BOOK TOUR + INTERVIEW: Convincing the Secretary, from Ava March!

Hi, there! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?! I’m part of an Ava March Book Tour!! *happily dancing around the room*

Fangirlings aside, welcome to my stop on the Convincing the Secretary Book Tour 😀

Convincing the Secretary

London Legal series #3

Ava March

ISBN13: 9781619222526

Length: 34,600 words (novella)

Genre: GLBT: Historical, Red Hot: Historical

Publication Date: March 8, 2016

Business and pleasure is a mix no gentleman should consider.

Lord Grayson Holloway goes after what he wants—be it in the law office on his clients’ behalf or in the bedchamber. His new position as partner puts him closer to achieving his goal of becoming the most successful solicitor in London. There’s just one problem—his new secretary. Broad of shoulder yet mild of manner, Edward tempts Gray like no other. Yet the young man barely notices him.

Edward Fenton tries to be a good secretary, but being in Lord Grayson’s hard, commanding presence rouses Edward’s most forbidden desires. Wicked, naughty desires no gentleman should consider giving in to, let alone with his new employer.

Gray is more than willing to mix business with pleasure. But convincing Edward to take a chance on a future with him? That might be the most challenging case Gray has ever taken on.

Warning: Includes buttoned-up gentlemen who become undone, improper use of a desk, spankings, and a big bad lord who has a soft spot for his virgin secretary.

Where to find Convincing the Secretary

Samhain Publishing | Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | ARe

As the dutiful fan that I am, I already have reviews for all three books! Just click on their covers bellow to access their reviews 😀

Also, being the brilliant and lovely human being that Ava is, she agreed to a quick interview!

1. First of all, I’d like to congratulate you on the latest releases and thank you for stopping by on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange! The first question is about the hottest release in town, Convincing the Secretary, third book in the London Legal series. I couldn’t help but notice that Edward and Gray were your first couple that didn’t find “the missing piece of their souls” on their relationship. I mean, comparing them to Arthur and Leopold and several other couples, they were more independent from each other. Why this sudden change of modus operandi on your character’s personalities? Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, I’m just nosy, haha!

Thanks for the congratulations, and thanks for having me on your blog, Annelise! As for Edward and Gray, I wanted to do something a bit different with the guys. I wanted them to figure out how to better themselves on their own, and I think this is why their relationship dynamic feels different than other couples from my books. Their self-improvement is intertwined with their developing relationship, but it’s also independent in a way. Their character growth then set them up to be able to resolve conflict and have a healthy relationship together.

 

2. The next question takes us back to Leopold and Arthur. On both Convincing Arthur and Convincing Leopold, it is clear that Leopold suffers with a certain mental condition. As mental illness was one of society’s taboos, Leopold isn’t able to give us more details on his condition and us readers are left in the dark. Would his suffering be due a primitive and genetically predisposed form of depression?

I don’t believe Leopold inherited a predisposition toward depression. About 50% of people who develop depression have someone in their family tree with depression, and Leopold would fall into the other 50%. His father had no experience dealing with someone with depression, given he went from calling doctors for an adolescent Leopold to giving Leopold whatever he desired in an effort to make him happy. So I’d say no one his father knew besides Leopold had dealt with it, which would include Leopold’s mother. Losing his mother early in life likely put him more at risk than the average person to develop depression.

 

3. Can we expect more books in the London Legal series?

I would say 99% chance of no more books in that series. I’m not planning a 4^th book and I don’t currently have any ideas for a 4^th book. But one never knows when/if the muse will strike.

 

4. What can you tell us about To Kiss a Thief, your next programed release?

To Kiss a Thief features Sam, who is Cavin’s younger brother from Brook Street: Thief. It takes place 6 years after Thief, when Sam is 19 years old. The book will have a bit of a new adult feel, as both Sam and his hero are ‘college age’ (though neither are at university) and both navigating their first real relationship together. Sam’s character intrigued me in Thief – a smart, perceptive, loyal kid who earned his living as a thief until Cavin got him an honest job at Lord Benjamin’s town house. I wanted to see what he’d be like when he got older. As might be inferred from the book’s title, Sam hasn’t completely put his thieving ways behind him and they get him into a spot of trouble with a curious American. Their relationship is sweet, hot and includes quite a few inappropriate questions 🙂 The novella will be available as part of a duology with Cooper Davis, and we are currently targeting a fall 2016 release.

