Wedding Matilda by Heather Hiestand (VBB, excerpt, GIVEAWAY) GFT

Wedding Matilda

by Heather Hiestand

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BLURB:

Sugared violets, buttercream…but he craves her kiss most of all…

Orphaned as a boy, Ewan Hales is proud to make his living as secretary to the manager at Redcake’s Tea Shop. But the startling news that he’s heir to the Earl of Fitzwalter changes everything. While tendering his resignation to lovely Matilda Redcake, however, Ewan is struck by her spirit, the luscious bow of her lips—and a realization. Matilda might not marry a working man—but will she wed a future nobleman?

Ewan’s unruly hair and roguish kisses are tempting, but Matilda has far too many problems to consider romance. With sabotage at a cake factory threatening the family empire, she must focus her considerable willpower on keeping Redcake’s from ruin—until she learns that her young son has been kidnapped. Together, she and Ewan must uncover the truth before they can savor the sweet freedom of love…

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EXCERPT

Matilda saw the fingers of Ewan’s left hand were stained with ink and about to touch his trousers.

“Don’t do that!” She rushed forward without thinking and took his arm by the wrist. With her free hand she whipped a handkerchief from her coat pocket and wrapped it around his inky fingers.

He stared at her, his eyes widening, but the tilt of his lips had turned into a full grin. “Miss Redcake?”

She looked at his face, then at the wrist she held. Her cheeks warmed. “My goodness, I am so sorry.”

He squinted at her until she released his hand, so he could wipe away the ink as best he could. “Motherly instinct?”

She laced her fingers together behind her back in order to remind herself not to touch him. “I am afraid so. Jacob is fascinated by pens, and we have had some spectacular accidents. Please forgive me.”

He shook his head. “Not at all. It was an endearing impulse.”

His smile entranced her: a little crooked, a lot rakish. She felt like some trembling waitress, hoping to be courted by the great Ewan Hales, rather than his business superior. How charismatic he was when he showed his true self. Neither of them spoke until he gave a little shake of his head.

Buy links:

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 Heather Hiestand was born in Illinois, but her family migrated west before she started school. Since then she has claimed Washington State as home, except for a few years in California. She wrote her first story at age seven and went on to major in creative writing at the University of Washington. Her first published fiction was a mystery short story, but since then it has been all about the many flavors of romance. Heather’s first published romance short story was set in the Victorian period, and she continues to return, fascinated by the rapid changes of the nineteenth century. The author of many novels, novellas, and short stories, she has achieved best-seller status at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. With her husband and son, she makes her home in a small town and supposedly works out of her tiny office, though she mostly writes in her easy chair in the living room.

For more information, visit Heather’s website. Heather loves to hear from readers! Her email is heather@heatherhiestand.com.

Social media:

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Pinterest

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here


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And, on a different note, there's a great collection of excerpts and prizes this week at the TRS End of Summer Bash
(and, yes, if you have a chance, I am very proud of my authors Stanalei Fletcher (Proving Ground) and Mitzi Poole Bridges (Wounded at the Lake), so I would love it if you went by and said hi to them!

Holidays and Historical Romances at Kensington (Spotlight and GIVEAWAY) TBT

Win Print/iBook Bundle of ALL Six Holiday Romances

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SEASON FOR DESIRE
Theresa Romain
Holiday Pleasures # 4
Released Oct 7th, 2014
Zebra/Kensington

PROPERLY WICKED

Like her four sisters, Lady Audrina Bradleigh is expected to marry a duke, lead fashion, and behave with propriety. Consequently, Audrina pursues mischief with gusto, attending scandalous parties and indulging in illicit affairs. But when an erstwhile lover threatens to ruin her reputation, Audrina has no choice but to find a respectable husband at once.

Who would guess that her search would lead her to Giles Rutherford, a blunt-spoken American on a treasure hunt of his own? When a Christmas snowstorm strands the pair at a country inn, more secrets are traded than gifts—along with kisses that require no mistletoe—and Audrina discovers even proper gentlemen have their wicked side…

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Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest. Please visit her at http://theresaromain.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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ONCE UPON A PLAID

Mia Marlowe
Spirit of the Highlands # 2 

Released Oct 7th, 2014

Zebra

A wife may be courted, too…

Many would count Katherine Douglas fortunate indeed. Laird William Douglas is broad-shouldered, gentle-handed, everything a lass could dream. But after four years of marriage, Katherine still knows little of what goes on in his heart. And she has yet to bear him an heir. The distance between them is too great—and so she flees over the snowy highlands to Glengarry Castle, home of her childhood, to set her husband free.

