Showing posts with label Her Royal Masquerade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Her Royal Masquerade. Show all posts

Multi-Author Holiday Sale!

Looking forward to relaxing with a good book (or two...or ten...) after all the holiday madness? I have just the thing! Twenty-two books on sale through the end of the year! Her Royal Masquerade, book #1 in my Her Royal Romance series is part of the sale at only 99 cents! If you've already read it, there are plenty more romances to choose from. You can load that new e-reader (or your old favorite) with lots of great reads for pennies (or even free!).

Just take a look here for all the sale books in one place:
HOLIDAY SALE

And if you've seen me talk about my contemporary royalty romance series, but haven't given it a try...this is a great time to check it out. Take a peek at the excerpt below for a taste.


Excerpt:

Mia rushed over to the waist high railing constructed of rough-hewn stone like the rest of the palace. Darkness had fallen while she’d been inside. Lights from the towns around them sparkled below. Stars in the inky sky twinkled above. Once again she had the feeling of stepping into a fairy tale.

The air was warm, even outside, with barely a breeze to lift the moisture from her skin. She took a few decidedly un-princesslike gulps of air, trying to calm the edgy arousal that burned within her.

“Are you alright?” Vittorio asked. He stepped up to her and the heat from his body didn’t help her at all. “Do you need to sit down? Something cold to drink?”

“I’ll be okay. Just give me a minute. I guess I’m just not used to the climate here.” She was so hot. She began to tug down one of the opera-length gloves. Would it be a serious breach of conduct if she whipped them off and threw them over the railing?

“Allow me,” he said, his voice suddenly a little deeper, a little slower than it had been a moment before. He took her hand in his, stretched out her arm in front of him. He ran his free hand up, starting at the palm of the hand resting in his. Slowly, so slowly, he moved his hand up her arm. There might as well not have been the fabric of the glove between them, she felt his touch so strongly.  When his fingers reached the top of the glove, he didn’t immediately begin to remove it. Instead, he teased the bare skin of her upper arm with his fingers. “So soft,” he whispered, holding her gaze. He swept his hand up to her bare shoulders and cupped her neck, skimming his thumb along her collar bone, just above the diamonds Birgitte had trusted her with. “This beautiful necklace is not half as lovely as you,” he murmured.  

She couldn’t speak, could only offer a shaky smile in response. He was holding her hand, her throat. Could he feel her trembling beneath his touch? 

“But you are hot. It is our weather, no doubt. I can help you with this problem, I think.” Vittorio began to slowly peel the glove from her arm, dragging his fingers along her skin as he did. He focused all his attention on her arm, as if it were the most important thing to him at the moment.  

What would it be like to have that single-minded attention focused on her while making love? Even as Vittorio stripped off her glove, her body heated further with the image of his long, powerful frame moving over her, entering her. 

Mia imagined he would take command of her body, ensuring that he pleasured her with all the skill he surely possessed. She couldn’t help but wonder if he would look as amazing out of the expensively tailored clothing as he did at this moment. Of course, he would. Everything about Vittorio was first class. He would fit right in with Birgitte. Mia wasn’t close to being in the same league.

Vittorio began to strip off the second glove, giving it every bit as much attention as he had given to the first one. His fingers strummed along her arm as he tugged at the satin. Her newly bared arm hung at her side, her fingers closed into a fist so she didn’t reach out and tangle them in his thick hair. 

“Don’t you have breezes in Mezzano?” she asked, her voice rough with desire. She hoped he would think it was the heat that affected her so. He still held one of her hands in his. She lifted the other hand to wave in front of her face, trying to stir the muggy air.

“Ah, my poor cara. It is still and humid this evening. Be assured we have our share of wind and rain.” The second glove was off now and Vittorio released her hand. How ridiculous it was to feel bereft at the loss of his touch. He folded the gloves and tucked them into the pocket of his jacket. 

Mia lifted her heavy hair off her neck to try to cool off for a moment. Maybe she should have worn it up. “I know I should enjoy the warm weather. Right now in Stagatland I would have to be bundled up in a coat and scarf and boots to stand outside.”

Vittorio swept his gaze over her. “And it would truly be a shame to cover the amazing view I have at this moment.”

She let her hair fall down her back. “I suspect you have had a lot of practice with those charming lines,” Mia said, letting the amusement show in her voice. Still, she soaked up the compliment, let the pleasure flow over her like a warm spring rain.

He took her hand, lifted it to his lips. This time the kiss to the back of her bare hand sent fireworks bursting through her system. “It’s only the truth, Birgitte.” 

Hearing her cousin’s name fall from Vittorio’s lips was like a handful of snow smacking her in the face. Of course. She had to remember she wasn’t Mia Holmberg tonight. She’d almost forgotten she was playing a part. Still, she lifted a skeptical brow at his words, they were so foreign to those she usually heard. 

“You will find that I always speak the truth,” he said. “I despise lies and deception. I have heard and seen too many of them during my years in the palace. Too many people say one thing to my face and another behind my back. I speak only the truth when I say that I am so glad you accepted our invitation to my father’s birthday celebration and that I find you incredibly attractive. I would never lie to you.”

Mia shuddered at his words. She couldn’t let him discover her deception. He would never understand. 

Natasha




Love Modern Day Fairy Tales??

The stories in my Her Royal Romance series have been referred to as modern day fairy tales. Handsome prince. Beautiful princesses. Sexy security guards and royal palaces. Love that should never be between royals and commoners. Modern day fairy tales indeed.

