Friday, January 27, 2012

Aloha to Victoria Alexander and MY WICKED LITTLE LIES


Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage. 
 ~Catherine Douzel

Victoria Alexander is like a cup of tea - warming, comforting, and fulfilling.  Today's post explores my love affair with Victoria Alexander's books.

First book I read from Victoria Alexander:  THE HUSBAND LIST (at this link).  It introduced me to Victoria's humor and her entertaining Effington Family.



Favorite book before her recent release:  THE LADY IN QUESTION (at this link).     Favorite passage from this book (contains spoiler):

"Calm? You wish me to be calm! Bloody hell, my housekeeper just killed my husband! I've married my butler, and all of my servants are spies! Spies! " Fury shot from her eyes. "I shall never be calm again."



My husband's favorite book from Victoria:  THE PRINCE'S BRIDE (at this link).   He read it while waiting for me - he chuckled at the heroine's reluctance to wear glasses!



Entertaining meal with Victoria:  At the 2011 RT Booklovers' Convention - from my blog (at this link).

Cathy Maxwell and I joined Victoria Alexander for lunch. The home baked cookies were literally "hot" items which disappeared quickly from the buffet. We mentioned it to a passing sous chef who delivered a tray just out of the oven for us ... talk about personal service! Victoria shared tidbits about her upcoming books ... I can hardly kiss and tell. But I did squeal with glee (and so will you).

Dressed as a Saucy Siren

And one of those books was MY WICKED LITTLE LIES - available January 31:

Evelyn Hadley-Attwater has it all—a genteel Victoria life replete with loving husband, ball gowns and elegant parties. No one, including the man she married, suspects that she was once “Eve”, a spy for England’s most enigmatic intelligence agency. Summoned for one final assignment, the excitement of her former life and memories of her mysterious, flirtatious boss “Sir” prove too tempting . . .

Adrian Hadley Attwater is a respectable, dignified gentleman. But even the most proper gentlemen have secrets of their own. Secrets from the rest of the world, from their families, from their wives. Secrets that have a price. Now, as the veil of secrecy frays, a tantalizing game of cat and mouse will test the bounds of unfailing love . . .



You can read my thoughts on MY WICKED LITTLE LIES on Goodreads at this link.   I am giving away a print copy of MY WICKED LITTLE LIES to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  What do you enjoy for an afternoon treat - tea or coffee?  sweet or salty?

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 28, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 29.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

The Langham
london.langhamhotels.com

To learn more about Victoria, check out her website at this link.

To learn more about Sinful Family Secrets series, check out Victoria's interview with  Helena, the Dowager Countess of Waterston, at this link.   Naturally, Victoria served tea.

To reserve your room at the The Langham, use this link  (I recommend Room 327).  For afternoon tea, use this link.

Afternoon tea at The Langham
londonhotelsinsight.com




36 comments:

  1. An afternoon treat includes coffee(iced coffee if it's summertime) and maybe a donut or some continental cookies.

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  2. Hi Alloha Kim :). I love milk tea as my afternoon tea. Hmmm n maybe many sweet cookies n tarts to eat along withmy teas I heard so many good things about Victoria Alexander n read many wonderful review about her. I Personally never read her books before but she is in my TBR list this year:). Cheers aretha_zhen@yahoo.com

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  3. I love having an afternoon tea. Friends and I used to all the time but things change. bummer.

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  4. Depending on how I'm feeling that day I like a nice cup of tea in the afternoon. If I've just come in from the cold -- than a nice cup of hot chocolate.

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  5. Aloha, Kim! :) I love having afternoon tea/coffee. It's the one point in the day I need a little boost, and what better way to indulge oneself than with tea (or coffee for me) and some sort of delicate sweet cake?

    So glad you talked about Victoria Alexander today. She is one of my ultimate faves! Mahalo. :)

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  6. i'm prefer tea then coffee because i got bad effect after drinking coffee, couldn't sleep and also coffee is not good for my stomach ;(

    i love sweet then salty ;)

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  7. Afternoon break used to be a hot cup of Tetley British tea watching Oprah -- now I often miss it because I no longer have that routine.

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  8. My afternoon treat everyday is always a couple of cups of English tea, together with a lovely selection of Cadbury's chocolate biscuits. I try to stay as traditional as possible being as I'm from England.

    I have to say how much I always enjoy Victoria's books. Congratulations to her on her upcoming release.

    dpd333 (at) aol dot com

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  9. What a fun post! I'd have to say that I love coffee, but I can't drink it in the afternoon since it'll keep me up, so a nice tea with cream and sugar. Pair that with a good sweet cookie and I'm all set :)

    I haven't had the chance to read this author, but she is definitely recommended by everyone! Thanks for the chance!

