Spotlight & Giveaway: The Butterfly Bride by Vanessa Riley

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Vanessa Riley to HJ!

Hi Vanessa and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Butterfly Bride!

Tell us about the book with this fun little challenge using the title of the book:

T is for Thankful
H is for Happy-Ever-After
E is for Echo of Heart Strings

B is for Buckets of Snow
U is for Undulating Curls
T is for Tea with Friends
T is for Tête-à-Tête in a Carriage
E is for Example of womanhood
R is for Ribbons of Silver and Gold
F is for Friends–Frederica and Hartwell
L is for Lingering Embrace
Y is for Yearning for More.

B is for a Blessed But in Deciding a Fate
R is for Romance
I is for Ignorance
D is for Doubt
E is for Endless Love.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Ting, ting, plunk—the noise of shattering glass forced Frederica Burghley to peek through her heavy lids. She saw nothing but her darkened bedchamber. The moon danced on her blurry wall tapestry, as it had when she went to bed. She closed her eyes and let the comfort of her wool blankets soothe her nerves.
More breaking glass.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• It’s a Christmas Romance
• It’s a friends to lovers Romance
• It features carriage flirting.
• It has a scandalous altar proposition
• Someone is shoved out of a window to avoid a fate worst that death.

Was there a scene in this book that was harder to write than others?

The scene that was the hardest to write was one that attempts to balance two people owning her feelings even though they both know it can never be reciprocated because of the differences in their circumstances, a grieving titled widower and a courtesan’s daughter.

“Then we should continue,” Jasper said, “I, too, would look deeply into your sweet eyes and promise the same list—living together, obeying and serving one another, loving, honoring, and keeping each other in sickness and in health, but I would add that you and I should forsake all others, and keep thee only unto me, so long as we both shall live.”
“Hartwell?”
“Yes. I’m waiting for your answer.” He put a hand on each side of her face and planted a kiss to her temple, edging his lips to the purple bruise mostly hidden by curls. “This is what you want me to imagine.”
“No. This was… I can’t have you…doing. Death hasn’t released you. You’re still bound to your vows, those said to Lady Hartwell.” Miss Frederica freed herself from his now limp grasp.
But what could he say? Not a single lie. They were in church.
The half of him alive and stirred by this blushing woman reached for her, caught her arm, and pulled her against his chest. His sharp intake of air had to tell her he wasn’t teasing anymore. “You told me you like me, that I’m stuck, and that my first kiss was subpar, but as God is my witness, I need another chance. Let me declare myself.”
“Hartwell, no. It was a jest. We were joking.”
“I’m not, not anymore. These vows are true. Part of me is living for you, Miss Burghley. Part of me is desperate for you to forsake all others. I’ve been trying all day to convince you to ignore these offers from strangers, but if I wasn’t clear, maybe a kiss will convince you. Let me right that one wrong.”
Her eyes had darkened to a deep passion-sated brown.
“I know you care for me. Knowing the differences in our situations—I can’t have designs on you. None. But…”Hallelujah. There was a blessed but. “Yes, Frederica?”
“Part of me wants to finally decide if I do like your kisses. It’s scandalous, Lord Hartwell, to want you, my dear friend, to kiss me and let this distracting confusion end. But what if you are good at it? What if that first dry offering was nothing, and this next everything? That would never work for my plans. It would be scandalous, to still be in want of your kiss while I’m entertaining offers of marriage to other men.”
“If I kissed you, truly kissed you, you wouldn’t need other men.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

That love doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to be worth fighting for. You need to be a better person with this love than apart.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: An eCopy of The Butterfly Bride (Advertisements for Love) by Vanessa Riley

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: What things do you look for in Christmas Romances?

 
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Book Info:

Frederica Burghley wants to be married by Yuletide. Or else her father will set her up with one of his friends. The bonbon-loving illegitimate daughter of the duke wants to choose her own husband. Advertising in the newspaper seems like the way to go. But a sinister response, with threats against her life, leads her to enlist the help of her very handsome, dear friend Jasper Fitzwilliam, Lord Hartwell.

A father and widower, Jasper is not only tasked with keeping Frederica safe but also with helping his vibrant friend choose a suitable husband. The more he tries to keep the ever-surprising woman alive and find her a good match, the more Jasper realizes he cares for her. The two friends risk their lives for each other, so they should be able to risk their feelings for a chance at a deep and true love together. But he’s not looking for marriage and she’s not looking for convenience.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Google |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Award-winning author, Vanessa Riley, writes Regency and Historical Romances of dazzling multi-culture communities with powerful persons of color. Vanessa’s books are crafted for historical romance readers who admire books that showcase women who find joy in sweeping kisses and strong sisterhoods. Even in the darkness, she promises to give you laughs and to show you how light always prevails and how love always, always wins.
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