I love gothic-inspired romances. There’s something about a
gloomy mansion and a mystery surrounding the handsome, damaged man who lives
there that appeals to me. I’ve always wanted to write a story with those
elements.
Hired
by the Brooding Billionaire, my August release for
Harlequin Romance is that story. It’s a beauty-and-the-beast tale with a
brilliant wounded hero, Declan Grant, who has cut himself off from the world
after a tragedy in his past. He lives in a splendid old mansion that is slowly
being covered by a wild, out-of-control garden.
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Strong, spirited horticulturalist Shelley Fairhill
has to work hard to not only tame the garden but also to cut down the barriers
Declan has put up around his emotions. At the same time she has to overcome
past heartbreak of her own before she can love again.
I loved writing Shelley and Declan’s emotional
journey towards each other and finding the love they both so deserve.
But I also enjoyed writing about the overgrown garden
that brings them together.
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| Camellias |
The story starts in winter and I’m sharing some snaps
of my Down Under winter garden with you. All these flowers appear in the story.
 |
| Sweet-scented jonquils |
My part of Australia doesn’t get the severe winters
that other parts of the world can get. Everything slows down but for most of
the year we have something blooming. (The disadvantage is that the weeds still
grow, too!)
Do you like a beauty-and-and-the-beast story? What’s your garden like in winter? Please share your thoughts with a comment!
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| Fragrant daphne |
Do you like a beauty-and-and-the-beast story? What’s your garden like in winter? Please share your thoughts with a comment!
I’m giving away one signed paperback copy (or an e-book if you’d prefer)
of Hired
by the Brooding Billionaire. Make a comment to be in the draw. Please
include your email address if you want to be included in the draw.
Hired by the Brooding Billionaire is my August 2015 release for Harlequin Romance and is available now for pre-order in print and e-book.
Hired by the Brooding Billionaire is my August 2015 release for Harlequin Romance and is available now for pre-order in print and e-book.
Kandy Shepherd is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and
women’s fiction. She lives on a small farm in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her family and a menagerie
of four-legged friends.
Visit Kandy at her website
20 comments:
I love beauty and the beast stories. I also loved From Paradise to Pregnant. If you like she had a crush on him years ago stories, that is one book for you!!
alysap At Yahoo DOT com
I love beauty and the beast stories.
My garden is dead in the cold of winter. Brr...
Denise
I love the Harlequin romances and I can't wait to read this , it sounds great! Thanks for the review.
Penney
penneyw AT sbcglobal DOT net
Happy summer reading!
Hi, Kandy!
I recently read From Paradise...to Pregnant! (your previous latest, of course) and absolutely loved it, wishing the story could continue long past their HEA, so I can hardly wait to read this one too!
Thanks for sharing!
seytype at hotmail dot com
I do love beauty and the beast stories. Always a lot of fun to read.
At the moment I have hundreds and hundreds of freshias poking up in my front lawn. I had a few bulbs in the garden years ago & they multiplied and spread over time. They will soon begin to flower. It's very pretty until the first mowing job of spring runs them over.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Hi jcp, so glad you enjoyed FROM PARADISE TO... PREGNANT! I hope you like HIRED BY THE BROODING BILLIONAIRE if you get the chance to read it.
Hi Denise, beauty and the beast really is a favorite among romance lovers isn't it! Spring must be wonderful in your garden after a long cold winter!
Penney, so nice to see you love a Harlequin romance, I was a reader long before I was an author!
Hi Mary, your freesias sound wonderful and I bet they smell wonderful too!
Hi, Laney, thank you so much for your kind words about FROM PARADISE TO...PREGNANT! So glad you enjoyed it. I hope you like this new one, too!
Can't wait to read it Kandy!
My garden totally dies in the cold winters here in Maryland. The only thing still green is the holly bush and evergreen shrub. 😊
Always exciting to see the first crocuses and daffodils popping up in the Spring.
Thanks for calling by Lynn. I think a dormant winter garden has its own kind of beauty - and then there's the new life in spring. I love those spring flowering bulbs. Our little farm Down Under has a winter that's cold enough to grow bulbs and they are a great delight. I hope you enjoy my new book, I really loved writing it.
Kandy, what a lovely post - and can I say how much I'm loving Brooding Billionaire? What a gorgeous story! And Declan is such a wonderful hero. It's wonderful seeing him come to life again after tragedy. I'm about halfway through - we're expecting cold weather today so I'm going to sit by the fire and finish it. Sounds like a great plan for the day! Interesting you mention Beauty and the Beast - I think there's a strong element of Sleeping Beauty there too, with the hero as the Beauty. Great twist! Love the pictures!
Hi Kandy, I'm so looking forward to reading this one, which I have waiting beside my bed. I love a good gothic romance and yes to Beauty and the Beast (in fact one of those is my next project). How exciting to have another Kandy Shepherd story out!
Love the garden photos, especially of the camellia. My fave camellia is in bloom right now and I must remember to go and take a pic.
I'm a big fan of the Gothic romance, Jane Eyre is my all time favourite book-loved it since I first read it when I was 12 and keep seeing new things even though I've read it at least 20 times. I think the Brooding Billionaire is a great title-doesn't give too much away! Looking forward to a revival of the Gothic.
Love reading and gardening like crazy but here in the U.S. We have harsh winters so things die down but come spring they are back with a vengeance! Mooswhog83@gmail.com
Diana Tidlund
Thank you Anna, I'm really pleased you like the story. I thought you might as I know you are interested in both damaged heroes and gardening! I totally agree about the Sleeping Beauty as Shelley has to hack her way through the thorns he has grown around both his house and his heart to reach him. She's the warrior! THere's also a nod to Cinderella in a scene you may have not read yet.Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
Hi Annie, I hope you enjoy HIRED BY THE BROODING BILLIONAIRE. I loved writing this story and am so hoping people like reading it too!
I love camellias, one of my favorite flowers, it seems to be a good year for them this year.
Hi Mel, so nice to see you here. I loved Jane Eyre too. I really liked Wide Sargasso Sea too, which was the wife's story. Then Rebecca was another favorite. And of course Phyllis A Witney, I really loved her books!
I hope you enjoy my Brooding Billionaire when you get a chance to meet him!
Hi Diana, after a long winter in the garden we really appreciate the "miracle of spring", don't we! The cold weather is a good opportunity to read, though! (It's winter here Down Under and we are getting colder weather than usual.)
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