Thursday, August 21, 2014

Today's Special - - Anna Campbell Blog Tour




What a Duke Dares
Sons of Sin Series - Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: August 26, 2014 




Camden Rothermere, Duke of Sedgemoor has spent most of his life trying to overcome the scandals caused by his late parents, most particularly the scandal of his birth.  His parents, by all accounts, married for love and it's the love and passion of that union that Cam holds responsible for the betrayal and scandal that followed.  Deciding early on to hold himself apart from fiery emotion, Cam becomes a pattern card of propriety and decides passion and, most importantly, love will have no place in his life.  This leads him to the decision to propose marriage to Penelope Thorne, his neighbor and younger sister of his best friend, a nineteen year old girl he's known since birth. True, Pen has always had the rebellious Thorne nature and tendency to get herself into scrapes but she's young. He can teach her how to be a proper duchess.  (poor deluded man actually tells her that) Most importantly, he knows these things to be true: he likes her but she's unlikely to ever drive him mad with desire, she knows him and won't expect more than he's willing to give, unlike his mother, she will never be the type of woman who makes men stupid with her beauty and innate sensuality, she will never fall in love with him nor demand his love in return and she will happily jump at the chance to be a duchess.  He's wrong on all counts.

Nine years later...

For the past nine years, Penelope Thorne has traveled the continent with her aunt and done her best to put Camden Rothermere and his failed marriage proposal behind her.  It's not that she didn't love Cam; in fact, she loved him too much which was why she refused to saddle him with her family's scandals and refused to subject herself to the misery of a lifetime with a man who could never love her. So when Cam fulfills her brother's dying wish to track Pen down in Italy and escort her home to England...well, let's just say that Pen's welcome is not exactly warm and fuzzy.

In order to avoid scandal, Cam and Pen pose as a married couple as they journey across the continent on their way to England.  The desire between them simmers under the surface but the problems of a decade earlier have not changed and new obstacles stand in their way.  Pen still refuses to marry for less than love and Cam has his heart tightly under lock and key but while crossing the English Channel, fate decides to take charge. When circumstances beyond their control force an unwanted decision upon them will Cam open his heart at last or will they be consigned to a life of misery?

I have thoroughly enjoyed each of the books in Anna Campbell's Sons of Sin historical romance series but this one, I think, is my favorite. After all, it is the book that kept me awake past 2:00 am when I had to get up early the next morning. Once I began reading, it simply refused to let go.

While the characters of this series may not be as dark and tormented as those in her previous books, they are no less complex. Campbell excels in bringing a depth of character to Pen and Cam that drew me into their story and held me in thrall from beginning to end. There are so many layers to their relationship and their journeys, both individually and as a couple. There is more to each of them than what they show to the world and Campbell expertly guides them on a journey of discovery and acceptance, of one another as well as of themselves.  Their road is not an easy one but, ultimately, it's the potholes and obstacles along the way that bring the characters - and reader - to a soul-satisfying conclusion.

Fans of the series will enjoy the inclusion of main characters from the previous books but readers new to the series will be able to start with What a Duke Dares without feeling lost.  Campbell has assembled a secondary cast that enriches the story and helps to move the plot forward, including a secondary romance between Pen's younger brother and the younger sister of the Marquess of Leath (fans will remember him from A Rake's Midnight Kiss).  There were times when I felt this secondary romance detracted from Pen and Cam's story a bit but, in the end, it served a very important purpose in their relationship.  I don't know if Campbell has anything planned for Leath but I'd like to put my request in now.  After a pivotal scene near the end of the book, I'm hopeful he will get his own story. The man needs redemption!

I highly recommend What a Duke Dares!

~PJ


Do you enjoy seeing a by-the-book hero brought to his knees by a strong, independent heroine? 

Do you like books that redeem less than honorable heroes from previous books?  Any favorites?

Are you reading Anna Campbell's Sons of Sin series?  

In her bio, Anna says she love to travel, especially in the UK.  Where would you like to travel?

Don't forget to enter the Blog Tour Rafflecopter Giveaway below.  



a Rafflecopter giveaway



Always a voracious reader, ANNA CAMPBELL decided when she was a child that she wanted to be a writer. Once she discovered the wonderful world of romance novels, she knew exactly what she wanted to write. Anna has won numerous awards for her Avon historical romances including Romantic TimesReviewers Choice, the Booksellers Best, the Golden Quill, the Heart of Excellence, the Aspen Gold and the Australian Romance Readers Association's most popular historical romance (twice). Her books have twice been nominated for Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA Award and twice for Australia's Romantic Book of the Year.

When she's not writing passionate, intense stories featuring gorgeous Regency heroes and the women who are their destiny, Anna loves to travel, especially in the United Kingdom, and listen to all kinds of music. She lives near the sea on the east coast of Australia, where she's losing her battle with an overgrown subtropical garden.




What woman in her right mind would say no to marrying the dashing Duke of Sedgemoor? Miss Penelope Thorne, that's who. She's known Camden Rothermere since they were children-and she also knows she'd bring nothing but scandal to his name.

Cam can hardly believe Penelope turned down his proposal. But if she wants to run off to the Continent and set the rumor mill ablaze, he can't stop her. Then her brother's dying request sends him to bring home the one woman he thought he'd finally gotten over.

The only way they'll both get back to London without their reputations in tatters is to pretend they're married during the journey. That means kissing like they mean it and even sharing a bed-until it becomes hard to tell where the game ends and true desire begins . . .


32 comments:

  1. I love your books I am a big fan of yours

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    1. Thanks so much, Peggy. I'm just delighted with that wonderful review.

