Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Today's Special - - Maggie Robinson

Photography by Jan Delima

I'm delighted to welcome Maggie Robinson back to the Romance Dish to celebrate another book in her terrific Ladies Unlaced historical romance series.  I've been reading - and enjoying - Maggie's books since her debut but this series, with In the Arms of the Heiress, In the Heart of the Highlander and, now, The Reluctant Governess is my favorite and, I feel, her best work yet.  You can find more information about Maggie and her books at her website and connect with her online at Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Welcome, Maggie and congratulations on the release of The Reluctant Governess!




Thank you for allowing me to share this special release day at the Romance Dish! The Reluctant Governess is the twelfth historical romance I’ve had published! True, I’ve had novellas and a short story in four anthologies, but this makes a dozen full-length novels with my name on the spine, ten as Maggie Robinson and two as Margaret Rowe, my eviler alter-ego.

People always ask me how many books I’ve written, and I never come up with a snappy answer. There are three “under the bed” which will gather dust bunnies for all time because they are basically hideous, the ones waiting for their publication date, and the ones I’m always working on. So, there’s no magic number—but when I realized Governess was officially Number 12 out in the world, I thought that was worth celebrating.

Like most of my books, Nick and Eliza’s story is an opposites-attract trope. Nick is a bohemian artist who’s spent much of his adult life in France and Italy escaping the strictures of his well-to-do Scottish family, and Eliza is the quintessential good girl who works to help support her ailing widowed mother. Nick is wild; Eliza definitely is not. Here’s the back-cover blurb:


A secretary for the renowned Evensong Agency, Eliza Lawrence may have a pretty face, but she’s much prouder of her mind and her morals. When she’s pressed into temporary governess duty as a favor to her boss, she doesn’t expect to bend one bit for the rakish Nicholas Raeburn. Not even when he opens the door to her half-dressed…

Despite his bad reputation, Nicholas is a man of honor. To Nick’s way of thinking, he doesn’t need any help raising his daughter, Domenica. If only he weren’t so drawn to the meddlesome woman’s sparkling wit and uncommon beauty...

But when an act of misplaced chivalry goes seriously awry, resulting in mayhem and almost murder, Eliza becomes the only woman he can depend upon. Nick will do anything to protect his family, but who will protect him from falling in love with his reluctant governess?


Loosening up prim Eliza and straightening up naughty Nick was so much fun. The whole first chapter can be read here on my website: http://www.maggierobinson.net/books/the-reluctant-governess/

To celebrate “the dirty dozen” and “lucky thirteen” next month, I’m giving away a Kindle Fire HD to one newsletter subscriber, plus other assorted prizes to three other subscribers. You can subscribe here: 
and then enter the contest here: www.maggierobinson.net/contest 

Good luck!


Today’s prize for Romance Dish readers: a signed copy of In the Heart of the Highlander (or any book from my backlist), where Eliza makes her first appearance on the page. Just leave a comment below and tell me what dozen things you’d love to have delivered to your house. Eggs? Donuts? Men in kilts? ;)

59 comments:

  1. rose's or any flowers,I love them all

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had members of the Maine Romance Writers to my house this weekend for a retreat. One of them brought dahlias for me and my goodness they're gorgeous. I don't have any in my garden and now I'm tempted to go through the trouble. I love peonies the best, I think.

      Delete
    2. Peggy, I buy myself flowers for my dining room table just because they make me smile. :)

      Maggie, I saw the picture of those dahlias. They're beautiful!

      Delete
  2. Hello and congratulations on the new release! I don't know if the giveaway is international or not, but to answer your question, a dozen cupcakes would be great right now. Preferably with a lot of chocolate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yum, cupcakes! I could help you eat some. :)

      Delete
    2. Mmmmmm.....cupcakes! I would't mind a dozen chocolate cupcakes with sea salt caramel icing. I had some when I was in San Antonio that were beyond delicious!

      Delete
  3. Good morning, ladies! Yes, the giveaway is international. My post office absolutely loves me--sometimes I think I'm the only one keeping it afloat. I have plenty of declaration forms, Antonia!

    PJ and Andrea, thank you so much for having me here (and finding my new author pic to post...no more double chin, LOL). I'm thrilled to celebrate release day with you! Even after 12 books, I still get awfully nervous. So glad Governess is a fave!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maggie, I love your new photo. You should wear red often!

      Delete
    2. Thanks, PJ! At the retreat, Ace author Jan DeLima was kind enough to take photographs of some of us in my backyard. She cleaned me up nicely. ;)

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. Yes, I suspect a lot of women are imagining their men in kilts after watching Outlander. My husband (who's of Scottish descent) only has tartan trousers in the family plaid. Couldn't talk him into the kilt, LOL.

      Delete
    2. Oh yes, definitely men in kilts!

      Delete
  5. Hi, Maggie! Great to have you here again. I just got home but I'll be back to play once I feed the dog and take care of a few other things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fitz is here next to my desk whining. I think he wants to go out and chase squirrels. Thanks so much again for having me here!

