ROMANCING THE COUNTESS is about an earl and his best friend’s wife who are drawn together after their spouses—who were having an affair—die in a carriage accident. While Sebastian didn’t know of his wife’s infidelity, Leah George had been carrying the secret of her husband’s betrayal for the past year. She is ready to move on with her life and pursue happiness instead of propriety—something she’s never done before. Unfortunately, Sebastian has to become involved when she decides to host a country house party in order to protect his son from the scandal she will bring on all their heads if the truth about the affair is revealed.
ASHLEY, scooting to the edge of her chair: So, tell me about this house party. Is it truly scandalous? Does Leah have naked men parading through the house serving chocolate and wine to all the guests? Oh, wait. She’s the scandalous one, isn’t she? I bet she’s not wearing her widow’s weeds, but bright crimson dresses. And rouge! There must be rouge, right?
SEBASTIAN, shifting uncomfortably: *mutters* Actually, no. There are no naked men—thank God—and no crimson dresses. In fact, except for the fact that she acts too bloody happy, she pretends well. All of the guests are convinced of her grief for Ian and seem to admire her for her courage for hosting the party. But though she’s not what I expected her to be, I’m still watching her closely. I know it’s only a matter of time before she plans something reckless, and I’ll be there to stop her.
ASHLEY: Reckless, hmm? Is it or is it not true that you were the one to become drunk one evening? Isn’t it true that you were the one who risked scandal by venturing to Leah’s bedchamber in the middle of the day?
SEBASTIAN: For the record, I didn’t plan to become drunk. I don’t plan to do reckless things like she does. And I only went to her bedchamber because I feared she’d become ill. Neither were my finest moments, I confess, but…she does something to me when she’s near.
ASHLEY: Oh, I see. *grins* Would you like to expound upon that?ASHLEY: Mad? Is that why you kissed her? Or what about the time you laid your head in her lap? Or the fact that you sought her out—
SEBASTIAN: No, there’s no need to go further. I’m not sure how you found out about those events, but suffice it to say that such moments should stay between Leah and myself. Regardless, I will not make excuses for what I’ve done. In truth, I don’t regret any of it. But you haven’t yet asked the right question.
ASHLEY: And what would that be?
SEBASTIAN: The right question is: Did Leah succeed in helping me get over my grief for Angela?
ASHLEY: I see. And the answer?
SEBASTIAN, staring off into the distance, a small smile curving the ends of his mouth: The answer is…I find it difficult to think of anyone or anything else when Leah George is around. She’s enough.
To read my other interviews with Sebastian and my interviews with Leah, make sure to keep up with my ROMANCING THE COUNTESS Book Tour (details at http://www.blogger.com/www.ashleymarch.com).
But for now, I’d like to know your opinion on a hero’s attraction to the heroine. In ROMANCING THE COUNTESS, Sebastian does not fall instantly in lust with Leah. Not only is he upset about the death and betrayal of his wife, he simply doesn’t find Leah attractive at the beginning. Of course, that changes as he gets to know her better. As a romance reader, do you prefer an immediate physical attraction between hero and heroine, or one that grows over time?
One random commenter will be chosen to win a copy of my newest book, ROMANCING THE COUNTESS (open internationally)! Also, find out how to win the ROMANCING THE COUNTESS Book Tour Grand Prize of 50+ romance novels by visiting http://www.blogger.com/www.ashleymarch.com!
48 comments:
Hi Ashley! Thanks so much for stopping by; it's great to have you and Sebastian here. As you know, I loved ROMANCING THE COUNTESS.
As to hero attraction to heroine, it doesn't matter to me how it starts off--as long as it's GOOD and makes me want to read the book. But, I do confess, that I do like the hero who is all about the heroine even if he hates her at points. Rhett Butler, I'm looking at you, lolol.
Welcome to the Dark Walk, Ashley! I've started RTC but got sidetracked by finishing my WIP. Will go back now to reward myself!
I'll take slow and fast, LOL. Probably slow is more realistic. I guess I'm influenced by all those 30s movies where there's a lot of bickering through the attraction and then...fade to black.
Thank you for taking a trip down the Dark Walk with the Vixens. I love your hero, and the set up of the interview.
No matter to me if it's a slow fall in love or a head over heels instant attraction that starts it all off.
Hi Ashley,
Congratulations on your new book. I like the attraction in the story to make sense. When a character is not in a situation or frame of mind where they would be attracted to the hero/heroine then it seems like it's forced and that will pull me out of the story.
