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ISBN-13: 9781250121738
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: 5-1-2018
Length: 368pp
Playful Brides #9
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: 5-1-2018
Length: 368pp
Playful Brides #9
Buy It: Amazon/B&N/Kobo/IndieBound
Overview:
First comes love, then comes marriage. Unless it’s the other way around. . . General Mark Grimaldi has sacrificed everything for his military career, working his way through the ranks without the benefit of a nobleman’s title. Now, his years of dedication are about to pay off—with an offer for a prestigious promotion to Home Secretary. There’s only one condition: Mark must be married. Aside from the small matter of not actually wanting to be wed, Mark faces another troubling problem: he already has a wife.
Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has spent ten contented years in France without her husband—and without regret. When Mark asks her to return to London and play the part of his beloved wife, she sees her chance. But neither of them is prepared for news that will throw Mark’s future into chaos…nor the undeniable desire they’ve rekindled. Maybe happily-ever-after can happen the second time around in A Duke Like No Other, the next Regency romance from Valerie Bowman.
St. Martin's Press is offering
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A Duke Like No Other
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Read an excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
London, July 1818
“You may have your promotion, Grim, on one condition, and I’m afraid it’s a condition you’re not going to like.”
His booted foot propped over the opposite knee, General Mark Grimaldi sat across the desk from Lord Allen, the minister of the Home Office. The older, bald man was Mark’s superior and one of the most influential politicians in the country.
Mark had been waiting for this day for what felt like his entire life. The adult part of his life, at any rate.
His breeches were smartly pressed. His shirt was perfectly starched. His cravat was expertly tied. His boots were shined to a glow, and he had a smile on his face. He was four-and-thirty years old. He’d worked his arse off, risked his life on numerous occasions, and given up nearly everything, all in the name of service to His Majesty. For the love of God. He’d nearly died for this promotion.
Condition? Who cared about a blasted condition? There was nothing the minister could say that would stop Mark. He would become the Home Secretary, the head of the Home Office, or die trying.
Mark tugged impatiently at his cuff. “Out with it. There’s no condition I won’t accept.”
The minister stood. He folded his hands behind his back and walked slowly around to the other side of the desk where he towered over Mark, who remained seated. The minister cleared his throat. “Lord Tottenham doesn’t want a secretary who is a bachelor. He wants someone settled.”
Tottenham ran the Home Office. He was Lord Allen’s superior. Tottenham would be the one who made the final decision as to who the new secretary would be.
Grimaldi narrowed his eyes on the minister. “What do you mean, settled?” But he already knew. The pit in his stomach told him.
“A family man,” the minister intoned. “You must take a wife.”
A wife? The word hit Mark like a bullet to the chest. He was entirely self-made. By choice. By highly calculated choice. Now he’d set his sights on becoming the Secretary of the Home Office. Failure wasn’t possible. A wife wasn’t about to keep him from it.
He clenched and unclenched his fist by his side. By God, the irony. The unmitigated irony. He’d given his life to his work. No ties. No regrets. He’d given up everything including a social life and now, now they were asking for him to take a wife? Politics could be both brutal and cruel. Today it was downright laughable.
“There is only one problem with my taking a wife,” Mark intoned.
“What’s that?” the minister asked, moving back around the desk to resume his seat.
This was it. The moment of truth. The time to admit to something he hadn’t admitted to in years. A humorless smile twitched his lips. “I’m already married.”
Valerie hi, and welcome back to the blog
Tell us a bit about A Duke Like No Other.
Hi! Thanks for having me today! A Duke Like No Other is a tale of reunited lovers (my favorite!) featuring a hero who needs his estranged wife to come back and pretend to be a part of a happy couple so he can get his promotion, and a heroine who agrees because she wants a baby. (Hijinks and hotness ensue, of course.)
Tell us a bit about A Duke Like No Other.
Hi! Thanks for having me today! A Duke Like No Other is a tale of reunited lovers (my favorite!) featuring a hero who needs his estranged wife to come back and pretend to be a part of a happy couple so he can get his promotion, and a heroine who agrees because she wants a baby. (Hijinks and hotness ensue, of course.)
In the novel Mark and Nicole are already married.
Well that’s a clever storyline. What made you marry them first?
This book is #9 in my Playful Brides series and the hero, Mark Grimaldi, was in another one of the books. He’s sort of mysterious with a cloudy past. When it came time to write his book I thought, “Who would his heroine be?” and it occurred to me that he was already married. He just hadn’t seen his wife in ten years. Then I thought about why and the story line took off from there.
Well that’s a clever storyline. What made you marry them first?
This book is #9 in my Playful Brides series and the hero, Mark Grimaldi, was in another one of the books. He’s sort of mysterious with a cloudy past. When it came time to write his book I thought, “Who would his heroine be?” and it occurred to me that he was already married. He just hadn’t seen his wife in ten years. Then I thought about why and the story line took off from there.
