A princess who had it all. A lord with everything to lose.
MY DARLING, MY DISASTER
Lords of Essex #2
Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan
Releasing March 27, 2017
Entangled Select Historical
Lord Graham Findlay, the shamelessly virile Viscount Northridge, has a
disgraceful secret, one he’ll do anything to hide. Holding his passions at bay,
Gray has sworn off the fairer sex. But when temptation comes in the form of an
intriguing woman he cannot easily avoid, Gray’s integrity—and his most depraved
desires—are put to the ultimate test.
Self-assured and carefree Princess Svetlanka Volkonsky never dreamed she would
one day become a lady’s maid to avoid a dangerous traitor. But danger also
comes in many guises, especially in the sinful and devastatingly attractive
lord of the manor who introduces her to a world of singular pleasure.
When Lana’s past emerges to threaten the life and the false identity she’s
built in England, she and Gray find themselves falling into a tangled web of
lies and intrigue...and the last place either of them expected to fall...in
love.
The interior
of the coach felt hot, and she could swear that Lord Northridge’s body was
closer than it had been moments before. Lana’s pulse spiked, every inch of her
skin prickling with bright awareness. She had been courted by suitors before
and had been the recipient of hastily stolen embraces in the arbor at Volkonsky
Palace. But no man had ever made her feel the way she did now—like a fox in a
hunt with nowhere to run. Her short nails dug into her palms even as she
feigned continued indifference. It was a talent she’d inherited from her
mother: the ability to remain tranquil and unruffled in any situation.
But, lord,
the man pushed her to the limits of her skill.
Despite her
composed exterior, Lana was acutely conscious of him. With each inhale and
exhale, she could scent the spice of his cologne and the bite of whiskey and
cigar smoke, see the rise and fall of the pulse in his neck, hear the rustle of
his clothing against the plush velvet seat. She could feel his hooded eyes
settling upon her as if they were hands pressing against her flesh, boldly
pushing past the confines of her cloak.
Undressing her.
Refusing to
succumb to his debauchery, she met his eyes with cool hauteur, and they dropped
provokingly to her lips. He was trying to shock her, she knew. But Lana held
his stare, refusing to be cowed by whatever new perverse game he was playing.
She swallowed a biting response that would remind him of his place, and
hers—Lord Northridge at the best of times was unpredictable, and after a night
on the town with liquor in his blood, she would do well to curb her tongue.
Lest he force himself upon her like some lovelorn swain.
No, not
lovelorn. Lord Northridge would not allow such a common emotion as love to rule
him. The art of his seduction, if at all, would be calculated and ruthless…meant
only to serve him and no other. Lovesick females fell at his feet, not the reverse. Lord Northridge’s eyes met hers as if
her thoughts had grown transparent, and she flushed when another knowing smirk
appeared.
Lord have
mercy, he made her want to kick him. Hard.
Flustered,
Lana couldn’t quite help herself as the coach finally rolled to a sharp stop in
front of the manor. “Like what you see?” she asked in succinct tones.
A reluctant
smile tugged at the corner of his lips at her veiled mockery. “Very much.”
Lana went
still at the candid admission. He looked as surprised as she did. An arctic
flush suffused her chest and climbed her neck as James opened the coach door.
She slid forward, taking the footman’s hand and making her escape with every ounce
of grace she could manage. “Perhaps you should endeavor to foist your
attentions where they will be better welcomed. Good day, Lord Northridge.”
His husky
chuckle at what would have been a crushing setdown in any other circumstance
followed her all the way to the front door.
Blast the arrogant clodpole to Hades.
Q&A with Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan
Describe yourself in five words or less.
AMALIE: Creative, fun-loving,
humorous, passionate, free-spirited.
ANGIE: Relaxed, creative,
inquisitive, cheerful, active
Can you tell us a little about your book?
