Monday, December 17, 2012

Alone with a Rogue...with Sherry Thomas (+Giveaway)


Alone with a Rogue
on Christmas Eve with Sherry Thomas

About the Author:
Sherry Thomas is one of the most acclaimed romance authors working today.  Her books regularly receive starred reviews from trade publications and are frequently found on best-of-the-year lists.  She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA® Award. 
English is Sherry's second language—she has come a long way from the days when she made her laborious way through Rosemary Roger's SWEET SAVAGE LOVE with an English-Chinese dictionary. She enjoys digging down to the emotional core of stories. And when she is not writing, she thinks about the zen and zaniness of her profession, plays computer games with her sons, and reads as many fabulous books as she can find.
Sherry’s next book, The Burning Sky, volume one of her young adult fantasy trilogy, will be available fall 2013.


Find Sherry OnlineWebsite | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

I am ashamed to say I’m not even sure what a rogue is, in terms of a romance hero. So I just did a playboy everybody likes. J But of course, me being me, the playboy carries a secret pain.- Sherry
Alone with a Rogue on Christmas Eve
by Sherry Thomas


The cigarette burned slowly, with infinite patience.
Georgina watched as the shredded tobacco turned to a delicate gray ash.  She tapped a finger against the cigarette.  The ash, knocked loose, fell onto the fresh snow upon the balustrade.  To either side of the balustrade, garlands of pine and holly had been hung, in recognition of the season, decked with snow and frosted with moonlight.
Georgina had never developed into a proper smoker.  Occasionally she took a puff, holding the smoke for a moment in her mouth—not her lungs.  But most of the time she lit a cigarette out of habit and affection, just to watch it in burn down—and to smell the familiar pungency of Elliot’s special blend.
“Lady Georgina.”
She turned around with a smile.  “Why hullo, Beresford.  When did you get here?”
Beresford was a man women smiled at, sometimes because they had ulterior motives, sometimes because they couldn’t help it.  Georgina fell into the latter category—she felt very affectionate toward him.  And it certainly didn’t hurt that he was wonderfully easy on the eyes, a spare, elegant build and a face one’d find on the Parthenon.
“I arrived half an hour ago. You know I never miss your mother’s birthday.”
Her mother was born on Christmas eve.  And her birthday was always an occasion for gathering family and friends from far and wide.  “No, indeed, we can always count on her favorite scoundrel to delight her.”
Beresford approached the balustrade, his gait leisurely, fluid.  “My goodness, a man gambles a little, drinks a little, and carouses a little, and suddenly he is a scoundrel.  Do we no longer require dishonesty or actual criminality before we label a man so?”
His tone was light and teasing.  So she teased right back.  “Not when we like said scoundrel.”
“Do we?”
Was it her imagination or had his voice turned huskier?  “We do,” she answered brightly.  “Why, at tea, my friends were all wondering why you wouldn’t sleep with them.”
Her language was blunt.  But then she’d known Beresford for almost a decade.  Moreover, he had been her husband’s best friend.  Surely, one was allowed to be more direct before a chum of such long standing?
Beresford extracted a cigarette case from his pocket.  “I’ve slept with one of your friends.”
“Mrs. Liddell is an acquaintance, not an intimate.”
He cast her a somewhat incredulous and slightly scandalized glance.  “You want me to sleep with your intimates?”
She laughed.  “I never said that, only that they are curious why you haven’t.”
“Well, let’s see.” He tapped a cigarette on the ivory-inlay case.  “Mrs. Claughton is too much of a romantic—she’ll want me to write sonnets for her.  Lady Piercy isn’t interested in a lover—she just wants to make her husband rush back to her side.  And Mrs. Fulford, she would be a rollicking good time, I’ve no doubt, but I’m not sure I want Society to know all the particulars of my lovemaking and she rather lives to broadcast those details.”
He lit his cigarette, took a long drag, and expelled a stream of smoke into the night air, the biting scent heart-tuggingly familiar.  For some reason it always came as a surprise for Georgina to remember that Elliott’s special blend had actually been—and was still—Lord Beresford’s.
“And as for you,” said Beresford, pausing to take another puff on his cigarette. 
She blinked.  She was never part of that conversation.  She’d only giggled at her friends’ not terribly serious schemes to get into his trousers.
“As for you,” he repeated himself, turning to look at her fully in the eye.  “I don’t sleep with you because your husband was my best friend and his widow is off limits to me.”
Her heart thudded.  What did he mean?  That had her late husband been anyone else, he would now be actively in pursuit of her favors?
She didn’t reply—she was not one to randomly reach for words when she didn’t know what to say.  Her silence seemed very prominent on the terrace, louder than the stiff breeze.  Louder than the sound of merriment spilling from the house.
He took a few more drags on his cigarette, stubbed it out, and inclined his head—this time, without quite meeting her eyes.  “I will leave you to enjoy your solitude some more, my lady.”
And then he was gone.  A few minutes later, across a bank of French doors , he reappeared inside the house, , one festive silhouette among many.
 ~*~*~*~
*Don't forget to stop by Ramblings From This Chick for Julianne MacLean's Scene*

