Blog Tour: The Once and Future Duchess by Sophia Nash (Excerpt + Giveaway)

I'm so pleased to be part of this blog tour for one of my favourite authors and one of my all-time favourite series, so, welcome to The Once and Future Duchess, the last book in Sophia Nash's The Royal Entourage series.

For this tour, Avon is hosting a TOUR-WIDE Commenter Giveaway for TWO Digital Copies of THE DUKE DIARIES, Book Three in The Royal Entourage Series by Sophia Nash (Enter via Rafflecopter below).

To follow the rest of the tour, click here.

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About the book:

Blurb:

A duchess in time saves a noble line ...



In theory, the Duke of Candover is the most eligible peer in the realm. But in truth, he has a deep aversion to the merest hint of marriage, not to mention two botched engagements which have marked his jaded soul. Now, after a debauched bachelor party that causes public outcry, the Prince Regent is demanding that it's Candover's turn to be brought to heel. And Prinny secretly believes that Isabelle Tremont, the Duchess of March, is precisely the lady up to the challenge.



Isabelle must marry, but a day of reckoning with the man she's loved for years is her greatest fear. If Candover insists she's too young and innocent for a seasoned world-weary man like him, there's no shortage of other candidates. Gentlemen of prestige and position. Gentlemen whose attentions are driving Candover to jealous distraction. Yet one abandoned moment under the stars hints that if they can put aside pride and duty, then a love once denied might just be their destiny.

Exclusive Excerpt:

And why was he dreaming every damned night of Isabelle Tremont? He could not stop reliving every hot moment—the way her form had molded to his so damn perfectly it made his mouth water. He had wanted to touch her, peel down that scrap of a silk bodice of hers and taste her.

And in his dreams he had.

Her face, creamy white under a waxing moon, had suddenly been bathed in the candlelight of his chambers in Derbyshire. And he had caressed her supple flesh as she moaned. His mouth had trailed his hands until he had reached the juncture of her thighs. He had urged her slim legs apart and nuzzled her again and again. Parting and licking her swollen folds as her sweet soft sounds filled the room.

Until he hadn’t been able to bear the strain of pent up desire. He had crawled up her body with a deep guttural growl and positioned himself, nudging her thighs ever wider. The heaviness of his arousal had rested against the soft invitation of her body and he had gritted against the wave of intense desire to take her. And in his dreams he did. And each time, the wild rush of pleasure crashed the moment he took her innocence and he caught the shattering depth of hurt he had seen in her eyes that night in the garden.

He looked down at his hands in his lap. They were shaking like leaves of late summer as they clung to their branches against the rush of autumn’s first gusts. He would not let go. He would not give in to temptation. He would be damned more than he already was if he broke his word. He closed his eyes against the pain of it.

To read my review of this book, click here.

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17331448-the-once-and-future-duchess

Buy Links
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About the author:

Sophia Nash was born in Switzerland and raised in France and the United States, but says her heart resides in Regency England. Her ancestor, an infamous French admiral who traded epic cannon fire with the British Royal Navy, is surely turning in his grave. Before pursuing her long-held dream of writing, Sophia was an award-winning television producer for a CBS affiliate, a congressional speechwriter, and a nonprofit CEO. She lives in the Washington, D.C., suburbs with her husband and two children. Sophia's novels have won twelve national awards, including the prestigious RITA® Award, and two spots on Booklist's "Top Ten Romances of the Year."


Author Links
https://twitter.com/SophiaNash1
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sophia-Nash/114580971964977
http://sophianash.com/index.php
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/240488.Sophia_Nash

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For this tour, Avon is hosting a TOUR-WIDE Commenter Giveaway for TWO Digital Copies of THE DUKE DIARIES, Book Three in The Royal Entourage Series by Sophia Nash (Enter via Rafflecopter below).

