Spotlight & Giveaway: To Tempt A Scandalous Lord by Liana De la Rosa

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Liana De la Rosa to HJ!

Hi Liana and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, To Tempt A Scandalous Lord!

 
Hi! Thanks so much for having me!
 

Please summarize the book a la Twitter style for the readers here:

To Tempt A Scandalous Lord features:

– A widow who secretly pens political tracts
– A marquess whose political aspirations are critiqued in said tracts
– An unfortunate wardrobe malfunction
– A marriage of convenience with very inconvenient emotions
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Niall would rather drink a watered-down glass of piss-colored gin than smile one more time.

After all his years as a member of Parliament, smiling should be a natural expression. And yet, more often than not, he found himself gritting his teeth more so than flashing them.

Inhaling deeply, he signaled for a glass of champagne from a footman. Damn, but he wished it was whisky.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• David Gandy is my dream cast for Niall, and Lily James for Alicia.
• The cholera outbreak in the book was inspired by the real life cholera pandemic that raged through England from 1826-1837.
• Niall and Alicia’s waltz–which led to the “Brooch scene”–was the first scene I wrote in the book.
• There were several scenes between the children at the foundling home, Little Windmill, and Alicia and Niall that had to be cut during revisions. I was sad to cut them because I adored writing their antics.
• I listened to”Rise” by MissThis frequently while I wrote Niall and Alicia’s story, and I’ve come to associate it with them and their love affair.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Niall first notices Alicia when she shares an astute political opinion. He’s used to vapid conversations and complaints, and here she comes with a well-informed, intelligent opinion that completely captures his attention.

As one of the most powerful men in politics, Alicia has long noticed Niall. But she’d always viewed him in terms of black and white, so when she finds herself seated next to him at a dinner party, she quickly realizes his stances are much more nuanced than she knew, and his capacity for compassion and kindness is deep.
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe Hero and Heroine’s love affair?

Sudden. Reluctant. Simmering. Explosive. Fulfilling.
 

The First Kiss…

What took them so long?! 🙂
 

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

There is a breakfast scene between Niall and Alicia after they are married that I really enjoyed writing. Niall is trying to keep her at a distance (they’ve married to stave off scandal, after all), and Alicia is trying to find her footing in her sudden marriage to a man she is just barely getting to know.

Here’s a snippet:
Awareness of his every move, his every breath, pulsed along her skin. Alicia knew when he took a sip of coffee, when he bit into a slice of bacon, when he patted his mouth with a napkin. The way in which he licked his finger before turning a page had her shifting in her seat.

A thrum of attraction heated her veins, and her hands crushed the newspaper as she fought against her body’s reaction and her own lack of concentration.

“My, that article must be particularly frustrating.”

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would be absolutely crucial to include?

Most definitely the “Brooch scene” as it’s been dubbed by early readers! It’s the moment a wardrobe malfunction brings Niall and Alicia together.

Here’s a peek at the scene:

The weight of the crowd’s stares fixed on them was starting to suffocate, and Niall knew they had to play their part in the scandal unfurling like a pirate’s flag about them or all would be ruined.

“We must salvage your reputation,” he said, hoping she understood. But when she met his gaze, remorse had dulled her normally bright eyes.

They were well and truly sunk.

Readers should read this book …

If they enjoy the marriage of convenience trope between two people who are genuinely attracted to each other, but who take the time to get to know each other and grow as a couple. The political climate of the time also plays a major role, so if machinations such as this are your jam, readers will delight in Niall and Alicia’s story.
 

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

I am currently writing the first book in my Latinx Victorian romance series with Berkley, The Luna Sisters. This is the first time I’ve written Latinx characters, and I am loving that I can explore my own heritage and cultural history while I do so.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Ebooks of the entire Once Upon A Scandal series, including: To Love A Scandalous Duke, To Resist A Scandalous Rogue, To Tame A Scandalous Lady, and To Tempt A Scandalous Lord.

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: What is it about the marriage of convenience trope you find appealing?

 
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Excerpt from To Tempt A Scandalous Lord:

The ceremony had been well attended and executed to perfection. She had been a vision in her blue dress, her gold curls glinting in the light and casting her in an ethereal glow, while her dark eyes had contained smiles her lips only hinted at. Niall had almost swallowed his tongue when she’d met him at the end of the aisle for he’d been completely transfixed.

When the bishop had announced them man and wife, the words had jerked him from his musings like a slap to the face. Alicia was now his wife, and already he feared the power she could wield over him.

She sat next to him now, at the wedding breakfast, smiling shyly as guests offered them toasts filled with well wishes for a happy, prosperous future.

Happy. There was that word again. All assembled assumed they were happy, no doubt thanks to Alicia’s superb performance as a glowing bride. But Niall knew better. During the ride from the cathedral to Ashwood Terrace, and all through the meal, Alicia had not looked at him once. When he’d addressed her, she had responded with curt nods or one-word answers. His need to keep her at a distance had hurt her and he was sorry for it.

But he was also angry.

This marriage might have been foisted on them, but they had agreed to it and known what to expect. For her to inexplicably become upset about it now, after the whole thing was done, was unfair.

Niall vowed to honor and respect her, so he would be patient. Empathetic. So much had changed for both of them in such a short period of time, and the adjustment would not be easy.
He slid his eyes to her, watching as she pushed her pudding about her plate. When Juliana asked her a question, Alicia immediately straightened her spine and tilted her head, all interest and attention. She was playing a role, and playing it well. Would anyone guess the new Marchioness of Inverray was still unsure she even wanted the title? Observing his new bride laugh and converse with his sister, he would wager not.

Raising a glass of wine to his lips, Niall pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind for he also had to play his role as the merry bridegroom, and he couldn’t afford to spend any more time pondering them.

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Alicia Lindsay, the dowager Countess Lindsay, has spent her life under the dominion of men— leered at yes, but ultimately silenced and cast aside. But widowhood has granted her the freedom to voice her critiques against injustices in articles that have enraptured the nation. Resolved to bring about political change, Alicia’s investigation of the newest party candidates leads her to the captivating, hardheaded Lord Inverray. She’s unprepared when he proves to be not only charming but chivalrous when a slight wardrobe malfunction—with all eyes of the ton upon them—forces her to accept his proposal. Now she’s keeping a huge secret from her soon-to-be-husband.

Niall Campbell, Marquess of Inverray, has spent years finding support for numerous legislations to help his fellow Scots. Now poised to grasp the party leadership, his success has been threatened by some anonymous articles critiquing his campaign. Niall vows to find the author and silence them, no matter the cost. But when he finds himself engaged to an alluring widow with a sharp tongue, his plans get derailed in more ways than one…
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Liana De la Rosa is a historical romance author whose stories are set in the Late Regency and Victorian periods. Liana has an English degree from the University of Arizona. When she’s not writing books featuring unexpected characters, witty heroes, and intrepid heroines, Liana is reading fan fiction and pretending she’s a domestic goddess while she wrangles her rambunctious brood of small children with her patient husband in Arizona.
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