I've just released a box set that includes all three Her Royal Romance novels and a short story that originally appeared in the charity anthology, Love Is... If you love to binge read a series, here's your chance!

These are standalone contemporary romances - sexy and emotional tales of passionate royals unable to resist falling in love with the common man – or woman.

Her Royal Masquerade – a novel
A prince looking for a royal bride – a woman masquerading as a princess. Mia slips from his bed before morning but when Vittorio discovers the deception, he kidnaps her to be his mistress until the real princess appears. Soon she’s in danger of falling for a man she can never have.
Her Royal Bodyguard – a novel
After almost getting kidnapped, Princess Angelina is swept away by royal bodyguard Rico for her protection. While they hide out, pretending to be a newlywed couple, they can’t resist the attraction they feel for each other. But when danger strikes again, it may be too late to explore the love they never expected to find.
Her Royal Rendezvous – a short story
When Liliana sees Tony, head of royal security, at the prince’s wedding reception, she knows she’s never gotten over him. So she agrees to meet him at their old rendezvous spot one last time. Tony never stopped loving Lil, even after she broke off their engagement. He’ll do whatever he can to show her she means the world to him. And that a single rendezvous will never be enough
Her Royal Mistake – a novel

A night of passion with a handsome olive farmer leaves Princess Birgitte pregnant. A man of honor, Nardo proposes to the “Ice Princess” but he won’t be satisfied with a marriage in name only. He’s determined to shatter the ice around her heart…but any means necessary.

The Her Royal Romance box set is now available at a great price - it's like getting one book free!

Amazon       B&N       Apple       Kobo

Natasha

The Series So Far...





                                               Her Royal Bodyguard - Rico and Angelina


                                            Her Royal Rendezvous - Tony and Liliana


                                             Her Royal Mistake - Nardo and Birgitte


I may write some more books in this series in the future, but at the moment I'm busy on a new series I'll be telling you about soon. If you'd like some more books in the Her Royal Romance series, let me know. I might be able to fit them in.

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Her Royal Romance - 2 Years Later!

Facebook reminded me that is has been two years since my first book in the Her Royal Romance series, Her Royal Masquerade, was released. Self-publishing was still kind of a new thing and to be honest, I really didn't know what I was doing. But I surrounded myself with people who did. I asked a lot of questions and I learned. Now there are four stories in the series, 3 full-length and one short story. All of these can be read as a stand alone, but they all deal with two royal families from two different parts of the world.


Her Royal Masquerade:

Time is running out for Prince Vittorio. His father’s health is failing and he must find a royal bride. Fast. He’s never forgotten his glimpse of a beautiful Scandinavian princess and lures her to his Mediterranean country with an invitation to his father’s birthday ball. He’d planned to propose a marriage agreement as cold as her icy reputation, but then he discovers she's as colorful and warm as a summer sunset. The heat between them flares red-hot and when she allows him to seduce her, Vittorio sees his future unfolding just as he had planned. But what he doesn’t know is that the woman in his bed is not a princess at all.

The last thing schoolteacher Mia Holmberg expects when she masquerades as her royal cousin is to be swept off her feet by a charming prince. The incredible night in Vittorio’s arms is like a fairy tale come true, but she’d never want the life of a real princess, with all its pomp and politics. Knowing they can never have a future together, she slips out of his bed and back to reality, where she belongs.

But Vittorio discovers the deception and kidnaps Mia back to his palace, demanding she be his mistress until the real princess appears. Despite her attempts to stay aloof, Mia soon learns there’s more to the prince than arrogance and attitude, but now she’s in danger of falling in love with a man she can never have.

Her Royal Bodyguard:

After almost getting kidnapped, Princess Angelina is swept away by royal bodyguard Rico Santori to a small, secluded village for her protection. Always the good girl, the obedient daughter, the proper princess, Angie’s tired of putting her own desires – her own life! – on hold. She could have been killed in the kidnapping attempt and never known the ecstasy of making love with a passionate man. Angelina has had a crush on the strong, loyal Rico for years and while they hide out, pretending to be a newlywed couple, she decides to practice her seductive skills on him.

This is Rico’s last job for the royal family. He’s leaving to build his own life, opening his own security firm. Angie is smart and pretty but she’s royalty and he’s just the hired muscle. But as the days go by, her attempts at seduction try the calm patience he’s known for. He warns her they can only share a bed until he returns her safely to the palace.
But when danger strikes again, it may be too late to explore the love they never expected to find.

Her Royal Rendezvous:

Love is…
reunited lovers risking their hearts for a second chance.

Two years ago, Liliana Gullotti broke off her engagement to Tony Barone, head of royal security, because his job took over his life and left no time for her. But when she sees him at the prince’s wedding reception, she knows she’s never gotten over him. And she agrees to meet him at their old rendezvous spot one last time.

Tony never stopped loving Lil, but has honored her request to stay away from her. But once she approaches him at her cousin’s wedding, all bets are off. He’ll do whatever he can to show her she means the world to him. And that a single rendezvous will never be enough.

Her Royal Mistake:

A night of passion leaves the princess pregnant.

Birgitte, the “Ice Princess” of Stagatland escapes her narrow and empty royal existence with mindless partying. A wild night with a handsome olive farmer leaves her with a problem that can only be solved one way…a marriage of convenience. Raised by cold and judgmental parents, Birgitte knows nothing of love but is determined to do her duty to the royal line.

