I’m so pleased to feature one of my favorite romance authors today, Monica Burns. Monica is not only a talented writer, she’s a strong, intelligent, and wonderful person – one of my favorite in all of romancelandia. I met her several years ago at a Romance Writers of America conference, and I was immediately struck by her combination of wit, maturity, and heart, which shines through in her writing. The first book I read of hers was Kismet, and I adored it. It’s the story of a courtesan and a sheikh, which is totally cool to begin with, but it also has some interesting twists and a deeply sexy, emotional story.
Kismet won a CAPA in 2010 from The Romance Studio for Best Erotic Historical Romance, and garnered wonderful reviews, including this one from the Sacremento Book Review:
“Kismet is a strong debut, and a strong historical romance in general, and Burns has a charismatic and confident writing style.”
You can check out all of Monica’s earlier books on her Wicked Bookshelf.
Monica’s latest book is Pleasure Me, and it’s another passionate, deeply emotional love story with an unusual heroine and hero. And that’s one of the things I love about Monica – she always brings something new to the table. She writes great love stories, fulfilling all the conventions of the genre, but with incredible intelligence and sensitivity, and with striking characters or settings.
Here’s the cover for Pleasure Me, which is truly beautiful.
Pleasure Me has been garnering wonderful reviews, including the coveted Desert Island Keeper status from the review site, All About Romance. You can check out all of Monica’s great reviews for the book on her website.
Here’s the blurb for Pleasure Me:
Youth and beauty are a courtesan’s greatest assets. At forty-one, Lady Ruth Attwood appears to have lost both, as her latest lover just abandoned her for a younger mistress. Struggling with the knowledge that she’s no longer considered desirable, she’s uncertain whether to be offended or flattered when a younger man makes her an unusual offer. In need of funds, she agrees. But then she does the unthinkable. She falls in love.
Despite his reputation as a man’s man, Baron Garrick Stratfield has never been with a woman. His physical impairment is such that he knows not even a whore will touch him, and he needs a mistress who’s willing to be kept without sharing his bed. But passion is just a delicious kiss away because his new mistress is wreaking havoc with his senses. Worse yet, someone is not only out to ruin his reputation, but frame him for murder.
Doesn’t that sound like a FABULOUS story? You know you want to read this one! Pleasure Me is now in bookstores, and available from Amazon and other on-line retailers. And you can read an excerpt on Monica’s website.
And we’re giving away a copy of the book! Let’s talk about unusual settings. Just tell me what kind of unusual settings you like, or would like to see, in historical romance. One person who comments will win a copy of Pleasure Me.
Vanessa Kelly Author 