Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf: Seduced by a Highlander

Showing posts with label Seduced by a Highlander. Show all posts

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Three New Winners for Seduced by a Highlander

Random.org has helped me pick THREE NEW WINNERS of Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn as two winners had already won the book and one person has not replied.

Congratulations to:

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Victoria, Elaing8 and Johanna will be sent the form which they are to complete within 72 hours.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Winners of Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

CONGRATULATIONS

to the Winners of Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

I have been a bit swamped so I am just listing the names so this can get posted.

Here are the WINNERS:

Tabby, Cheryl, Scorpio, HRJ Rita and Emma

I may not get the Hachette form emailed until Saturday because I have to get to bed now and get up at 4:45am tomorrow to catch a flight for a closing in Tampa.
Thank you to everyone who entered.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Review - Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

A veerra bonnie read - feuding families and reluctant sweethearts.
Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever (August 31, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446552372
ISBN-13: 978-0446552370

Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Full Description

SINS THAT CAN'T BE FORGIVEN
Tristan MacGregor is famed throughout the Highlands as a silver-tonged seducer and an unrepentant rogue. Bold and charming, he's dallied with many women, yet none as mysterious as the lass he steals a kiss from at king's court. Little does he know this beauty is one of his clan's greatest enemies.

PASSION THAT CAN'T BE DENIED
Isobel Fergusson has despised the bloodthirsty MacGregors ever since they murdered her father. She's horrified to learn that the handsome stranger she kissed is of this clan. But Tristan means to possess her at any cost and Isobel's body turns traitor at his touch. Can a man she's sworn to hate be the only one she can ever love?

Review: This book clinches it for me: Paula Quinn is a favorite “new” historical romance author. Her Scottish historicals rank up there for me with Catherine Coulter, Christina Dodd and Johanna Lindsey. Paula manages a great balance of sweet and sensual romance set in a wonderful story with emotional and conflicting characters.

Isobel is not a wealthy, pampered miss. No, she is a hard working, dedicated country Scotswoman who does what it takes to take care of her family. She doesn’t want to fall for the too gorgeous and too glibe highlander, especially after hearing about his reputation with the ladies. But Tristan just doesn’t give up and bit by bit she sees something fine and honorable in him.

Tristan is not as cold, careless and flippant as he might at first seem. As a youngster he loved all the tales of great knights and he imagined that perhaps he could grow to be one. But when a young youth’s temper ends in tragedy of death he closed himself off. Part of his strategy was that if you don’t love and don’t get close, you can’t be hurt by others. He is as surprised as anyone when he can’t stay away from this fiery lady with the cutting tongue. She doesn’t fall under his spell as easily as most ladies and that is part of the challenge. But should he really dally with his clan’s enemy?

This story is full of pranks from the younger brothers that add a fun dimension. I liked Tristan’s persistence in trying to win over the Ferguson family. Then after he wins them over he will have to face his own clan and Isobel will have to be brave to support him.

Here is a snippet I really liked:

He’d been certain he couldn’t want her more than when she was rejecting him. But he was wrong. Winning her was much better. She had fought hard and with good reason, and had made him want to be the man he used to dream of being.

This story moved along at a good pace. I enjoyed the romantic sparring and the brotherly botherings. There were times I was grinning and other times wincing. Again the author presented the right balance for me of likeable characters, fun bantering, steady believable plot and sensual attraction without sexual overload. Although, with Tristan, this story was a mite more sexy than Ravished by a Highlander. I add Ms. Quinn to my list of sure reads to feed my historical romance cravings.

Please check out the author Q&A Interview and enter the Giveaway for a chance to win this book!

Giveaway - Five Copies of Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

If you like Scottish historical romance you will really love author Paula Quinn and Seduced by a Highlander.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. For your main entry make a comment at this post on one of these two items. Make sure you leave your e-mail address!
a) Answer the Question the Author posed at Q11 of the Author Q&A Interview or tell me something of interest from the interview. OR
b) Check out the author's website and tell me something you found interesting. OR

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. For TWO extra entries comment on the review post

5. For another TWO extra entries comment on the author Q&A Interview.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

(Seven total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL! Five winners!
* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on September 17, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Blog Tour Q&A INTERVIEW with Paula Quinn, Author of Seduced by a Highlander

Please welcome author Paula Quinn to this Question and Answer session.

1Q. I have enjoyed several of your historical romances. Do you have plans to write in any other genres, perhaps sci fi or paranormal since you liked those in your childhood writings?

Paula: Yes, I’d love to write paranormals set in an historical setting. I have a few manuscripts already written but they need a lot of work before submitting.

Martha: that certainly sounds interesting and I am going to keep and eye out for those.
2Q. What most inspires your plots?