With royal blood in his own veins, Nardo Gullotti is a man of honor and proposes as soon as Birgitte mentions her pregnancy. But passionate and earthy Nardo can’t be satisfied with a marriage in name only. He is entranced by the lovely Birgitte and determined to shatter the ice around her heart…by any means necessary.


I wish I was a faster writer. I wish I could have had more than four releases in this series in the past two years. But I have other projects and I'm trying to balance my life so that I don't get burned out. I don't want this writing life to be stressful. I want it to be joyful.

So I do plan more books in the series and I hope you'll enjoy the stories in the series now. And if you've read them...which is your favorite? I'd love to know. I won't tell the others...promise!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

New Release, a Secret and a Sale

Finally! Her Royal Mistake, the long-awaited book #3 in the Her Royal Romance series is here!!


I'd planned to have this book release in 2014 and I want to thank all my readers who have patiently waited for Birgitte and Nardo's story. If you follow this blog, you know about the family emergency last year that had me running to Florida to be with my parents for five months. No writing happened during that stressful time. But the problems with the book started before then. I'll let you in on a little secret. I'd originally planned for Birgitte to end up with Prince Stefano, Vittorio and Angelina's brother! The story wasn't working, but I hung onto that premise for longer than I should have. After I wrote Her Royal Rendezvous for the charity anthology, Love Is... and met the lovely Liliana Gullotti, I realized she had a large family and her sexy brother, Nardo, was the perfect hero for Birgitte. I'd started the story with these two characters before heading to Florida, and I've finally finished it. I'm pleased to say I think it's now one of my favorites!

Blurb:

A night of passion leaves the princess pregnant.

Birgitte, the “Ice Princess” of Stagatland escapes her narrow and empty royal existence with mindless partying. A wild night with a handsome olive farmer leaves her with a problem that can only be solved one way…a marriage of convenience. Raised by cold and judgmental parents, Birgitte knows nothing of love but is determined to do her duty to the royal line.

With royal blood in his own veins, Nardo Gullotti is a man of honor and proposes as soon as Birgitte mentions her pregnancy. But passionate and earthy Nardo can’t be satisfied with a marriage in name only. He is entranced by the lovely Birgitte and determined to shatter the ice around her heart…by any means necessary.


Excerpt:

“Take me to bed,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his.

Nardo scooped her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing at all, as if she wasn’t nearly as tall as he was. He carried her over to the bed and dropped her onto the jumble of bedclothes. His smile warmed her even more. He slipped off her shoes, tossing each one over his shoulder. She didn’t bother to notice where they landed.

“I never thought I’d have you in my bed again.” He stripped off the rest of his clothing while he talked, his gaze never leaving hers. “It made me sad because I enjoyed very much giving you pleasure. Being pressed up against you, skin on skin. You’re beautiful, but it was your taste, your touch that drew me to you. That made me desire you again.” His smile made her shiver. “That makes me desire you now. Naked. With me.”

“Did you talk this much before?” Her amusement was clear in her voice. “If so, I don’t remember.”

He lifted a brow. “You don’t like my words?”

“I like your words a lot, but I’d like it more if you would stop talking now.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I can think of a much better use for that charming mouth of yours.”

His wicked smile sent chills over her and when he crawled onto the mattress and between her legs, she threw her head back and let him charm her with his mouth, his lips, his tongue. His breath was hot on her thighs as he rained kisses along her sensitive skin. She moaned when she might have cried out. She couldn’t forget they were not alone in the house.

“So you like my mouth?” He nipped at the spot behind her knee she loved him to play with.

“I like the things it does.” She gasped. “Do that again.”

He looked up at her with a smile in his eyes. “Ah, so now you are back to commanding me, principessa?”

She reached out and threaded her fingers through his silky hair. “You can have your turn telling me what you want me to do. As before. Just do that thing again. Now.”

“This?” He scraped his teeth over her skin and she shivered.

“Yes,” she hissed.

He nipped her once more, then kissed that sweet spot before he moved between her thighs to taste her there. She arched her back as he swept his tongue over her. He could do whatever he wanted with his talented mouth and she’d beg him for more.

No, not beg, command.

Maybe not command, ask. Ask for more.

As he played with her with his mouth and she writhed beneath him, she thought that maybe she would beg after all.

The digital version of Her Royal Mistake is live now at Amazon. B&N and iTunes should be live soon. And the print book will be available as soon as I okay the proof.

And now for the sale! In celebration of the release of Her Royal Mistake, book #1, Her Royal Masquerade is on sale for only 99 cents for a limited time! So if you haven't given the Her Royal Romance series a try, this would be the perfect time! All books are stand-alone contemporary royal romances, where sexy royals fall for the common man - or woman! Pick up Her Royal Masquerade for only 99 cents!

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com
Her Royal Romance series

Her Royal Masquerade #1 (Vittorio and Mia)
Her Royal Bodyguard #2 (Rico and Angelina)
Her Royal Rendezvous #2.5 (Tony and Liliana)
Her Royal Mistake #3 (Nardo and Birgitte)



Countdown to Her Royal Mistake

A new release always fills me with a mixture of emotions. Excitement that I can send another romance is out in the world, to give readers some sigh-worthy emotion and another happy ending. Trepidation because what if some readers think my baby is ugly. Frustration because it's so hard to get visibility today in the marketplace, and promotion takes so much time away from writing, and how do I know if I'm reaching the readers who will love sexy, emotional romances with royals falling in love with the girl (or guy) next door? But I'm also filled with joy because I love writing romance and I love connecting with readers who love them too.

