The cover of A Talent for Sin caught my attention immediately. The heroine’s coquettish look over the shoulder. Nice. Provocative. Seemingly innocent. Then I read the back cover blurb. Now I’m completely intrigued. Older woman, younger man. But wait, the girl on the cover doesn’t look more than twenty. Never mind that, it works. 🙂 I’m too impatient to go to the book store, so I download it immediately. I read it in two days (hey, I was busy writing and revising my life away). I adored it. The beginning took my breath away. Can you really start a book like that? It gave me ideas for the future… Suffice it enough to say, wonderful debut. So without further ado, dear readers, please welcome Lavinia Kent to The Season’s Blog.
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I am not sure if this is a blog about villains or about point of view. I definitely started out planning to write about villains and why I love them. But then I realized that what I really love is how different points of view change a story. I adore it when I am absolutely convinced a character is evil and then the picture twists. I start to see the world through their eyes and suddenly everything isn’t so black and white.
I don’t know if anybody has read any of George R.R. Martins’ “Song of Ice and Fire” series, but he is a champion at this. A character will seem completely without redemption and then suddenly the reader is in his point of view for several hundred pages. Everybody the reader assumed was good now has sinister overtones and all the evil deeds are explained. The character still may not be a “good guy” but the reader understands and sympathizes with his every action.
I’ve dreamed of writing a book like this for years and thought I knew what it would be. Of course life – and books – rarely turn out quite the way I intend.
My debut novel, A Talent for Sin, features a heroine, Violet Carrington, who was forced, by her brother, to marry an elderly man–forced not once but twice, marrying again after her first husband dies. The book takes place years later when Violet, again a widow, takes a younger lover who wishes to marry her. Violet is convinced that she has nothing to gain by marriage and changing her mind takes some very passionate persuading.
A Talent for Sin
Author: Lavinia Kent
Publisher: Avon
Pub. Date: May 26
ISBN-13: 978-0061734083
384 pages
She was blessed with a gift of temptation.
Violet, Lady Carrington, possesses everything a spirited woman could want out of life. Money (and lots of it). The freedom to make her own choices, with no husband to rule her. And a delightfully attentive young lover, Lord Peter St. Johns, to satisfy her every wild whim. But Peter desires more than Violet’s lascivious attentions. He’s desperate for her heart—and her hand in marriage.
Yet with a toss of her russet curls, Violet refuses. A man like Peter belongs with a naïve, blushing beauty, not a luscious lady with a talent for sin, and she would rather die than be beholden to anyone. But try as she might, she cannot convince him—or herself—that their tantalizing dalliance is a mere trifle. Perhaps Lady Carrington has finally met her match—a man who will love but not control her, a man who can meet her wickedness with a fierce passion of his own . . .
During the course of the book Violet’s brother, Masters, enters the story again. This time he is trying to force their youngest sister to wed. He is in every sense a villain.
And then I started to write my next book. It was supposed to be the youngest sister’s story, but she made it very clear that she was not ready for true love. She had a lot of life to live first.
And Masters – well he kept appearing and trying to explain to me why he’d acted the way he had. (He also grew about six inches taller and developed a distinctly more muscular chest.) The more I tried to push him back the more he insisted on being heard.
And so was born Bound by Temptation, out from Avon in February 2010, the story of Masters and Lady Clara Westington. Lady Clara also has problems with how Masters had treated his sisters. She’s not at all sure she wants a lover who could treat any woman in such a way. Of course that would be easier to manage if she could keep her hands off him, or if she hadn’t tried to seduce him over breakfast bacon. And that’s not even mentioning awakening tied to his bed . . .
Do you have a favorite villain turned hero/heroine? I’d love to hear. And don’t forget, I’m giving away 2 copies. Just comment for a chance to win.
Lavinia Kent
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Before I offer up 3 copies of Knight of Desire readers can win by leaving a comment, I will, once again, offer my opinion on this fabulous debut. I don’t normally read medievals. I’m squeamish (my own fault entirely) and they tend to have too much fighting for my tastes. But when my friend Jackie Barbosa (who is well aware of my very particular tastes) highly recommended Margaret’s medieval as one I would enjoy, I bought it the next day(I’m no dummy). Now I’m HOOKED on Margaret Mallory and her valiant knights, beautiful heroines and wonderfully compelling love stories. December can’t come soon enough for me to get my hands on Knight of Pleasure. By the way, have you seen the gorgeous cover! The cover gods indulged Miss Mallory in a most extraordinary way. 😉
Was it only me, Jackie and the editors at Grand Central who loved Knight of Desire? Nope. Check out Buffie Johnson’s review (formerly of RomanceNovel TV, now with one of our contributing reviewers, The Romance Dish).
