We chatted a little while back and she offered to let us host the cover reveal for her next book that's out in October! So a little peak for yall of Scandalous Summer Nights and an excerpt plus a giveaway of books 1 and 2 in the series. Woot! Check it out and leave her some comment love :) ~Anna
HOW FAR WILL TEMPTATION TAKE HIM...
Lady Olivia Sherbourne isn't shy about speaking her mind, except when it comes to James Averill. For ten long years he has been her brother's best friend and her heart's only desire. But when Olivia hears James will soon set sail for an expedition to Egypt, she knows the time has come to make her move. It's now or never...
James has always found Olivia bewitchingly attractive, but what kind of gentleman takes up with his best friend's sister? Not that he's thinking particularly gentlemanly thoughts when she appears on his exploratory trip-three hundred miles from home!-and incites a tavern fight. No matter what the devil she's doing there, it's his duty to see her safely back to her family. But how safe will she be when every starlit night brings wicked temptation ...?
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An early excerpt...
James Averill smiled to himself and looked about the ballroom for an inconspicuous spot in which to finish his drink and select a couple of beautiful young ladies to later seek out as dance partners.
It was a fine plan, and the evening promised to be pleasant.
Until Olivia Sherbourne waylaid him.
“Waylaid” was actually too benign a word; what Olivia did could best be described as “hunting him to ground.”
Appearing out of nowhere was an alarming habit of hers. One minute he was relaxed and pondering dance partners; the next he was toe to toe with a brown-haired, doe-eyed force of nature. A hurricane in a pretty blue frock.
“There you are!” she announced. “You must follow me.”
No greeting, no niceties, just ‘You must follow me.’ Must he? Really? Because he’d been rather content standing there with his drink.
But Olivia was already striding toward the French doors at the back of the room, assuming he was following along at her heels like a well-trained pup. She was Huntford’s sister, for God’s sake. He couldn’t not follow her.
Bloody hell.
She disappeared briefly behind a trio of matrons before slipping out the doors. James ducked out after her, determined to steer her back into the ballroom as quickly as possible.
He stepped onto the terrace, which spanned the considerable width of the house and was softly illuminated by a few lanterns and the moon in a cloudless sky.
“Over here,” she called in a loud whisper. She stood at the corner of the patio, her white gloves waving him over like a beacon on the rocky shore.
Instinct told him he shouldn’t do her bidding. Instinct was practically shouting at him, in fact, and his feet remained rooted to the flagstone.
Olivia seemed to sense his hesitation, however, and doubled back toward him. “We haven’t much time,” she explained, dragging him unceremoniously along by his free arm. At least she hadn’t spilled his drink.
“Where are we going?” He thought it a fair question and desperately hoped the answer wasn’t, oh, Gretna Green.
“Right here.” She stopped before a stone bench.
“Why?”
She sat and pulled him down beside her. Her expression was impossible to decipher, but her chest rose and fell as though she were frightened or breathless. Her white teeth nibbled at her lower lip. Now that she had him here, she seemed at a loss for words.
That never happened with Olivia.
“Are you in some sort of trouble?”
“No,” she said quickly. “Er, that I know of.”
He grinned. “How refreshing. Even as a girl, you always seemed to find trouble. Remember the time you managed to climbed into the stable with the foals and couldn’t get—”
“Don’t,” she snapped.
“Don’t what?” He’d been trying to put her at ease so she could say whatever it was she needed to say. She seemed less than grateful.
“Don’t treat me like Owen’s little sister.”
Holy hell. James drained his glass in one gulp and set it on the bench.
“If you don’t want to be treated like a child,” he said slowly, “stop acting like one. Start by telling me why you brought me out here.”
Olivia moistened her lips with her tongue. It didn’t help. Her mouth was as dry as a dust rag. “I needed to speak with you privately.”
James’s mossy green eyes flashed a challenge. “I’m listening.”
Her pulse raced madly. This exchange was not going at all as she’d hoped. James was supposed to have detected the tremor in her voice and taken her hands in his, smoothing the pads of his thumbs over the backs of her gloved hands. By now, he should be gazing at her with concern and a healthy dose of appreciation for the revealing neckline of her gown.
But his strong arms were crossed and his normally full lips were pressed together in a thin line. He had the look of someone who had requested tea an hour ago and was still waiting. Not thirsty so much as…exasperated.
Panicked, she considered making up an excuse for her behavior. She could say she wanted to buy a gift for Owen and Anabelle’s new baby and was considering a puppy. Surely James must have an opinion on that—
“Olivia.” The impatience gave an edge to his voice, but she also heard a hint of compassion, and it propelled her forward.
There would be no dipping of her toe in the water. The only way to proceed was hurl herself in—even if it was way over her head.
She swallowed hard and looked directly into his beautiful eyes. “I love you.”
More Anne Barton on herding cats!
Review-- When She Was Wicked
Review-- To All the Rakes I've Loved Before
Review-- Once She Was Tempted
I just love Anne's covers and that they always really fit the storyline in some way.
Can't wait to see how this next one works out :)
So, what do yall think? Have you read Barton?
And because Anne is full of awesome she's got a giveaway for yall!
Scandalous Summer Nights doesn’t release until the fall, but in the meantime, you can read the other books in the Honeycote series! One lucky commenter will receive a copy of Anne’s first two books: When She Was Wicked and Once She Was Tempted. (US only, please.) Yall I LOVED these books. If you're a historical fan you so need to read them. And if you're wanting to try out the genre a fantastic place to start.
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~Anna