Self-publishing gives an author flexibility, but it also can make for soft release days. Right now, I hope to see Her Royal Mistake go live by Friday, August 21st. If everything goes smoothly, it could be earlier. If life throws a curve-ball, it could be later. If you'd like to be notified when Her Royal Mistake releases (and a heads-up to a limited time 99 cent sale on book #1 Her Royal Masquerade) sign-up for my mailing list. You can also like my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter to catch the release notification.


Excerpt:

He hadn’t expected her to fit so well. In his arms. Against his body. A woman as hard and unyielding as Birgitte should not have molded so well to him.

She was softer than he thought she would be too. And warm. So warm. This was no Ice Princess in his arms. Again he wondered at the mask she seemed to wear so effortlessly.

The Mezzano Royal String Ensemble played romantic music this evening, perfect for holding a woman close and letting his body brush against hers. Birgitte’s scent was sharp, nothing soft or floral for this princess. Still, Nardo found his face buried in her hair, inhaling the essence of the woman in his arms.

“You’re a good dancer,” she told him.

“You sound surprised.”

She shrugged lazily and followed his steps as they glided across the floor. His hand found her bare back and he stroked her soft, warm skin. The people around them seemed to fade away. It was only him and Birgitte and the music. She sighed against his neck.

“Are you bored now?” The words came out sharper than he intended.

She didn’t lift her head from his shoulder. “No, Nardo. I’m no longer bored.”

“What changed your mind?” he murmured. Her soft hair brushed his cheek and caused something to clench deep inside him.

She leaned back and he found himself drowning in her blue eyes. “About what?”

“Dancing with me.”

“Oh that. You were right. I like to dance.”

But something must have happened after she walked away from him and the two glasses of champagne. “You could have chosen another partner.”

“I realized I didn’t want to dance with anyone else,” she replied smoothly.

“My luck.”

“Yes.” A slight smile lifted her lips but it wasn’t the bright, unguarded one she’d sent him earlier. “Of course, I’m the lucky one to have such a handsome dance partner.”

The words were obviously practiced. Ones she’d no doubt said to hundreds of men while she spent her time haunting clubs and hooking up with her many dance partners. “Of course,” he replied tightly.

What was he doing? The princess intrigued him, but he wasn’t a masochist. He wasn’t interested in being one of her many conquests. What did it matter if they fit together well on the dance floor? Men and women were built that way. It didn’t mean anything. This dance was over. He began to pull away.

“Your sister’s delightful.”

The princess’s comment came out of nowhere and surprised him enough to remain on the dance floor with her. “I’ve never heard her going on about dresses and hair and high heeled shoes before.”

Birgitte’s soft laughter wafted warmly against his cheek. “Well, of course not. Do you think she’d talk to her brother about such things?”

“I suppose not.”

She was silent for a moment, then said, “It was refreshing to talk with someone who had no hidden agenda.”

Nardo didn’t let himself think about how her comment revealed the kind of life she lived, he only focused on the personal dig. “Does that mean you think I have a hidden agenda?”

Her hip pressed against his obvious erection. “Perhaps yours is not so hidden.”

He froze, gripped her shoulders in the middle of the dance floor. The couples around them threw curious glances their way. “I didn’t ask you to dance in order to get you into bed.”

“Of course not.” Her voice was flat, the tone wry.

“I’m attracted to you.” His was voice low, rushed. “But I didn’t ask you to dance to have sex with you.”

“No. You wanted to show me that I wouldn’t be bored.”


Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Cover Reveal! Her Royal Mistake

The long-awaited book #3 in my Her Royal Romance series will be here within the next few weeks! So I'm thrilled to share with everyone the cover for Her Royal Mistake!


The talented Lacey Savage does it again!

Here's a blurb for Her Royal Mistake:

At the wedding of her cousin to her former fiancé, Princess Birgitte, the Ice Princess, hooks up with one of the groom’s cousins, a handsome hot-blooded olive farmer, so unlike any man she’s been with before. They share a night of incredible sex, but she can’t handle the unexpected emotions that come along with it. So Birgitte does what she does best, runs and hides from her mistakes. But soon, she can’t run or hide from the fact that she’s pregnant.

Leonardo Gullotti’s mother may be sister to the king, but his life revolves around the family’s olive business. He’s haunted by the lovely Birgitte, but he’s not impressed with anyone who would run away from their problems. He’s always been a stand and deal with it kind of guy. So when Birgitte comes to him with her news, he proposes on the spot, even though he knows marrying a future queen means he will have to leave the land he loves.

Birgitte knows her baby needs to be legitimate, but will only agree to a marriage of convenience. She doesn’t want any messy emotions involved. But living with Nardo, and not loving him, might be the biggest mistake of all.


Her Royal Mistake is a stand-alone novel and can be read on its own. But if you haven't already, and you'd like to catch up on the couple who have already fallen in love in the lands of Mezzano and Stagatland, these are the previous stories in the series.

Her Royal Masquerade - book #1 - novel

Her Royal Bodyguard- book #2 - novel

Her Royal Rendezvous - book # 2.5 - short story

If you'd like to be notified as soon as Her Royal Mistake is released, you can sign up for my announcement-only newsletter.

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Her Royal Mistake - An Excerpt

I want to apologize to all my readers who have been waiting for book #3 in my Her Royal Romance series. Writing has been slow going for me for the past year, and my father's medical emergency and the five months being on call for him and my mom has made it even harder to get back into the writing routine. I don't like making excuses, no one does, but I just wanted to explain to those of you who might be wondering. I am deep in the middle of the romance between Princess Birgitte, the cousin Mia was impersonating in Her Royal Masquerade, and Leonardo Gullotti, cousin to Prince Vittorio and Princess Angelina of books #1 and #2, and I will release it as soon as possible.

