OCD kindergarten teacher Johanna hates Valentine’s Day. She hates romance, hates commercialism, and definitely hates her school’s annual charity date auction. She never expects her pre-auction night of drinking to land a sexy Brit in her bed. Or for that Brit to show up at the auction, bid thousands just to talk to her again, and get down on one knee in front of everyone and ask her to marry him.
Viscount Damon Hayes has never met anyone like Johanna. She’s neurotic, fascinating, and fun. She also doesn’t care about his title and doesn’t want his money, which makes Johanna perfect to fulfill a surprise clause in his father’s will: marry within three months and remain married for a year, or lose his fortune. A relationship is out of the question, but when passions ignite and the two fall in love, their marriage of convenience becomes anything but.
From Goodreads.com
(Disclaimer: This is an Adult book)
I had so much fun reading this story! Johanna and Damon are fabulous characters and their chemistry is simply sizzling. Right of the bat, I like where the story was going. Johanna is a take charge kind of a character, but also one with a soft heart. Damon is a perfect reflection of perfection (even with all his problems) and hotness (*le sigh). I loved watching these two interact, okay, fight throughout the book. Even as they get married out of pure need to help each other out, their relationship develops in a beautiful and real way. This books is a fun read, that lets you gleam the aspect of human relationships while still keeping it entertaining.
Overall, the characters are fun and real. The plot is fast paced and exciting. I couldn’t stop reading, needing to know what happened next. The only part of this book I didn’t like is that it ended.
Now I have a special treat for y’all! Diane was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.
What inspired you to write?
I’ve always loved reading, and even as a child, I dreamed of one day becoming a writer. As I grew up, I convinced myself that I couldn’t possibly ever finish a book. I believed that, even as my husband encouraged me to try. I resisted writing because I thought I would be doomed to fail.
Then…I had a scene come in my head that I could not get out. I decided to write it down, just for fun. Well, lo and behold, soon I was writing a book. It wasn’t until I was more than halfway through the novel before I realized—hey, I can do this.
Why chose romance?
Ah, I love happy endings. I love first kisses, first fights. I love to see love conquer all the evil in the world. I love the drama, the tears, and the gut-clenching desire. I actually didn’t plan on my first book to be a romance book, but it turned into one even so.
I’m destined to write romance…probably because I devour it in my free time. Ever since I was twelve, and I picked up a copy of Jude Deveraux’s Highland Velvet—I’ve been hooked. Historical, contemporary, suspense? I’ll take it all, as long as it has true love inside of it, and a happily ever after.
Who was the most fun character to write and why?
Oh, god. This is hard! Let me think…
I might have to say Damon, from my current release, On One Condition. He’s so charming, sweet, and has such a great sense of humor. And I loved watching him win over Johanna—even though she didn’t want anything to do with love.
Who was the hardest character to write and why?
My current book I’m writing, a historical romance, has a character named Winston that had some seriously horrible things happen to him. He’s having nightmares, trust issues, and consumed with guilt and self-hatred. Getting into his head is hard, and at times upsetting. But that is who he is, so who am I to fight it?
Do you find it harder to write shorter stories?
Easier, actually. I have gotten quite good at writing a full length story that is compressed into 25K and under. At first, it intimidated me. But once I tried it? Oh, man, I was hooked!
Who are some of the authors that inspire you?
Oh, there’s so many! Julia Quinn, Christina Dodd, Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux and all of my fellow authors at my publisher’s. Every single one of them inspires me to write better. To be better.
One thing you wish you knew before starting your career as a writer.
The waiting! As a writer, you’re always waiting. Waiting to finish the book. Waiting to revise it. Waiting to hear back from the agent. Waiting to hear back from the publisher. Waiting for your cover. Waiting for your edits…
You get the idea. I always tell people interested in writing that you better be good at waiting—or at least at pretending to be good!
Coffee or Tea:
Depends. At night I love some decaf Peach Tea. Mmmm. But during the day? Black coffee. All the way. I actually can’t write without coffee at my side. No lie!
Favorite Desert:
Chocolate cake. Decadent chocolate cake. Melt in your mouth chocolate cake, with the little shavings of chocolate on top. Mmm….
If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
On a warm, sunny beach where crystal blue water surrounded me. I love how blue the water is in the Caribbean and Hawaii. But if I had to choose one, I’d definitely say Hawaii!
Diane Alberts lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her husband, four kids, and a bird. She lives in the mountains-but wishes it were the beach. Diane believes strongly in a happily-ever-after for everyone. She especially loves tortured heroes and heroines, as can be seen in her stories. She loves interacting with readers, so feel free to email her atdiane@dianealberts.com, or follow her on her various social networks. Her website address is:www.dianealberts.com.
Connect with Diane at her website | Twitter | Facebook
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Happy reading!
Valia
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This sounds really good! And I really like the cover 🙂
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I can't wait to read this!! 🙂
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This sounds like a fun read! 🙂 Can't wait to read it for myself.
My favorite romance novel? Hmm… To be honest, I don't read strictly romance, but a favorite book with romance IN it would be Water for Elephants 🙂
Thanks for a great giveaway!
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