Saturday, November 10, 2012

Spectacular giveaway and review of "Romance in the Rain"!



Today I have a special treat! First, there's my review of a fantastic new anthology by six Seattle authors. Second, I have three huge giveaways that you can enter, with eleven prizes total, including tons of books, gift cards, and even a free ebook cover design! To enter the giveaways, follow the instructions in the RaffleCopters below. 

I recently had the pleasure of reading Romance in the Rain (A Seattle Anthology). 

Title: Romance in the Rain (A Seattle Anthology)
Authors: Kristine Cayne, Dawn Kravagna, Charlotte Russell, Sherri Shaw, Clare Tisdale, Marianne Stillings
Publisher: Kristine Cayne
Release Date: October 15, 2012
Pages: 360
Buy LinksAmazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | B&N | Kobo | ARe | Smashwords

Description:
From the pioneer days of Seattle through the smoke-filled clouds of WWII and into the present, Romance in The Rain takes readers on a journey with four generations of the strong-willed and passionate Caldwell family. 





Romance in the Rain is an anthology of six novellas written by the Seattle Rainy Day Authors. All the stories are set in Seattle, and each one involves a member of four generations of the Caldwell family, spanning a time period from 1853 to slightly in the future. Unlike most anthologies, where the stories are loosely linked by a common theme, this one has the same family at its heart, which makes for a uniquely touching effect that had me reflecting on the generations of my own family that have preceded me and that will follow me. 

All the stories are strong, another factor that sets this anthology apart from many that I've read. Despite the varying time periods, genres, and tones, the anthology hangs together because of the family at its center. For once I found myself carefully and eagerly studying the family trees at the end of each story. What could have been just a clever gimmick turns out to add an emotion-stirring layer to this collection. 

A little about each story: 

Splendor in the Moss by Charlotte Russell: A thoroughly delightful and charming historical romance about Englishman James Caldwell's woes as he tries to build a homestead for himself in the Seattle territory. James hates Seattle, hates the weather, and is ready to give up and return home when the prickly and beautiful widow Mattie Jensen catches his eye. She's a challenge he's *not* ready to give up on, but her wounded heart gives him a merry chase. Amusing and well-drawn secondary characters round out this excellent tale. 

Final Approach by Marianne Stillings: A solid and well-constructed historical romantic suspense set in 1942, one year after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Charlene (Charlie) Thompson, a female pilot, and Capt. Joe Caldwell, her superior, find themselves embroiled in the chase to catch a killer who hates the female pilots assisting with the war effort. Great banter, sizzling sexual tension, and genuine suspense blend into a potent and memorable mix. 

Love Phantom by Dawn Kravagna: A new-adult tale set at the University of Washington in 1983. Drama major Kara Caldwell finds herself the object of affection of two men: one a worldly assistant stage director, the other an earnest actor in the play she's working crew on. She's mad about the stage director and not so sure about the actor; he's just not her type. Or is he? Conflicting signals from both men have the tightly wound Kara in an uproar. Can she sort out true feelings from fictional ones? An enjoyable story with an at-times frustrating, but believable heroine. Vivid backstage and college settings bring this story to life. 

What's Wrong with Mr. Perfect? by Sherri Shaw: A quirky, slightly supernatural, contemporary romance set in the present day about the rocky romance between Ivy Turin, an up-and-coming chef, and Sam Rockney, a Caldwell and a superstar quarterback for the fictional Seattle Pioneers. Ivy's heart has been betrayed in the worst way, and she is reluctant to let anyone into her life--until a chance encounter with a jewelry vendor in the Pike Place Market, who insists on giving her a necklace with an unusual stone, which he claims will help her find true love. Although Ivy wants to trust again, when the outrageously perfect Sam enters her life shortly after, she can't help peering under every rock in search of his bad side, for she's convinced there must be one. No one can possibly be that perfect--he *must* be hiding something! This story is full of delightful twists and turns; I was never quite sure what would happen next or how it would all work out. Very well done! 

Shelter from the Storm by Clare Tisdale: A page-turning contemporary romance set in the present day about the fraught relationship between JD Caldwell, newly returned to Seattle and still licking his wounds from the break-up of a six-year relationship, and Maya, the mysterious beauty who answers the door of his best friend Parker's house. Turns out Parker is long gone, but his ex, Maya, invites the handsome stranger in anyway and welcomes him into her bed. JD falls hard and fast--but there is something broken about Maya, and she cannot seem to return his affection, despite his numerous and heartfelt attempts to prove himself to her. Unusual for a romance, this story is told entirely from JD's point of view, which keeps us in the dark about Maya and her intentions. When we find out what she's really up to, we're no less shocked than poor JD, who is sent reeling. Despite his doubts about Maya, JD resolves to win her over, but will she ever thaw? Very well-written and beautiful romance filled with genuine, heartbreaking emotion that compelled me to seek out more stories by Clare Tisdale. A standout!