But William won’t let his wife slip away without a fight. Before long, he’s at her father’s threshold himself, witness to the rumbles of discontent in Glengarry, the bright joy of Yuletide at a family hearth, and the hidden needs of his own beloved…

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Mia Marlowe learned much of what she knows about storytelling from singing. A classically trained soprano, she devised back stories to prepare for operatic roles. Since she’s worn a real corset, and had to sing high C’s in one, she empathizes with the trials of her fictional heroines. But in Mia’s stories, they don’t die in a Parisian garret. They get to live and keep the hero! Mia loves history, art, music and travel. Especially travel. Good thing, since she’s lived in 9 different states and is embarrassed to admit she’s lost track of how many times she’s been to Europe. She regards her frequent moves as vacations on which she drags along all her stuff. Currently, she and her DH make their home in New England.

 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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MADELEINE'S CHRISTMAS WISH

Ella Quinn

The Marriage Game # 5.5

Released Oct 27th, 2014

eKensingston 

The bachelors in Ella Quinn’s Marriage Game series make a habit of resisting the irresistible. But during the season for giving, surrendering to temptation may be the greatest gift of all…

A French spy, Georges, Marquis Cruzy-le-Châtel, has lived in England for years, sacrificing his life for his country—but not his heart. For he’s never been able to forget his childhood friend, Madeleine. And now, in her hour of need, he is there to rescue her…

The victim of a ruthless statesman, Madeleine, Comtesse du Beaune, has been abducted and sent to England to work in a brothel. Her greatest wish is to return home for Christmas, and her only hope of it is to marry Georges—though she will be his wife in name alone. Yet as they steal across the snowy countryside, Georges decides to woo her—with kisses that melt the winter’s frost and leave her longing for a holiday miracle…

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Ella Quinn lived all over the United States, the Pacific, Canada, England and Europe before finally discovering the Caribbean. She lives in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands with her wonderful husband, three bossy cats and loveable great date. Fans can find out more at www.ellaquinnauthor.wordpress.com

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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AN OATH TAKEN 
Diana Cosby
The Oath Trilogy # 1
Released Dec 8th, 2014
eKensington

A man of honor. A woman of spirit.

As the new castellan, Sir Nicholas Beringar has the daunting task of rebuilding Ravenmoor Castle on the Scottish border and gaining the trust of the locals—one of whom wastes no time in trying to rob him. Instead of punishing the boy, Nicholas decides to make him his squire. Little does he know the thieving young lad is really…a lady.

Lady Elizabet Armstrong had donned a disguise in an attempt to free her brother from Ravenmoor’s dungeons. Although intimidated by the confident Englishman with his well-honed muscles and beguiling eyes, she cannot refuse his offer.

Nicholas senses that his new squire is not what he seems. His gentle attempts to break through the boy’s defenses leave Elizabet powerless to stem the desire that engulfs her. And when the truth is exposed, she’ll have to trust in Nicholas’s honor to help her people—and to surrender to his touch…

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Diana Cosby, a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, owes her passion for writing to a gypsy childhood of living, traveling and experiencing various cultures throughout the world. An avid romance reader her entire life, it was an easy decision to begin writing after her career as a meteorologist. Diana is married to Bob, the hero of her life, a naval officer with over 22 years of service, including a tour in Iraq. She is blessed with three loving children: Eric, Stephanie and Christopher, and enjoys the company of her dog, Duncan Trevor MacGregor, and two cats, Bad and Brat. She’s a member of various romance writing organizations and presents writing workshops for her local writing chapters.

