Hey all! Today I'm participating in a multi-blog event celebrating Delilah Marvelle's newest release The Duke of Andelot. Delilah Marvelle is one of my favorite Romance authors. I've loved her writing since her first in The School of Gallantry series Mistress of Pleasure. I'm so excited for this latest story from her. I had the pleasure of meeting Delilah Marvelle in person several years ago when I was working as a bookseller for Borders. Sadly neither of us had a camera that day, something we realized as we were standing around chatting. Such is life. With any luck, we shall meet again. :)
And now for fun part about today's blog post. Continue reading for information about Ms. Marvelle, an excerpt from The Duke of Andelot, and information on the various giveaways being hosted.
MEET DELILAH:USA TODAY Bestselling Author Delilah Marvelle is the winner of the Reviewer's Choice for Best Sensual Historical Romance of the Year and had Booklist name her historical romance 'Forever and a Day' one of the TOP 10 Romances of the year. When she isn't writing, she's digging through inappropriate research books that include anything in history having to do with courtesans, brothels, sexual contraptions that were never properly used and other fascinating forms of dirty history that never made it into college textbooks. You can visit her at her website at www.DelilahMarvelle.com
ABOUT THE DUKE OF ANDELOT:
For fans of Tom Jones and The Scarlet Pimpernel comes a twisted, sexy tale that takes the
French Revolution to smoldering new heights.
Long before becoming the flamboyant courtesan known to men as Madame de Maitenon,
Thérèse Angelique Bouchard, dreamed of becoming an actress capable of commanding not
only the stage but all of Paris. Until she meets an extraordinary aristocratic gentleman who
sweeps her into his arms and the danger of his life, while offering her the sort of wealth she
never imagined. What starts off as a seductive alliance, ends in her giving him the one thing she cannot afford: her love.
After the murder of his older brothers, Gérard Antoine Tolbert, becomes the last heir to the
powerful dukedom of Andelot, leaving him to fight for not only his life, but the allegiance he
holds for the crown. During the final rise of the French Revolution that whispers of the violent change about to shake the entire country, Gérard meets an aspiring actress who introduces him into wanting more out of himself and life. In trying to protect her from their overly passionate alliance and those that want him dead, he must decide what matters most: his life or his heart.
AUTHOR NOTE: This sweeping saga will follow Madame de Maitenon and the Duc of Andelot
from their youth in 1792, France, to what they ultimately become when the School of Gallantry
series first starts in England, 1830.
Excerpt from The Duke of Andelot:
He eyed her and veered his gaze upward, searching the sky through the branches of the trees. “Fortunately, the weather does not appear to be getting worse. In fact, I am quite certain of it.”
He pointed at the sky with a gloved finger and stared up at it with contempt. “I command you not to rain. I need to get to Paris without my gunpowder getting wet. Do you hear me?”
This aristocrat was talking to the rain. To the rain. As if he had power over it. No wonder these people were getting stoned. She peered up at the sky through the leaves and branches above and paused. Large patches of blue sky pushed out from between the dark clouds. Her lips parted. “Did you just command the weather into cooperation?”
He smugly adjusted his linen shirt. “I do it all the time. Whatever I want, I get. No matter what it is. The universe is quite used to it. You should get used to it, too.” His wry tone indicated he was attempting humor.
She tossed his coat back at him, grabbing up the basket. “It must be nice being able to control the universe.”
Gérard effortlessly snatched hold of his coat in midair and stared. “I am not in control of it yet. But I damn well hope to be.”
She rolled her eyes. “Let me know when you are.”
He still stared. “Are you really a virgin? Or are you pretending to be?”
The prickling of heat overtook her cheeks. She never blushed around men. After all, she was
the one in control of how they behaved around her. It was an art she had perfected since she
had grown into her breasts. “You are being downright crude. I refuse to answer that.”
He pointed. “So you are a virgin.”
She glared. “What are you? The virgin magistrate?”
“Pardon me for saying it, but I am a touch confused as to how worldly you appear to be for a
virgin.” He eyed her basket, as if attempting to assess its contents. “You certainly travel lightly.” He lingered on the apples crowding it. “But well.”
Averting his gaze, he shrugged on his coat. That was certainly him asking for an apple. She paused. There were two leather satchels attached to his saddle. One appeared to be stuffed with stacks of parchment that peered out beneath a tightly fastened flap. The other was well-packed with clothing and several frayed wool blankets that had traces of hay as if he had been sleeping in the fields. He wasn’t hiding his wealth. He had no wealth. Which would explain why he still hadn’t paid her.
She sighed. Plucking up an apple out of her basket, she held it out. “Here. Go on.”
His gaze veered to the apple. “Pardon?”
She closed the distance between them and held it out. “You practically invited yourself into
eating it. Take it. They are a bit tart, but still surprisingly good.”
He widened his stance. “I thank you, dearest, but no. Those are yours.”
“Oh, cease with your high and mighty business already. I can see the hay clinging to your
blanket. You were sleeping in a field just like me. Which means you are not as well-heeled as you tout yourself to be and are probably hungry. Here. The apples were free and came out of the orchard I was passing through earlier. You would hardly be imposing. Go on.”
He hesitated but still did not take it.
She sighed. Wedging herself closer, she was about to shove it into his hand, but noted his
gloves were crusted with dry mud. So she did the one thing she could. The one thing she always did for her brothers. She brought out her paring knife and balancing the basket on the crook of her elbow, sliced off a piece of the fruit. Tucking the small knife away, she leaned in and daintily reaching up, set it against his lips, wiggling it. “Eat, Gérard. Consider it payment for my ride into Paris.”
He met her gaze for a long moment, his broad chest visibly rising and falling. “Thank you.”
Bending his dark head, he opened his full lips and ever so slowly dragged the sliced apple into his mouth. He leaned in more to take the whole thing into his mouth. His teeth and hot tongue grazed the tips of her fingers. Her pulse roared as her skin tingled from the unexpected contact. She jerked her hand away. Taking several steps back, she swiped her wet fingers against her skirt, trying to rid herself of the tingling she still felt. “You almost ate my finger.”
The muscles in his jaw showcased each methodical chew as he continued to heatedly hold her gaze. “It was in the way.” His blue eyes now held a spark of some indefinable emotion. One full of so many secrets he wasn’t telling.
Swallowing, he said in a low, husky tone, “Bring the apple back over. I would like more.”
He wasn’t looking to eat apples anymore. She tried to remain calm and held out the apple, keeping her distance. “Here. Take the whole thing.”
“I would but my gloves are a bit dirty.” He held them up.
It appeared the bite of an apple had turned this one into a full-fledged rake. “Then I suggest you remove your gloves.”
He lowered his hands and flexed them, flaking mud off the leather. “Do you think it wise to ask me to remove more clothing?”
The Duke of Andelot ©2015 Delilah Marvelle
Delilah is giving away the following:
—5 $10 Amazon GC
—2 $25 Amazon GC
—GRAND PRIZE $100 Amazon GC
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And be sure to check out her Facebook party for more fun!
Date: Tuesday, April 14th
Time: 8-11PM EDT
Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1567059163562364/
Thank you for joining me today to celebrate Delilah Marvelle and the release of The Duke of Andelot!
