Spotlight & Giveaway: The Rebel Queen by Jeana E. Mann

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Jeana E. Mann to HJ!

Hi Jeana and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Rebel Queen!

 
Hey, everyone! I’m so excited to be here!
 

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

This book…oh my goodness, where do I start? It’s darker and dirtier than anything I’ve ever written. The characters of Henry and Everly have been lurking in the back of my head since The Exiled Prince Trilogy, begging for their stories to be told. It’s about an American princess who has fallen from grace through no fault of her own. She’s on the run from a father who wants to kill her. Enter Henry. He’s arrogant and mysterious and in desperate need of a wife. Everly thinks he’s her knight-in-shining-armor, but behind bedroom doors, he’s anything but. This is the secon book in a duet, but it can be read as a standalone. You’ll love it much more if you read The Exiled Prince Trilogy and The Royal Arrangement first.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

The sexual tension between us, a combination of lust and animal attraction, never recedes. I don’t know much about him. I’m not even sure I like him, but I can’t stop thinking about how he’s going to feel inside me on our wedding night.

What inspired this book?

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been my biggest inspiration. I love the way she’s bending the rules of the royal court, bringing a fresh outlook to their traditions, and standing up for herself. Also, I was intrigued by the way she’s an outsider to them and has defied the previous standards set for a royal spouse while remaining classy and proud.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

I started this duet with a clear picture of Everly in my head, but King Henry evolved as I put the words on paper. I wanted him to be brutal and unreadable at the start with a secret soft side, especially for his queen.

What was your favorite scene to write?

I loved Henry’s coronation scene because it shows the uncivilized facet behind his personality and makes him more human.

“Overhead, rough beams join, like the braces of an inverted ship’s hold. Aside from the bed, the furnishings are rustic and simple. Logs crackle inside a massive stone fireplace. I roll onto my stomach to watch as Henry’s fingers stumble over the buttons of his shirt. His movements are choppy and less certain than usual. The buckle of his belt clinks on the wood floor as he drops his pants.”

What was the most difficult scene to write?

Chapter 2 was one of the most difficult. I wanted to make Henry intimidating and a little brutal while keeping him relatable. The next challenge was to keep Everly strong, even though she’s backed into the corner of a hopeless situation. I hope that I succeeded.

“You want to dominate me.” Aside from his hand on my bare bottom, no one has ever hit me, and no one ever will. It’s a few yards from where I stand to the closed bedroom door. Even if I make it there, where will I go? We’re cruising above the clouds over the ocean. My pulse escalates until I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. “I’ll warn you now. I’m not very good at taking orders.”

“I know, and I like that about you. You see, what turns me on isn’t cable ties or whips or pain.” The angles of his face sharpen as he lowers his head toward mine. With the tip of his nose, he traces the curve of my jaw then nuzzles aside my hair. The softness of his lips brushes across the shell of my ear, light enough to send a shiver down my back. His breath heats my earlobe. “What I want is much more precious and infinitely more difficult to acquire. I want to own you. Inside and out.”

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

This book definitely represents my writing style. I didn’t hold anything back for this. I went darker and dirtier than ever before.

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

I hope the reader experiences a wide range of emotions as these two characters try to find happiness. If someone sheds a tear for Everly’s situation (both joy and sympathy), then I’ll be satisfied.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I have several things in the works. I want to write a story for Nicky (who is a secondary character in The Exiled Prince Trilogy and The Rebel Queen Duet). And I have another billionaire/bad boy duet scheduled for early spring.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Signed paperback copies of The Royal Arrangement and The Rebel Queen. (International and US)

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: If you could live inside any book, which one would you choose?

 
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Excerpt from The Rebel Queen:

No.” His gaze cuts sideways to the servants who’ve entered the room, a silent warning for me to hold my tongue. Like that’s going to work. “That’s all,” Henry says to the maids. They curtsy and back silently out of the room. Once the door closes, his fingers curl around my bicep. “I understand that you’re upset, but you can’t talk that way to me. Not in front of the help.”

“I’ll talk to you any way I please. Especially when you’re treating me like I’ve done something wrong. I want to know what’s going on.” While my anger escalates, he watches me, expressionless. I cross my arms over my chest. “You can’t hold me here against my will.”

“Oh, but I can.” He takes a step toward me. My pulse leaps. Adrenalin rockets through my body. I swallow and back up until my butt hits the edge of a loveseat. “I can talk to you any way I like. I can do anything to you I like.” The backs of his fingers trail down the length of my arm. “You’re completely at my mercy.”

My heart pounds frantically, drowning out everything but the sound of blood pumping into my arteries. The gooseflesh on my arms is more from desire than fear. I grip the loveseat to keep from toppling backward. Henry stalks forward and cages me in, bracing one arm on each side of me. “Is this your master plan? Trick me into marrying you, drag me to Androvia, and make me your captive?”

“Something like that.” Those perfect, plush lips curve into an ornery grin.

“You really are a bastard.” I sound like a petulant teenager, but once my temper escapes, it’s nearly impossible to rein it back in.

“You’re being overly dramatic.”

“Don’t patronize me.” My hands shake from the force of my anger. “No wonder you couldn’t find a wife.”

“You’ve got it all wrong.” He shoves a hand through his hair, ruffling the blond perfection into disorder. The messy strands add to his attractiveness which makes me even angrier. I hate being drawn to him. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable when I need to be strong and guarded.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

“Shall we begin?”

When spoken by my new husband, these three little words fill me with terror and anticipation.

In private, King Henry rules my body like he rules his country—with unrelenting control and passion. I crave his orders, his punishment, his commands. Outside the bedroom, we’re strangers caught in a web of lies and decadence.

Our marriage is a sham, a business arrangement devised to save my life and secure his crown. He doesn’t love me. He loves my body, controlling it, shaming it, worshipping it. To survive the dangers at court, I need to be smart, but it’s hard to think straight with a man like Henry between my legs.

Each night, he locks the bedroom door, determined to teach me a new lesson. Obedience, patience, trust. I lie awake in bed waiting for the sound of his footsteps and the latest installment in pleasure and pain. My heart pounds when the hinges creak and his broad shoulders block the door. I’m not ready, but I can’t wait to feel his hands on me. He shoves his bowtie into my mouth, binds my hands to the headboard, and whispers in my ear…

“Shall we begin?”

From USA Today bestselling author Jeana E. Mann comes this dark, contemporary romance filled with twists, turns, and unprecedented heat.

Don’t delay your pleasure. One-click today.

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Jeana is a USA Today bestselling author from Indiana. She gave up a career in the corporate world to write about sexy billionaires and alpha bad boys. With over twenty books, three series, and several awards beneath her belt, she’s never regretted her choice to live out her dream. She’s a free-spirit, a wanderer, and loves animals with a passion. When she’s not tripping over random objects, you’ll find her walking in the sunshine with her rambunctious dogs and dreaming about true love.
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