Aftershocks by Kristine Cayne: Taut, gripping romantic suspense set in the near future against the backdrop of a massive Seattle earthquake. Soon-to-be-divorced Erica Caldwell and her daughter Chloe are trapped in the King County Courthouse by a partial building collapse. Erica's estranged husband, Lieutenant Jamie Caldwell, of the Seattle Fire Department's Technical Rescue Team, takes charge of the rescue of his wife and daughter. When Erica and Chloe are finally found in the rubble after considerable searching, little does Jamie know that his day is about to get a whole lot worse. Can he save his wife and daughter--and his marriage--or are some things beyond repair? This story had me on the edge of my seat, as bad goes to worse goes to oh-My-God what more can these people take? My eyes teared up, I gasped in surprise, and my jaw dropped open more than once. And the emotional story line, of the hanging-on-by-a-thread love between Jamie and Erica, deepened and enriched the suspense plot. Another outstanding effort by Kristine Cayne that stands up well under repeated readings. I very much look forward to her upcoming firefighter romance series, which will follow up with the characters introduced in Aftershocks.

Overall an exciting collection by a group of exceptionally talented writers. Highly recommended! 

For more information about Romance in the Rain and the Seattle Rainy Day Writers, visit them at www.seattlerainydaywriters.com.



Giveaway Spectacular!

All giveaways end November 22, 2012 at midnight. Make sure to only enter the giveaway you are eligible for. To enter the giveaways, follow the instructions in the RaffleCopters. 

Giveaways for US residents only.
Grand Prize: 

A Northwest Basket containing:

- 1 autographed copy of Deadly Obsession + SWAG
- 1 autographed copy of Deadly Addiction + SWAG
- The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, by Julia Quinn (autographed copy)
- Blood Trinity, by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
- 1 e-book copy of “Falling Angel” by Clare Tisdale
- 1 handmade shell necklace by Clare Tisdale
- A handmade afghan crocheted by Marianne Stillings
- 1 autographed copy of AROUSING SUSPICIONS
- 1 autographed copy of SATISFACTION
- 1 autographed copy of KILLER CHARMS
- 1 bag of truffles from Seattle Chocolates
- 3 chocolate bars from Seattle Chocolates
- $15 Starbucks gift card
- 1 autographed copy of Cattle Capers: Search For The MooMoo Pearl by Dawn Kravagna

Prize #5: 

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne
- 1 print copy Accidental Cinderella, by Nancy Robards Thompson
- 1 print copy Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels, by Sarah Wendell

Prize #6: 
- 1 ecopy Deadly Addiction by Kristine Cayne
- 1 print copy The Angel in My Arms, by Stephanie Sloane
- 1 print copy The Naughty List, by Donna Kauffman, Cynthia Eden and Susan Fox (autographed by Susan Fox)

Prize #7: 
- 1 ecopy Deadly Addiction by Kristine Cayne
- 1 print copy Tsunami Blue, by Gayle Ann Williams
- 1 print copy A Tale of Two Demon Slayers, by Angie Fox (autographed copy)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaways for both US and International residents.
Prize #1:
- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession
- 1 ecopy of A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
- 1 ecopy of The Sergeant's Lady by Susanna Fraser

Prize #2:

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession
 - 1 ecopy of Unraveled by Courtney Milan
- 1 ecopy of Unlocked, a novella by Courtney Milan

Prize #3:
- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession
- 1 ecopy of One Night in London by Caroline Linden
- 1 ecopy of Ruined by Rumor by Alyssa Everett

Prize #4:
- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession
- 1 ecopy of Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase

Prize #8-10:
- 1 ecopy Deadly Addiction
- $10 Amazon or B&N giftcard




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prize #11 US and International Giveaway

1 free ebook cover design by Sherri Shaw with up to a $20 royalty-free background

a Rafflecopter giveaway

41 comments:

  1. Dana - thank you so much for the amazing post and review! I'm really happy that you enjoyed the anthology and concept of following one family through the generations. Good luck to everyone who enters the giveaways!

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    1. You're very welcome, Kristine. I really enjoyed the book from beginning to end, and I wish you all a lot of success with it!

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  2. thank u for the colorful review and for participating in this tour!

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    1. This book was a lot of fun to review, and I'm so happy to have such an awesome giveaway to accompany the review!

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  3. Aftershocks sounds right up my alley even if it will break my heart reading it.I love books like that and your review enticed me.

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    1. Aftershocks was amazing, Sara! I've read it several times now, and it *still* gets to me. You'll love it!

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    2. I hope you love it, Sara! Don't forget, Aftershocks is the prequel to my Six Alarm Sexy series, so you'll be seeing more of Jamie and the Caldwells.

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  4. Sounds like a great collection of stories, looking forward to reading them x

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    1. You'll really enjoy them, Natasha. The whole anthology makes for a wonderful reading experience. :)

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    2. Thank you, Natasha! It was a lot of fun winding the stories together.

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  5. This is amazing! I had a house fire ... I had recently won Deadly Obsession on Goodreads and loved it. Then we had a house fire ... and I lost ALL of my books! So, I really really hope that I win this to replace what I lost! Thanks for having this contest!!!!

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    1. My heart goes out to you! I haven't lost anything in a fire, but I did lose most everything years ago in a flood. If you'll privately email me your mailing address, I'd be happy to send you some autographed copies of my books - to get your collection going again. Hugs to you, my dear.