Paula: I’m inspired by so many things, a beautiful song, a haunting picture, a certain face. Stories and their characters come to me usually at the most inopportune time, like when I don’t have a pen. J Kings and history inspire me the most though. I always imagine what life was like during a particular king’s reign. Heroes and heroines are born from that.

Martha: I like how you have included a combination of court life and country life in your stories.
3Q. Why did you choose the particular time period and setting for the Children of the Mist series?

Paula: The series was born from Laird of the Mist. I chose the seventeenth century after researching the MacGregor clan. Their proscription was coming to an end and Callum wanted the story told through his life. The current books continue roughly twenty years later when England and Scotland were plunged into political turmoil yet again with the ascension of a new Catholic king on the throne. The period was perfect for new heroes to emerge in defense of their beliefs.

Martha: And heroes are the basic stuff of romance.
4Q. When you do a series do you have each book plotted out before you start the first one or do the second and third flow from the first book?

Paula: Well, with The Children of the Mist series, I had to write up a series synopsis before submitting, so I had a general idea of how each book would flow. But anyone who plots first knows that characters often change the direction of their story. It always amazes me to see those changes from synopsis to finished product.
I like to give my characters free reign to take their own path, but working with a series doesn’t always allow it. You have to follow guidelines set by the first book, and sometimes those guidelines get in the way of the subsequent books. Often, the hero in book two or three in the series is set up or introduced in the first and some changes just can’t be made. It’s more difficult to let the story take its own direction.

Martha: You do write some strong minded characters and I can imagine that they might be hard to control.
5Q. Can you summarize Seduced by a Highlander in one sentence?

Paula: A notorious rogue seeks to restore his honor by seducing the daughter of his clan’s worst enemy.

Martha: That is a good synopsis but doesn't that seem an odd way to restore one's honor? :)
6Q. In Seduced by a Highlander is there anything that your heroine would never be caught dead doing or saying?

Paula: Isobel Fergusson would never, ever admit who truly killed the hero’s beloved uncle.

Martha: Ah yes. I waited for quite a bit of the book to find the answer to that secret.
7Q. Is there an ancillary character in the Children of the Mist series you had the most fun with?

Paula: There’s always a character that springs to life for me more than others. In Ravished by a Highlander, it was Finlay Grant. (He actually fought to be in every scene. It was tempting and heartbreaking having to refuse.) In Seduced by a Highlander, it was Tamas, Isobel’s youngest brother. Tamas is eleven years old and Tristan's (the hero) worst nightmare.

Martha: That Tamas is definitely a scamp.
8Q. If you could trade places with anyone, real or imagined (including paranormal creatures), in any time, who would it be and why?

Paula: Hmm, interesting question. I think I would trade places with Kate Campbell from Laird of the Mist. While writing Laird, I felt a deep kinship with her and envied her for living in Skye-a place where I dream of living-in a time that crafted tough, honorable, loyal men. It’s not for everyone, but I would love to wake up to ancient mountain ranges and vast, isolated hills, watching my husband and sons bringing in the sheep.

Martha: Skye does seem to have an enchantment all its own. Wonderful that you would choose a place from your own writing.
9Q. Do you write for yourself or for your audience?

Paula: For both, I think. Fortunately, my audience likes tender romance, featuring men of honor and strong yet vulnerable heroines.

Martha: I am part of that audience that truly appreciates your lovely and engaging romances.
10Q. What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?

Paula: I enjoy reading when time allows, shopping with my daughters, spending time with my family, and interacting with my readers on my Facebook author page.

Martha: Now I am curious what you read when you can.
11Q. If you could have readers finish a sentence what would it be?

Paula: "The thing he found more desirable about her was her ability to ____________"

Martha: Let's see. My answer: "match him in their verbal sparring."
12Q. Just for fun: Do you have a favorite Highlander recipe?

Paula: Highland Toffee

Ingredients
·   1/3 cup vegetable oil
·   2 cups quick cooking oats
·   1/2 cup light brown sugar
·   1/4 cup light corn syrup
·   1/2 teaspoon salt
·   1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
·   1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
·   1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
(This is a picture I found online) Directions

.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Generously grease an 8 or 9 inch square pan.
.In a large bowl, stir together vegetable oil and oats. Mix in brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla. Press mixture into prepared pan.
.Bake for 12 minutes in preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
.Cut into 4 large squares to remove from pan. Cover with melted chocolate, and sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Allow the chocolate to cool, and then cut each square into 9 pieces.

Martha: That sounds scrumptious. A good recipe for my husband or daughter to try.

Thank you so much, Paula, for sharing some of your writing process with us.
Check out my review and don't miss the giveaway!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Blog Tour with Seduced by a Highlander - Starts 8/23

Join me this coming Thursday for an Interview, Review and Giveaway of Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn. Visit the participating blogs listed below.