MY DARLING, MY DISASTER is a fun,
sexy story about an arrogant young lord who meets his match in a runaway
princess disguised as his sister’s lady’s maid. There’s mystery, suspense,
action, and buckets of sizzling romantic tension.
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
AMALIE: Journey’s DON’T STOP
BELIEVIN’...seriously, it’s my personal anthem. Also, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY by
Queen when I’m feeling saucy.
ANGIE: HAIR UP by Justin Timberlake
from the movie TROLLS should play from magical speakers whenever I enter a
room.
Name one thing you won’t leave home without.
AMALIE: My phone. I can work while
waiting for my kids at various activities. That, and pants. I never leave home
without pants. Because that would be awkward. And maybe scary for some.
ANGIE: There is NOTHING I won’t
leave home without. Trust me. I’ve left home without my purse, my phone, my
CHILD. Just kidding. I usually remember them all. But I do always remember to
put a bra on. #goals
What are some books that you enjoyed recently?
AMALIE: Two recent historical
romance books I really enjoyed were THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by
Jennifer Ashley, and WILD WICKED SCOT by Julia London. They’re both very
different, but the writing in each is sublime.
ANGIE: I loved THE ALIENIST by
Caleb Carr and am so excited for the TV series starring Luke Evans coming up
soon! I thought PROMISE OF FIRE by Amanda Bouchet was a really fun romantic
fantasy. Right now I’m reading BARED TO YOU by Sylvia Day and I’m constantly
blushing.
What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
AMALIE: I’m an obsessive/compulsive
reader. Sometimes, on a reading binge of a particular genre, I can read a book
a night for weeks at a time. I also like to watch movies. I’m a very visual
person, and films are my guilty pleasure. Put it this way, I’ve already seen Beauty and the Beast twice and it only
opened two days ago on Friday. I saw Deadpool
at least a handful of times in the theaters and bought the Blu-Ray, and let’s
not even talk about The Force Awakens.
Anything Marvel can take my money. I’m super excited for Ghost in the Shell and Guardians
of the Galaxy, Vol 2. #DIEHARDFANGIRL.
ANGIE: I make sure writing happens
almost every day, and I’m usually working on more than one project at a time.
But on my off-hours, I’m a school volunteer, a chauffeur for my daughters and
their friends (unfortunately, there’s no bus transportation for our small
school!), my town’s official crazy chicken lady, a freelance editor for
Independent authors, a long distance runner, and -- whenever I get the chance
to sit down -- an avid reader.
Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
First of all, don’t be afraid to
write what you love, and have confidence in your ideas. For any new writer, we would encourage
reading as many books as you can get your hands on—the more you read
(especially books that have been successful in the genre), the more you’ll
understand the elements required to pen an equally successful novel of your
own. Reading outside of the romance genre will broaden your scope, too. The
most important piece of advice though is just to keep writing, keep trying, and
keep reading.
Amalie
Howard’s love
of romance developed after she started pilfering her grandmother’s novels in
high school when she should have been studying. She has no regrets. A #1 Amazon
bestseller and a national IPPY silver medalist, she is the author of My
Rogue, My Ruin, the first in the Lords of Essex historical romance series,
as well as several award-winning young adult novels critically acclaimed by
Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist,
including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha
Goddess, a Kid’s IndieNext pick. She currently resides in Colorado with her
husband and three children. Visit her website for the latest news and information.
Angie
Morgan lives
in New Hampshire with her husband, their three daughters, a menagerie of pets,
and an extensive collection of paperback romance novels. She’s the author of MY
ROGUE, MY RUIN, the first book in the Lords of Essex historical romance series,
as well as several young adult books, including The Dispossessed series written
under the name Page Morgan. Critically acclaimed by Booklist, Publisher’s
Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, VOYA, and The Bulletin, Angie’s novels
have been an IndieNext selection, a Seventeen Magazine Summer
Book Club Read, and a #1 Amazon bestseller. Visit her website for the latest news and information