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  10. I love tea either hot or cold. I do like my tea sweet though. I do like treats, especially chessecake. That is my weakness. This book looks great, love Victoria's books. Thanks for the chance to win.
    christinebails@yahoo.com

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  11. I drink my coffee in the morning and hot/cold tea in the afternooon/evening along with some kind of snack.

    Victoria is a new author for me.

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  12. I love Victoria Alexander's books. She won me over with her wonderful Effington series. I picked them all up about 2 years ago and read them back to back. Loved it.

    I like to have a nice glass of iced tea or a lemonade with an orange scone for an afternoon treat.

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  13. Oh how I adore VA 's books they are just too wonderful ! A nice cup of coffee and some pretzels (yes I know those do not really match ) but it works for me as a afternoon treat !

    Mahalo
    Desere

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  14. A great afternoon treat for me would be Diet Coke and something sweet. Wicked Little Lies sounds like a good read. Thanks for a fun column.

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  15. I'm a coffee and tea drinker. I switch between the two during the day and in the afternoon I would rather have something sweet than salty.

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  16. Tea or Hot Chocolate on a colder day, and a nice cold coca-cola on a warm day!

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  17. I just came back to my desk with a cup of coffee lol. Freshly brewed and black. Sometimes it's a cup of tea. Later in the day or with dinner it will be a glass of red wine!

    I have not read her before, but I am sure her books would be something I would enjoy!

    catslady

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  18. An afternoon treat for me is a Diet Pepsi----nothing to eat.

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  19. My afternoon treat would either be a soda or iced tea (sweet of course). My snacks I typically like to be salty (either crackers or chips)

    I love Victoria's books! I have not read them all but really need to finish getting them because they are so great.

    ~June

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  20. I always drink iced tea but if I want a treat I will have a nice cup of Earl Grey. I used to go to London a few times a year and I really fell in love with their afternoon teas. I love the ritual of it. Of course I love the finger sandwiches, scones and petite fours too. I need to find a hotel or restaurant here that serves afternoon tea. It's a lovely tradition.

    geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com

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  21. My afternoon treat would be coffee.

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  22. Many afternoons at work I will have tea--Lady Grey, Darjeeling, Lemon Jasmine. On the weekends, in the afternoon, I might add a scone. I have a pumpkin chocolate chip one in the kitchen right now!

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  23. I enjoy something sweet with tea in the afternoons. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  24. I can't drink coffee so I'm a tea drinker. I love iced chai tea thats my fav. or just a cup of hot Earl Grey is good. I have a swee tooth so anything chocolate is a treat for me. Sometimes I might enjoy a bowl of pretzels. Better yet chocolate covered pretzels! Thanks for sharing with us!

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  25. I tend to drink my tea in the morning, unless it was bitterly cold on my way back to the office after lunch. I am definitely in the sweet corner - I have 28 very sweet teeth!

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  26. I tend to drink soda more than anything else but I do occasionally enjoy a nice cuppa tea with cream and honey. My snack tends to be buttered popcorn or more recently macadamian/milk chocolate cookies! Thanks for sharing, all of the titles sounded interesting.

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  27. For Afternoon Tea I do enjoy a cup of tea & something sweet like a home-made biscuit.

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  28. I mostly drink coffee, at any time of day, but I do drink tea occasionally. I don't like sugar in either and my tea has to be strong, not just coloured water. I like shortbread with my tea or chocolate of any kind with my coffee.

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  29. I don't drink coffee & am not much of a tea drinker so I'll have to go with hot chocolate :) & sweet beats salty 9 out of 10 times I'd say ;) I've only read a couple of Victoria's books but did enjoy them & this one sounds interesting too.

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  30. I do enjoy tea with something sweet like a muffin.

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  31. I love hot tea (from green to special blends) and a sweet most of the time but sometimes I want a little salty with my tea (usually in warmer weather). I drink a lot of water and very seldom drink soda's. Thanks for the opportunity to enter giveaway.

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  32. I've never had a real high tea, but if my husband and I are having tea in the afternoon, it's usually accompanied by something sweet.

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  33. I would love to experience high tea. I love tea or coffee. Being from the south, I was raised on Sweet Tea often only found here. Sweet tea is a must for me.

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  34. I love Victoria's books. She reminds me of such a Grand lady. :) I only drink coffee first thing in the morning but a nice cup of English or Irish breakfast tea in the afternoon with a good read is perfect. Thanks for this chance.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  36. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, so some afternoon tea sounds good to me!

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