The Reading Frenzy: **GIVEAWAY** Interview with Janna MacGregor -Bad Luck Bride

Oh all you historical romance fans out there have I got a treat for you, not only is debut author Janna gracing this page today chatting about her debut novel and debut to a great new series, but her publisher St. Martin's Press is sponsoring a book giveaway too, details below.
Here's a review by my friend and fellow blogger Anna of Herding Cats and Burning Soup.
Don't you just love the title. Well without further ado
Janna the floor is yours!

ISBN-13: 9781250116123
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Series: Cavensham Heiresses Series #1
Release Date: 05-02-2017
Length: 352pp
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound

Overview:

All were shocked at the announcement of the “cursed” Lady Claire Cavensham to Lord Alexander Hallworth, the Marquess of Pembrooke, especially since she is already engaged to another unfortunate Lord. Perhaps she will make it to the altar this time with one of these fine gentlemen! —Midnight Cryer

No one is left breathless at the imperious pronouncement of her engagement to Lord Pembrooke more than Claire. She hardly knows the dangerously outrageous man! But after three engagements gone awry and a fourth going up in glorious flames, she isn’t in a position to refuse...

Alexander requires the hand of his enemy’s fiancée in marriage in order to complete his plans for revenge. It’s his good fortune that the “cursed” woman is desperate. However, what begins as a sham turns into something scandalously deeper...

St. Martin's Press is offering one print copy US ONLY of
Bad Luck Bride
Please use the Rafflecopter form below to enter
Good Luck!!

Read an excerpt courtesy St. Martin's Press:

Chapter One

January 1811

Dorchester

The raw wind pounded every inch of Alexander’s body and lashed at what little remained of his compassion. As Marquess of Pembrooke, Alex had fought for years to cultivate the fine art of patience. Today proved that to have been a waste of time.

He should have ignored the lessons of forbearance and studied the intricacies of inflicting vengeance. Never again would he take for granted the epithet of “friend”—not when friend meant betrayer. The barren, snow-packed field was a perfect stage for a duel. Mere feet separated him from Lord Paul Barstowe, the man who had destroyed his family.

Alex’s bay stallion edged closer to Lord Paul’s white gelding. From this distance, the weather-roughened face of Lord Paul, the second son of the Duke of Southart, failed to mar Alex’s childhood memories. In their youth they’d been inseparable. They’d witnessed each other’s milestones. They’d celebrated each other’s successes and suffered through the failures. Their friendship should have lasted until their deaths. Instead, it died instantly when Alex found his sister’s letter explaining her suicide.

“Alice is dead.” The bay stomped and blew out a breath of steam. By rote, Alex stilled the beast with a soft pat. Nothing good would come from delay. His eyes burned. The north wind’s fury strengthened, but he refused to turn away. “I buried her two days ago.”

Lord Paul tilted his head and flexed his gloved fingers. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Alex attributed the numbness that had invaded his body to grief and the weeklong bitter cold. He pushed the misery aside and subdued the anger that nipped at his sanity. Even if his pursuit of justice caused his own blood to stain the snow, the sacrifice would bring some peace. Bile took refuge in his throat. He dismissed it with a hard swallow.

Alice Aubrey Hallworth, his youngest sister, lay in the Pembrooke family crypt. A week ago, she’d laughed and charmed the entire family at dinner. When they’d finished the evening meal, she had excused herself, then taken a tonic before bed.

She never woke.

Now, there was nothing left but Lord Paul. How one so dissolute could ruin one so young was a question Alex would never understand. He drew a gulp of air in a desperate attempt to keep his pain buried deep inside.

Alex tightened the reins. “She was carrying your child.”

In the distance, a disturbance arose, upsetting the desolate, snow-encrusted field. From the west, a man upon a black horse raced across the icy stretch of open land. Time was of the essence. Lord Paul had to agree to the duel before Nicholas St. Mauer, the Earl of Somerton, arrived. It had been a mistake to tell Somerton his plan.

“How do you know the child was mine?” Lord Paul’s voice rose in defiance.

“She left a note and told me not to blame you. But now, all those times I encountered you both together during the fall hunting party and the holidays—” The words and memories made Alex physically sick; the nausea churned in his belly. “She was happy. I thought it all above suspicion.”

Alex waited for Lord Paul to show some remorse, even if only to ask if Alice had suffered. As the silence lengthened, the weight of the two flintlock pistols in his pockets offered the only comfort he’d accept this day.

By this time, Somerton had closed the distance by half. Clouds of snow rose from the ground, the peace disrupted by the horse’s churning hooves.

“How unfortunate for all.” Lord Paul squinted toward the rider.