      Delete
  6. As I'm an avid reader I'd like a dozen romances books. I haven't read any of yours so please send me 12 of your books Maggie. I did enjoy PJ's review of your latest series.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks, Laurie! I think you'd like them if you tried one! ;)

      Delete
    2. Laurie, definitely give Maggie's books a try! As I said in my intro, I especially love her current series.

      Delete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Maggie! Can't wait to read The Reluctant Governess! I love your books. I'd like a dozen pints of Ben & Jerry's please. You can't buy good icecream (as in icecream with *real* cream) here in Bolivia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooh! Cherry Garcia! Now it would be just *wrong* to have it for breakfast, wouldn't it? I'd send you some, but I don't think it would survive the trip! Thanks so much! XO

      Delete
    2. Hi Lenora! You know, I think I've only had Ben & Jerry's once or twice...ever. My current addiction is Talenti's Gelato. So delicious!

      Delete
  9. Oh so many choices! Roses, books, truffles! All things I love.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Books! The men in kilts is most tempting tho...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I said above, if it's a virtual delivery, you can have both! :)

      Delete
  11. I'll take a dozen bourbon brownies please. :)

    I agree with PJ that the Ladies Unlaced series is your best series, Maggie, although I think Andrew from Master of Sin is my favorite Maggie Robinson hero. The new series is fun and swoon-worthy, and the Edwardian setting is wonderful. I just posted my enthusiastic review of The Reluctant Governess at GoodReads and Amazon this morning. Now I can't wait to read The Unsuitable Secretary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Look in your inbox later. *bats eyes innocently* Janga, your good opinion means the world to me. XO

      Delete
    2. Bourbon brownies? Somebody has a recipe for bourbon brownies? How did I not know this!

      Delete
  12. Congratulations on the new book. I'd like a dozen chocolate chip cookies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Getting the baking bug. I haven't made chocolate chip cookies in a while.

      Delete
  13. So hard to pick - books and bottles of cabernet savignon lol. Love the sound of this story - it's my favorite genre!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I actually have 5 bottles of cabernet in my dining room. 7 more, and there's your dozen!

      Delete
    2. I'm not much of a wine drinker but add a pitcher of frozen margaritas and I'm there! :)

      Delete
  14. Congrats to Maggie on the new release! Ummm... I think I'd pick a dozen books or better yet, a dozen days off work to read!!! Thanks so much for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin, everyone should have much more vacation time. I read somewhere the US ranks about last in the industrial world for paid time off. So many people don't get vacations at all. :( Everybody needs to recharge their batteries...and read!

      Delete
    2. There are never enough reading days. I heartily endorse your choice, Erin!

      Delete
  15. Ladies unlaced rocks!!! Been awesome for my tread mill miles! I loved them all and reading this one right now. I think the dozen for me would always be books.... More than anything books.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats on the release of The Reluctant Governess! I love it whenever I get a book delivered to the house. Having a dozen delivered would be awesome! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! There aren't any close bookstores where I live, so I depend on ordering online or downloading.

      Delete
  17. What I would love to have delivered to my house are fish and chicken dinners that I can pop in the microwave or heat a short time in the oven. After six kids (all grown and in their own households now) and working fulltime until recently, I would love a rest from cooking! Mainly, I would love some free time to read more...so deliver me some free time! :-) Thanks for the interesting question and for this post. Hello Maggie...thanks for your writing! jdh2690@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so lucky--when I began to write seriously, my husband started watching the Food Network and experimenting. He made a blueberry pie today! I hardly ever cook now except for holiday meals or company.

      Delete
  18. I was ok with everything on that list until you said "men in kilts." Hold everything, that's what I want. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for visiting with us today, Maggie. Wishing you all the best with THE RELUCTANT GOVERNESS!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What would I do with a dozen men in kilts!!! The mind boggles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We stayed at a Scottish hotel once where there was a wedding and EVERYONE was wearing kilts. It *was* mindboggling, LOL.

      Delete
  21. Dinner from a personal chef.... but if I can't get that --- men in kilts is always a winner!

    on a side note, when living in married student housing at an agricultural school --- we had dairy delivery to our doorstep!! Milk, cheese, icecream.... awesome!! back in the mid 1970's...

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh, we had a Schwan's (sp?) delivery for a time. The peach pies!

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a great set-up for your plot - sounds amazing!
    My choice: a dozen puppies. (I'd keep two and the rest would get loving homes).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A dozen puppies! Is there anything sweeter? :)

      Delete
  24. fresh flowers are always lovely to receive, and much better for my waistline than getting a dozen cupcakes - tho a combination of the two would put a big smile on my face!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I must have forgotten to post my comment last night.
    I already have my man in a kilt, and couldn't handle a dozen. I'd like to have a dozen round trip tickets delivered to my house for the trips my husband and I would like to take - Scotland, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Southeast Asia.

    This sounds like an interesting series. Nice to switch up the usual time period and get out of Regency England. It gives a bit more freedom to the female characters.

    ReplyDelete