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Tempting Mr. WeatherstoneWallflower Weddings Book #0.5
By: Vivienne Lorret
On Sale Nov 25th, 2014
Avon Romance
Penelope
Rutledge longs for passion, but only with the man of her dreams: the brilliant,
dashing Ethan Weatherstone. If only her longtime neighbor would open his eyes
and realize how much she loves him. If only they weren’t best friends with so
much at stake. Penelope knows her future – and their friendship – is in her
hands, but is she willing to take the biggest risk of all on the man she loves?
If it were up
to Ethan, life and love would be as predictable as the figures in his ledgers –
certainly nothing like the adventures Penelope longs for. Yet his childhood
friend has grown into a beautiful, feisty woman blissfully unaware of the
danger she causes when near. Ethan knows he must save Penelope-and her
reputation…but can he save himself from the temptation of her lips?
to Ethan, life and love would be as predictable as the figures in his ledgers –
certainly nothing like the adventures Penelope longs for. Yet his childhood
friend has grown into a beautiful, feisty woman blissfully unaware of the
danger she causes when near. Ethan knows he must save Penelope-and her
reputation…but can he save himself from the temptation of her lips?
My Review
4 Stars!
This was a wonderful little story that can easily be read in a single evening. I found this story to be quite enchanting and loved the fact that so much story was packed into just a few pages.
Penelope and Ethan have known each other since they were children. Having both lost a parent during their childhood, they have been very close friends for a very long time. They live next to each other, see each other all the time, and have dinner together several times every week. Penelope is twenty five years old and has reached the point in her life where she is ready for something more. Ethan would like for things to stay just as they are – he is not a fan of change.
I really enjoyed the characters in this story. Their bond with each other was so amazingly strong that I did wonder how Ethan was unable to see what was right in front of him. I love that Penelope decides that she is tired of waiting and decides to take action even if it is not the direction that she really wants to go. The parents obviously knew that they should be a couple but let the pair figure things out for themselves instead of pushing them together. I had a great time watching Ethan figure out that something had to change or he would lose Penelope.
I think this novella is the perfect story to grab for any romance reading looking for a nice sweet read. I would recommend this story to all fans of historical romance. This is the first work by Vivienne
Lorret that I have had a chance to read plan to look for her books in the future.
Lorret that I have had a chance to read plan to look for her books in the future.
I received an advanced reader edition of the book from Avon via Edelweiss for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Author Info
I fell in
love with fairy tales and the romance behind happily ever after at a very young
age. Like a lot of you, I tweaked the fables bit by bit in my imagination until
they suited me perfectly. By the time I was eleven, a teacher encouraged me to
start writing.
love with fairy tales and the romance behind happily ever after at a very young
age. Like a lot of you, I tweaked the fables bit by bit in my imagination until
they suited me perfectly. By the time I was eleven, a teacher encouraged me to
start writing.
Throughout
the years that followed, my teachers remained my most fervent supporters,
giving me the tools I needed to continue my journey as a writer.
the years that followed, my teachers remained my most fervent supporters,
giving me the tools I needed to continue my journey as a writer.
My husband
and I have two teenage boys, who are heroes in their own right. For now, we
live in a small Midwestern town near Lake Michigan…until a time in the future
when a new adventure calls us to other shores.
and I have two teenage boys, who are heroes in their own right. For now, we
live in a small Midwestern town near Lake Michigan…until a time in the future
when a new adventure calls us to other shores.
I am
currently working on my next novel, but I always enjoy hearing from my
readers. Feel free to email me at vivienne@vivlorret.net
currently working on my next novel, but I always enjoy hearing from my
readers. Feel free to email me at vivienne@vivlorret.net
Rafflecopter Giveaway ($35.00 Harry
& David Gift Card)
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Excerpt
Ethan
Weatherstone was due for a piece of her mind. It was about time he understood
that he had no right to interfere with her life.
Weatherstone was due for a piece of her mind. It was about time he understood
that he had no right to interfere with her life.
Mind made up,
she took one last look at the mail coach and shook her head. She reached down
for her satchel and stormed over to Ethan’s carriage.
she took one last look at the mail coach and shook her head. She reached down
for her satchel and stormed over to Ethan’s carriage.
Penelope
threw open the door and climbed inside, seething as she sat across from him. He
didn’t even have the courtesy to look at her. Instead, he sat back against the
squabs, his head turned to the window. The only reason she knew he was aware of
her presence was from the way he clenched his jaw, a muscle twitching just
beneath the surface of his skin.
threw open the door and climbed inside, seething as she sat across from him. He
didn’t even have the courtesy to look at her. Instead, he sat back against the
squabs, his head turned to the window. The only reason she knew he was aware of
her presence was from the way he clenched his jaw, a muscle twitching just
beneath the surface of his skin.