      Marianne Stillings
      stillings_marianne@yahoo.com

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    2. So sorry to hear about the fire. I'd be very sad to lose all my books. If you don't win, I might be able to hook you up with a copy of Deadly Obsession. (Email me at dana@danadelamar.com.) Good luck with the contest! :)

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    3. No worries, Dana. I already told her that if she didn't win to contact me. I'll take good care of her. :)

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  6. Wow, what a giveaway. Love that afghan. And would love to win some books. Thank you for the chance!

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    1. I know, Terry! When I signed up to do this tour, I had no idea that the giveaway was going to be so amazing! Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest. :)

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    2. Good luck, Terry! I have one of Marianne's afghans and I love it. :)

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  7. Thanks for the review, Dana! So glad you enjoyed the Caldwells. They were a fun bunch to write about. Best of luck to all who enter the giveaway.

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    1. You're very welcome, Charlotte. Your story is an excellent kick-off to the collection, and I'll be looking for future books by you.

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  8. Hi Dana,
    Thanks for hosting us on your blog and for the great review.
    The afghan in the grand prize was handmade by Marianne Stillings, who is not only a talented writer but also an amazing craftswoman. I gave a beautiful memory quilt she made to my husband for Christmas last year and it is now among his most cherished possessions. I hope those of you who buy a copy of Romance in the Rain have as much fun reading it as we did writing it!

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    1. Hi Clare! I loved your story and getting a romance written from the hero's POV. Beautifully done!

      That afghan is so amazing! I don't know where Marianne finds the time.

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  9. Dana:
    Thanks so much for featuring us on your blog today. AND for that wonderful review and recommendation. We really appreciate it and hope your readers will enjoy the stories in the anthology as much as we enjoyed writing them. I have to say, I feel honored to be a part of such a talented group. Not only are they terrific writers, they are great friends. And good luck, everyone, in the contest!

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    1. You'r so welcome, Marianne! I loved your story and its time period, and it was fun reading about Grandma Charlie in a later story and seeing who she turned into. "Romance in the Rain" is the only anthology I've read lately that I felt was strong from start to finish, and I really loved that all the stories were about the same family. If you gals put out another one, I'll be first in line!

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  10. Wow, they all sound like great stories. Can't wait to read it. Love the concept too!

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    1. Hi Dana! They were, and I'm sure you'll love it. The concept really works and gives all the stories extra layers and depth. Happy reading! :)

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    2. Dana - it was a lot of fun tying the stories together and giving the readers a chance to see what happens to the characters after their HEAs.

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  11. Glad to have seen your link on Literary Promotions on Facebook. I appreciate the blog and the contest. I look forward to finding my next favorite series/ author!! So psyched.

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    1. Hi Danyel, I'm glad you saw it too! I'm sure you'll find at least a few new favorite authors in this anthology. Happy reading! :)

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    2. So happy you chose to stop by, Danyel! Romance in the Rain definitely has something to appeal to readers of all romance sub-genres. Enjoy :)

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  12. Romance in the Rain looks exciting. I love the rain and I love Seattle. Can't wait to read it!

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    1. Lisa - I believe you'll get the full flavor of Seattle's rainy atmosphere in this anthology :) Happy reading and best of luck with the giveaways!

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    2. Hi Lisa, I'm sure you'll love the book. It was so much fun to read, I clipped right through it!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

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  13. This sounds like a wonderful book, I can't wait to read it! Dana, you did a wonderful job on this review it made it seem so interesting! It sounds like a book I will have a hard time putting down! Hope you enjoy your day!
    allysonbrann06@yahoo.com

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    1. Allyson - I have to agree: Dana wrote an awesome review of the six novellas in Romance in the Rain. I hope you get a chance to read it because I'm certain you'll enjoy it. Best of luck in the giveaways!

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    2. Hi Allyson,

      Thanks! I was trying to give a good flavor for each story. They were a lot of fun to read, so I'm sure you'll love them too!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

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  14. Its really hard for me to say which book i would want to read most. It would probably have to be Fallen Angel, but I liked the story lines of all the books. I'm honored that you are holding such an awesome sweeps. Fingers crossed!

    angelheart618@gmail.com

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    1. I know! There are so many awesome books to choose from!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

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  15. I'm most excited to read Love Phantom because it's set in the 80's. I was in school in the 80's and find those times so easy to relate to.

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    1. Hi Tracy,

      I think you'll really enjoy that story, especially if you went to college. I felt that Love Phantom perfectly captured what it's like to be in college and unsure of yourself when it comes to dating and romance.

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

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  16. im most excited aout dealy obsession cause i love those kind of reads and it is the type of book that could keep my interest angelwolfmystic@yahoo.com

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    1. Hi Angel,

      You're going to love Deadly Obsession. (Full disclosure: I'm Kristine Cayne's critique partner.) I've read it at least four times, and I still love it. Nic is super sexy, and he and Lauren make a great couple you'll root for. And the stalker is creepy!

      Thanks for stopping by and entering the contest! :)

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