer that everyone’s mouths curled up in gentle smiles. Except for Alice’s. She acted as if Samuel didn’t exist.

Marcia caught Duncan’s eye, and in that one-second exchange, they each read the other’s thoughts: Alice has a tendre for Samuel.

There was no other explanation for it.

At the conclusion of the song, Duncan rested his hands on the edge of the keys. “Alice, I have a special favor.”

“Name it,” Alice said in her usual brisk manner. “I’ll do it.”

Duncan and Joe were the latest male additions to the household, and Alice did her best to lavish every bit of love and attention she could on her two new favorites.

Duncan sent the housekeeper what Marcia thought was quite simply the most devastatingly charming grin she’d ever seen. “Please take Samuel away for a few minutes to practice the harmony for ‘Away in the Manger.’” Duncan’s tone was kind but firm. “You two would sing it splendidly together. When you come back, we’ll sing it for the vicar and his wife when they arrive.”

“I’ll sit that one out,” said Samuel after a beat of taut silence. “I’m the worst singer in the world. I’m off-key all the time.”

Marcia smiled. “But challenges are Alice’s specialty. She’ll get you back on key in no time. She says she’s never met someone whose singing she couldn’t fix.” She nudged her sister Janice in the side.

“That’s right,” said Janice, her golden hair twisted in an artful chignon. “Alice will get your confidence back, Mr. Waterson. That’s all you need.”

“Some cases are hopeless.” Alice stared stonily at Marcia and Janice.

“But Alice, no singing challenge is too great for you.” Duncan smiled at her again—that special, heart-melting smile that made Marcia’s toes curl. “You’ve said so yourself.”

“I must agree with Duncan,” Marcia’s mother Caroline said. As mistress of the house, she was resplendent in a deep emerald gown and three matching feathers in her hair.

“And I agree with my wife,” affirmed Marcia’s handsome Irish stepfather Michael, the Marquess of Brady. He was well turned out in a black coat, silver waistcoat, and a diamond stick pin in his pristine white cravat, but the twinkle in his eyes reminded Marcia of how charmingly boyish he could be, especially when he was home at Ballybrook.

Everyone else nodded and murmured the same agreement. Alice must take Mr. Waterson away.

The housekeeper stared round at the company. “If you insist,” she eventually said in a tight voice, then glared at Mr. Waterson.

“Right, then.” He grinned, not afraid of her at all. “It’s Christmas. Maybe a miracle will happen.”

“Maybe it will,” Alice said again in that tight-lipped fashion. “And maybe it won’t.”

When she strode off, Mr. Waterson rushed to catch up with her. “Wait a minute.” He took her arm. “A lady doesn’t open doors.”

He waved aside the approaching footman and pulled open the drawing room door for Alice himself.

“Thank you, Mr. Waterson.” She still sounded grumpy—but not as grumpy as she had a mere few seconds ago.

Marcia hid a grin.

“My pleasure,” she heard Mr. Waterson say to Alice in the corridor. “Now tell me, Miss O’Grady, why is it that everyone is so afraid of a lady as pretty as you? That blue gown of yours brings out the blue in your eyes….”

The singing started again, but Marcia sped to the door and peeked out.

The couple was moving slowly away.

“That’s enough flattery, Mr. Waterson.” Alice’s tone was firm, but Marcia heard a distinct wobble when she said his name. “You sing like a dying beaver, and I don’t think there’s a thing I can do to save you.” She tried to yank her arm away from his.

But Mr. Waterson wouldn’t let her. “Oh, yeah? I know something that could save me—not my voice, maybe, but my heart.”

Alice’s eyes narrowed, but Marcia saw a telltale flush on her cheeks. “Mr. Waterson, that is enough—“ She finally yanked her arm away from his and went striding down the hall alone, her back perfectly straight. “Now follow me to the study,” she said over her shoulder. “We have only half an hour to practice before the vicar arrives. I’m going to whip your voice into shape if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I have another sort of practice in mind, and it’s got nothing to do with my voice.” Mr. Waterson caught up to her in two long strides and caught her hand.

Even without being able to see Alice’s face, Marcia could sense that their wonderful housekeeper had somehow softened. Her shoulders looked less square. And while railing at the butcher, a tendril had escaped her tightly bound hair.

“There’s not a bit of mistletoe in sight,” Mr. Waterson said. “You’d better remember that when you wake up tomorrow and start making excuses about why I did what I’m about to do.” He took her upper arms gently. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you since I first set eyes on you in my store, Alice--since you first yelled at me for not tying the string on the package of meat with a pretty bow instead of a knot. You and your girly ways….”

“Me? Girly?” Alice asked in a soft voice.

“Of course, you’re girly!” Samuel tugged her close. “Do you really hate hearing me sing off-key?”

Alice paused, then shook her head. “No. I love it, actually. I don’t know why. It makes no sense, really. You’re the worst singer I’ve ever heard.”

And now it was time for Mr. Waterson’s face to soften. “Happy Christmas, Alice,” he whispered.

And then—

Marcia closed her eyes and pulled herself back into the drawing room to give the couple privacy.

