Jane Litte of Dear Author has made the official announcement for the upcoming Berkley Heat Agony/Ecstasy anthology. Read all about it here. Margaret Rowe is excited to be included with such great authors! I finally put up the excerpt for March’s Any Wicked Thing . Read how Freddie makes a proposition Sebastian can’t refuse.

And Maggie Robinson loves this romantic image:

The latest Lords of Passion review from Kay’s Blog: “Then we come to Maggie Robinson’s Not Quite a Courtesan. This was the winner of the group. I loved this story, which by the way didn’t have the feel of a short story. I also think it was a first for me, I didn’t want this short story to end or maybe I wanted it to be a long story. We have Darius, whose family business is dealing in pornographic antiques and Prudence, an uptight widow whose silly cousin is married to Darius’ equally silly brother.

This story is filled with some really funny stuff, from the dialog to the inner thoughts of Prudence, all great fun!”

Time/Place: Regency England
Rating: B+
Sensuality Rating: Hot!

Both of me are pretty happy this week.

Well, there’s some dispute about the title. I thought it was supposed to be “Improper GentlemEn.” It may have been thrown up quickly so the cover could get into the Kensington catalog on time. But wow! Just wow. Out August 2011!

Yep, you’ve seen this guy and heard quite a bit about him and his friends in all the reviews below. He and his mighty sword are about to take their rightful place on bookshelves near you.

Lords of Passion is tremendously special to me. To share a spine with Virginia Henley and Kate Pearce is surreal. My novella Not Quite a Courtesan was so much fun for me to write, and the positive reviews have only made my feelings about it sweeter.

I said somewhere that Pru and Darius are two of my favorite imaginary friends, and I’m eager to share them. I’m giving away three copies today (Tuesday, November 30)–one on The Vauxhall Vixens blog, and two in a Twitter contest that will run until midnight EST. Follow me @MaggieLRobinson for a chance to win!

“Not Quite a Courtesan”
By Maggie Robinson
Lords of Passion (Anthology)
Publisher: Kensington Brava
Release Date: November 30, 2010

World traveler and treasure hunter, Darius Shaw returns home to England with one last collection of sensual artifacts that, hopefully, will garner enough money to forever close the doors of Shaw Antiquities, the company he inherited from his father, allowing Darius to leave the family business behind and settle down in the country, as his heart desires. But, upon his arrival, he’s met with the news that his scapegrace younger brother, Cyrus has eloped with an eighteen-year-old heiress, his uncle Algernon has died, leaving the two brothers his love nest on Courtesan Court, complete with aging mistress, and neither his new sister-in-law nor her guardian “dragon” of a cousin are thrilled with the news. Long used to rescuing his brother from his many escapades, Darius heads to Courtesan Court to pay off his uncle’s mistress and save his brother’s new marriage.

Prudence Thorne has been responsible for her younger cousin since she was born and she’s not about to turn her back on that responsibility just because some handsome man managed to sweet-talk Sophy into marriage while Pru was tending her dying mother. Pru knows all about men who stray. After all, her late husband was killed trying to escape his lover’s bed just weeks after marrying Pru. After paying off the woman she thinks is her new brother-in-law’s mistress, Pru waits at the Courtesan Court home for Cyrus, to give him a piece of her mind and send him back to his young wife. But the man who arrives is not young Cyrus and this man is more handsome, more appealing and more dangerous to Pru’s well-ordered life than she could ever have imagined.

Like the unique artifacts for which Darius searches the world, Robinson’s “Not Quite a Courtesan” is a treasure. Well written, this story flows smoothly, with humor and a satisfying depth of emotion. Intelligent, practical, take-charge Pru is the perfect foil for Darius’s sensual, teasing nature and the banter between them is an absolute delight. From beginning to end, their journey is romantic, sensual, and thoroughly enjoyable. I admit, I hated to say goodbye.

European Historical Romance (1818 England)

Maggie Robinson’s Not Quite a Courtesan wraps things up with a thoroughly enjoyable romp. Our hero Darius follows a long family tradition of dealing in pornographic antiques, but he’s just about to auction off his inventory (housed in a courtesan’s lodgings) and make a fresh start. All of a sudden a staid widow appears on a mission: Her cousin is married to Darius’ brother, who’s been staying with the courtesan, who’s his late uncle’s mistress but appears to be Darius’ brother’s mistress. Prudence is here to give the courtesan what-for, on behalf of her cousin.

Or something like that. It doesn’t matter, really. What matters is that Darius and Prudence are a hoot. As Pru joins in the inventorying they fall in love, Darius gets semi-respectable and Pru gets seriously loosened up. And it’s funny. Really funny.

Grade: B+

Ten copies of Lords of Passion are on offer at Goodreads from November 20 thru December 15!