To follow the rest of the tour, click here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: The Once and Future Duchess by Sophia Nash

Click here to pre-order the book on Amazon, Release Date: May 27, 2014
Click here to pre-order the paperback at The Book Depository
This is a series I'm invested in and I love every book that has come out so far. It was a long wait for this book, Isabel's book, and I had intended to read it slowly -- to savor it and prolong my enjoyment of it. But Isabel's story demanded a faster pace from me: she is being pressured by the Prince Regent to marry, and marry soon, and she has also been tasked by His Royal Highness to oversee the reform and marriage of the rest of the Royal Entourage: the Duke of Candover, the Duke of Sussex, and the Duke of Barry.

She thought to hit two birds with one stone by proposing marriage to the Duke of Candover, a long-time friend of her late father and her de facto adviser. Isabel also happens to be in love with the James, which makes the whole marriage easier for her to swallow, but James rejects her proposal and she searches elsewhere. Using a very useful list that the Prince Regent has prepared for her, but the Duke of Candover cannot help but feel ... irritated with the turn of events. He cares for Isabel, but a promise to her late father to see her married to a man much closer to her age makes him ineligible for her hand. To entertain the thought of marrying her would mean betraying the promises he made to her father. However, the thought of anyone else with Isabel is just as unacceptable to him.

This is a book that made me go "wow" in the early chapters. There is great chemistry between James and Isabel -- it's something that's just there between the two of them. Isabel hasn't really expressed her feelings explicitly, but James has an idea of her esteem. James feels it, but never shows it to Isabel. It's so polite!

He looked down at her now bowed head. She loosened the ribbons of her elegant bonnet and allowed it to fall down her back -- at the end of its tied ribbons. The shiny brown coils of her luxurious hair gleamed in the rays of sunlight. Without thinking, James silently removed one glove and reached toward the crown of her head. His fingers, a hairbreadth away from her sleek head, stopped. He could feel warmth radiating from her -- so close yet so far.

And in that moment he imagined the beauty of the life he would have if he had been allowed to close the distance between them. He willed her to glance up at him, but she did not.

The shadow of a raven passed overhead and cawed its displeasure.

He returned his hand to its proper place by his side.
- loc 508

James has a reputation for being too serious, too stoic, too formal -- he never show emotions and is a stickler for protocol. He's also had a dead fiancé, and another one that he jilted at the altar, so marriage is the last thing on James's mind.

Isabel is very young, but she has an old soul. She's a duchess in her own right and manages her duchy very well. I love the idea of her being in the Royal Entourage, this lady who wields the same power as the rest of the gentlemen. She has wisdom, experience and insight beyond her years, but, while she has the highest title in the land and can afford anything she wants, the one man she desperately wants has refused her. She has a list of names from her "secret" pen pal (the Prince), and it reveals a really charming side to Isabel: she is innocent in the ways of the world, but she is also incredibly astute and observant.

This is not a story about two characters falling in love. They are already in love -- it's a matter of acting on the feeling. But, there's love, and there's also honour and duty -- and one has to make a choice which one supersedes the rest. In the case of dukes and duchesses, so much and so many depend on them to make the right decisions. James has chosen duty, and Isabel has chosen love. I was so excited whenever Isabel and James were in the same room/place: I loved how they talked to each other, I loved how they argued with each other. There is just so, so much pent-up passion between the two and I kept waiting for it to break out to the surface.

Just once she wished ... just once she wanted him to kiss her. She did not want to kiss Lord Whiskers or Mr. Cocksure. She wanted to look into the depths of this man's mysterious brown eyes and share something wicked and intimate. And she wanted desperately for him to know her. As a woman, and not as the child he thought she still was.
- loc 948

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She had the most expressive eyes. They were a pale golden colour. Highly unusual and not unlike a lioness. And her mass of shiny, lovely brown hair. Not as dark as his own, but a beautiful lighter shade. more like maple that shone in the -- Lord, since when had he attempted poetry? And at this moment? Across from a demented tonsured religious? The madhouse was in his future.
- loc 2168

Nash also introduces Isabel's younger cousin, Calliope Little, who steals a lot of the scenes in this novel and has the best lines, I think. I really, really hope Nash writes about her -- even a small novella or a full-length novel. I really just want to read more of her!