 

5. You have two paperback published books besides the vast collection of digital books, The Bound Series and All In With The Duke, the first one in the Gambling on Love series (and a secret autographed copy of Sharp Love just waiting for the next online giveaway to put my name on it, haha!). Can we expect more paperback versions of your books to decorate our shelves? Any plans to do to Brook Street series or London Legal series the same thing that was done to The Bound Series? (Ava reunited the trilogy plus two short stories with the series characters and published one book for them all.)

My publishers hold the print rights for the Brook Street and London Legal series, so ultimately it is up to the publishers on if a print version is made available. If the print rights ever revert to me, I would release print versions like I did with the Bound series. I like having books available in as many formats as possible, to give readers options.

[Dear publishers, please release her books in paperback. Thanks]

6. From all your works, only From Afar is a paranormal romance, and one with a great potential for a sequel, if you don’t mind me saying. Do you think of writing another paranormal story in your signature Regency London setting?

I’ve thought about it. When I wrote From Afar, I found the paranormal elements very refreshing. I could make my own rules versus strictly following the rules of the Regency period. I have a concept for a sequel to From Afar, which would be set in Rome. But in the years following From Afar’s release, I was busy with other contracted books and didn’t have time to write a sequel. I also have a werewolf story outlined that’s been sitting in my book concepts folder for some time. So maybe one of these days I’ll try my hand at a paranormal again.

 

How I love this woman.

me with Ava

Anyway, thanks again for bearing with me for the interview, Ava! And bellow, you can learn more about this amazing writer that currently holds my heart but you already knew that if you’re here for a while:

Ava March is a bestselling author of sexy, emotionally intense M/M historical erotic romances. She loves writing in the Regency time period, where proper decorum is of the utmost importance, but where anything can happen behind closed doors. With over fifteen works to her credit, her books have been finalists in the Rainbow Awards and More Than Magic contest, and deemed ‘must-haves’ for Historical M/M romance by RT Book Reviews readers. Visit her website at www.AvaMarch.com to find out more about her books or to sign-up for her newsletter.

Ava’s blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

If you’re into historical gay romances, you just HAVE TO read Ava’s books ❤

That’s it, thank you so much for reading and bearing with my fangirlings 😀

Convincing Leopold, from Ava March (London Legal #2)

Hi, there! Good afternoon to you 🙂 I’d like to start this post apologizing to Ava. Convincing Leopold was re-released today, so I had promised my review for Feb. 8^th and failed miserably. I’m so so sorry 😦 But better a bit later than never 😉

As said once or twice, Ava is re-releasing the London Legal series and adding up a third book to it on 2016. Reviews for book one and book three are already available ❤ Both 5 stars, btw!

And yes, another Ava March book review, sorry not sorry, haha!

from my Instagram 🙂

The Story

Arthur couldn’t be happier with his lover, Leopold. Without the threat of coming home to an empty and cold apartment, Arthur is refreshed and working even harder than usual. Except that Leopold seems to be restless of late and just won’t let Arthur rest at all during the night… And not in a pleasant way.

Leopold couldn’t be happier with his lover, Arthur. Without the threat of losing him again to some other more respectable gentleman, Leopold is refreshed and sober as he never has been. Except that Arthur’s hours at the office seem to only increase and Arthur just hired a new secretary… And a beautiful man, nevertheless.

Will Arthur and Leopold work out their differences or prove that they weren’t ever suited at all?

The Analysis

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

I like Convincing Leopold even better than Convincing Arthur. As I mentioned on the review for book one, Leopold is one of my favorite Ava March’s males. He is so exotic, beautiful and adorable, ugh! I wanna hug him.

Ahem.

This book was a re-read and I lost count of times that I did so since buying it, so it’s another case of over analyzing something that I’m deeply familiarized with. Not a bad thing, just means that you’ll have to bear with me for a while longer, haha! This book was more dramatic than the last and left me with my heart in tiny pieces on my bedroom floor. I cried hard on the first read and, sometimes, I still do. I just can’t stand what Arthur did to Leopold. But we’ll get there. Important thing is that this book is an excellent sequel and a five stars book 🙂

The narrative in all March’s books so far is third person styled with switching points of view between the couple (a.k.a. my favorite kind), so once again we are able to see what goes on with Arthur and Leopold. And that only makes the reader’s heart more broken when they start to fall apart. You know how much they love each other and you can’t do anything to help them or assure them how perfect for each other than they are.

Honestly, you have no idea how I felt when I couldn’t show this line to Leopold:

Yet being with Thorn felt right. More than right, in fact. Thorn felt like home.