“Were you
waiting to humiliate me? Waiting until I was already seated before you dragged
me away from the mail coach? Or perhaps you planned to follow me all the way to
Portsmouth?”
waiting to humiliate me? Waiting until I was already seated before you dragged
me away from the mail coach? Or perhaps you planned to follow me all the way to
Portsmouth?”
He refused to
respond or even so much as look at her. If she hadn’t been angry before she
entered the carriage, then she certainly was fuming now.
respond or even so much as look at her. If she hadn’t been angry before she
entered the carriage, then she certainly was fuming now.
“Truly,
Ethan, for someone who cannot live outside the lines of your carefully crafted
order, your sameness that covers you like a shroud, this is quite surprising
behavior,” she hissed, baiting him. “I only wish your concern for my happiness
were as great as your concern for my reputation.”
Ethan, for someone who cannot live outside the lines of your carefully crafted
order, your sameness that covers you like a shroud, this is quite surprising
behavior,” she hissed, baiting him. “I only wish your concern for my happiness
were as great as your concern for my reputation.”
At that, he
glared at her sharply. Ah, so she’d struck a chord.
glared at her sharply. Ah, so she’d struck a chord.
Good. Yet
still, he did not say anything.
still, he did not say anything.
There he sat,
perfectly groomed, his cravat perfectly pleated, his temper perfectly managed.
She wished just once he’d lose some of that control. Because here she sat, with
her eyes, most likely puffy and red from having cried most of the night instead
of sleeping. She was certainly not perfectly groomed, since she could feel a
soggy tendril of hair plastered to her cheek. Her cloak was damp from rain. Her
nose was cold and likely red as well.
perfectly groomed, his cravat perfectly pleated, his temper perfectly managed.
She wished just once he’d lose some of that control. Because here she sat, with
her eyes, most likely puffy and red from having cried most of the night instead
of sleeping. She was certainly not perfectly groomed, since she could feel a
soggy tendril of hair plastered to her cheek. Her cloak was damp from rain. Her
nose was cold and likely red as well.
“How can you
be so . . . so unaffected all the time?” Her voice rose
with her accusation. “Haven’t you ever dreamed for something outside the realm
of possibility? Or are you content with each day so long as your cravat is
perfectly pleated?”
be so . . . so unaffected all the time?” Her voice rose
with her accusation. “Haven’t you ever dreamed for something outside the realm
of possibility? Or are you content with each day so long as your cravat is
perfectly pleated?”
She glared at
the offending garment, struck by a ridiculous notion to crumple it. No sooner
had the idea formed that she gave in to the impulse and moved forward on her
seat, her arm reaching forward.
the offending garment, struck by a ridiculous notion to crumple it. No sooner
had the idea formed that she gave in to the impulse and moved forward on her
seat, her arm reaching forward.
Ethan stopped
her, taking hold of her wrist. His eyes flared. Before she could react, he
yanked, propelling her forward to land clumsily on his lap.
her, taking hold of her wrist. His eyes flared. Before she could react, he
yanked, propelling her forward to land clumsily on his lap.
“How dare—”
His mouth
covered hers, silencing her outrage. Her head spun, reeling from the sudden
scorching heat of his kiss.
covered hers, silencing her outrage. Her head spun, reeling from the sudden
scorching heat of his kiss.
This was a
kiss, wasn’t it? Yet, it was nothing like her dreams, where his rehearsed
request was followed by carefully controlled actions. No, this was no gentle
dream. This was hard and demanding. His tongue didn’t request entrance but
swept in and plundered.
kiss, wasn’t it? Yet, it was nothing like her dreams, where his rehearsed
request was followed by carefully controlled actions. No, this was no gentle
dream. This was hard and demanding. His tongue didn’t request entrance but
swept in and plundered.
His arms were
not gentle either. In fact, he held her so tightly she couldn’t move, and
grasped her wrist so she couldn’t touch him or push him away.
not gentle either. In fact, he held her so tightly she couldn’t move, and
grasped her wrist so she couldn’t touch him or push him away.
But she’d
never push him away.
never push him away.
Instead, she
wanted to cling to him. Her anger evaporated in a rush of steam. Her mind cried
out for more of this glorious punishment. She wanted his kiss to burn her,
through and through. This was the first time she’d been warm in months.
wanted to cling to him. Her anger evaporated in a rush of steam. Her mind cried
out for more of this glorious punishment. She wanted his kiss to burn her,
through and through. This was the first time she’d been warm in months.
Thanks for your review…sounds like a good read!
Thank you! I really enjoyed this story.
Oh this sounds like a fun book! I love the friends to more premise because it gets rid of the pesky insta-love issue which never quite feels real to me. I'll definitely be on the lookout for this one. Great review!
Thank you, Katherine! Insta-love is way overdone these days and it almost never feels authentic. I sometimes loving being able to sit down with a novella and read a complete story in one sitting. This was a really nice story.
Thank you so much for participating!
Thank you for organizing everything and letting me be a part of it! This was such a wonderful novella. I really enjoyed it.