Today's Special - Lila DiPasqua

I am thrilled to have Lila DiPasqua with us today. It's hard to believe it has only been 4 months since I first heard about Lila. I read her debut novel, AWAKENED BY A KISS, in July just before meeting her at the RWA Conference in Orlando. Blown away by this new voice in historical romance, I was immediately enchanted by this sweet woman. If you couldn't tell by my review of Lila's latest release, THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED, (which you can read here), then I must tell you that I absolutely LOVED it. Lila's writing more than deserves the 5-star reviews I have given both of her books. Please give a warm welcome to this fabulous author and, more importantly, to one of my newest friends . . . Lila DiPasqua.

~ Buffie


That’s so twisted! ….by Lila DiPasqua

Okay, did that heading grab your attention? :) For those who don’t know me, I write wicked and witty historical romance for Penguin/Berkley. Second in my Fiery Tales series, THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED (Berkley Sensation) has just been released. Is it twisted, you ask?

Not the way you think.

In THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED I’ve taken three classic fairy tales and have given them my own romantic, sexy twists. ;) The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling, and The Princess and the Pea, have been renamed and retold---quite scandalously---in “The Marquis’ New Clothes”, “The Lovely Duckling,” and “The Princess and the Pea”.

Yes, dearest readers, you get one historical romance novel with three hot historical bad boys:

Adam de Vey, Marquis de Nattes (The Marquis’ New Clothes)

Joseph d’Alumbert, son of the Duc de Vernant (The Lovely Duckling)

Mathias de Tesson, Marquis de Montfort (The Princess and the Diamonds)


These carnally gifted men, gentle readers, will do more than seduce the objects of their desire. They will also steal their hearts….and in the process, lose their own!

No scrimping on a good romance in these three tales. Oh, no. I wouldn’t hear of it! I offer up a serving of three delicious rakes, three smart, strong heroines and equal parts romance and steam in each sensuous, passionate love story in THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED!

So how exactly did I take these fairy tales and give them my own unique spin?

Well, in the original fairy tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes, two individuals are out to dupe a wealthy man (the Emperor). That’s the basis of the tale. And that’s what I took to shape The Marquis’ New Clothes. You see, Adam de Vey very smart and very sexy—tall, dark and oh so wickedly handsome—and he loves the finer things in life; he has a penchant for expensive clothes and beautiful women. And an abundance of both!

It isn’t going to be easy for Aimee to help her cousin retrieve the important ring she accidentally dropped in Adam’s pocket. Aimee is going to have to seduce this master of seduction in order to get close enough to search his pockets and locate the ring. She doesn’t know that Adam has been infatuated with her (okay, more than a mere infatuation… *smiles*) for years. She’s also unaware that he has a seduction planned of his very own! ;)

I love a good underdog story and the tale of The Ugly Ducking is just that! I wanted to write a story where my heroine was made to feel ugly all her life and blossoms into a swan—thanks to the healing power of love.

In The Lovely Duckling, I didn’t take a heroine who just needed some dressing up. Emilie de Sarron was burned in a fire as an infant. She’s put up with horrible taunts and cruel names. All her life. Worse, at her introduction into society, she was horribly teased and publicly humiliated—the hero, Joseph, regrettably a part of this fiasco. It was the final straw. For ten years, Emilie withdrew from society. Now she’s back and she’s determined to grab a bit bliss—albeit strictly physical. Believing love and marriage are unattainable, she’s convinced that at least a physical encounter is doable. How? Well, she’s going to use the anonymity of a masquerade—orgiastic—ball in order to find a willing lover, and indulge. She never expected that the very man she gives herself to is none other than Joseph.

Finally, we have The Princess and the Pea. What a fun fairy tale to twist! First, I nixed the food. When my hero and heroine are in bed, I don’t want the reader thinking about the spoiling veggies under the mattress.

Then I took the basis of the story: A princess who can’t sleep at night because there is something hard in her bed. And…well….Yup, you know I went there. *winks* What was hard in her bed and causing the poor princess to lose sleep, you ask? There are a couple things, actually—the Marquis on it…and, oh yeah, diamonds! The ones she stole from the palace and shoves under her mattress for safekeeping.