Blurb:

Princess Birgitte is feeling sorry for herself when she attends the wedding of her cousin to her former fiancé. After years of not letting anyone get too close, the ice princess realizes she’s all alone with no one she can love or trust. That night, she hooks up with one of the groom’s cousins, a handsome hot-blooded olive farmer, so unlike any man she’s been with before. They share a night of incredible sex, but she can’t handle the unexpected emotions that come along with it. So Birgitte does was she does best, runs and hides from her mistakes. But six weeks later, she can’t run or hide from the fact that she’s pregnant.

Leonardo Gullotti’s mother may be sister to the king, but his life revolves around the family’s olive business. He’s haunted by the lovely Birgitte, but he’s not impressed with anyone who would run away from their problems. He’s always been a stand and deal with it kind of guy. So when Birgitte comes to him with her news, he proposes on the spot, even though he knows that marrying a future queen will threaten his participation in the family business he loves.

Birgitte knows her baby needs to be legitimate, but will only agree to a marriage of convenience. She doesn’t want any messy emotions involved. But living with Nardo, and not loving him, might be the biggest mistake of all.



I've totally fallen in love with Nardo and he's done much to warm the Ice Princess. But it's going to be difficult for her to get past her fears and insecurities. Good thing Nardo isn't the type to be scared away easily.

So for those of you who are waiting, here is a sneak peek at the opening of Her Royal Mistake.

“Is this seat taken?”

Birgitte slowly raised her eyes from the drink she’d been nursing for the past hour. She desperately wanted to be drunk, so much so that she had refused to accept another glass, terrified of what words or actions more alcohol might unleash. There was too much freaking happiness in the air and she was afraid she’d go mad with it before the night was over.

The man now standing beside her out-of-the-way table was another big, dark Mezzano male. They were everywhere tonight. He looked enough like the groom that he must be related to Prince Vittorio somehow. She let out a low bark of a laugh. Weren’t they all related?

She took another sip of the watered-down liquor and didn’t answer. Kept her blank mask firmly in place.

He flashed her a smile, obviously not taking the hint. An annoying tickle hit her mid-section, making her frown and snap, “Go away.”

“It is a crime for a beautiful woman like you to be sitting here all alone.” His voice was soft and smooth, and made Birgitte want to scream. “See? I have brought you a new drink.” He held out two champagne flutes.

“I don’t want another drink.” She cut her gaze to the ornately decorated ballroom and the lavishly dressed guests talking, dancing, laughing. But when she caught a glimpse of the oh-so-happy bridal couple, Birgitte jerked her attention back to the stubborn man still standing beside her table.

Broad shoulders filled out his suit jacket well. His dark hair was thick and had a wave that wasn’t quite tamed. He wasn’t smoothly handsome, but he had a magnetism about him that surprised her. He winked. “You can’t celebrate with melted ice cubes.”

She’d never felt so alone. So tired. So less inclined to celebrate a marriage. “Believe me, you don’t want to be around me right now.”

She desperately wanted to leave, but it was too soon. She had her orders to keep up appearances, and she supposed she was already failing at that. The room was overrun with representatives of the Mezzano side of this union and Birgitte knew she was expected to be here as a member of the Stagatland contingency. The fact that she was family took second place.

“Aren’t you the bride’s cousin?” He sat beside her without an invitation. He seemed bigger, hulking even, when he was only inches away from her. She should have been used to the size of the Mezzano males after spending time with Vittorio, but this man was different. Not polished like the prince. An evening stubble darkened his strong jaw and his tanned skin spoke of much time out in the sun.

For an insane moment, she pictured him shirtless, beneath a maze of branches. His feet in deep grass. His face turned up to the sun. Earthy. That was one word for this stranger.

Male was another.

His deep voice rumbled, but it was somehow softened with the smooth and lyrical accent of his homeland. “Birgitte, right? It’s a lovely name. For a lovely woman.”

She glared at him but he smiled and offered her a glass. She told herself the heat flaring in her chest was anger at his presumptuousness. Still, she found herself taking the glass instead of ordering him again to go away.

“I am Leonardo Gullotti. One of the groom’s many cousins.” His eyes were warm like melted chocolate and Birgitte had learned long ago to avoid that kind of temptation. “Our cousins have married. Smile. That means we are family now.”

“Family?” Birgitte lifted her brow and let her gaze sweep over the crowd. “I think you have too much family already.”

“Oh no. You can never have too much family, principessa.”

Just the thought of that many people surrounding her, scrutinizing her, pressing in on her, made Birgitte’s palms sweat. But wasn’t that how she lived her life every day? It wasn’t only family who criticized her every move and questioned every decision she made. The citizens of Stagatland kept track of everything she did as well, thanks to the paparazzi who seemed to follow her everywhere.

Was it any wonder she yearned to escape?

Leonardo tapped his glass to hers and caught her gaze. “Salute.”

Skol.” For a moment, she was lost in his dark eyes. Long enough that she actually drank a toast to the happy couple.

Birgitte slammed the glass down onto the table. “Mr. Gullotti—”

“Nardo,” he said with a wink. “My friends…and family…call me Nardo.”