Okay, I’m okay. I think.

The plot was simple and straightforward: a couple having adjusting problems on their relationship thanks to lack of proper communication. The innovations? Arthur and Leopold are a gay couple on the Regency era, a time were you could be hanged for sodomy. And just like that, a simple plot becomes something exciting, haha! Oh, and of course that no matter the complexity of the plot if it isn’t well executed. March is my queen in plot executions ❤ (I have to say that Jacqueline E. Smith is hard competition. Maybe if Luke and Chase started a romance in Lost Souls…).

Now, let’s talk about my sweet darling Leopold. Yes, I know, there is Arthur and Jones, but they can wait, hunf. I usually like top guys best in gay couples, but Leopold just caught me hard. His subtle arrogance and insecurity did the trick, I guess. A quick quote from Arthur for you to catch my meaning:

“You do realize you are the very embodiment of temptation?”

Thorn arched a knowing brow.

Yes, of course he knew.

And Leopold is so right. #justsaying

Also, he has a condition that made me relate a lot with him. I already experienced similar crisis and there is nothing you can do besides waiting for it to pass. He said himself that two days in bed weren’t that bad and he was right. Last year, I had a break down and was abed for two weeks. I barely looked up on internet, wouldn’t personally talk to my parents or do much besides stay tucked in my bed. For two weeks, I couldn’t attend my college classes or get out of my bedroom at all. Add this to the knowledge that Arthur was a freaking selfish bastard that couldn’t bother to just be honest with Leopold and then you have all my reasons to like Leopold better, haha!

However, of course, I have to give Arthur credit. In the moment he realized how big of a mess he had made, he chased after Leopold like a blind hellhound. That was really cute. And creepy.

Once again, I was captured by March’s beautiful way of building and portraying of a relationship trying to work. Convincing Leopold is all about how communication is vital for a health commitment. And all about how perfect Leopold and Arthur are for each other ❤

To close the characters’ section, I’d like to acknowledge Jones, Leopold’s butler. His devotion and loyalty to Leopold were touching, especially on a time were employees were almost slaves on the hands of the royal and the wealth. I wanted to hug him too, haha!

As always, I can’t treat March’s sex scenes as a bonus point, as they are present on ever book that she writes please never change and they are always smoking hot. I will say this on every single review: March knows her business. I still get impressed with the overflow of feeling during her character’s most intimate moments. They may be mad at each other or just not care at all for each other, but when it comes to the bed, you feel that there is nothing outside in the world besides them and their play. This is magical. I think it’s fair enough to say that all March’s characters make love ❤

Of course, I also need to express how much I loved the new cover! I have the old edition and trust me, this one is way better ❤

Overall, this book made me laugh, made me cry and made me love Leopold even more ❤ This is one of the best sequels that I have read and I don’t think I’ll even stop re-reading this book.

That’s it, thank you for bearing with me! The best part is that you can read an excerpt of Convincing Leopold here and find the ebook on the usual places:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Samhain

iBooks

All Romance Ebooks

5 books I wish I had read before Christmas

Hello, there! Merry Christmas Eve to you! Almost official Christmas *–*

I was never that kind of person that feels the need to read books matching the time of the year. Like, I’m in the middle of Summer and I don’t think I’ll be reading a summer themed book any time soon. It’s Christmas time, I didn’t read any themed books or watched any different movies.

Usually, the end of the year is my most anticipated time of the year. You see, my parents and I live very far from anyone of our family, so the summer vacation with Christmas and New Year are our big chance to spend quality time with our loved ones. Besides, my family has some cool Christmas traditions that I love and the food is amazing, haha! So, as my real life is already wonderful during this time of the year, I never feel the need to run for a book and hide in its festivities.

However, it seems that nothing is changeless in the world. Several reasons piled up together killed my happy and nice summer vacations, along with my once cool Christmas time. Everything this year is just wrong. So, on this night of December 24^th, I regret not escaping to a place where the party would give me a happy ending.

But let’s not cry over the spilled milk, right? 🙂 So I made a list with 5 books that I wish I had been able to read before Christmas, let’s go!

5. The Captain’s Christmas Bride, by Annie Burrows

Wrong man

Lady Julia Whitney is at her wit’s end. Her perfect beau just won’t propose! But she’s struck upon a plan to ensure her marriage by Christmas. Between masquerades and mistletoe, she finds herself fully compromised by the wrong man!

Right husband?