Her half-brother has gambled away his fortune at the Basset tables—a card game recently banned by the King. Knowing she has skill at the game, she dons male attire and is intent on using the royal diamonds to gamble with. If only the gorgeous man seated across from her didn’t see through her disguise! If only he wasn’t so stirring to her senses and utterly irresistible!

If only she knew he was a spy working for the Crown, his mission to enforce the ban the King has placed on the card game and see to the arrest of those who dare to play it.

As for our hero, Mathias, Marquis de Montfort, he has no idea that the woman he has thoroughly and deliciously debauched is none other than the King’s own daughter.

Let the games begin! *smiles*



QUESTION: If you were casting a fairy tale film, who would you pick to play the role of the wickedly delicious Prince Charming?

One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of AWAKENED BY A KISS or THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED---winner’s choice!

GIVEAWAY OPEN WORLDWIDE.


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THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED, A Fiery Tales Collection By Lila DiPasqua Historical RomanceBerkley (Sensation)
ISBN: 978-0425237007 OUT NOW!

Inspired by “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Ugly Duckling, and “The Princess and the Pea,” Lila DiPasqua spins three sexy tales that give new meaning to the term bedtime story…

The Marquis’ New Clothes: To save her cousin, Aimee de Miran must retrieve a jeweled ring from the most sinfully seductive man at court, the Marquis de Nattes. But to search his considerable wardrobe she’ll have to get very close to the notorious rake…and soon she finds herself very close to him indeed, with his clothes—and hers—utterly forgotten…

The Lovely Duckling: Reputed for his carnal skills, Joseph d’Alumbert prefers amorous encounters without emotional entanglement—until a quick-witted lady stirs tender feelings and hot desire. Emilie de Sarron suffered burns to her body as an infant, and keeps her scars—and her heart—well hidden. But Joseph is determined to peel away her inhibitions, one slow steamy kiss at a time, to reveal the beautiful swan inside…

The Princess and the Diamonds: Princess Gabrielle can’t sleep at night. There is something hard in her bed. No, not just the stolen diamonds tucked under her mattress, but the handsome Marquis on it….whose carnal talents she can’t resist. But he threatens her secret mission, and worse, she stands to lose far more than the diamonds---her heart is at stake….

“…Strong-minded heroines you can relate to, breathtaking carnally gifted male leads…DiPasqua writes with a comfortable elegance and grace, and in turn, crafts a sexy collection that readers will love.” – Fresh Fiction.

“Ripe with steamy affairs, these lusty stories are hot enough to warm the coldest winter night.” – Publishers Weekly

Read an excerpt of THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED

Read an excerpt of AWAKENED BY A KISS

About the Author:

Lila DiPasqua writes wicked & witty historical romance for Penguin/Berkley. She lives with her real-life hero husband and three children and is a firm believer in the happily-ever-after. She loves history and enjoys traveling. She has been to four continents so far. Her novels, AWAKENED BY A KISS, and THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED are featured in Doubleday as well as Rhapsody Book Clubs. To learn more about Lila and her books, visit http://www.liladipasqua.com/

Review -- The Princess in His Bed

The Princess in His Bed
by Lila DiPasqua
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: November 2, 2010








The Princess in His Bed is the second installment in the Fiery Tales collection by Lila DiPasqua and includes three stories. As I stated in my review of Awakened by a Kiss, the first installment in the Fiery Tales collection, Lila has taken the classic fairy tales of your childhood and transformed those beloved tales into sensual stories the adult woman in you will find satisfying and refreshing. And as much as I enjoyed Awakened by a Kiss, this installment is even better! Yes, these Fiery Tales just keep getting better and better.