Knight of Desire
Author: Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Grand Central
Pub. Date: July 1
ISBN-13: 978-0446553391
384 pages
FEARLESS IN BATTLE
His surcoat still bloody from battle, William FitzAlan comes to claim the strategic borderlands granted to him by the king. One last prize awaits him at the castle gates: the lovely Lady Catherine Rayburn.
TENDER IN BED
Catherine risked everything to spy for the crown. Her reward? Her lands are declared forfeit and she is given this choice: marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Catherine agrees to give her handsome new husband her body, but she’s keeping secrets and dares not give him her heart. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.
I am a romance reader who loves debut novels. I think the reason I enjoy debuts so much is because of the possibility of finding a new author to follow. As you all know, medievals are my first loves in the romance novel world, so when I had the chance to read Margaret Mallory’s debut novel, I grabbed the book with both hands.
On the eve of her wedding to a man she neither likes nor admires, Lady Mary Catherine sneaks into the stables to saddle up her horse and enjoy her last hour as a free woman. But what Catherine does not expect to find is a shadow lurking in the stables. Confronted by a stranger, Catherine does what every 16 year old girl in the 1400s would do . . . pulls a blade on the stranger and threatens his life. Amused by the young girl’s response to him, the young knight tells Catherine that he will ride along with her to insure her safety. Catherine reluctantly agrees and the two share a memorable, yet innocent, few hours together.
Five years have passed since her wedding day and Catherine cannot believe she has survived the torturous abuse of her husband, Lord Rayburn. But if her husband finds out she is the one who alerted the King of her husband’s involvement with the Welsh rebels and the movements of the rebel forces before the King’s men can capture him for treason, Lady Catherine may not face another sunrise. Summoned to the gate of her castle, Catherine is nervous to find several of the King’s men waiting. Upon receiving the news that her abusive husband was caught and killed, Catherine drops to her knees and cries her praises to God. But her jubilant celebration is quickly squashed as she is told the King has given her now dead husband’s title and all his property to the man who defeated her husband in battle that very day, Sir William FitzAlan. By the King’s edict, Catherine has two choices. Marry Sir FitzAlan or be taken from her home and her son and placed in the Tower.
Sir William FitzAlan is one of the King’s men. He is a knight with no home, no family (that he likes anyway), and no land. He is an honest man among the throngs of dishonest ones. After dispensing with a traitor to the crown, William is awarded Ross Castle and all of its land. Being a man who hates to see women punished, William agrees to marry the Lady of Ross Castle without seeing her first. As Catherine stands at the gate while Father Whitefield explains the King’s messages to her, William is shocked to silence when he discovers Catherine is the young woman he spent an innocent evening with several years ago. The woman he could never get out of his head or his heart. And now she is to be his wife.
Catherine and William have a long road ahead of them. Both must learn to trust the other with their heart and their body. William yearns to show Catherine the pleasures of the marriage bed, but must do so with a gentle hand as her experience with her mentally and physically abusive spouse has scarred her in more than one way. Catherine wants William to trust her above anyone else, even though he has burned by women in the past. Trust is a hard thing to earn as it doesn’t come quickly or easily.
This is a fabulous debut novel. Margaret Mallory does a masterful job of focusing on the relationship of the hero and heroine while still having an underlying theme of treason, intrigue, and secrets which are woven intricately throughout the novel but yet never overpowering the love story. Mallory also does a wonderful job of writing the mothering feelings of Catherine. She is spot on with the descriptions of a mother’s love and the thoughts of a mother. Several times I found myself shaking my head in agreement with the words on the page.
I am very happy to learn that Margaret Mallory is writing two more books in the All The King’s Men series. I can’t wait to read about the secondary characters from this book as many of them will make excellent heroes of their own stories. So if you like medievals and are ready to try a new author, then this is just the book for you! Rating: 4.25/5.00 Stars
[starrater tpl=10 style=’christmas’]
~~~
I’m giving away 2 (copies) of Allegra Gray’s debut, Nothing But Scandal.
Nothing But Scandal
Author: Allegra Gray
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: July 7
ISBN-13: 978-1420108255
352 pages
It all starts with an innocent proposition
When her father dies, leaving her penniless and without prospects, Elizabeth Medford is faced with a horrible future: marriage to the utterly vile Harold Wetherby. Her family thinks he’s a brilliant choice, but Elizabeth has witnessed Wetherby’s cruel nature and knows a life with him would be a miserable one.. If only he didn’t want to marry her…but for that to be the case, she would have to have a damaged reputation, and despite her father’s missteps, Elizabeth’s own name is pristine among society.