Everyone was still singing, but she caught Duncan’s questioning gaze. She bit her lip and nodded. He grinned and winked. She smiled and blew him a kiss. There was nothing off-key about what was going on in that corridor between Alice and Samuel.

Marcia squeezed in beside Janice again, wrapped her arm around her sister’s waist, and joined in the singing. It was going to be a very happy Christmas, indeed.


Available Now:

Marcia gets schooled…

Of the three Brady sisters, Lady Marcia has always seemed the girl most likely to lead a perfectly charmed life. But after a handsome cad breaks her heart, she swears off love and devotes her life to teaching girls at a private school. In spite of her family’s wish for a London debut, Marcia is happy where she is—until terrible news sends her back to the Brady clan…and into the arms of an unexpected suitor.

On the subject of love

A dark and dashing earl who knows Marcia’s past, Duncan Lattimore is surprised by what a fascinating and independent woman she’s become. Marcia, too, is surprised—by the fiery attraction she feels for Duncan. But why—why—must he be the brother of the scoundrel who broke her heart? Why must Marcia’s rival at school forbid her from seeing him? How can this lady possibly resist this fellow—when they know that it’s much more than a hunch…?

Kieran is giving away a signed copy of her book Loving Lady Marcia, to one lucky commenter! (US only) Make sure to leave a meaningful comment below AND fill out the rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It may still be rather cold outside, but April showers are here, and that can only mean one thing: the start of SPRING...RELEASES! Oh, and the coming of Spring, the subsequent coming of Summer, someones Blogoversary..;) But I probably had the most important one right the first time! A new batch of reads are all waiting for their spot in your bookcase! Some amazing series are coming to a close, some equally great ones are still getting added to...WHAT TO CHOOSE!?
I hope my list of Anticipate Releases helps you pick some great books! I can't wait! Enjoy!



April 5th- Will see some pretty awesome books coming into a store near you! Get those credit cards ready! Christina Dodd's AMAZING Governess Brides series will see it's 9th installment hitting the shelves this day, as well as another bride-esque series-this one coming from debuting author Cheryl Ann Smith. And don't forget to check out Erica Ridley's latest historical. (also, Ms Ridley has a wonderfully entertaining website and you can view a corresponding 'Scandal Sheet' for her release.)

Read an excerpt: here

"Lovely Victoria Cardiff is very prim, very strict, very sure that England is the only civilized place in the world. She’s about to find out she’s right. Only Victoria knows the truth about dashing, dissolute, dangerous Saber Lawrence—that he is a renegade prince plotting to seize control of his country. To ensure her silence, Saber kidnaps Victoria and carries her away to his castle deep in the woods. There they hide the truth about their past: a glittering ball, angry words, a passionate kiss. He vows to vanquish her reserve … but soon finds an English governess is not so easily seduced …"Source

Read an excerpt: here

Miss Eva Black spent her life concealing her mother's past as a courtesan. Now a spinster, her beauty hidden away under a dour disguise, Eva spends her days schooling courtesans to be suitable wives. But one vengeful duke does not appreciate Eva turning his mistress into a lady. He plans to seduce Eva into becoming what she detests: a courtesan. But he doesn't expect her to be a woman of such beauty and so many secrets."Source



'Too Sinful To Deny' by Erica Ridley

Read an excerpt: here

"TOO TEMPTING TO OBJECT...
One look at the towering ocean-side manor that is to be her new home, and exiled socialite Susan Stanton knows: This is a place haunted by secrets and riddled with menace.
For Susan, there is no escaping it. At best she can stay clear of the most dangerous element of all--dark-haired smuggler Evan Bothwick, a man whose shaded countenance cannot hide his wicked intent.
But Susan has a secret of her own--a special gift that renders her privy to the darkest mysteries lurking within the walls of the manor and in the labyrinthine cellars beneath. And the only man who can help her make sense of it all is Evan, the very scoundrel and rogue she would do anything to be able to resist..."Source


Fat Tuesday (for books) is APRIL 26th, 2011! SOOOOO Many amazing reads are coming out on this day! The FANTASTIC Madeline Hunter will end her beloved Rarest Blooms series with the book we've all been waiting for, as well as Sarah MacLean's dearly regarded Love by Numbers series will come to a close in April. But where some series are ending, a whole bunch are planning to keep adding to theTBR count: Mary Jo Putney adds to her wonderful Lost Lords series, Kieran Kramer gives readers another Impossible Bachelor book, and Maya Rodale's Writing Girl Book series will see another tale. And don't forget about the new single novel bythe ever-lovely Anna Campbell that is coming that day- right along with the first book in a new highlander series by Margaret Mallory! (Programing Note: Anna Campbell will stop by on the 29th the month for some book chat and a giveaway and Sarah Maclean will swing by next month for a cool interview! )