The Marquis’s New Clothes. Thanks to the carelessness of her cousin who has lost a valuable jeweled ring, widow Aimee de Miran must now cozy up to a known libertine in order to locate the ring. Though the Marquis de Nattes is one of the most seductive men at court, Aimee detests the very thought of him. Adam de Vey is as beautiful as sin and a master at seduction, but is completely faithless. Just like her late husband. But Aimee’s love for her cousin is stronger than her dislike of Adam, so she bites her tongue and proceeds to show interest in him. Adam de Vey is shocked when his late friend’s wife shows him the slightest bit of interest. He has loved and adored Aimee from afar for many years. Now that she is interested, Adam begins to show her that the pleasures in the bedroom can (and should) be shared by both parties involved. As the two share days and nights together, their bonds of passion soon multiply to genuine feelings of love and happiness.

“Destiny may have caused their paths to cross that summer.

But it was their love that made their tale romantic, repeated through the realm.

And ensured their happily ever after.”


The Lovely Duckling. Burned badly as a baby and driven into seclusion by taunts and ridicule ten years ago, spinster Emile de Sarron has decided her aunt’s week long masquerade, which is known for its decadent diversions, is the perfect place for her to experience passion for the very first time. As everyone attending will be wearing a mask, no one will know she is even there. Well, no one but Vincent d’Alumbert, the man she has been corresponding with for several months and the only man she told she would be attending. Thankful for the companionship and their frank discussions of passion, though only by letters, Emile is anxious to finally see Vincent. Joseph d’Alumbert cannot believe that Emile has arrived at the Comtesse de Saint-Arnaud’s country estate for a week of debauchery. Ten years ago, Joseph attended a party where several men taunted Emile about her burns and thus her unmarriageable status. Driven by the need to see how she has being doing, Joseph began writing to Emile several months ago. But he signed all of the letters in his twin brother’s name – Vincent. Enjoying the correspondence between each other, Joseph has slowly fallen for Emile. And this week of masked debauchery is just the time to show Emile that she is a woman full of passion and one he desires, even with her scars.

“Facing him were her scars, covering her back, and down the backs of her arms to her elbows. Pink to dark red blotchy skin. Thick. And raised. And uneven. And horrible to behold.

Not having the courage to turn back around to see his reaction, she waited for him to speak, her insides quivering.

She felt his lips against her shoulder first. She lurched. He slipped his arm around her waist and bent her forward, her palms bracing against the mattress. Kiss after kiss was pressed against her back as he slowly made his way down her spine. Tears welled in her eyes and fell onto the bed. She was stunned, so moved, she couldn’t believe what he was doing.

He straightened, leaned over her, and near her ear he repeated, “I just see beauty.”


The Princess and the Diamonds. Mathias Paul Thomas de Tesson, Marquis de Montfort, has volunteered with the King’s Police of Paris to infiltrate an illegal gaming center and report the members of the aristocracy who are playing the forbidden card game, Basset. While attending the first masked card game, Mathias is immediately intrigued by a young man who bets with loose diamonds and leaves immediately after winning a large sum. Running after the young man, Mathias pulls the mask away and finds the face of a beautiful young woman. Princess Gabrielle is determined to use the royal diamonds as funds for gambling in order to win back the money her younger half-brother recently lost in a Basset game. Disguised as a man, Gabrielle’s plan seems to be working well when she wins a large sum the first night of gambling. But her sense of accomplishment quickly changes when a handsome man pulls away her mask. When Mathias assumes she is her uncle’s mistress, Gabrielle does not correct this misconception. Mathias makes advances and Gabrielle finds the attention exhilarating and utterly satisfying. Once again passion pulls the emotion of love to surface. The daughter of a king usually does not marry for love but for political gain, but Gabrielle’s gamble pays off big time. Actually it pays off for a life time.

“Princess of my heart. Princess that I love. The only Princess for me.”

“And will you ride off with her, taking her from this palace, and bring her to your castle?”

“Indeed.” He brought her hand and placed it over his heart. “I will bring her to my kingdom, the one we create with our very own magic, where I shall cherish and love her – ever after.”

A promise Mathias sealed with a searing kiss.


Once again Lila DiPasqua has blown me away with her writing. Not only are these three stories heartwarming and touching, but Lila thoroughly sprinkles each one with the spice of passion.

If you only buy one book this week or this month, do yourself a favor and BUY this book! Lila DiPasqua has proven once again that satisfaction is guaranteed with her spicy, yet touching writing. Well done, Lila. WELL DONE!



~ Buffie