“Indeed.” Alex leaned forward as his entire body tensed. He fought the desire to reach inside his jacket for one of the pistols. Instead, he coaxed his horse to stand within inches of Lord Paul’s white gelding. “Do me the simple courtesy of looking at me.”

Lord Paul made no move in his direction.

The unrelenting need to hear the man’s betrayal and remorse firsthand spurred Alex to continue. “How could you seduce Alice, then abandon her like a piece of refuse on the street? How could you leave her with child?”

“I don’t suppose telling you I had nothing to do with it will change our situation.” Lord Paul finally looked at Alex. “She pursued me—”

“Damn you.” Alex’s voice rang out like a shot across the empty field. “Why didn’t you stay with her? You should have done the honorable thing and married her.”

As the last words faded, Lord Paul’s face paled. “Careful, Pembrooke. Don’t rush to a judgment you’ll regret.”

“We’ll settle it, here and now.” Before Alex uttered the rest of the challenge, the Earl of Somerton arrived on horseback and came to an abrupt stop.

Lord Paul held his hand away from his face to block the swirl of snow that engulfed him at the arrival of the earl.

Somerton brought his mount forward to separate the two men and their horses. The earl’s jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. “Pembrooke, enough!”

“Dashing entrance, Somerton.” Lord Paul’s smile was pure provocation. “Come to save him? Too late. Your friend is well on his way to hell in a handcart.”

“You’d best leave.” Somerton’s voice thickened with emotion. “Now.”

Alex refused to acknowledge the interruption. Lord Paul was his sole concern. “You will pay for your treachery tonight.” He cared nothing about facing a trial in the House of Lords for killing the man in a duel of honor.

Somerton blocked Alex’s view and reached for the horse’s bridle. “Pembrooke.” The timbre of his friend’s voice turned mellow and even, as if trying to tame a wild animal. “Alex, come on, old man.”

Whatever he had done in the past to deserve Somerton’s loyalty was a curse today. In one tug of the reins, Alex coaxed the horse away from the earl’s grasp. “No. I will finish this one way or the other.” Resolved to deliver a day of reckoning for Lord Paul’s deception, he turned to face him. “We don’t need the luxury of surgeons or seconds.”

Somerton moved his horse forward and demanded, “Lord Paul, leave.” The snowfall stopped as if on command as the earl raised his hand to slap the hindquarters of the white gelding.

“Somerton, stay out of this!” Alex’s outcry caused a flutter of movement in the nearby trees as several birds fled.

Before the earl dropped his hand, the horse bolted. Lord Paul fled into the nearby woods and the oncoming night.

Alex reached with his right hand and grasped the handle of a pistol. As he pulled the heavy weight from his pocket, his conscience made a spontaneous and regrettable appearance. He bit off an oath, then slowly released his hold.

The fallen snow had deadened every sound except the subtle creaking of Somerton’s leather saddle as he shifted his weight. Alex’s grief, still raw, scored his every breath, his every thought, his every hope of future happiness.

He would not live this way. He’d find another way to force Lord Paul to atone for his sins. Memories of Alice, once bright and clear, were now stained a dirty umber.

Sleet replaced the snow. Raising his face to the gray sky, Alex embraced the razor-sharp pelt of ice against his skin. When he became accustomed to the stinging pain, he broke the silence in a steady voice. “I will take everything from him. I do not care the cost or sacrifice. Everything he holds dear will be mine.”

Janna Hi. Congratulations on releasing your debut novel, The Bad Luck Bride.
Tell my readers a bit about it.

First, let me say thank you for inviting me. I’m tickled to be here and always love to talk about romance.

In The Bad Luck Bride, Lady Claire Cavensham believes she’s cursed. Unfortunately, she may be right as she lost three previous fiancés to death, disease or dismemberment. London society has a heyday as they declare her misfortune The Lady Claire Curse. When her fourth fiancé bows out minutes before the official announcement, she’s on the brink of complete ruin. Like the proverbial knight in shining armor, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, makes a very public but romantic announcement that he and Claire are engaged. What he fails to divulge is that he’s responsible for her broken betrothal as he exacts revenge for his sister’s death.

After a whirlwind courtship, their marriage of convenience looks to become real as the couple can’t resist one another. Soon, Alex learns his revenge was misplaced, and Claire discovers the real reason Alex married her. All her dreams for happiness collapse into a heap of doubt. The result is a couple who must fight their own insecurities and misperceptions to find their hearts’ desires.

The promo for the book says it's the first in a series.
How are the novels connected and are there a set number of books?