"I will not wait another moment," Calliope said sharply. "There are four reasons. One" -- she held up her index finger 00 "it's been twenty seven minutes -- well beyond protocol. Two" -- up went a second digit -- "she's not supposed to be alone with any man unless they are engaged. Even then it's not allowed, although many companions just look the other way. I'm not one of those." She took a breath and help up the third finger. "Three, I want to know what's going on. I'd wager it's no good. And lastly, no one should be made to sit in a chamber without a single thing to do or see." She stared daggers at the butler. "I told you I preferred a room with curiosities."
- loc 605

One duke in a story is amazing. Two interacting in the same story is awesome, but three is a bit mindblowing. As this is the last book in the series (and I wish it wasn't) Nash also resolves the story of the Duke of Sussex and hints at the Duke of Barry's happy ending. I was very satisfied with how Nash was able to unite these three storylines into a cohesive story ... But it leads me to wishing, wanting to read more about them. Nash has enchanted me and reeled me into this dizzyingly fun world and I have fallen in love with her dukes and duchess (and Prince) and her wonderful way of mixing humour with insight ... And I'm afraid to let go of that and of them.

I really don't want this series to end! (The only silver lining is that, it means Sophia Nash will be writing something new ... hopefully soon? ^_^)

Disclosure: I received this ARC via Edelweiss. Thank you to Sophia Nash, and Avon for the opportunity! Yes, this is an honest review.

The Once and Future Duchess by Sophia Nash will be released on May 27, 2014. To read my reviews for the rest of the series, click below:
Book 1: Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea
Book 2: The Art of Duke Hunting
Book 3: The Duke Diaries
Book 4: The Once and Future Duchess

To find out more about Sophia Nash and her books, click below:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Review: The Duke Diaries by Sophia Nash

Buy the Book at Amazon

Verity Fitzroy is an unconventional young lady who happens to belong to a very unconventional family. As the middle child, she often gets lost and overlooked -- and that's fine for Verity, whose one great gift is writing. Being the sister of the Duke of Candover gives Verity the chance to eavesdrop and write about very interesting things -- and, over the years, she has kept her observations in volumes of diaries. She's figured out her brother and the rest of the royal entourage, has pegged their characteristics and even compared them to animals in the wild. One of the members of the royal entourage continues to elude Verity's keen eye: Rory Lennox, the first Duke of Abshire and her brother's former best friend.

Rory is a mystery: What happened to his friendship with James Fitzroy? How exactly did he gain the title of duke? What does he do in the Royal Entourage?

When Rory wakes up in Verity's room: in her bed. With Verity in his arms. After one of the most infamous, notorious, controversial nights in the history of the Royal Entourage, Rory and the rest of the entourage goes into damage control. For Rory, all he needs to do is to marry Verity.

Except Verity doesn't want to marry him.

To prevent further scandal, the Prince orders his Royal Entourage to leave London and gave them all a month to fix the situation. Verity was also packed off by her brother, James, to quash any rumors of her involvement. So Rory and Verity find themselves back in Derbyshire where an undying devotion first started and where a lifelong friendship ended.

The royal entourage's (and the Prince's) problem escalates when a newspaper starts printing incendiary opinions about them and the flames are fanned even more when excerpts from a diary, chronicling the escapades of the dukes of the realm are published -- and guess whose diaries are being referenced?

I really like Verity. She has a very interesting family and she happens to be the least interesting one -- her sisters are all gifted in Math but Verity doesn't possess an ounce of her sisters' genius or their mother's knowledge of and interest in nature. Instead of moping, or feeling sorry for herself, she finds her own niche and flourishes in it. She discovers that she has a natural gift for writing. While her work isn't world-changing, it is life-changing for her. Her writing gives her confidence and a better understanding of the glittery world she lives in.