Hi Ashley!
I think that especially given the history of your hero (he was married and just lost his wife--even if she was cheating, he didn't know that and loved her) it's much more realistic to have his attraction to another woman be a slow realization.
Congratulations on your release!
Hi Ashley
I prefer to see a relationship grow. I'm not against love/lust at first sight, but I don't think that's enough for the HEA. Relationships are hard work. So I suppose, in a way, I want to believe that the hero and heroine are committed to making it work.
i'm the type who can not wait for the hero to like the heroine but i try to think rationally because sometimes there is love that must be nurtured from togertherness and does not happen automatically
I prefer the relationship that takes time to grow; where they get to know one another and see beyond the pretty outer package. Being beautiful is no guarantee that the person will be the love of your life.
I like both I think. You need a bit of variety in books. I probably slightly prefer for the relationship to grow over time but there needs to be that attraction first. Thanks Ashley and Sebastian for another fun interview :)
Hi Ashley,
Personally, I think that for a couple to fall in love, then they need to grow with each other. Obviously, it's good if there is some physical attraction at first, but it's always nice for a couple to find their way to each other gradually.
In this story, they've both been betrayed by the people they loved, so they have this connection in common.
dpd333 AT aol dot com
I think I prefer one that grows over time.... Instant attraction is harder to describe and even harder for readers to feel... It's easier to care about the relationship when you can see how it grows...
Hi Ashley!
I think the instant attraction is hard to believe sometimes. It needs a skilled author to pull that off. And personally, I want to see how the hero and heroine are falling in love and find this attraction to each other on the way.
claudigc at msn dot com
Hi Ashley. Congrats on your new book. I love the cover. I like both instant attraction and one that grows over time. I think it depends on the couple and the storyline whether it works for me.
Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
I loved this interview. When it comes to the attraction I just want it to feel real and natural. If that occurs in the beginning of the book or if it slowly occurs throughout. I just don't like it to feel forced or not true to the characters.
Hi Elyssa! Thanks again for having me today. (The kids are finally in a separate room, yay!) And I'm still thrilled that you loved RtC. =)
I agree on what you say about the hero being all about the heroine. I don't want a hero who can take or leave the heroine when the mood suits him. I want a hero who is DESPERATELY IN LOVE with the heroine, and who's going to stay that way no matter what comes up in their relationship. Maybe this is one of the reasons why I love Rhett Butler, too. ;) (And why I needed SCARLETT for my GwtW HEA)
Hi Maggie! Thanks so much, and congrats on finishing the book--woohoo! I hope you enjoy RtC. =)
Ah, yes, I love the bickering and banter. This is especially one of the reasons why I really enjoy Julie James' books (and I think she said she's influenced by older movies). I also like to think that the couple will have more to amuse themselves for the rest of their lives outside of sex. ;)
It can work either way, but my preference is for attraction to grow over time. That's why friends-to-lovers is my favorite trope. Thanks, Ashley, for another fun blog.
Hi Tiffany! Thanks for having me today. Glad you enjoyed the interview setup. =)
Hi Maureen! Thanks for the congrats. =) Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes it seems like a character starts lusting after the other character just to throw some heat into the story. Fortunately, I've seen this trend decline in the books I've been reading recently.
Hi J.K.! Thanks so much, and a huge congratulations on your new book deal!!! =D
Hi Beebs! After all, looks fade, don't they? =) No matter what the situation, I think it's always best for the reader to be able to see that they have something to unite them besides their physical attraction and feeling of love. Thanks for your comment! =)
Hi Eli! =) Oh, I know what you mean. I think it's also because we're in the heroine's shoes as the reader and WE always want our hero to fall instantly in love with us. Or, at least, I do. ;)
Very well said (as always), Karen. =) I think the story even more interesting when the hero and heroine are mutually attracted to each other but don't instantly see the other as a potential mate. I like seeing how they discover each other as individuals. =)
You're right, Lisa. =) I love that the romance genre is so huge that we don't read the same setup each time. And it's fun reading different ways that the couple get together. I especially loved the JQ book where the hero thought himself to be instantly in love with the heroine's best friend. =)
Hi Diane! Oh, I like how you phrase it in that they need to grow together. A lot of times we think of romance as figuring out how the hero and heroine mesh together with their different personalities and different backgrounds, but I really like the idea of them growing together over the course of the book. After all, it's what they'll need to do for the rest of their lives, right? =)
Hi May! This is a great point about instant love--if it's at the beginning of the book, it's more difficult for the reader to buy into because they're not yet invested into the characters. Thanks for reminding me of this. =)
Hi ClaudiaGC! =) Just out of curiosity, have you read any romances where instant love works for you? I can't remember any (even the setup) off the time of my head...