“The real gem of this anthology is Maggie Robinson’s Not Quite a Courtesan. It is difficult for me to find complaint with the story, which is both romantic and sensual in equal measure with well-motivated and delightful characters. Widowed heroine Prudence Thorne is thrown into hero and adventurer Darius Shaw’s hands under the most unlikely of circumstances. Here she is thrust into the world of the courtesan at his house on Jane Street where he is auctioning off a collection of erotic items he has just returned from gathering from all corners of the world. The most enjoyable element of this story is its characters – the piquant Mr. Shaw and the dutiful lady who trespasses into his house. His emotional growth, threaded with warm touches of humor, more than anything is what encourages him to draw the woman out of Prudence’s tightly-buttoned mourning garb.

(excerpt)

“It’s still too soon.”

“I don’t doubt it. And I expect you to school me in all of its rules and regulations. You’re a very organized woman, Pru. A woman like you could make something out of a man like me.”

Not Quite a Courtesan is so well-written and near perfection that I can’t wait to dive into another Maggie Robinson tale!”

Reviewed by: Amber Leigh
To read the entire review, click here.

Another review! Are you bored yet? I’m not. Don’t forget to enter this month’s contest for a chance to win a copy of Lords of Passion!

Also, just found out Tempting Eden is down to $6 on Amazon. Virtually irrisistible, LOL.

Since the day Eden Emery’s widowed mother married Baron Ivor Hartford she has been chained to him in one form or another. At first, by the guardianship he provided, then by his charms as she blossomed into a young woman. Eden helplessly fell for the baron’s skilled seduction and soon entered into a forbidden relationship she could never escape. Eden endures the torture and humiliation of being the baron’s lover for years to keep her sister from having to experience the same. Even after his death, Eden carries the memories and shame of her ruination. Eden wants nothing more than to be left alone to care for her ailing sister, but the new baron is already on his way to the estate.

Major Stuart Hartford is known among his friends as “Holy Hartford” for holding high morals and doing what is honorable. He adopted his ways long ago in an attempt to be as little like his immoral father and uncle as possible. Upon his uncle’s death, he inherits his properties and wealth. Hart withdraws from the war and is swayed by his aunt that it’s, perhaps, time for him to settle down with a wife. First he must see to tying up some loose ends, mainly the care of his newly inherited wards. He believes the eldest, Eden, to be a bit severe and plain, yet she compels him nonetheless. When he is going through his uncle’s library he stumbles upon a rather lurid drawing of Eden, which shows her in a whole new light. Now Hart can’t get the tempting vision of Eden out of his mind, though he is appalled to think that she willingly had that sort of relationship with his uncle.

Eden shockingly finds herself attracted to Hart who is nothing like the old baron. Yet even as the chemistry rises between them, she is frantic to keep her past hidden. When her relationship with the late baron is brought to light by Hart, it releases a cataclysm of emotions and events for both of them. The truth of Eden’s relationship with Ivor is all but black and white, but will Hart be able to set aside his beliefs, stemmed from his idea of virtue, to see the shades of gray that have marred Eden for years?

Margaret Rowe delivers a unique historical romance that will keep you enthralled from start to finish. TEMPTING EDEN is murky, edgy and filled with complex motivations and actions. The serious tones and intricate storyline pulled me in. It touches base on a topic that probably occurred more often than ever verbalized in the era. Despite the darker touches, this is a quite erotic and enjoyable read. Ms. Rowe presents us with a cast of redeemable characters, detailed surroundings and a sizzling chemistry that is made believable among a somewhat unlikely couple. She provides just enough of the heroine’s heartbreaking past that you feel genuine anguish for her. Then she takes and pulls her out of the ashes. This is a memorable story that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

SNIPPET: After Eden Emery has lived with years of abuse from the late Baron Hartford she faces a new danger. The nephew, who is the new baron, has come to claim the estate that he’s inherited. Eden finds Hart to be nothing like Ivor. She’s now close to losing the only thing she has left…her heart.

To see the review on site, click here.

Happy dancing!

We actually got 2 reviews from Romance Junkies (see below), but this is the one that’s been posted:

BEAUTY AND THE BRUTE by Virginia Henley
Can there be a more degrading reason to marry than to settle a gambling debt? Lord Charles Lennox and Lady Sarah Caversham certainly don’t think so. No wonder Charles left for his Grand Tour as soon as his marriage to the young Sarah became final. But all things change with time. A spoiled and domineering bully like Charles at 18-years-old can grow into a mature, respectful, responsible, sympathetic 21-year-old man. While a 13-year-old awkward, lanky and naïve youth like Sarah can blossom into a buxom, curvaceous, heart-stopping beauty. Imagine the shock when Charles returns to town and unknowingly falls in love-at-first-sight – with his own wife! Now, how to turn their marriage of convenience into the passionate conflagration that burns in both of their hearts…

HOW TO SEDUCE A WIFE by Kate Pearce
Louisa March is not beautiful, not in the classic sense. But then her husband, Nicholas, a notorious philanderer in his younger years, didn’t marry her for her physical attraction. Still, Louisa had hoped she would reap the benefits of having a man so well versed in carnal knowledge. How disappointing when Nicholas’ lackluster performance in the boudoir forces her to seek passionate fulfillment in her gothic romance novels. For Nicholas, it is totally unconscionable that his wife would rather read a book than fulfill her marital obligations to him. The gauntlet has been thrown, and despite having to revisit some of his more wicked haunts, Nicholas is fully intent on properly seducing his wife!