It also gives Verity the upper hand when it comes to Rory. She understands the narrative of love and marriage in the ton: the first is rare, the latter is convenient. And, while she's loved Rory all her life, she views the opportunity she is given now with suspicion. She doesn't want to trap Rory into marriage; she wants Rory to want the marriage.

From not-quite friends, to friends, to lovers, Sophia Nash has set a very interesting rhythm to Verity and Rory's story: while their story begins in a bed, the author decides not to rush our hero and heroine into a whirlwind marriage. Although, if Rory had his way, he'd probably would've wanted to solve the problem quickly and expediently, but Rory isn't the one in control -- it's Verity who is setting the pace for their courtship, and she isn't content with quick, painless and convenient when it comes to love.

"...I had hoped to save myself the trouble. But if you persist in this determination to ruin yours and your family's name, then I can be counted on to reconsider the other option." He paused. "Enough of this, V. Name the day."

"Of course. The seventeenth of July."

She almost laughed when she saw the odd combination of relief and fear mingling on his features.

"In the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and nine," she added.
- p. 112

So the story proceeds with Verity and Rory gradually peeling back the layers of their lives, developing their relationship more convincingly. In the end, when they both profess their love for one another, we know where it is coming from and we believe it.

There is a lot of bridges that needed mending in this story:
1. Rory and James' friendship
2. Verity's friendship with Esme, her cousin (and heroine of The Art of Duke Hunting)
3. Rory and Verity's relationship
4. The Prince's relationship with his Royal Entourage

There has been a lot of humor and laugh-out-loud moments in Nash's series but the lives of her characters have always been shadowed with a hint of sadness and wistfulness, which underpins each of their stories -- and it shows through very clearly in The Duke Diaries. There seems to be a lot of things that need forgiving, but these are all essential to Rory and Verity's stories. Rory still lives with the guilt of a mistake made so many years ago (one of the mysteries of Rory. Read: ) -- he lives his entire life doing penance, seeking absolution for it.

Love is the key. Rory never thought he would be worthy of anyone's love and the irony is, love is exactly what he needed to save himself. It is the same for Verity as well. She had long trained herself not to depend on anyone, to rely solely on her own abilities and intellect to get things done. She is central to the tangle that the Royal Entourage find themselves in and she is willing to sacrifice herself if it would mean saving her brother and everyone else's reputation. Verity never considered that she had a partner who wasn't only ready and willing -- but very able to help her handle the situation. All she needed to do was to take a leap of faith and let Rory love her and take care of her.

"I could utter a dozen hideously romantic words to you, or patiently explain everything I will do to make all your worries disappear." He slowly pulled her into his arms, and she did not resist. He settled her in the cradle of his lap. "But what I really want to do is hold you, comfort you, do a few wild wicked things with you, and then afterward I will promise you a few things that will ease your heart and your mind. Will you allow me to do this?"
- p. 291

This is an amazing story: layered, nuanced, subtle, complex and infinitely pleasing. The characters are well-rounded, relatable and genuine -- I especially love the camaraderie that exists between the members of the entourage and the comfortable companionship that exists between our hero and heroine.

The Duke Diaries is Book 3 in Sophia Nash's The Royal Entourage series. I'm looking forward to book four, The Once and Future Duchess, which will feature the only lady in the Royal Entourage, Isabelle, the Duchess of March. Release date is October, 2013. (I'm also a bit devastated to know that this series is ending already. Sob!) To find out more about Sophia Nash and her books, visit her website. She's also on Facebook and on Goodreads.

To read my review of the previous books, click below:
Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea
The Art of Duke Hunting

Review: The Art of Duke Hunting by Sophia Nash

Roman Montagu, the seventeenth Duke of Norwich, is the last person anyone would expect to travel by boat. But there he is. On a boat. In the middle of a storm. And he doesn't know how he got there. All he knows is that he must get off. Now.