So far…
Elizabeth will organize her own ruin and escape the betrothal, leaving her old life behind. The only hitch is the man she hopes will do the ruining—the irresistible Alex Bainbridge, Duke of Beaufort. Alex is no stranger to scandal. But he has secrets of his own that make Elizabeth Medford a woman he should avoid at all costs–for both their sakes. He insists he will have no part in her crazy scheme…no matter how tempting she may be…
In the summer of 2010, look out for Allegra’s sophomore novel from Kensington, Nothing But Deception.
~~~
I’m giving away 5 (five) copies each of Lisa Marie Wilkinson’s Fire At Midnight and Jackie Barbosa’s Behind the Red Door (it’s hot!). Comment to enter to win.
Fire At Midnight
Author: Lisa Marie Wilkinson
Publisher: Medallion Press
Pub. Date: March 1
ISBN-13: 978-1933836546
350 pages
It is 1703, and Rachael Penrose is confined to Bedlam Insane Asylum in London after discovering her uncle Victor plans to kill her brother in order to inherit the family fortune. Victor leads a gang of criminals and uses French privateer/smuggler Sébastien Falconer as the scapegoat for his crimes. When Victor spreads the lie that Rachael informed the authorities of Falconer’s smuggling activities, Falconer vows revenge on the girl.
A dangerously ill Rachael finally escapes from Bedlam, only to find shelter in Sébastien’s carriage, and ends up in his care. It is a twist of fate that will alter both their lives forever.
Believing she is in danger from Sébastien, Rachael meets up with his estranged twin brother, Jacques, a customs officer intent on bringing his brother, the famous privateer, to justice. But the real criminal is still at large, and she and her brother are still in danger. Will she discover the truth and save both their lives . . . and her heart?
In March 2010, look out for Lisa’s sophomore book from Medallion Press, Stolen Promise.
~~~
In full disclosure, Jackie Barbosa is my good friend. That said, this anthology is not to be missed! I read it before it was in print and the writing is top-notch, the characters well-drawn, the love stories, heartfelt. It’s a must read.
Behind The Red Door
Author: Jackie Barbosa
Publisher: Kensington
Pub. Date: May 26
ISBN-13: 978-0758234582
304 pages
Wickedly Ever After
Known for his wicked ways, the Marquess of Grenville is far from marriage material. But when Miss Eleanor Palmer tries to tell him so, she quickly finds the heat of his kiss melting her determination to say “no” into an uncontrollable desire to say “yes…”
Scandalously Ever After
Most men who visit the Red Door brothel enjoy sampling the variety of feminine delights, so Calliope is surprised when Captain Jack Prescott claims her for a week of passion. But satisfying his every sexual desire provides them both with complete carnal pleasure…
Sinfully Ever After
Lady Jane St. Clair loves her fiancé, but Gerard Nash is a notorious rake who likes adventurous women. Wanting to show him just how bold she can be, Jane masquerades as a young ingénue at the Red Door where she and Gerard experience sinfully erotic ecstasy…
My TBR list keeps getting longer! So many good books out there.
Oh goodness, so many wonderful reads XD !! would love a chance to win any lol as for my favorite villain turned hero/heroine…does Snape from Harry Potter count? There’s also Nick Gentry from Lisa Kleypas Lady Sophia’s lover who is the hero in his own book, Worth any price and another Lisa Kleypas, Hardy Cates who is the ‘villain’ of sorts in Sugar Daddy to be wonderfully redeemed in Blue-eyed devil
These look fantastic! 🙂 Those covers are so beautiful too, my TBR is getting smaller so it would be great to add to it >.<
Hi Lavinia
Great question. I love an unlikely hero. Edith Layton’s The Duke’s Wager is a wonderful example of villain turned hero. When I read that book I actually didn’t realize which of the two men was the hero until about half way through when I suddenly thought “OMG the duke is so bad but I love him, I want him to get the girl.” It’s a trad regency and probably out of print but a GREAT book.
A Talent for Sin was terrific and I love the cover for the next book. The cover gods were definitely smiling on you.
Wow! Gorgeous covers. Spirited heroines with a touch of wickedness. Heroes to sigh for! All treats and no tricks. Great fun!
All of the books sound wonderful! I think my favorite villain turned hero would be Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent from Lisa Kleypas’s Devil in Winter. I didn’t know how she could redeem him after It Happened One Autumn, but she did! 😉
Bonnie, I have to totally agree with you there. I didn’t think Sebastian had any hopes of being a hero, and as for his friendship with Marcus, gone! But Ms. Kleypas managed it and so well too. It Happened One Autumn and Devil in Winter are 2 of my fave reads, evah!