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

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CHRISTMAS AT THORNCLIFF TOWERS

Marina Myles

The Cursed Princes # 3.5

Released Nov 24th, 2014

eKensington 

THE WEREWOLF’S SERVANT

Thorncliff Towers is done up for Christmas, secure against wind and wolves. But Karina Petri is shut out, too, and the gypsy witch wants what’s inside. She envies the gifts, the feast, the pretty clothes, of course. But her true desire is for the love of Constantin Stoica. Her smolderingly handsome childhood friend agreed to serve Lord Draven after his brother was caught stealing last year. He suspects Karina was involved—and it would take more magic than she possesses to make him forgive…

Constantin has always been drawn to Karina’s dark curls, flashing eyes, and reckless ways. But trusting her has proven dangerous before, and this night holds more to fear than most. The wrong decisions could cost him his job, his safety—even his life. But letting Karina go could cost him his heart…

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Although Marina Myles lives under the sunny skies of Arizona, she would reside in a historic manor house in foggy England if she had her way. Her love of books began as soon as she read her first fairy tale and eventually led to a degree in English Literature. Now, with her loyal Maltese close by, she relishes the hours she gets to escape into worlds filled with fiery—but not easily attained—love affairs. She’s busy being a wife, a mother, and a member of Romance Writers of America, but she is never too busy to hear from her amazing readers. Visit her at www.marinamyles.com.

Website | Facebook |Twitter | Goodreads

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CHRISTMAS DELIGHTS

Heather Hiestand

The Redcakes # 5

Released Nov 1st, 2014

Kensington

The sweetest gift is the hardest to unwrap…

Lady Victoria Allen-Hill never dreamed she’d be a widow at twenty-one—let alone a virgin. Her father insists that she attend a matchmaking house party in the snow-covered seaside town of Pevensey in hopes she’ll find a suitable husband. But for Victoria, it’s an opportunity to indulge in a passionate affair—and the handsome inventor she meets at the Christmas Eve masquerade ball may be just the man for the job…

Lewis Noble is the cousin of London’s famed Redcake sisters, so it almost stands to reason that he’s just as irresistible as one of their sugar-iced pastries. Lewis catches the eye of every woman at the party—but Victoria is the only one who catches his. He won’t be tied down in her father’s business, but watching other men court her amid a flurry of engagements ignites a jealousy he’s never felt before. A dose of honesty may be just the thing to mend their broken hearts—for many holidays to come…

Buy Now

Amazon | Barnes | iBooks | Kobo

Heather Hiestand was born in Illinois but her family migrated west before she started school. Since then she has claimed Washington State as home, except for a few years in California. She wrote her first story at age seven and went on to major in creative writing at the University of Washington. Her first published fiction was a mystery short story, but since then it has been all about the many flavors of romance. Heather’s first published romance short story was set in the Victorian period and she continues to return, fascinated by the rapid changes of the nineteenth century. The author of many novels, novellas and short stories, she makes her home in a small town with her husband and son and supposedly works out of her tiny office, though she mostly writes in her easy chair in the living room.

For more information, visit Heather’s website at www.heatherhiestand.com. Heather loves to hear from readers! Her email is heather@heatherhiestand.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Marquess of Cake (Spotlight, review and GIVEAWAY)

                                         

About Marquess of Cake:

Scotch trifle fit for Queen Victoria, scones with clotted cream…Alys Redcake knows the way to a man’s heart. Yet she is unaware that with each morsel—and flash of ankle—she is seducing the handsome marquess frequenting her father’s tea shop. Unmarried at twenty-six, Alys’s first love is the family business. But thoughts of the gentleman’s touch are driving her to distraction…

With his weakness for sugar, the Marquess of Hatbrook can imagine no more desirable woman than one scented with cake and spice. Mistaking Alys for a mere waitress, he has no doubt she would make a most delicious mistress. And when he finds himself in need of an heir, he plans to make her his convenient bride. Yet as they satisfy their craving for one another, business and pleasure suddenly collide. Will Hatbrook’s passion for sweets—and for Alys—be his heart’s undoing?
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Excerpt from the ARC (pp. 14-16):
(to give you a 'taste' of Alys and her sisters)

“It was about time Mother hired us a dressmaker,” Rose
Redcake opined loudly from her pose in front of a floor-length mirror as Alys dashed into the shared dressing room.

Their other sister, Matilda, nodded from her perch on a rich red velvet sofa.
 
Rose continued, twisting her thick locks into a knot at the top of her head. “Father must allow us to dress for our new position in society.”
 
Their father had been spending a great deal of money lately, and not just on their mother. He had bought this Georgian house on St. James’s Square just two years ago from an earl. Last week, he’d purchased a country estate in Sussex, a parcel of property the Duke of Devonshire had been discarding. Alys found this purchase worrisome. She couldn’t understand why her father would buy a home so far away from his industrial base in Bristol, the mills and baking factories that had made him wealthy. The Tea Shop and Emporium she adored was merely the diamond in his crown.