Hi CrystalGB! Thank you! =) It's a difficult question, isn't it? I think we know the best of what we DON'T like if we read a story where the author doesn't pull off the attraction smoothly for the story that's been set up.
Hi Danielle! So glad you enjoyed the interview! =) I think this is one of the reasons why I loved Gone with the Wind so much--even though it's not a true romance, we see that the characters don't immediately fall for one another even though they're physically attracted to each other until the time is right for both of them and their circumstances.
Hi LSUReader! I think the friends-to-lovers trope has to be one of the most difficult setups out there in the romance genre. At least, I know it's difficult for me. ;) Which books featuring friends-to-lovers are your favorites? I need some great recs on this. =)
I think an attraction that grows over time is more interesting. It's easy to spy a hot woman and fall instantly into lust, but getting to know someone and realizing that you're attracted to her for more than her looks is more fun to me.
I'm not going to lie: I love that instant connection! BUT I am always willing to try new things when it comes to reading romance, as long as it ends with an HEA :-)
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
I like both instant & growing attraction. Love to mix it up. Instant attraction can be very hot, but growing attraction can give some surprises.
Ashley--Here are a few recommendations...I know you've read the last one!
Lydia Dare--Never Been Bit
Tessa Dare--Three Nights With a Scoundrel
Emma--Jane Austen
Kristan Higgins—Just One of the Guys
Nora Roberts—Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment
Susan Mallery—The Best of Friends
Julia Quinn—Romancing Mr. Bridgerton
Actually this does not matter to me. I like instant attraction stories and one that grow over time. It's all good! Thanks for sharing with us today!
evjochum[AT]aol[DOT]com
Hi Barbara! Yes, I like writing about beautiful heroines, too, but I think this is why wallflower books are so appealing to romance readers--because the hero falls in love with something besides her looks first, then realizes how beautiful she is both inside and outside.
Hi Chelsea B.! Thank you for your honesty! There's nothing wrong with that! Don't we all want the guy we love to fall in love with us instantly, too? =)
Hi Di! Also depends what you're in the mood for reading, I think. I love that we have so many books to choose from as romance readers! =)
Hi LSUReader! Thanks for the recs! =) Yes, I've read the last one and Tessa Dare's. Question, though--in both of these books, one of the "friends" actually harbors a secret crush for the other friend. Have you read any romances where both friends are just friends at the beginning of the book?
Thanks for dropping by, Johanna! The love story is all that matters, right? ;)
I'm really enjoying your blog tour Ashley. For me, I would like for there to be some sort of spark but for the feelings to develop over time. I want the hero and heroine to learn just as much about themselves as they do each other along the journey. There should be attraction from the beginning, even if they dislike each other if that makes sense. Sort of like they meet each other and a feeling niggle and never quite leaves them.
Hey Ashhley!
LOVED the interview!
I like it when the relationship develops in stages. I love watching it slowly growing, simmering and boiling over =)
Mel
www.bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.com
Great interview! I have been watching for this book because I would love to read it. It sounds really good.
Ashley--In Bed of Roses, the couple starts out as friends in a large group. In Never Been Bit, they are lifelong friends. In fact, the couple has been featured in several of Dare's other books and one of them is in love with someone else for much of their acquaintance.
Hi Ashley! I actually like both scenarios. It depends on what mood I am in-some over time attractions-I enjoy the ride and sometimes I like the immediate attractions.
kamwh1207(at)att(dot)net
I like both, but I'm not a fan of the "insta-love". Generally, for me to believe the HEA there needs to be more substance to the relationship. But people do often find their spouses attractive at first sight so its entirely believable to me, just like an attraction which grows over time.
hankts AT internode DOT on DOT net
I'm not too fussy either way; it really depends on how the story is written; the falling in love part can be so riveting if written well.
thumbelinda03@yahoo.com
I don't trust instant attraction to a complete degree. Yes, one can be attracted, but often that is a surface attraction and only physical. One can be attracted to a person the first time they meet them, but it takes time to get to know who they really are.
A relationship needs to grow over time, how long depends. Times of peril and danger speed up the process, you learn much about a person very fast.
Lust and sex are not romance and love. The first are short term. The latter can lead to a true HEA.
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