Wonderful book today… again !
My favorite villain turned hero is Sebastian from the Devil in Winter. I reread the book a few days ago and loved it even more than the 10 first stimes ;-). Seeing him fighting his love for the heroine was almost funny. I couldn’t stop grinning while reding it.
I haven’t read it yet but Susan Mallery has a new book out this week (Hot one her Heels) which has a very bad guy trned hero. It’s on my TBR list, we’ll see…
All the covers are great! I’ll wait patiently to lay my hands on one of them 🙂
I’m hooked on Margaret Mallory too. Her Medieval debut was fabulous! I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Hi Lavinia, BOUND BY TEMPTATION sounds like a wonderful story. As for your question, I found not liking Sophia in Lisa Kleypas’s Lady Sophia Lover. What she sought was revenge for her brother’s death, but she could not deny her true nature which was a warm and nurturing person.
Hi Lavinia,
I really enjoyed reading your blog! Your book A Talent For Sin looks great, as does the follow-up Bound By Temptation.
The books featured today all look wonderful, but I really wish I could win a copy of Lisa Marie Wilkinson’s Fire At Midnight!!! 🙂
Wow, all great looking reads! I’ve had to go out and buy a small notebook so I can keep track of all these authors I want, and when I see them, I can snatch them up.
Thanks!
Morning Glow
I love St. Vincent from Devil in Winter. Even when he was doing viliany things in Autumn I still loved him (I guess i have a soft spot for the Bad Boys!)
Congrats Lavinia on your debut!
I see several books I would love to read!
There are so many good books listed here…don’t know which one I want to read first.
I think “A Talent for Sin” has just entered my wish list on Amazon! This blog is adding too it so fast. ^w^
My tbr list keeps growing and growing!!
All of these debuts sound wonderful. I am so impressed when an author can create such a quality story in her very first book!
Favorite villain turned hero? I am going to have to add another vote for Kleypas’ Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent.
Such a great selection of books! And I’m definitely a fan of medievals. All those rippling muscles sweating while protecting the one they love, how could you not go for a hero like that.
I’d suggest Villers was something of a “villian” but never truly evil and grew into a good guy throughout Eloisa James’ Duchesses series.
Wow, we have a GREAT selection of new books this month!! Wish I could buy them all!! These contests help out a lot!! Thanks, Sue
These are all wonderful debut authors!! I have read all of their debut books and was blown away with not only their stories, but the twists and turns they took me on….an adventure.
I am looking forward to Allegra Gray’s debut book. Here’s wishing continued success to all!
Thanks!
I’m not a medieval girl really at all, but you’ve convinced me to give this author a try 🙂
Oh, all these books look are fantastic looking!! My favorites of course, historicals!! The covers are also great!! I can’t think of a cover from an historical that is not gorgeous!!
All these books sound great. As mentioned by other commenters, my favorite villian is Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent.
Please enter me in the contest.
Thanks!
My favorite villain turned hero is Lisa Kleypas’ Nick Gentry. He eventually becomes a Bow Street Runner.
There are some great books to add to my wish list.
The only villian turned hero that I can think of off the top of my head is St. Vincent from Lisa Kleypas’ Devil in Winter.
Hi Lavinia!
Your books sounds like a great story. Actually, both of them do! I see a couple people already listed my favorite villain turned hero, but it is worth saying again … Sebastian, St. Vincent from Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas. Yes, you have to love those bad boys turned good, well good-ish.
Lavinia
I have your book on my TBR pile I loved the sound of it and am moving it up can’t wait to read it, and I agree with what everyone else is saying about Sebastian St Vincent and yes Snape from Harry Potter as well. I love reading medievals and all of these books sound fabulous thanks for letting me know about them
Have Fun
Helen
I love discovering new authors and I adore medievals! Thanks, Bev!
~PJ
The books featured today all look like great reads!
An amazing collection of books. I am especially curious about the Jackie Barbosa book.
Would love to be entered.
Pearl 🙂
Beverly, I am so glad that you are hooked on Margaret Mallory’s books and medievals. As I stated in my review, medievals are my first love. Medievals are what drew me to the romance world.
Lavinia – your books sound fabulous! I absolutely love when a villian turns into a hero. I would think it would be tough to write, but I sure do love reading them!
A Talent For Sin sounds like a delightful story, I’ll be looking for that one. I’d love to read any of the rest of the books mentioned as well, they all sound great. I can’t think of anyone off hand that started out as a villian, but as mentioned previously, the Duke of Villiars did start out as an unsympathetic character in Eloisa James’ Desperate Duchesses series and ended up the hero of his own story. I really enjoyed that whole series.