NOT QUITE A COURTESAN by Maggie Robinson
Responsible and respectable widow, Prudence Thorne, while not the head of her family, has always been saddled with her family’s burdens – caring for her sick, infirmed mother and raising her younger, addle-brained cousin. Sophisticated, handsome and well-traveled Darius Shaw is the head of his family and their shocking business – erotic antiquities. His travels have finally brought him back to London, and serendipitously right smack dab into the middle of Pru’s blasé world of order and efficiency. There isn’t much Darius hasn’t seen or done in his travels, but there’s something about Pru’s veiled innocence that is utterly irresistible. With a sexually deprived vitality just waiting to be unleashed, Pru merely requires instruction. And Darius is just the man to initiate her into the world of sexual gratification.

LORDS OF PASSION is a luscious anthology of three erotic Regency romance novellas featuring three heroes of varying birth and backgrounds, but all thoroughly well studied in the ways of love and the art of intimacy. Oh to be their heroines!

Charles, from Ms. Henley’s BEAUTY AND THE BRUTE, to put it plainly, is such a lout. At least, he is at the onset. His transformation is totally welcomed, but woe is he who falls in love with the wife he cursed and fled on his wedding day. Sarah is surely in the right when embarking on her plans for revenge. But three years is a long time, and the changes that occur at such an age are pivotal, as evident in Charles’s newfound humanity and Sarah’s well-trained cunning. Charles’ subtle charms (and not-so-subtle sexual innuendos) coupled with Sarah’s quick, sarcastic wit are beguiling, and their love scenes both tender and provocative. BEAUTY AND THE BRUTE is a lovely, memorable read that will touch the heart and raise the body temperature, just in time for the second narrative.

Ms. Pearce’s HOW TO SEDUCE A WIFE is a boisterously entertaining and satisfying read if ever there was one! Louisa’s intellectual nature, interminable propriety, and sexual naïveté make for such hilarious retorts, especially when in response to Nicholas’ forthright sexual observations, requests, and commands. While their marriage was not founded on love, just based on the honesty of their interactions, love can’t be far. And for Nicholas who, unlike his unfaithful father, swears fidelity to Louisa despite their unsatisfactory sex life – that in and of itself, is a declaration… of sorts. Utterly delectable, HOW TO SEDUCE A WIFE will leave the reader happily sated and primed for the final story in the anthology.

The LORDS OF PASSION collection could not have found a more wonderful culmination than Ms. Robinson’s NOT QUITE A COURTESAN. Perhaps it’s the self-aware rake in Darius Shaw that is so appealing, or perhaps his straightforward manner in how he deals with Pru, or perhaps how something in Pru’s stringent propriety resonates with Darius making him gravitate towards her – whatever it is, it’s totally enchanting. The repartee between Darius and Pru, Darius and his steward, even between Pru and his steward, is clever and laugh-out-loud amusing. The lovemaking scenes are heart-stoppingly, monstrously sweet, and so erotic that readers will suffer from dry mouth. Put simply… NOT QUITE A COURTESAN is superb!

LORDS OF PASSION completely mollifies the readers’ hunger for heroes who know their way around the bedroom and into a woman’s heart. A tried and true treasure trove!

By Romance Junkies Reviewer: Chris

A little more than 2 weeks to go before Lords of Passion and these other great Brava books release! Chris from Romance Junkies e-mailed me the other day with another great review for LOP. I decided to post just the part about my contribution to it, Not Quite a Courtesan. I could not be happier!

Responsible and respectable widow, Prudence Thorne, while not the head of her family, has always been saddled with her family’s burdens – caring for her sick, infirm mother and raising her younger, addle-brained cousin. Sophisticated, handsome and well-traveled Darius Shaw is the head of his family and their shocking business – erotic antiquities. His travels have finally brought him back to London, and serendipitously right smack dab into the middle of Pru’s blasé world of order and efficiency. There isn’t much Darius hasn’t seen or done in his travels, but there’s something about Pru’s veiled innocence that is utterly irresistible. With a sexually deprived vitality just waiting to be unleashed, Pru merely requires instruction. And Darius is just the man to initiate her into the world of sexual gratification.

The LORDS OF PASSION collection could not have found a more wonderful culmination than Ms. Robinson’s NOT QUITE A COURTESAN. Perhaps it’s the self-aware rake in Darius Shaw that is so appealing, or perhaps his straightforward manner in how he deals with Pru, or perhaps how something in Pru’s stringent propriety resonates with Darius making him gravitate towards her – whatever it is, it’s totally enchanting. The repartee between Darius and Pru, Darius and his steward, even between Pru and his steward, is clever and laugh-out-loud amusing. The lovemaking scenes are heart-stoppingly, monstrously sweet, and so erotic that readers will suffer from dry mouth. Put simply… NOT QUITE A COURTESAN is superb!