The music seemed to fade into the distance. The conversations and laughter around them were suddenly muted as well. Birgitte swallowed to moisten her suddenly-dry mouth. She did her best to give him her haughty-princess gaze. “You and I. We are not family.”

“No?” His sensuous lips lifted into a small smile and his gaze seemed to heat as he looked at her. In that moment, she could understand why the people of Mezzano were described as hot-blooded.

“Perhaps I am glad that is so,” he went on. “I admit I desire to take you out onto the dance floor and hold you closer to me than would be proper for family.”

She sucked in her breath and looked down her nose at him even as her heart raced. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“What is ridiculous is a lovely woman sitting alone and unhappy while everyone else is having a wonderful time.” He took her hand then and sandwiched it between his two large ones. His calloused palms were rough against her skin. What would they feel like running over her body?

“I’m not unhappy.” She snatched her hand away and curled it into a fist in her lap. “I’m bored.”

“All the more reason to allow me to escort you to the dance floor.” He studied her for a moment, his expression darkening when she did not agree. “I have heard the stories of the party girl princess. How she can dance for hours in crowded clubs with the lights flashing and the music pulsing and the floor crowded with gyrating bodies.” He shrugged with a dismissive lift of a strong, broad shoulder. “Yes, I can see how even a royal wedding would be boring for a woman like you.”

A woman like you. The disdainful comment shouldn’t have cut so deeply. Not from this man. A stranger. An unpolished, unsophisticated male.

She was schooled at keeping her emotions hidden, but Birgitte feared the unexpected hurt might show on her face so she quickly turned away. Looked out past the guests on the dance floor. And caught sight again of the newly wedded couple speaking with Mia’s parents, Birgitte’s aunt and uncle.

Mia made a lovely bride. She looked every bit the princess, a title she could now claim for real. Birgitte knew she should be pleased for her cousin. And she was. Mia was a loyal cousin. She deserved a happy ending.

But what about Birgitte’s happy ending?

She yanked her gaze away from the Mia and Vittorio. A fancy wedding to a foreign prince was not Birgitte’s idea of a happy ending. Far from it. Her life was just beginning. And it certainly didn’t include marriage or children or being stuck in a drafty castle ruling an entire Scandinavian country.

“Forgive me if I was too outspoken, Your Highness,” Nardo said. He stood and offered her his hand. “Dance with me. Let me prove that you would not be bored with me.”

“I don’t want to dance with you.” She knew she sounded cold. Cruel. But she couldn’t help it. She wanted to get out of here. Find some air she could breathe without the cloying scents of flowers and alcohol, myriad perfumes and earthy musk.

Birgitte rose to her feet slowly, regally. Turned away from the handsome man who didn’t deserve her ire. Who’d only brought her a drink and asked her to dance.

He should have taken the hint when he first approached her.

Birgitte did what she always did when thing got uncomfortable. Walked away without a backward glance.


And if you haven't sampled the precious stories in the Her Royal Romance series, you can catch up before Her Royal Mistake is released.

Her Royal Masquerade - book #1
Her Royal Bodyguard - book #2
Her Royal Rendezvous - short story #2.5

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Series it Is!

After last week's post, I realized that series is the way to go. I also realized that just because a book is a part of a series, doesn't mean it isn't an awesome, standalone book on it's own. So now that that's settled...did you know I have two series right now? One erotic romance series is complete. My contemporary royalty romance series is ongoing. So for those of you who like series...

Paolo's Playhouse - erotic romance











Her Royal Romance - contemporary romance







The Paolo's Payhouse series is complete, but there are more to come in Her Royal Romance. Next up is Her Royal Mistake, to be followed by more sexy royalty romances in the future. Along with other series I have planned. All contemporary. All sexy, emotional and romantic. Because that's the way I like it. How about you?

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com

Her Royal Rendezvous and a Giveaway!!

Love is reunited lovers risking their hearts for a second chance.

Included in the Love Is...charity anthology, Her Royal Rendezvous, a short story that takes place in my Her Royal Romance world, is now available on its own for only 99 cents. I love this tale of two people taking a chance on love they thought they'd lost.


Blurb:

Two years ago, Liliana Gullotti broke off her engagement to Tony Barone, head of royal security, because his job took over his life and left no time for her. But when she sees him at the prince’s wedding reception, she knows she’s never gotten over him. And she agrees to meet him at their old rendezvous spot one last time.

Tony never stopped loving Lil, but has honored her request to stay away from her. But once she approaches him at her cousin’s wedding, all bets are off. He’ll do whatever he can to show the sexy physician she means the world to him. And that a single rendezvous will never be enough.

Excerpt:

“Hello, Tony.”

He froze as the rich, silky voice flowed over him. He swallowed and turned to face her for the first time in two years. “Lil.”

Liliana Gullotti looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Her wavy dark hair curled around her bare shoulders and he knew it would slip like silk through his fingers. Intelligent eyes studied him, probably wondering if he had changed since the last time they’d been together. Her sensuous lips were slicked with the same deep red as her dress. She must have been wearing extremely high heels because the top of her head actually reached his chin.

“Still working?” She stepped up beside him and nudged his arm gently with her shoulder. Her scent enveloped him, wound around his heart and squeezed. “What a surprise.”

“It’s my job,” he replied with a heavy sigh.

“I’m not here to pick a fight,” she said smoothly. “It would have been rude not to say hello.”

“One wouldn’t want to be rude,” he mumbled. He’d been around royalty long enough to recognize that regal tone they must be taught from the cradle.