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  2. Hi Anna! I love your books. I love to see a hero brought to his knees by a heroine. I like to see less than honorable heroes redeemed from previous books. I haven't read any of Your Sons of Sin series yet. I would love to travel to Scotland, Wales, and Australia.

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    1. Hi Cathy! Great choice of travel destinations. Thanks for saying you love the books and good luck!

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    2. Cathy, you have some wonderful reading ahead!

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  3. PJ, absolutely beside myself with that lovely review. Thank you so much! And never fear, Lord Leath gets his chance at a happily ever after in the next book A SCOUNDREL BY MIDNIGHT which will be out first half of next year!

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    1. That review pretty much wrote itself, Anna. I really did love this book. So glad to hear Leath will get a story. Can't wait to see what you do with him!

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  4. I CANNOT wait for this book. I have pre ordered, glommed every review, all spoilers and yes, even attempted to bribe some folks. This series is THAT GOOD. I am so curious about our Duke. I did prepare for this release by re reading the rest of the series and then decided to continue my glomming of your work by downloading some very older work. I am finding your writing stimulating and very fun. I love the suspense factors, the characters....admittedly some I want to slam on the side of the head (with love of course) and your feisty heroines. Then to add to the joy, your side characters, the secondary, which is a word I do not understand, hold their own and are so wonderful. PJ introduced me to you and I have loved every single minute of your work!!!!!

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    1. Hope, thank you so much! I'm absolutely delighted that my sinful sons have prompted you to explore some of the other books! And that you're enjoying them so much. That's wonderful! Good luck in the draw!!!

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  5. Yes and yes to the first two questions. I've not started this series as yet but hope to soon. I loved traveling. My husband and I didn't start our family for 15 years so we traveled whenever we were able and I really miss seeing new sights. There are so many countries I would still like to visit - Scotland and Australia and Sicily are the top 3 on my list! And such a lovely cover!!!

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    1. Sue, definitely come down to Australia. We'd love to see you!

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  6. The series is on my to read list. I just need more time to read!

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  7. Oh, this sounds DELICIOUS! Must find!

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  8. I never miss an Anna Campbell book. I not only have read the other Sons of Sin books but all the earlier books as well. After reading PJ's review and RT's raves in their Top Pick, I am especially eager to read this one. Redemption stories are among my favorites, another reason that WADD will go in my to-be-read-immediately queue.

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    1. Thanks so much, Janga. I think this one's my favorite in the series so far - hope you enjoy meeting my duke or the dude as we fondly call him out of earshot!

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  9. there's not much more fun than seeing that straight as arrow, by the book, pain in the neck ;) hero getting turned inside out & upside down by the heroine & love ;) sounds great.

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    1. Ha ha, Gamistress, this sounds like it might be your sort of book, then! :-)

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  10. Whatever hero you write about in your books, I love him, Anna. That's the truth. I don't have a favorite. I "dig" them all! I think your writing is that good. And I would love to go back to the British Isles once again to see the places I was unable to see before during the Summer of 1986. We spent a good amount of time in London, four days in Southern and Central Scotland, two days in Wales and three days in Ireland. It was an exchange program whereby we lived in someone else's house (in Wigan, England) and used their car...and they came to California and lived in our home and used our car...for two months. It was fabulous. But, of course, we did not see all of England or a lot in Scotland, Wales or Ireland. Not near enough. :-) Thanks for your question and this post. jdh2690@gmail.com

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    1. Janice, what a wonderful experience! I will make it over there someday. I'm determined. :)

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    2. Janice, what a wonderful experience. I know people who have done the house swap thing and it's worked really well for them. I was there in 1985 and 1986 - we could have crossed paths! Thank you for saying such lovely things about the books!!!

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  11. Super enjoying the Sons of Sin series!!! And of course I love redeemed heroes~ Who doesn't?
    And surprise surprise!!! I'm going to London in September!!! So I'm super excited because that's one place I've been dreaming to visit and I'm going to be traveling with a group and with fellow HR author Diane Gaston, sweet right! :D

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    1. Ki, that's fabulous. You'll have a wonderful time in London and Diane's lovely. And she really knows her history so she'll give you lots of interesting tidbits. So glad you're enjoying the Sons of Sin!

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  12. Anna Campbell always has wonderful characters and story lines that keep us hooked until the end. It is always nice to see a hero have to work to get the woman he deserves. I have not yet started this series, but am getting it ready to read when the last book is out. One of the reasons I enjoy series is to revisit characters from previous books and see how they have grown. Seeing a character from a different viewpoint often allows one you may not have cared for be better understood and sometimes redeemed.
    I love to travel. When my husband retires, we have two big trips we are planning. One will be to Scotland, Ireland, and England (and maybe Europe) and the other across Canada to Alaska. I hope the finances will allow them. Australia and New Zealand would be wonderful to visit, but my pocketbook won't stretch that far.

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    1. Oh, Pat, sorry we won't see you in Australia in the near future. The two trips sound lovely. Hope you enjoy my Sons of Sin! There's one more book to come (at this stage), A Scoundrel By Moonlight next April.

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  13. Congratulations on the new release. Yes; I do like books that redeem a less than honorable hero from a prior book. Lisa Kleypas has successfully done this in a few of her novels.

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    1. Kim, actually he's not precisely dishonourable - he's just in a state about someone he loves (his sister) which I think is perfectly understandable. He really didn't take a lot of redeeming! :-)

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  14. Thanks so much for hosting my blog tour, girls! See you for my next review on 24th Sept! x

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