Valerie, wow A Duke Like No Other is number 9 in your
Playful Brides series.
For my readers who don’t know tell us how the series connects, who exactly are the playful brides?
The Playful Brides stories are Regency romances that are based on famous plays like Cyrano de Bergerac, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Philadelphia Story to name a few.
For my readers who don’t know tell us how the series connects, who exactly are the playful brides?
The Playful Brides stories are Regency romances that are based on famous plays like Cyrano de Bergerac, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Philadelphia Story to name a few.
When you start a series do you know the longevity of
it from the start or does it usually have a mind of its own?
My first series, The Secret Brides, was set at three from the start. Playful Brides started out as three but definitely had a mind of its own. The series will be complete next spring with book #11, which I’m about to begin writing.
My first series, The Secret Brides, was set at three from the start. Playful Brides started out as three but definitely had a mind of its own. The series will be complete next spring with book #11, which I’m about to begin writing.
Valerie the last time you visited you said you were
writing a contemporary romance.
How is that coming and can we expect it out soon?
I have had the most fun writing a contemporary. It’s so freeing to be able to use ANY WORD I WANT! I’m still working on the concept and voice, so no pub date yet.
How is that coming and can we expect it out soon?
I have had the most fun writing a contemporary. It’s so freeing to be able to use ANY WORD I WANT! I’m still working on the concept and voice, so no pub date yet.
We know you love to write historical romance but if
time travel were possible would you chuck the 21st Century for a
Rogue of your own?
I’d visit Regency England in a heartbeat (I have so many questions!), but I wouldn’t want to stay there. I like air conditioning too much.
I’d visit Regency England in a heartbeat (I have so many questions!), but I wouldn’t want to stay there. I like air conditioning too much.
I know you tour with your books.
What’s the strangest thing that ever happened to you on tour?
I was at a signing in a Barnes and Noble in Dallas last year and a girl who looked like she was about thirteen walked by and pointed at my book and said to her friends, “I loved that book! ”and kept walking. I definitely was reading sexy romance at that age but now that I’m an adult and on the author side of the table I was like, “Oh, God. Am I going to get arrested?”
What’s the strangest thing that ever happened to you on tour?
I was at a signing in a Barnes and Noble in Dallas last year and a girl who looked like she was about thirteen walked by and pointed at my book and said to her friends, “I loved that book! ”and kept walking. I definitely was reading sexy romance at that age but now that I’m an adult and on the author side of the table I was like, “Oh, God. Am I going to get arrested?”
Thanks Valerie for stopping by and saying Hi.
Good luck with your new Playful Bride.
Where can fans do a meet and greet in the near future?
Thanks so much! This year I’m going to be in Denver, CO for the Romance Writers of America Literacy Autographing on Saturday, July 21, 2018 and I’ll be in Orlando, FL at Romance Wine and Books on Friday, August 31, 2018. You can find details on my website at www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com.
Good luck with your new Playful Bride.
Where can fans do a meet and greet in the near future?
Thanks so much! This year I’m going to be in Denver, CO for the Romance Writers of America Literacy Autographing on Saturday, July 21, 2018 and I’ll be in Orlando, FL at Romance Wine and Books on Friday, August 31, 2018. You can find details on my website at www.ValerieBowmanBooks.com.
Have a great day!
Available Now
Coming in November 2018
Valerie Bowman grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her mini-schnauzers, Huckleberry and Violet. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS.
Valerie is the author of the Playful Brides series, including The Untamed Earl and Never Trust a Pirate.
Oh my gosh the 13 year old, that is hilarious! I wonder if she stole it from her mom? ;)
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview and thanks for the giveaway!
I wonder too ;-) my and ST. Martin's Press's pleasure Ali!
DeleteInteresting blurb
ReplyDeleteYes but par for the course in a historical romance.
DeleteWhen I was between 11 and 13, I use to steal historical romances from under my mother's bed and read them by flashlight!
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you turned out like you did LOL ;-)
DeleteYou naughty girl
That sounds interesting. Not really my genre but the excerpt was good.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary
DeleteOhhh I want to know why they are estranged now! And how it all works our, ok I know it will but not how :D
ReplyDeletewell it is a romance but I bet their trip to HEA is a bumpy one ;-)
DeleteThanks for this captivating novel which I would enjoy.
ReplyDeletegood luck
DeleteI loved the interview and the thirteen year old girls comment is hilarious! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThe interview is great and this sounds so good too. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteI love the sound of her novels too!
DeleteI'm not generally a historical reader, but this one has definitely piqued my interest!! Thanks for sharing this book with us!
ReplyDeleteHi Scarlet thanks for stopping by. I'm not usually a fan either but a few including her have made me want to try it again. Yes this is not your mother's historical romance :)
Deleteindeed, good luck!
ReplyDelete