“Don’t be that way. I didn’t mean that how it sounded.” She placed a hand lightly on his arm and it seared him through his tuxedo jacket. She looked up at him through long lashes framing dark chocolate eyes. “It’s good to see you, Tony.”

He didn’t want to fight with her either. “You’re looking good, Lil.”

“You too.” Her gaze swept him up and down. “But then you always looked as good in a tux as you did a pair of jeans.”

He chuckled. She’d always said she liked him best in a pair of jeans, which he rarely had the chance to wear. He breathed in Lil’s scent again, sharp and sexy, and his body reacted, hardening, aching. For her. Always for her.

“How are things at the hospital?” he asked, to keep her talking. Keep her beside him. “You like it there?”

She dropped her hand. “Yeah. It’s a lot busier, of course. Life flies by much faster in the ER than at the palace.”

Tony nodded. He dragged his eyes away from her to do a sweep of the ballroom. Working. Always working. His job was the only thing of which he could be certain. He had no idea what to say to her now. Why she’d felt the need to approach him after two years. What she wanted him to say. What she wanted him to do.

All he knew was that he wanted to gather her into his arms and never let her go.

He must have been silent for too long. She cleared her throat and stepped away. “Well, it was good to see you, Tony.”

“The newlyweds are scheduled to leave in less than an hour and then I’m off duty,” he said, the words rushing out of his mouth.

She lifted a brow. “Oh?”

“Meet me in the garden at midnight.” His voice sounded ragged even to his own ears.

“Tony.” Her soft sigh sounded sad. “No. There’s no point.”

He caught her hand when she turned to leave him. Again. “To talk. To catch up.”

“Well…”

His sudden sense of desperation was unexpected, but it gripped him by the throat. “I’ve missed you, Lil.”

She stiffened then. When she tugged her hand away, he let her fingers slip through his. “Good-bye, Antonio.” She cupped his face. Her lips brushed his cheek so lightly he might have imagined it. “Be happy.”

Tony stood there at the edge of the ballroom and watched the woman he loved walk away. With a clench in his chest, he realized he was tired of standing on the sidelines. Tired of merely watching. This time he wouldn’t let her go without a fight.


Find Her Royal Rendezvous now:
Amazon
B&N
Apple
Kobo

To celebrate the release of Her Royal Rendezvous, I'll be giving away one e-book of either one of the first two books in the series, Her Royal Masquerade or Her Royal Bodyguard, winner's choice. Just leave a comment along with your e-mail address if you'd like a chance to win.

Look for two more releases from me over the next few weeks. These won't be part of the Her Royal Romance series, but erotic romances I am re-issuing since I got the rights back. The new covers by Lacey Savage are gorgeous. Keep checking back here for more information, or sign up for my mailing list.

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance at the giveaway!

Natasha
The Cottage Next Door
Playing for Real
Her Royal Masquerade
Her Royal Bodyguard
www.natashamoore.com

40 Stories! 99 Cents! Proceeds to Charity!

Have you gotten your copy of Love Is... yet? It's getting great reviews. You get over 40 stories for one VERY LOW price. You can pick and choose your genre and heat level, depending on your mood. It includes my short story, Her Royal Rendezvous. You can help promote literacy.

What more could you ask for?


Love Is…

…forty stories of first loves, friends to lovers, and the heat of the moment.

Join forty authors, including multiple New York Times and USA Today bestsellers, as they take you on a romantic ride through time and space.

From the dazzling ballrooms of Regency historical romance to contemporary love from sweet n’ dreamy to kinky n’ steamy, the wide open frontier of science fiction romance and magical worlds of far away fantasy realms, sample the best romance has to offer! Every short story is the perfect candy-sized nugget to read over a cup of coffee or before falling asleep at night.

All proceeds from the sale of this anthology will go to the Reach Out and Read Program.


Love is...is available here:
Amazon
Kobo
Nook
iTunes
ARe

Pick up your copy today!

Natasha
Playing for Real-available now
Her Royal Masquerade - available now
Her Royal Bodyguard - available now
The Cottage Next Door - coming Sept 16th pre-order now
www.natashamoore.com

Love Is...Releases Aug 5th!

Tomorrow is release day for Love Is... a 40 author short story charity anthology - the proceeds will benefit Reach Out and Read, which promotes literacy for families and children. I'm so excited to be part of this project. The advance reviews have been outstanding and I'm proud to be associated with such a fine group of authors.


Love is... has a Facebook page here.

And you can check out the reviews on the Love is... Goodreads page here.

Come join us for the Release Day Facebook Party on Aug 6th. Authors from the anthology will be stopping by all day to talk about their stories and answer questions and hold giveaways. You can join here.

There are a variety of sub-genres included in this anthology, as well as varying heat levels. Each story is labeled with its heat level, so you can choose hot or sweet or anywhere in between. My contribution is a contemporary romance in my Her Royal Romance world. The story can be enjoyed without reading the first two books, Her Royal Masquerade and Her Royal Bodyguard, but they are available if you'd like to catch up on the characters.

Her Royal Rendezvous
By Natasha Moore

Heat rating: 3

Love is…
reunited lovers risking their hearts for a second chance.

Two years ago, Liliana Gullotti broke off her engagement to Tony Barone, head of royal security, because his job took over his life and left no time for her. But when she sees him at the prince’s wedding reception, she knows she’s never gotten over him. And she agrees to meet him at their old rendezvous spot one last time.