Available Now:
Helena Fitzhugh understands perfectly well that she would be ruined should her secret love affair be discovered. So when a rendezvous goes wrong and she is about to be caught in the act, it is with the greatest reluctance that she accepts help from David Hillsborough, Viscount Hastings, and elopes with him to save her reputation.       

Helena has despised David since they were children—the notorious rake has tormented her all her life. David, on the other hand, has always loved Helena, but his pride will never let him admit the secrets of his heart.       

A carriage accident the day after their elopement, however, robs Helena of her memory—the slate is wiped clean. At last David dares to reveal his love, and she finds him both fascinating and desirable. But what will happen when her memory returns and she realizes she has fallen for a man she has sworn never to trust?



Get Your Copy Today:

Sherry is giving away a copy of her book, Tempting the Bride, to one lucky commenter (Open Internationally)! Make sure to leave a meaningful comment below AND fill out the rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
And don't forget to enter the Grand Prize Giveaway

50 comments:

  1. Tempting The Bride sounds great, I love romances with amnesia... as weird as that sounds haha
    Looking forward to reading it!

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  2. I really want to read more of Georgina and Beresford, especially since his secret hasn't been revealed yet.

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  3. Thanks for that intriguing short. I would like to read more to find out how Georgina feels about this revelation from Beresford.
    Tempting the Bride sounds fantastic. I really enjoy enemies to lovers stories and with amnesia thrown in, it should make a great story.

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  4. I've read every single Sherry Thomas story. Can't wait for her YA novel.

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  5. Ravishing the Heiress was my favorite until I read Tempting the Bride. And then they held equal positions until I read Not Quite a Husband. I've read and loved everything Sherry Thomas writes.

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  6. I love Sherry's writing and hope we don' t have to wait too long until she returns to writing romance.

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  7. Very intriguing excerpt! I want to know MORE!

    And...Tempting the Bride sounds wonderful! Love/hate and amnesia! Wow.

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  8. I still have not read a Sherry book. I keep saying I need to every time I see her on here and yet I have not. This year, I am committing myself to finding more reading time.
    lisakhutson at cox. net

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  9. Oooh... love Sherry Thomas books... Can't wait to read this one!

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  10. Great cover!

    Kelli
    krolvaag@gmail.com

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  11. I always like to read about friends who feel something for each other but they keep them in other to not lose that bond! And this excerpt left me soooo intrigue! I want more!

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  12. You sure know how to bring a scene to a wonderful climax and then immediate dissipation. I want more, gah! Can't wait for the YA Adult Fantasy.
    Tempting the Bride was a marvelous book. My favorite of the series, next to Ravishing. It's really hard to choose just one. :) Thank you Sherry.
    My question: Will you write a Georgina and Beresford story

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  13. Yay for playboys with secret pain! :D Thanks so much for sharing the little short with us! :)

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  14. No fair. We don't know how the story ends.

    I enjoyed all the Fitzhugh books this year, especially Millie's story.

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  15. I really enjoy Thomas' books. I can't wait to read this latest book. Beautiful cover!
    Happy Holiday,
    lorih824@yahoo.com

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  16. WHAAA~! I want some more of Georgina and Beresford~ That was very good of you to tease my imaginations. But I gots to say I love your books and can't wait for your nes series!

    kp_kazamei(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  17. Hi, Sherry! I wanted you to know that I read this terrific novel and could not put it down. It was so sweet and I loved it. Congratulations and I'm hoping everyone out there will go buy a copy! Congratulations!

    Connie Fischer
    conniecape@aol.com

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  18. Sounds and looks like a very interesting read. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  19. Thank you a lot for the international giveaway, it's a new discovery for me but i love the summary and the cover

    happy holidays
    isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

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  20. What a teasing excerpt. I wanting more of Georgina and Beresford.