Esme March, Countess of Derby, is on her way to adventure. She was loving wife and tireless caregiver to her alcoholic husband and was loyal and obedient daughter to her parents -- now she wants to do something for herself and so she's off to the continent to pursue her love of painting.

But fate (and whatever star anointed her Patron Saint of All Drunkards*) puts her in Roman's path -- and, after sharing one extraordinary night with the most unattainable and untouchable of the Royal Entourage, Esme's future is changed forever.

Suddenly, a woman who was never been the center of attention or object of desire finds herself the focus of a scandalmonger's ambition -- and, to save her reputation, Esme finds herself doing something she has promised herself never to do again.

I love, love, love Esme March. She's an incredibly talented artist and all-around wonderful person and has no idea that she is. She is such a giving soul -- and one who is intuitive and thoughtful. But she also has a streak of independence -- and gives herself over completely to her art.

Roman is the last of his line who has yet to succumb to the Norwich Curse (or the Duck Curse, as most people call it). All his life he's followed a simple formula: never get too close to people. Many times in the novel, he stops and asks Esme if he's doing things properly or if he's offended her with what he has just said.

He's so earnest and sincere and really, really tries, desperately, not to hurt people -- so it is heartbreaking when his actions have the opposite outcome, especially with Esme.

There's a lot of apologizing that happens in the book -- I thought it was very endearing that our hero and heroine were really trying to figure out a way to make a life with each other. Like a dance, the first few tries resulted in bumps and crushed toes (in this case, hurt feelings) but, the longer they were doing it, the better at it they became -- and fewer apologies had to be made. ^_^

This is my favorite moment in the book is when Roman is out and finds Esme's art supplies -- he decides to pass the time by sketching --

...Lost in thought, he began to draw geometric diagrams so quickly that he soon had five pieces of paper before him, every inch covered with figure and arcs, and numeric equations. He reached for another piece of paper and realized he had used it all.

"Do you need more? I would be happy to fetch some for you."

He looked up only to see Esme resting against the side of the millhouse, nearly invisible in the deep shade of the tree nearby. He had been so lost in thought, and she so quiet, he had not seen her. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Not long."

"And you said not a word."

"Why would I? You were obviously doing something very important to you."

...

For another two solid hours they worked together but apart. It was an amazing sensation. He had always worked alone. Every five to ten minutes, he would look up from his computations to see if she was still there.
- pp. 175-177

There is a quiet intimacy between March and Montagu -- and that they are comfortable calling each other such shows that their relationship is a partnership of equals. This was a heartwarming story about two very human, very flawed characters and how they make their relationship work. ^_^


This is the second book in Sophia Nash's The Royal Entourage Series. The next book, The Duke Diaries, will be released in Spring 2013.

To find out more about Sophia Nash and her books, visit her website. She's also on Facebook.



*p. 110

Review: Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea by Sophia Nash

Alexander Barclay, Duke of Kress, has experienced a disconnection from his life ever since he inherited the title. He does what dukes do and indulges in all the things dukes are allowed to indulge in --

After a most forgettable evening (he can't remember anything that happened -- he can't even remember how he lost his entire fortune!), he wakes up to the wrath of the Prince of England -- and an ultimatum: one month to restore his principal seat in Cornwall, mend his rakish ways, and find a wife.

Roxanne Vanderhaven, Countess of Paxton, was unaware of her husband's plans for her -- until it happened and now she finds herself clinging to the side of a cliff. Being thisclose to death, she's realized what a muddle she's made of her life by following only what is expected of her and she's hoping for a chance to live her life properly.

Hope and her second chance comes in the dubious form of Alexander, who really doesn't want to get involved (as he has problems of his own) -- but something about Roxanne's situation that captivated him -- correction: there's something about Roxanne that captivated him.