Tony never stopped loving Lil, but has honored her request to stay away from her. But once she approaches him at her cousin’s wedding, all bets are off. He’ll do whatever he can to show the sexy physician she means the world to him. And that a single rendezvous will never be enough.


You can pre-order Love Is...
iTunes
Kobo

Love Is... will be live on Amazon and B&N tomorrow, Aug 5th. Love is... is only 99 cents for over 300,000 words! And the money goes to promote literacy! How can you lose?

Edited to add: Love Is...is now live on Amazon! You don't have to wait until tomorrow!

Natasha
Love is... - available now!
The Cottage Next Door - coming Sept 16th
www.natashamoore.com





Great New Reviews for Her Royal Masquerade


An enthusiastic tweet led me to this review of Her Royal Masquerade:

5 out 5 stars

This book was really wonderful and filled me with multiple emotions. I laughed, cried, giggled throughout the book. My heart broke in places and really felt the chemistry between the two main characters. Moore did an exceptional job on the plot making it a very smooth and exciting read. I highly recommend this book.


And here is another review that made me smile:

4 stars for a sweet heart-warming story about a prince and his Cinderella.

And another:

...the romance sweeps you away and the fantasy makes you smile.

Reviews that tell me readers love this story, and the characters, as much as I do, make me smile :)

Natasha
www.natashamoore.com



Firemen Calendar "Mr June"


Wouldn't he make a great addition to next year's NY Firemen Calendar? It's hard to believe the little guy is nineteen months old. Where does the time go??

He's a big boy now and wants to do everything himself. Like try to find Elmo on Netflix.


And eat with a fork, even if it's easier to use his fingers.


In true boy fashion, he loves to play with water.



It's not easy to get a good picture of him now because he's always on the go. And he knows what a "phone" is and wants to look at the pictures. I caught him here just before he reached for it.


On the swing with "Papa".



Even though he's on the move most of the time, he still likes to cuddle with Grandma. (And Elmo and Cookie Monster and Bear)


And I'll cuddle with him for as long as he lets me.

Natasha

Sign up for mailing list

Playing for Real - available now
Her Royal Masquerade - available now
Her Royal Bodyguard - available now
The Cottage Next Door - coming Sept 16th - pre-order now
www.natashamoore.com



Our Winter Home

Now that hubby and I are no longer working day jobs, the idea of becoming snow birds during the long, cold winters of western NY has become a topic of conversation. Debate. Negotiation...

We have quite a few friends and family who travel south for the winter. We visited many of them this past winter. Almost all of them, in subtle or not-so-subtle ways, chatted up their particular areas and/or pointed out houses that were for sale in their areas. As tempting as it would be to own a house in Florida, realistically...we can't afford a second mortgage. But a new RV...a little bigger, with MUCH more storage??? That we could handle.

We bought a fifth-wheel trailer, with TONS more storage, and a vaulted ceiling that gives it a very open feel. Because it has slide-outs on both sides of the unit, we were afraid it wouldn't work with the deck we'd built at our camping space. But there's still plenty of room.


You can see the pendant lights over the kitchen island. The stairs in the back go up to the bathroom and bedroom.


Pictures don't do it justice. The rear living area is very spacious, and aside from all the large windows, we have a flat screen TV and an electric fireplace.


Yes. I think we will be very comfortable in this new home.


And the great thing about this winter home is that we can live it in during the other three seasons, and take it to visit other areas of the country. We plan on a trip to the Finger Lakes this summer and to the Outer Banks in the fall. And we're thinking about going out west sometime in the next couple years. I'm still waiting to see the Grand Canyon.

So all that's left now is deciding where we want to stay in Florida during our three months as snowbirds next winter. Or will it be two months? Or only six weeks? Um...hubby and I are still in negotiations over that part. I'll let you know once that's been decided.

Natasha
Her Royal Masquerade-available now
Her Royal Bodyguard-available now
Playing for Real-available now
The Cottage Next Door-coming Sept 16 - pre-order now
www.natashamoore.com




The Cottage Next Door - Cover Reveal

I'm thrilled to share the cover for my September release from Samhain. This is a second-chance-at-love, beach romance and I'm in love with the beachy feel of the cover!


Blurb:

It’s tough to grasp a second chance at love when you’re holding on to the past.


After his wife died in a car accident, bestselling author Hunter McCaffrey stopped writing—and stopped living. He’s rented a beachfront cottage to try to get his head on straight, and start the long climb up from his pit of despair.

Instead of pounding out a first draft, though, he runs the beach, drinks away his pain, and tries to ignore the vibrant woman in the cottage tucked next to his.

Still floundering months after the loss of her adventure-junkie husband, Sylvie Chase hopes some beach relaxation will help her decide what to do with the rest of her life. Instead she’s wondering what to do about her unexpected attraction to Hunter, who makes her body long for the feel of his arms around her.

As Sylvie drags Hunter back to the land of the living, soon they’re agreeing to a short fling. Just to get past their sorrow, not because it means anything. But when emotions get in the way, it’s a struggle to leave the past behind and dare to love again.


The Cottage Next Door releases September 16th, but if you don't want to forget, it's available for pre-order now at Amazon and Barnes&Noble and iTUnes (And probably other vendors as well, those were the only places I checked this morning.) As we get closer to release date, I'll share some excerpts and hold a beachy contest or two.

I can't wait to share Hunter and Sylvie's story with everyone!

Natasha
Her Royal Masquerade - available now
Her Royal Bodyguard - available now
Playing for Real - available now
The Cottage Next Door - coming Sept 16
www.natashamoore.com