Read an excerpt: here

"The Duke of Castleford has been so bad for so long that scandal can’t be bothered to rise up around him anymore. To alleviate the boredom of his privileged life, he occupies himself with drinking and whoring, not to mention the occasional duel. When something piques his interest, however, he has been known to emerge from his ennui and employ his considerable mental faculties to finding answers to the questions that fascinate him.
When Daphne Joyes rejects this notorious hedonist’s seduction, she assumes that he will forget about her and continue on his path to hell. Instead her beauty, grace and formidable composure captivate him, and she becomes one of those fascinations to him. That he intends to have her, and soon, is actually the least of the dangers that his pursuit of her presents. More troublesome is his interest in her past and her history, and the way he keeps poking his nose into the secrets behind the distant relative’s bequest that gave him ownership of the property where she lives."Source
'Nowhere Near Respectable' by Mary Jo Putney[read edit]

Read an excerpt: here

"Damian Mackenzie us a bastard and a gambler and society’s favorite reprobate. But to Lady Kiri Lawford he’s a hero—braver than the smugglers he rescues her from, more honorable than any lord she's ever met, and far more attractive than any man has a right to be. How can she not fall in love…? 
But Damian Mackenzie has secrets that leave no room in his life for courting high-born young ladies—especially not the sister of one of his oldest friends. Yet when Kiri’s quick thinking reveals a deadly threat to England’s crown, Damian learns that she is nowhere near as prim and respectable as he first assumed... and the lady is far more alluring than any man can resist..."Source
*Edit: I've been informed that Nowhere near Respectabe will be out in May, not April. I follow and go by the release dates on amazon.com or the publisher's website, and even if a release is late in the month (includes last day of month), I'l count it as that month's release. Mary Jo Putney DOES have a reissued slated for APRIL (as in April 5th),called 'The Bargain' Make sure you check it out!

Read an excerpt: here

"London's most notorious seducer, Nicholas Challoner lives solely for revenge…
The dashing, licentious Marquess of Ranelaw can never forgive Godfrey Demarest for ruining his sister - now the time has come to repay the villain in the same coin. But one formidably intriguing impediment stands in the way of Nicholas's vengeance: Miss Antonia Smith, companion to his foe's unsuspecting daughter.
Having herself been deceived and disgraced by a rogue-banished by her privileged family as a result and forced to live a lie-Antonia vows to protect her charge from the same cruel fate. She recognizes Ranelaw for the shameless blackguard he is, and will devote every ounce of her intelligence and resolve to thwarting him.
Yet Antonia has always had a fatal weakness for rakes…"Source
'A Tale of Two Lovers' by Maya Rodale'

Read an excerpt: here

"He is notorious.
Lord Simon Roxbury is a godsend to gossip columnists everywhere. this notorious rake has recently been caught in an extremely compromising position by none other than The London Weekly‘s Lady of Distinction. Rumor also has it that Lord R received an ultimatum: be wed or be penniless.
She is scandalous.
As A Lady of Distinction, Lady Julianna Somerset typically reports on other people’s scandals, but soon she finds herself embroiled in a very public battle with an irate Lord Roxbury–one that leaves her reputation in tatters and her position at The Weekly on the line.
Together they’re…respectable?!
With no other choice available, these two enemies unite in a marriage of convenience to rescue both their reputations and secure his fortune. With their rivals intent on revealing the charade, Lady Julianna and Lord Simon inevitably surrender to temptation. It may just be a love match after all…"Source

Read an excerpt: here

"Every woman dreams of saying “I do.” Jilly Jones did—and years of a deeply imperfect marriage followed. Now living in London and working in a charming bookshop, the free-spirited Jilly is perfectly content with her newfound independence…until she meets a dashing naval officer who sparks her longing for a real happily ever after.
Captain Stephen Arrow is just home after years of service, and he’s in no hurry to give up his hard-won freedom. The meddlesome bluestocking Jilly Jones is exactly the kind of woman he doesn’t need…But there’s something about her that keeps drawing Stephen back to the bookshop. With her sparkling wit and understated beauty, she seems like a surprisingly real match for Stephen. But will a scandalous chapter in Jilly’s past stand in the way of their heated attraction? For this bachelor, nothing is impossible…"Source
'Eleven Scandals To Start To Win A Duke's Heart' 
by Sarah MacLean

Read an excerpt: here

"She lives for passion.
Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips...and precisely the kind of woman the Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him.
He swears by reputation.
Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening--risking everything he holds dear--he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety."Source

Read an excerpt: here

"PASSION IGNITED
After years of fighting abroad, Ian MacDonald comes home to find his clan in peril. To save his kin, he must right the wrongs from his past . . . and claim the bride he's long resisted.
As a young lass, Sìleas depended on Ian to play her knight in shining armor. But when his rescue attempt compromised her virtue, Ian was forced to marry against his wishes. Five years later, Sìleas has grown from an awkward girl into an independent beauty who knows she deserves better than the reluctant husband who preferred war to his wife. Now this devilishly handsome Highlander is finally falling in love. He wants a second chance with Sìleas - and he won't take no for an answer."Source



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And there you go! April's rarest blooms all ripe for the picking! Speaking of ripe, this month's crop was SO bountiful, there seems to be a few more release I feel I should mention. And they don't get any riper than Isobel Carr's 'Ripe For Pleasure' and Kathryn Smith's 'When Tempting A Rogue'. Both are released on April 26th and BOTH look like stellar reads!!! Click the images for info on their Amazon pages!