“The shops are lovely here,” Matilda argued. “I’ve found the most beautiful dresses at Liberty and Co.”
 
“Ready-made,” Rose sniffed. “Machine lace.”
 
“Eighteen and already a snob,” Alys sighed, dropping onto a padded ottoman next to her youngest sister.
 
“Please change out of that uniform before you leave Redcake’s,” Rose said. “You look like a maid.”
 
Alys looked down at her sensible dress with affection. One of the best perks of holding a position was wearing comfortable clothing much of the time. “At least I don’t have to lace my corset so tightly that I risk swooning, unlike some young ladies I know.”
 
“One must suffer for fashion,” Rose wheezed.
 
The discussion was cut short by their mother’s entrance, along with a short, stout dressmaker and her two frightened-looking assistants.
 
“The girls need reception gowns for an affair at Buckingham Palace.” Ellen Redcake floated her left hand next to her cheek, as graceful as any dancer.
 
“Sensible,” Alys said. “Something we can wear again, in our regular lives.”
 
“Silk,” Matilda insisted.

“Fit for the Palace.” Rose made a grand gesture with her pinky pointed.
 
“Everyone at this investiture is on the rise,” their mother said. 

“Who knows who you might meet there?”
 
“I know what I would like,” Matilda said.
 
“No pink, Matilda,” their mother said. “It clashes with your hair.”
 
“But I love pink,” Matilda cried.
 
“No man will find you attractive in pink. You’re twenty-one now, dear, it’s time to be careful.” She raised a hand. “Alys, twenty-six isn’t too old to wed.”
 
“I don’t want a husband,” Alys muttered. Her mother could even dangle that handsome marquess from Redcake’s in front of her and she’d still say no.
 
“All women want husbands. You simply require a very special man.” She tilted her head into a dreamy pose.
 
Alys focused on the dressmaker, hoping she could be measured first. She had a new idea for a wedding cake decoration she was dying to experiment with before a wedding consultation the next day.
 
Unfortunately, the dress discussion went on for hours, as Matilda wanted romance, Rose wanted something fit for a duke’s daughter, and Alys wanted something severely tailored.







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My review:

The Marquess of Cake by Heather Hiestand is a fun historical romance that reflects the exciting changes that occurred during the Industrial Revolution as it follows the adventures of a couple of families which become entwined as Michael Shield, Marquess of Hatbrook, pursues his love of sweets and becomes acquainted with the Redcake family.  Alys Redcake has trouble becoming reconciled to the change in her family’s status when her father is knighted, especially when it means that she will be barred from creating more of her wondrous cake creations which have helped make her family’s progressive Tea Shop and Emporium so popular.  She and Michael enter into an arrangement under somewhat strained circumstances but discover that they will have to re-evaluate their goals if they are ever going to be as successful in love as they have been in business.

This intriguing historical romance offers a different perspective of life in England as the addition of mechanized inventions changes the Victorian world.  The rigid class lines are altered and the upheaval that this causes is touched upon as one family rapidly changes in status but I was a bit disappointed in the shallow natures depicted for Alys’ sisters and the unwitting damage that is caused by their father’s embracing his family’s rise in society.  I found the allusions to diabetes and gall bladder issues to be an interesting addition to the story and look forward to reading more about the clever inventions being developed by Alys’ cousin.  There are multiple dangling threads which hopefully will tie in to the next book in the series and I look forward to discovering new ways the world is improved even as I fear for the revelation of even more dark secrets which seem to be part of these tales.  I thought that this was a refreshing look at a rapidly changing society and look forward to reading more tales by this author.

(submitted to Night Owl Reviews
a copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review)


Links:

Goodreads

The Marquess of Cake (Amazon)
IndieBound

B&N

Heather's blog

Twitter

And, the sequel is due out December 5:   One Taste of Scandal 

                                 

One Taste of Scandal (Amazon link)

GIVEAWAY:

An eBook copy of Marquess of Cake open to U.S. residents only.  Please leave a comment with a valid e-mail address and tell us what your favorite type of cake (or other dessert) is.  Winner will be chosen by Random.org after November 23, 2013.


Other tour stops:


November 08: Never Too Fond of Books
November 11: Zemfirka Blogs
November 13: Peace Love Books
November 14: Romantic Historical Lovers