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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Guest Post with Theresa Romain and Giveaway


Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest, where she is working on her next book.

Find Theresa at:
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Hi, Danielle—thank you for hosting me today! I’m so glad to share a bit about my latest historical romance, TO CHARM A NAUGHTY COUNTESS.

This is a Pygmalion story in which a rakish widow helps an eccentric, impoverished duke make his way through society to find a wealthy bride. Caroline and Michael seem to be opposites—but actually, they have more in common than either of them realizes.

Here are a few of the things I like about them, and that I hope readers will enjoy too:

1. He’s blunt.

Michael, the Duke of Wyverne, has stayed away from society for 11 years. He’s spent that time dedicating himself wholeheartedly to administering his dukedom—trying to improve it, to drag it into solvency. So when he comes to London, he has no practice with manners. Crowds make him uneasy, and he usually says the wrong thing.

But: he’s honest and genuine. If he doesn’t see the sense in something, he says so. If something needs to be done, he does it. Caroline can’t help but appreciate this about him.

2. She’s really good with people.

After a scandalous debut and a marriage of convenience to someone much older, Caroline is determined to spend her widowhood at the pinnacle of society. Since she knows from experience how much harm gossip can cause, she wins people over with good manners, charm, and humor. She wants everyone to like her, so she forms herself into someone likable.

This doesn’t give her a lot of room to be herself, or even to have a bad day. Still, Michael admires this about her: she always knows what to say to put people at ease. It’s a skill, and one he definitely doesn’t have.

3. He’s curious.

An afternoon call turns into a furniture repair session. A dinner party ends in his taking apart a lamp. Michael is interested in everything mechanical, and his brain is always racing with ideas. Since he doesn’t care if it’s the right time to talk about or carry out those ideas, he sometimes shocks the other characters. This made him pretty entertaining to write!

4. She’s lonely.

This might sound like an odd choice for something that I like, but Caroline’s loneliness is really what cracked her character open for me. Her popularity defines her, at least in her own mind, and she takes care to cultivate it. She truly believes if she relaxes, if she’s less than entertaining and attractive and perfect, that she’ll become an outcast.

Since Michael doesn’t care about the trappings of society, he’s the first person in a long time to look behind them and wonder about the real Caroline. He’s lonely, too, and their loneliness drives them to get to know each other in a deeper way.

5. He’s wholehearted.

With all the energy of his curious mind, it should be no surprise that when Michael falls, he falls hard. He’s not used to analyzing his feelings at all, so he has no idea what love feels like. He has no romantic past. He has never given his heart or body before, because he didn’t want to lose control of either. So when he trust Caroline with both, it’s a huge shift in his character, and it changes him in ways he never expected.

* * *
As you can probably tell, I had a great time writing Michael and Caroline’s story!

Readers, thanks for stopping by. Please ask me anything else about the story that you’d like to know, or let me know which of these characteristics sound the most interesting to you.



CAN A RECLUSIVE DUKE…

Brilliant but rumored mad, Michael Layward, the impoverished Duke of Wyverne, has no success courting heiresses until widowed Lady Stratton takes up his cause–after first refusing his suit.

WIN LONDON’S MOST POWERFUL COUNTESS?

Caroline Graves, the popular Countess of Stratton, sits alone at the pinnacle of London society and has vowed never to remarry. When Michael–her counterpart in an old scandal–returns to town after a long absence, she finds herself as enthralled with him as ever. As she guides the anxiety-ridden duke through the trials of society, Caroline realizes that she’s lost her heart . But if she gives herself to the only man she’s ever loved, she’ll lose the hard-won independence she prizes above all.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

Check out the Matchmaker Trilogy:


Check out what's up for grabs.
Up For Grabs:
  • 1 copy of To Charm a Naughty Countess

To Enter: 
  • Please leave a comment or question for Theresa.
  • US/Canada shipping ONLY.
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck! 

Special thanks Theresa Romain & Sourcebooks for sponsoring this giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

42 comments :

  1. Theresa, I found out more about this hero and heroine on this blog post than I did during the entire tour you finished recently. Outlining these characteristics was absolutely wonderful! And I found that my hubby and I have much in common with this couple. Like the Duke, my hubby is blunt, bordering on rude to get across what he's thinking or feeling...but he is wholehearted about it. And, like the Countess, I make friends easily and get along with people I meet right from the start. We are both a bit lonely now that we are empty-nesters and trying to get used to the quiet. In fact, like this couple, we are getting to know each other all over again now that we have the time. I can imagine that the Duke and Countess had their ups and downs with their differences, just as hubby and I do...but our lives are definitely not dull!! :-) I thank you for this in-depth description of your characters and will definitely read this story as soon as possible this Summer. All of your stories I've read so far have interesting, complicated characters that you write about so well. Thank you! jdh2690@gmail.com

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    1. Janice, what an interesting real-life parallel you draw. By the end of the book, Michael and Caroline have found their points in common for a HEA, and it sounds like you and your husband have too. Stories of real-life romance are so inspirational--congrats!