Captain Dunbar cannot believe he’s fallen for this chit’s game! Now he must marry society miss Lady Julia with nothing to connect them other than incredible passion. But he’s about to discover that the best Christmas presents come in surprising, and delightful, packages!

4. Winter Wonderland, by Heidi Cullinan (Minnesota Christmas #3)

Finding Mr. Right can be a snow lot of fun.

Paul Jansen was the only one of his friends who wanted a relationship. Naturally, he’s the last single man standing. No gay man within a fifty-mile radius wants more than casual sex.

No one, that is, except too-young, too-twinky Kyle Parks, who sends him suggestive texts and leaves X-rated snow sculptures on his front porch.

Kyle is tired of being the town’s resident Peter Pan. He’s twenty-five, not ten, and despite his effeminate appearance, he’s nothing but the boss in bed. He’s loved Paul since forever, and this Christmas, since they’re both working on the Winter Wonderland festival, he might finally get his chance for a holiday romance.

But Paul comes with baggage. His ultra-conservative family wants him paired up with a woman, not a man with Logan’s rainbow connection. When their anti-LGBT crusade spills beyond managing Paul’s love life and threatens the holiday festival, Kyle and Paul must fight for everyone’s happily ever after, including their own.

Warning: Contains erotic snow art, toppy twinks, and super-sweet holiday moments. Best savored with a mug of hot chocolate with a dash of spice.

3. The Christmas Tree Bargain, by J.L. Langley (Ranch #3)

Christmas at The Tin Star Ranch brings means a lot of things to Jamie and Ethan. It’s a time of togetherness to celebrate the adversity they’ve overcome to be together. It’s also a time of playful bargaining.

Ethan insists on his usual ugly Christmas tree, and Jamie wants something in exchange. An early Christmas gift is the agreed-upon price, and Ethan knows he needs to make it good. Luckily, Ethan knows just what toy will satisfy The Christmas Tree Bargain.

Publisher’s Note: This is a male-male love story and contains homoerotic sex acts that may be offensive to some readers.

This would be actually a re-read and I still may do it, as it is a small ebook 🙂

2. What a Lady Needs for Christmas, by Grace Burrowes (MacGregors #4)

The Best Gifts are the Unexpected Ones…

To escape a scandal, Lady Joan Flynn flees to her family’s estate in the Scottish Highlands. She needs a husband by Christmas, or the holidays will ring in nothing but ruin.

Practical, ambitious mill owner Dante Hartwell offers to marry Joan, because a wellborn wife is his best chance of gaining access to aristocratic investors.

As Christmas—and trouble—draw nearer, Dante and Joan’s marriage of convenience blossoms into unexpected intimacy, for true love often hides beneath the most unassuming holiday wrapping…

1. Simon and the Christmas Spirit, by Bonnie Dee & Summer Devon

The holiday spirit has forsaken Simon Harris. A recent reminder of the man who used then left him sends lonely Simon on a glum visit to his club to while away a few hours. A breath of fresh air in the form of Christopher Andrews is about to enter his stale life.

Performer of many talents and faces, Christopher gained entrée into the club to win money at cards. Unfortunately, he’s losing. But the evening needn’t be a complete disappointment as he strikes up a friendship with a gentleman which ends in a bedroom.

Simon and Christopher enjoy a few hours of pleasure together, never expecting to see each other again, but Simon’s newfound resolution to change might just transform both their holidays.

I talked about this book here 😀

That’s it! Thanks for reading and sorry for laying my heart a bit on the beginning, but sometimes, we have to talk to someone, haha! And I’d love suggestions of Christmas books to read, haha!

Summertime Madness Book Tag!

Hi, there! I was tagged FOREVER ago by my friend Ellen, from the Eveningreads, to do the Summertime Madness Book Tag and I finally did it! Yay! And it is actually summertime on my country, so I guess I’m not that late, LOL! Thank you so much for the tag and for being my friend, Ellen! ❤

Let’s go:

1. Show a book with a summery cover:

Surprising Lord Jack (Duchess of Love #2), by Sally MacKenzie. I’m totally feeling the summer in this cover ❤

2. Pick one fictional place that would be the perfect destination for a summer holiday.

I thought about going with the Middle Earth on this one, but I bet it is more pleasant on Spring time, haha! So, I’ll go with Regelence, a dystopian planet created by J. L. Langley. To see all the Townsends to fall in love personally would be awesome – besides, their palace is amazing, haha!

3. You’re about to go on a flight for your summer holidays, but you want to read a book that lasts the whole flight. What Novella do you choose?

