Miss Alexandra Farris lost her heart to her older brother's friend, Lord Maxon Collins, long, long ago. Despite her girlhood attempts to win him, he never noticed her. Now that her first season is underway, she understands why. He prefers willowy blondes, not curvaceous maidens with darker coloring like herself. Rather than wallow in self-pity, she forgets love and focuses on something more attainable—an advantageous match.
Lord Collins is plagued by an uncomfortable feeling whenever he goes near Miss Farris. One of annoyance. And yet, he can’t seem to stop thinking of her, touching her, kissing her...He must act in her brother’s stead, which means he has to approve her suitor and ensure her safety. Unfortunately, he can’t seem to find a worthy gentleman.
Wedding her off should be a simple task, but not if he can’t let her go.
Excerpt
She inhaled and stepped up to him. He was so tall, at least five inches taller than her, yet she would not allow him to intimidate her, not this gentleman she used to pester as a little girl. She peered up at him and planted her fists on her hips. “You cannot possibly imagine I would listen to you, can you?”
His eyes narrowed, and he straightened from his position against the wall which brought him that much closer to her. “I don’t only imagine. I know you will listen to me. You have no other options.”
“Of course I do.”
“No, you do not.”
Their gazes locked, and everything around Alexa faded away, except for the brilliant blue eyes which held her riveted in place. She brought her palm to her
chest to make sure her heart still beat.
It did, just barely.
She finally broke away and whispered, “I have not given him a response yet.”
His responding smile lacked warmth, and he appeared to gloat as he said, “Excellent. I never have liked Lord Edwin and cannot fathom why you do.”
“I happen to be very much in love with him.” She colored. She had just told Lord Collins she loved Lord Edwin. Where was her fan when she needed it most? Next to Miss Cannis where she had forgotten it. And now, she had to endure a most frustrating conversation where she admitted a falsehood. Not a simple falsehood, either. One which competed with the largest untruths of her life.
Her rushed denial teetered on her lips as a stronger gust of wind tore through her hair, causing several more strands to dislodge. She muttered a curse and reached
up to repair the damage the wind had made.
His large, warm hand shot out and stopped her. The humid night air could not compare to the warmth of his hand on hers, nor could it compete with the spasmodic tingles breaking out throughout her body.
The contact was too unexpected.
Too intimate.
Too much.
She darted a hesitant glance his way where he quickly masked a warm look and took a step away from her. “Leave your hair.”
She swayed from the loss of his touch and the lack of warmth in his tone.
“Are you quite all right?” he asked with a sneer, as if to erase all touches of warmth with harshness. It hadn’t worked, though. She knew better.
Whatever strange demon had overtaken him tonight was not normal and was, quite frankly, vexing to deal with. “I see you can choose to employ good manners when you wish.”
His countenance darkened and he lifted a brow. “You evidently are just fine.”
Interview
What should readers expect when they pick up your book?
An entertaining historical romance with one of my favorite tropes: older brother’s best friend. The poor heroine has loved her brother’s best friend for years but the friend has never shown any interest. As for the entertaining part, I have a difficult time putting To Entice an Earl down when I read it, and I’ve read it countless times. Granted, I am extremely biased.
What sacrifices have you had to make to be a writer?
I can’t think of a single sacrifice unless I claim some loss of sleep. Or maybe a great deal of sleep. Everything else about writing has been extremely positive in my life. I receive such a sense of accomplishment from so many small things that everything else fades away.
What exciting story are you working on next?
The next novel in my Entangled Nobility series. I’ve had so much fun writing it that I don’t know if I want it to end. That, and it’s the last installment in the series, so I might cry when I do finish it. I can’t say too much about the next novel because it will spoil the ending of To Entice an Earl.
What are four things you can’t live without?
- Caffeine. I would say coffee, but I’m on a black tea kick right now.
- My laptop. I could find a different medium on which to write, but my laptop makes everything so simple.
- Yoga. I unwind with yoga and I would be oh so grouchy without it.
- Writing. I fear I am hooked for life.
Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?
Absolutely. Covers are the first thing a reader notices when perusing the endless number of books online. If the cover looks bad, then I wouldn’t risk my money on it.
Favorite book to recommend?
I love, love, love Never Trust a Rake by Annie Burrows. I read it first on kindle then just had to purchase a physical copy. The ending gets me every time.
Anything else you might want to add?
Every time I hear Don’t Let Me Down, by the Chainsmokers, I think of To Entice an Earl. The reason? I played it ceaselessly while writing To Entice an Earl. Like over and over on repeat. Each of my novels has a song, and I have a Pandora playlist for moments I need a break from my song. I guess music is a big part of my writing process.
Thanks...
Naomi Boom never expected to love writing. Her inspiration struck while searching for the perfect historical romance novel to read. Nothing sounded appealing, so she decided to write her own. That one novel has morphed into a series, and hopefully many, many more.
She resides in her home state of South Dakota with her husband and toddler. Her dream is to someday find an acreage where she can raise chickens and, naturally, continue her writing.
Giveaway
Naomi Boom will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
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