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  2. Hi Theresa! I love your books and this one sounds like fun. From the sound of it, I think I'd really Michael's character because of his intensity and curious nature. He sounds very interesting to me. :)

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    1. Thanks, Sandra--he was fun to write, because there was nothing he wouldn't say or do. Hope you enjoy meeting him. :)

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  3. Congrats Theresa on the new release!! I love the premise of this book and the fact that the Pygmalion roles are reversed :) Thanks for sharing!

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  4. I've met a few guys like Michael, lol! It can be disconcerting when someone doesn't follow the unwritten rules of society, but it can also be a lot of fun! Can't wait to read this one.

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    1. Rebe, I enjoy watching someone break social rules much more in fiction than in life! I'm not sure I'd know how to react to a guy like Michael in person, but in the book Caroline handles him just fine.

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  5. Hi Theresa! I love the fact that Michael isn't a rake and sounds like a nerd (but in a good way! :-) ) And the role reversal is such a neat concept, usually it's the hero helping the heroine land a husband. The more I read about Michael and Caroline, the more I can't wait to read their story!

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    1. Hi, Jets Fan--yes, he is definitely the Regency version of a nerd. :) Hope you enjoy Michael and Caroline's story!

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  6. Congratulations on the release of this book. Still haven't latched onto a copy yet...but I will...soon, I promise!

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

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  7. Hi Theresa! Congratulations on the release of TO CHARM A NAUGHTY COUNTESS. I love your books, and this one sounds like another winner. I have learned so much about these 2 characters and it is hard to choose just one. I guess I will have to go with Michael because he doesn't fit in to society and you never know what he will do next. BTW, did you give him a dragon tatoo for wyvern? Lol!

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    1. Cathy, that would be pretty funny! But no, no tattoos for Michael. He's not the type to think about or change his appearance much.

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  8. Hi Theresa, congrats on the new book! I'm so intrigued by the reference that Michael was the counterpart to Caroline in an old scandal. I can't wait to find out more about what happened and how it all plays out!

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    1. Thanks, Anita! I hope you like the way their story plays out--old scandals and new.

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  9. Do the books you read unwind in your mind like a movie.

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    1. Hmm, good question. Certain images (usually settings) sometimes come to mind as I read. But overall I'm not a very visual person. I rarely have a specific idea of what a character looks like.

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  10. Congrats on the release!! Looking forward to reading it :)

    Lori P

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  11. Congratulations on the release! It looks amazing!

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  12. I'll get this book one way or the other. Those characters sound just too good to miss !

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    1. You know how to make an author smile. See? --> :D Thank you!

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  13. I'll get this book one way or the other. Those characters sound just too good to miss !

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  14. Love the sound of this book. Michael sounds like the perfect hero. Definitely one I'll be reading soon.

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    1. Thanks, Steph! He is pretty perfect for Caroline, though (of course) neither of them thinks so at first.

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  15. Hi Theresa. I loved this post about Michael and Caroline and am looking forward to reading their love story.

    Marcy Shuler

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    1. Hi, Marcy! Thanks, glad you enjoyed the post. They were an entertaining pair to write about.

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  16. Hey Theresa! I really enjoyed your details about Michael and Caroline. I have a bad habit of being more like Michael than Caroline. . . . I usually say what I'm thinking or I don't say anything at all. :-) I have learned to temper it - unlike Michael.

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  17. I enjoyed the post and I know I'm going to enjoy To Charm a Naughty Countess. :D

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  18. This sounds great. You always write such interesting heroes, not the usual perfect alpha type. I love that he's into figuring out how things work.

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  19. Michael sounds like a great character. Honest, handy and doesn't give a crap about society. Sounds like my kind of guy!

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  20. I like that Michael is not the usual rake and that Caroline is not a spinster. I am really looking forward to reading this book.

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  21. Can't wait to read this one! They both sound like interesting characters, I can't wait to read how it all turns out :D

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  22. I love your description of Michael. Considering Dukes are mostly known for being arrogant and cocky, it'll be interesting to see a Duke that isn't suave and used to saying the proper things. :)

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  23. Michael sounds like a really interesting person to get to know.

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  24. I've read all of your other books, which were fantastic. I really would love to read "To Charm a Naughty Countess" now. Thank you for the chance to win.

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  25. I like that Michael says what is on his mind & is perfectly honest. It sounds like there will be a lot of humorous situations that could arise out of this trait.

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  26. I just finished the book late last night and loved it! It was a real treat getting a peek at the next book in your series too - looking forward to it!

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  27. I loved the previous book and am looking forward to this one!

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