That would highly depend on the flying time, haha! If it was a 40 – 60 minute flight, as the ones I actually do during vacation, I would go with one of my tbr books like Alice’s Adventures in Underland, from DeAnna Knippling.

If it would be a very long flight with more than 4 hours, it would be Game of Thrones.

4. You have a case of summertime sadness. What happy book do you pick up to shine a smile on your face?

To be honest, any book, haha! I’m that kind of person that uses reading for everything: for a break, for happiness, for concentration, for escape of reality, for information, as a weapon… So I just keep reading the one that it’s my current read, haha!

5. You’re sitting at the beach all alone… Which fictional character would be your beach babe?

Damon Salvatore because I would have this by my side:

Someone call 911 because I am on fire LOL

6. To match your ice cream you want an icy cool sidekick! Which fictional side kick do you pick?

Hmm, that’s a tough one! I guess I would choose Kara from Finding Forever (review here!) because she is fun and flirty, two things that go very well with summer, haha!

7. Share the Summertime Happiness! Who do you TAG?

Anyone that wishes to play along! ❤

That’s it, people! Thanks for reading and this was very fun, thanks again for tagging me, Ellen! ❤

NEW BOOK ALERT: Convincing the Secretary, by Ava March!

Hi, there! If you follow the blog for a while, you may have notice that I love Ava March (by the way, you can see here all my posts related to her). This last week, Ava posted on her blog that Convincing the Secretary (London Legal, #3), already has a hot cover, a blurb, a profile at Goodreads AND A RELEASE DATE: March 8th, 2016 ❤

from Ava’s blog. THIS IS SO HOT!

 

And here’s Ava’s blurb:

Business and pleasure is a mix no gentleman should consider.

Lord Grayson Holloway goes after what he wants—be it in the law office on his clients’ behalf or in the bedchamber. His new position as partner puts him closer to achieving his goal of becoming the most successful solicitor in London. There’s just one problem—his new secretary. Broad of shoulder yet mild of manner, Edward tempts Gray like no other. Yet the young man barely notices him.

Edward Fenton tries to be a good secretary, but being in Lord Grayson’s hard, commanding presence rouses Edward’s most forbidden desires. Wicked, naughty desires no gentleman should consider giving in to, let alone with his new employer.

Gray is more than willing to mix business with pleasure. But convincing Edward to take a chance on a future with him? That might be the most challenging case Gray has ever taken on.

Warning: Includes buttoned-up gentlemen who become undone, improper use of a desk, spankings, and a big bad lord who has a soft spot for his virgin secretary.

I’M DYING, I NEED THIS BOOK NOW! And, on this post, you can see which other books you can expect from Ava in 2016!

That’s it! Thanks for reading! Are you excited about Convincing the Secretary?

The Shepherd and The Solicitor is already available! *–*

If you follow me for a while, you may have noticed that I freaking love gay historical romances and, for those that share this love, I have wonderful news!

Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon just released a new book together (I talked a bit more about their partnerships here), called The Shepherd and The Solicitor. Ok, I’m trying to stay calm, BUT OMG, I AM SO EXCITED! I can’t wait to read it *–*

Here’s the sipnoses available at Goodreads:

When a storm is brewing, taking shelter could be the most dangerous move of all.

One careless, public sign of affection cost Daniel Pierce’s lover his life at the hands of a hate-filled mob. Grief-stricken, Daniel retreated from society to a sheep farm in the wilds of the north. Years later, Gregory Tobin erupts into his solitary life.

Sent to confirm the existence—or the death—of the Pierce family’s lost heir, Tobin isn’t sure he’s found the right man. The gruff, shaggy hermit calling himself Jacob Bennet bears little resemblance to photographs of the younger Pierce. Tobin needs more time to study his quarry.

With lambing season in full swing, Daniel grudgingly admits he could use an extra hand. Through a long, exhausting night, they parry back and forth as Tobin probes closer and closer to the truth. And something beyond casual attraction simmers between them.

They come together in a crash of desire, but ultimately Daniel must overcome the terrors of the past to reconcile the man he was with the man he’s becoming—a man capable of loving again.

Warning: Many sexy encounters on a sheep farm—NO, not like THAT!—between two adult males with temperaments as different as night and day.

AWESOME, RIGHT?! If you like this genre, you can’t go wrong with Bonnie and Summer, really. The book is available in paperback and ebook version at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Kobo

All Romance

I just need it.

That’s it, thanks for reading! Do you like this genre too? ❤