For the Love of Breeches...with Alison DeLaine (Guest Post & Giveaway)

I am as pleased as ever to welcome to the blog a debut author whose upcoming novel will sail into your hearts in no time. She's on the blog today to share in our mutual adoration of a very necessary undergarment ;)
Without further adieu:

About Alison:

Alison DeLaine lives in rural Arizona, where she tries to keep her hillbilly side under control (but generally fails) and can often be found driving a dented old pickup truck out to her mining claim in the desert. When she’s not busy striking it rich, waiting on spoiled pets, or keeping her husband in line, she is happily putting characters through the wringer. Alison is a two-time Golden Heart® finalist and currently writes historical romance for Harlequin HQN.

Find Alison Online: Website | Facebook | Twitter

About the Book:

A Gentleman 'Til Midnight

Click cover for excerpt | Buy links below
Read my Review: here

The complication they don’t want…
Lady Katherine Kinloch survived captivity once. Now the notorious captain of her own ship, she refuses to let anyone jeopardize her hard-won freedom. But on a voyage to England to fight for her family’s endangered estate, Katherine is thrown off course when she unknowingly rescues celebrated naval captain James Warre…a man who stands for everything she despises.

The passion they desperately need…

Haunted by regret for his role in her dark past, James is determined to be more than the cold, calculating officer Katherine expects. Her seduction is his obsession, but his pride hangs in the balance if he gives in to temptation. And hiding beneath the scorching attraction between them lies a secret that could force the two apart for good.

The Guest Post:

For the Love of Breeches...

a Guest Post by Alison DeLaine

What's Not to Love Inside Breeches?

Oops. I meant to say about breeches. Seriously. There’s a lot to love about them. Any woman worth her salt fantasizes about the days when a girl could ogle a man's legs without having her view obstructed by extra yardage. (Of fabric. What kind of blog post do you think this is?)

Breeches were the mini-skirts of their day--except the male/female roles were completely reversed. And some of those men had a damn fine pair of legs. Which, of course, is exactly how I envision my hero in A Gentleman 'til Midnight. Because I just wouldn't write a hero who didn't have good legs. And by "good," I mean strong, muscular, and powerful enough to sustain the leverage required for a good, long--

Well, never mind about that. Let's just say that for Captain James Warre (aka the Earl of Croston), performance isn't an issue:

     “Touch me, Katherine,” he rasped, but she was already there. Her hands moved over the front of his breeches—too slow, too soft. His breeches were so tight it hurt. Ah, God—he undid the fastening and…"

And you’ll just have to read the book for the rest, because it wouldn’t be appropriate on a family blog like NARB.

As you can see, breeches play a very crucial role in the historical romance. Really, as an author, I'm not sure what I would do without them. I like to imagine that a man's breeches could reveal… well… all kinds of things about what he might be thinking. In A Gentleman ‘til Midnight, my heroine is pretty sharp about these things. Her cutlass is pretty sharp, too, and comes in handy when cornered by an unwanted rakehell: 

     Apparently sensing victory, the duke pushed away from the railing and took a step toward her. “I’m very sure when I meet a woman who would appreciate my strengths.” There was just enough light filtering from the windows to see his strengths bulging hard inside his breeches.
     “Oh, yes. I certainly can appreciate them.” Katherine feinted with her left hand as though she meant to touch him.
     “Then by all means, let us— Bloody hell!” The duke jumped back three feet when she whipped her cutlass from its hiding place in her skirts.

Let’s just say the poor duke’s breeches ended up a casualty of that encounter.

Really, the saddest thing about breeches in a historical romance is that at some point—yes, it’s true—they must be pulled up and refastened. For my Captain Warre, that certainly marked a low point:

     Was that it, then? A hasty farewell as he buttoned his breeches and stepped out of her coach two streets away to avoid being seen? Sod it all, he’d made a bloody mess of things.

There’s just so much implied in a phrase like “he buttoned his breeches,” isn’t there? But if implications aren’t enough for you, I’m giving away a FREE copy of A Gentleman ‘til Midnight to TWO lucky people who comment here on or before December 23rd! Winners will be chosen on December 24.

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A Gentleman 'til Midnight  is available for Pre-Order right now wherever books are sold and will be released on December 31st, 2013.

Pre-order A Gentleman 'til Midnight today! 

Amazon (paperback) | Amazon (kindle)

Barnes&Noble (paperback) | Barnes&Noble (kindle)

~*~GIVEAWAY~*~

Alison has generously offered to give away two (2) copies of her debut novel, A Gentleman 'til Midnight, to two (2) lucky commenters! What a special treat, just in time for the holidays! All you have to do is comment below with your favorite piece of historical apparel AND fill out the rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends 12/23 at midnight! Winners will be chosen and announced on Christmas Eve!

a Rafflecopter giveaway