So many good books to read – but not enough time! I’ve got to find more time!
Margay
What a great giveaway! I would love a chance to win any of these books.
Lavinia – Hi! I’ve heard so many great things about your book and will definitely check it out. As for my favorite villian turned hero I would have to say Viscount St. Vincent (Sebastian) from “The Devil in Winter” by Lisa Kleypas.
Lavinia,
Funny how a villain may not seem so bad once he is given the opportunity to explain his actions. Am glad you are giving Masters a chance to explain himself. Rather provocative covers.
Margaret Mallory,
You are writing about my favorite time period. It is such a struggle for women. In most cases, they are simply a means to an end for men. Your heroine risks her life for the king and her reward is the threat of punishment. The things women endured just to survive back them are sometimes unbelievable. Knight of Desire sounds very good. I look forward to reading their story.
Lisa, your Fire At Midnight offers a different plot line. I like plots with twists and turns and misunderstandings. Sound like a good read.
Good luck to all the authors on the release of their books.
All these books look SO GOOD! I would LOVE to win a copy of any of these books! 🙂
Hi All,
Sorry to be chiming in so late. I spent the day with two suddenly sick children. Not swine flu, but not fun. I tried to chime in earlier from my iphone, but it wasn’t being cooperative.
Please forgive me if I am a little disjointed. I have a lot I want to fit in.
I love Lisa Klepas’s books. She is one of the authors who brought me back to romance when I strayed. I’d never thought of her in the contest of villain’s turned heros, but you are all certainly write. I’ve read Devil in Winter several times and she does an amazing job of turning things around.
My favorite villain turned heroine is in Mary Balogh’s A Christmas Bride. After reading A Precious Jewel I would never have believed I could root for Lady Helena, but she became one of my favorite heroines. I think the book is only available used, but it’s worth the effort of finding it.
I have to confess I loved Snape from the beginning, but that may be because I have a not so secret Alan Rickman crush. He is the man who could read the telephone book and make me sigh.
I love my new cover, too. The last one was so great that I wasn’t sure that I’d feel the same about this one. Avon did a wonderful job. I think Clara looks a little bit like Megan Fox which is exactly how I pictured her — very strong and sure of herself, and very, very sexy. I love the ribbon tied around her wrist.
I was working on my next book today in the doctor’s waiting room and realized that I have another villain turned hero (or in this case, heroine) in the making. I don’t know if she’ll ever get her own book, but I am very excited with the ideas floating around in my head. I love that I can have so much fun and have it be work.
Sorry again for not being here earlier. I’ll be around all day tomorrow if anybody wants to continue the conversation. You’ve prompted me to put a couple of rereads in my TBR pile. And wow, I can’t wait to read some of the other books mentioned in the blog. I am hoping to finish the first draft of my current work next week and then I have a week of reading while I let it sit before I begin editing so I’d love any more suggestions.
Thanks and good reading,
Lavinia
They all look like delicious stories and I would be honored to win any of them!!!
All of the debut books look interesting.
As for redeemed villians, count me in as a St. Vincent girl. But I would argue he is never a true villain to begin with — his actions in Autumn are as much a result of not thinking the thing through as they are the product of true villany (together with an inability to imagine that any woman would not want to marry him). It’s far closer to Pepe Le Pew syndrome than it is to Snidley Whiplash.
I’d like to see someone take a flat out, full throttle villain and redeem them.
so many more great more books!
I hope your two little ones feel better very soon, Lavinia. There is nothing more stressful than sick kiddos.
Thanks for your great comments! I have not read A Christmas Bride, but I’ll have to check it out.
What a wonderful collection of books. I just got a Kindle and I am going to add some of these on to it.
Congrats on the Kindle, Debra. I love mine, can’t imagine life without it anymore. It was wonderful on summer vacation when I only had to pack a couple of paperbacks as emergency back-up. It’s so wonderful to be able to get the next book I want to read in under a minute.
I am pulling all my wallflower books off the shelf to give them another read. I do love St Vincent.
Clarisse, I think I mentioned the George R.R. Martin books instead of a romance because he really takes characters who have done the most awful things and almost redeems them — at least make you understand them. It’s set in a very medieval world where awful really is awful.
I think it’s much harder to do in romance where there are somethings your hero/heroine just can’t have done — it’s hard to forgive the guy who slaughtered your whole family. There are plenty of stories where it turns out the hero didn’t really do the evil “thing,” but I think that’s cheating.
Lavinia