Books I'm Grateful I Read - Giveaway Hop with Cathy Maxwell's THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT

Aloha!  I signed up for this giveaway hop before the recent kerfuffle ... but it is a great way to wrap up my week long focus on authors doing good.  Most authors I know appreciate readers and welcome their honest thoughts.  One such author is Cathy Maxwell.   She wrote the first romance book I read, THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT.  This Scottish Regency invited me into a new world of love, hope, and friends.   I am grateful for this experience.

Check out other stops on the giveaway hop at this link.

I offer one more excerpt from the original Colonial catfisher, Benjamin Franklin, a 16 year old boy writing letters as a middle aged widow named Silence Dogood ...

July 9, 1722 • Silence Dogood No. 8

Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech; which is the Right of every Man, as far as by it, he does not hurt or controul the Right of another: And this is the only Check it ought to suffer, and the only Bounds it ought to know.

This sacred Privilege is so essential to free Goverments, that the Security of Property, and the Freedom of Speech always go together; and in those wretched Countries where a Man cannot call his Tongue his own, he can scarce call any Thing else his own. Whoever would overthrow the Liberty of a Nation, must begin by subduing the Freeness of Speech; a Thing terrible to Publick Traytors.

Benjamin Franklin in Boston

Thank you for joining me in celebrating authors doing good.   I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash.  To enter the giveaway,

1.   What is your favorite Halloween candy?  Naturally, I "inspected" my son's bag and sampled Heath Bars - love them!

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, November 8, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, November 9.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City 

Cover Reveal - Cathy Maxwell's THE GROOM SAYS YES

It's my party and I'll reveal if I want to!  We're celebrating the fourth anniversary of SOS Aloha (link).   I am honored to host the cover reveal of Cathy Maxwell's THE GROOM SAYS YES, Book Three in The Brides of Wishmore series:

New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell delivers a dazzling new series—The Brides of Wishmore

He had a noose around his neck and a price on his head --

Sabrina Davidson, dutiful daughter, avowed spinster, thought she’d secured a place for herself in Aberfeldy society—and then her hard-earned acceptance of her fate is challenged by the arrival of Cormac Enright, trained physician, soldier of fortune, earl of Ballin and convicted felon.

A prim and proper miss was the last thing he needed--

Mac is determined to clear his name, but first he has to find the man whose testimony sentenced him to a hangman’s noose. Of course, Robert Davidson is missing and protecting him is his daughter, the most entrancing, frustrating, beguiling, stubborn woman Mac has ever met.

And it doesn’t helped that he has already tasted her kisses. Or that he has found in her a passion for life and adventure to rival his own.

Mac has turned Sabrina’s world inside out—but what will happen when he leaves?

Or will the Groom Say Yes?

Sigh.  The talented artists at Avon Romance deliver another cover that is simply breathtaking!  Are you ready for the groom to say yes?  You'll have to wait 'til the fall .... but I know fans won't be disappointed ... check out my reviews of THE BRIDE SAYS NO (link) and THE BRIDE SAYS MAYBE (link).

Thanks to Mary at BURIED UNDER ROMANCE (link) for sharing this cover reveal with me!

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Cathy and her books, check out her website at cathymaxwell.com, her Facebook at this link, and Twitter @maxwellcathy. 

Aloha to Mia Marlowe and PLAID TIDINGS - Review and Giveaway

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. - John Muir, Scottish American founder of The Sierra Club

This is an apt quote to kick off my review of Mia Marlowe's PLAID TIDINGS, Book 1 of Spirit of the Highlands:

Christmas in the Highlands...

Not any dashing English lord’s idea of a good time. But now that Lord Alexander Mallory has won a Scottish estate in a hand of cards, he is the unlikely laird of the wild, snowy Bonniebroch. Worse yet, the ancient pile of stones comes with a betrothal. To a fiery red-headed virgin. And a curse.

Alex will have his hands full honoring the first, seducing the second and breaking the third … all by Twelfth Night.

Bonnie is pretty; broch is tower.
Craigievar Castle could be Bonniebroch!

PLAID TIDINGS is one of the best books of 2013 ... 

1.  Marlowe delivers the majesty of Scotland - her customs, her people, and her landscape can't help but serve up a romantic backdrop for two unexpected lovers across different borders.

2.  PLAID TIDINGS allowed me to cuddle up for a holiday adventure.  Yet  PLAID TIDINGS is an endearing story that would be a great read anytime of the year ... including a summer fling in the Highlands!

3.  Marlowe incorporates the pageantry of the Regency Era ... Scottish Style! 

4.  Alexander is honorable yet conflicted.  Lucinda is determined but pragmatic.   As they clash with each other, the reader is treated to the Alexander's wit, Lucinda's warmth, and their ignited passion.

5.  Marlowe captures the mystique of Scotland with the spirits who interact with Alexander and Lucinda.   Their good intentions add a lighthearted paranormal element to PLAID TIDINGS.  And it is the ethereal beings who inspire Alexander and Lucinda to climb the mountains and find their good tidings!

The Highlands

I received an ARC from Marlowe for this review.  I posted this review on Amazon (link) and Goodreads (link).  I am giving away a print copy of PLAID TIDINGS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about mountains - do you have a favorite mountain?   I felt a real connection with the Wai'anae Mountains - I enjoyed the view every morning during my walk along the Pearl Harbor channel.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, October 12, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 13.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Mia and her books, including the prequel novella PLAID TO THE BONE, check out her website at miamarlowe.com.

For more kilted men, check out my pictures from the Maryland Renaissance Festival at this link and link.

Aloha to Mia Marlowe and PLAID TIDINGS

This weekend, I am meeting a friend at the Maryland Renaissance Festival (link) to see Cu Dubh:

Cu Dubh consists of musicians who have dedicated their lives to the study and performance of ancient music. David Macejka (2012 Grammy nominee), Mike McNutt and Elijah Woolcott have brought together their personal influences to create dark, orginal compositions played on the Great Highland Bagpipes and a barrage of drums from around the world. With influences from Scotland, Gaul, Galicia, Norway, Brittney, Ireland, Wales, German, India, Aradia, Africa and beyond, they call back to the ancient tribes in all of us.

It is music for the warrior in all of us. The long boat is here. The wolves are loose. The Ould Ways are back! 

Sigh.  Scotland.  

Mia Marlowe is feeding my appetite for Alba with her new Scottish Regency, PLAID TIDINGS:

Not any dashing English lord’s idea of a good time. But now that Lord Alexander Mallory has won a Scottish estate in a hand of cards, he is the unlikely laird of the wild, snowy Bonniebroch. Worse yet, the ancient pile of stones comes with a betrothal. To a fiery red-headed virgin. And a curse.

Alex will have his hands full honoring the first, seducing the second and breaking the third … all by Twelfth Night.

Read an excerpt at this link.

ORDER IT
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books a Million
IndieBound.org
BookDepository

EBOOK EDITIONS:
Amazon Kindle US
Barnes & Noble Nook
iBookstore
Kobo
AllRomance eBooks

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Mia, check out her website at miamarlowe.com.