    Armenia
    armiefox at yahoo dot com

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  21. Thank you a lot for the international giveaway, it's a new discovery for me but i love the summary and the cover

    parisfan_ca@yahoo.com

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  22. Hi Sherry, I love your books and I thought this short story was fantastic.

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  23. Hi Everyone,

    Thank you for your very kind responses. There won't be too long a wait for my next romance--it will drop some time late in 2013.

    And Landra, Georgina and Beresford are just made up for this Xmas blog, but you never know... :-)

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  24. Tempting the Bride sounds exciting.
    bituin76 at hotmail dot com

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  25. The romance sounds amazing! I can't wait to read this now :)
    And thanks for the chance to win this book!

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  26. I like the amnesia idea in the story. A clean slate for a romance sounds fun until she remembers. I bet the sparks start to fly.

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  27. Great read Sherry, I think it has the makings of a great book, would love to see more of a relationship develop between them....Thank You!

    joylynne66(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  28. Sherry always has such gorgeous covers - I'm looking forward to reading this.
    sallans d at yahoo dot com

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  29. Ah, your scene was a tease! Tempting the Bride sounds very good, and I look forward to reading it.

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  30. Tempting The Bride sounds great I can't wait to read it!

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  31. Great excerpt! You are a new author for me. Looking forward to learning more about your books. Is Tempting The Bride part of a series?

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  32. Tempting the bride sounds like a great read :D I love the whole premise of it, sounds very exciting. Thank you also for sharing the lovely short story :)

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  33. I've already read Tempting the Bride and loved it, as I have all of Sherry's books. I am looking forward to the next book. That Georgina and Beresford scene -- wow.

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  34. Sherry is yet another new author to me...I read a lot but obviously have been missing out. Looking forward to reading her work I have no doubt I will love it!

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  35. I've heard nothing but good things about your books and am looking forward to getting my hands on them. I enjoyed this short and hope one day you may bring them to life in a book of their own.

    leahweller(at)bellsouth(dot)net

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  36. thanks for the post! Never heard about this book but looked it up and hear great things!

    BrittanyG@gmail.com

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  37. I love Sherry's books and can't wait to read this one...

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  38. Sounds like an interesting book.

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  39. Hi Sherry. I loved Not Quite a Husband - cried buckets reading it (always the mark of a great book) & can't wait to read your latest bk. Excited that you're writing a YA fantasy - my next fav genre after historical romance

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  40. Thank you again, everyone, for your interest and your lavish praise.

    Julianne K, yes, Tempting the Bride is book 3 of the Fitzhugh Trilogy, the first two being Beguiling the Beauty and Ravishing the Heiress. But each of the books can be read as standalones.

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  41. I've been enjoying this trilogy. I can't wait to read Tempting The Bride. I also really enjoyed reading that short story with Georgina and Beresford. Maybe someday they'll have a story. :)
    Happy Holidays.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  42. Alone With a Rogue was way too short, but I'm really looking forward to reading Tempting the Bride! Thank you so much!
    smoofrog at gmail dot com

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  43. Love your PI, can't wait to read your other books

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  44. Hi, Sherry! Thanks for the interesting short story. Tempting the Bride sounds really good. Thanks for the giveaway!

    kscathy AT yahoo DOT com

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  45. Sounds really good!! Thanks for the chance to win and happy holidays!

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  46. I always enjoy Sherry’s writing. Elegant words, fascinating characters, touching plots, sometimes cynical sentences. Bring me to a world of great love stories. Look for more books from Sherry !

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  47. I like the fact that Ms. Thomas read "Sweet Savage Love" with a Chinese-English dictionary! Now that's DETERMINATION!! I remember having to read Rainer Maria Rilke with a German-English dictionary--and that was for a class! Hats off to you, Ms. Thomas.

    I have not read you yet, but I will ASAP!

    annfesATyahooDOTcom

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  48. Best wishes for the holidays and thanks for that short little snippet. You certainly packed a lot into it and I'd love to red the full story someday. Maybe it would make a good Christmas short story.

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  49. Margaret Murray-EvansDecember 24, 2012 at 6:48 PM

    Enjoyed your Christmas story, but I was also looking for more. I'll keep my eyes open in case you ever do expand the story. Your books are always on my "to buy and read list." Best of the hoilday and more great reading next year!

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  50. Hi Sherry! I have a couple of your books and I love them! I can't wait to read your next one. Merry Christmas!

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