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt cautions about the unlived life, but that is exactly the life our hero and heroine are living at present. It takes a rather rude wake-up call before Alexander and Roxanne realize this --

Before they met each other, neither one seemed to be engaged in the art of living. Alexander could not even remember the spirits he brought to Candover's party or what happened to his friend, the Duke of Norwich. And Roxanne was living her life on auto-pilot:

Her aim in life was to provide Lawrence his ease, anticipate every need in the household, oversee the entire estate during Lawrence's trips to search out new, exotic plants, and to do him proud as his countess.
- p. 19

Now both of them are being given a second chance to make amends with themselves -- and Sophia Nash does it in a spellbinding and heartbreaking way.

The one element that stands out in this novel is the humor -- it is very cleverly executed and serves to highlight that which is missing from our hero and heroine's lives --

From their very first meeting (and conversation), one discovers the wit they both possess ... and how absorbed they are in the experience of each other. (The fun starts at page 24. ^_^)

... "Planning your departure already?"

"Yes, now that you ask."

"Well, it appears your dear husband is ahead of you on that score."

Her startled blue eyes swung up to meet his gaze, And not for the first time, he was pleasantly surprised by her appearance. She was tall, and spare to be sure. Her large eyes dominated her oval determined visage. A long, straight nose sloped to lips with a prominent bow shape. And a single freckle rested an inch below the outer corner of her left eye. The aspects of her open countenance somehow came together to make for a fascinating face.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Your funeral is set for a week from today."

She snatched the newspaper and quickly scanned the page. "The devil. The absolute wretch of a man. And what will he bury?"

"It's on page two. I think he means to bury your hat..."
- pp. 54-55

(I had a hard time choosing an excerpt to feature because the whole book is a quotable quote. I was smiling as I was reading this book -- it's light-hearted but not silly and playful without being ridiculous.)

It is not all banter and witty repartee -- as the story progresses, Alexander is forced to confront parts of himself and his past life that he has long kept contained:

After many minutes, he stepped onto a secure rocky ridge and scanned the vast wild beauty of the coastal landscape and crimson rays of the setting sun. Not twenty miles to the southwest, he could see his future -- St. Michael's Mount. The magnificent castle was perched on an outcropping of granite, rising from Mount's Bay. All was swathed in an eerie, golden mist.

A long-dormant emotion pushed past the hard edges of Alex's heart and a sudden sense of deja vu filled him. He forced the emotion back into the compartment he rarely opened.
- pp. 21-22

Roxanne has provided Alexander the reason to open himself up -- even when he didn't want to yet.

Sadly, our hero and heroine are not free to be with each other. Roxanne is married and Alexander needs to marry a woman from a list of candidates approved by the prince. And time is running out.

So much is at stake for Alexander and Roxanne:
- to lose each other is to lose joy and laughter
- to lose each other is to lose that one person who challenges you and pushes you to be a better version of yourself
- to lose each other is to lose life as they have come to live it

This was one of the most enjoyable books I have read this year. I loved all the dukes and the one duchess -- and I am looking forward to reading about the rest of them.

Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea is the first book in Sophia Nash's The Royal Entourage series. The second book, The Art of Duke Hunting was released last March 2012. The next book, The Duke Diaries, will be released in Spring 2013.

To find out more about Sophia Nash and her books, visit her website. She's also on Facebook.


Final note #1: This was also one of the most intelligently-written books I have read this year.

"...Can you explain why females are so entranced by the notion of a tortured man? Why does this make him beautiful? Why does this make a lady instantly want to nurture, and even admire him? And worse yet, fall in love with him and imagine he will fall in love with her if she is only allowed access to his heart, which the woman believes she alone can mend?"
- p. 151

I loved the metafiction at play in the story. Nash artfully plays with (and refers to) popular tropes in romance novels in her story. In the story, Roxanne is also busy trying to determine what Alexander's "tragic flaw" is --


Final note #2: My friend, Stacy, shared this book with me. (The book traveled all the way from Michigan to the Philippines! Thank you, dear!) And I clearly remember that, when she finished this book, she immediately went out to get the second book in the series. Now that I've read this, I understand why. ^_^