The Cavensham Heiresses series centers on strong family ties and the trials and tribulations of finding true love that the adult niece and the adult children of the powerful Duke and Duchess of Langham must face. The first story is about the duke and duchess’s niece, Lady Claire Cavensham. The second is about their daughter, Lady Emma Cavensham. The third is about their oldest son and the duke’s heir, The Marquess of McCalpin.

Janna will you share with my readers your road to becoming a romance author please.

Great question! I’ve always been a voracious reader of romance, but when my children were little, I had little extra time for such extravagance. Soon, they were headed to college, and I started reading my old love, Regency romances again. Lucky for me, I found a world of new authors. In 2013, I attended the Romantic Times Convention in Kansas City and attended a plotting class with Cherry Adair. Within the month, I had the bones of The Bad Luck Bride. I joined several Romance Writers of America chapters and started to hone my craft. Once I felt the story was ready, I started entering contests and getting requests for submissions. Soon thereafter, I found my wonderful agent who pitched the series to St. Martin’s Press, and the rest is history.

Being a first time author is an exciting yet anxious time.
Does the praise you’ve gotten from Eloisa James, Sabrina Jeffries and Cathy Maxwell make it a little less so?

I’m so fortunate to have the support of these lovely and talented authors. It proves what a great community we all share in our love of romance. These three have been such an inspiration to me as I’ve made this journey to publication. Not only do I learn about storytelling when I read their works, but whenever I have the opportunity to chat with any of them, they’re so generous with their time and advice. Yet, I have to admit that there is always trepidation when you put yourself out there-particularly with your first novel.

Janna we’re practically neighbors and since my beloved Cardinals play for the National League I’m okay with rooting for the Royals and since a team we shall not name left St. Louis for Sunny So Cal I am now an official Chiefs fan.
Are you a rabid sports fan like me?

Deb, you’re my type of woman. So glad you’re a Chiefs fan. But my heart belongs to baseball. For over sixteen years, I’ve been a season ticket holder for the Royals, but the first MLB team I fell in love with-totally head over heels-was the Redbirds. My mom is still a loyal fan. It’s funny how things work out. Both my agent and editor are huge Mets fans and neither held it against me when the Royals beat the Mets in the 2015 World Series! They signed me anyway. Here’s a secret for you and your readers-I’m such a huge baseball fan that I always name a character after a favorite baseball player.

Your bio says you have Triplets, wow I imagine that makes for a busy household! My aunt had identical twins that I occasionally babysat for and to this day cannot tell them apart unless I see them with their spouses or kids.
Are your babies identical?

Well, my babies are adults now, but they’re all fraternal. Yet, you can definitely tell they’re siblings. When folks ask about raising three babies at once, I honestly say I don’t remember much about their first year. Both my husband and I walked around like zombies, completely sleep deprived. Now, when the triplets come home, it’s lovely and the house is filled with laughter. In many ways, I attribute my author’s journey to them. They all left home at the same time. Suddenly, I found myself in a Florida airport crying my eyes out after I dropped my son off at college. I picked up Eloisa James’ A Midnight Kiss and fell in love romance novels all over again.

Janna when does book number two come out and can you spill a little beans about it?

My pleasure! The Bride Who Got Lucky comes out October 31, 2017 and features Lady Emma Cavensham and Nicholas St. Mauer, the Earl of Somerton. At the end of The Bad Luck Bride, Emma is banished to the family’s ancestral home for nearly causing a scandal over her quest to secure a rare book. Somerton saves her from ruin, but keeps her from securing her prize. Little do these two know, but their paths will continue to meet over and over!

Lady Emma is a fierce defender of women and their individual freedom. When her best friend dies at the hand of her husband, Emma will risk all to bring the murderer to justice. Nick serves a very demanding mistress, his work. But when Emma travels to Portsmouth to secure a witness to the murder, Nick drops everything to find her. When he and Emma are discovered together at an inn, they’re forced to marry. Their worlds collide, and it’s rough seas ahead for the couple as they try to find common ground. Someone has to give, but neither are willing. Soon their passion turns into something more powerful than either one of them ever thought possible. Their individual beliefs are tested when they must choose between love and their personal convictions.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Good luck with the new book. Will you be touring at all with the release?

What a fun question to answer! I’m currently at the Romantic Times Convention in Atlanta signing books during release week. On May 13, I’ll be signing at the Zona Rosa Barnes and Noble in Kansas City, Missouri. In July, I’ll be attending the Romance Writer’s Conference in Orlando and signing at their Literacy Festival. In October, I’ll attend the Historical Romance Reader’s Conference in Spokane, Washington! Please, I love to meet new people, so I beg your readers to introduce themselves! We can talk romance!

Connect with Janna - Website - Facebook - Twitter

MEET Janna:Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs. She loves to hear from readers. The Bad Luck Bride is her first novel