Thanks to everyone who joined the tour. The main prizes have been announced over at the Justromance.me site. My two winners are:

Linda Henderson - an eBook of To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield

Heather Kumar - an ebook or book of Invitation to Scandal.

I've emailed you ladies separately. Don't forget it's not too late to enter my Invitation to Romance blog tour - Win a $200 Amazon or B&N gift card and a basket of over 30 books from historical authors.

Just Romance Me - Sexy Summer Solstice
20th June to 24th June 2012 

Welcome to the www.justromance.me Sexy Summer Solstice blog hop. If you’ve just found this blog, click the link to join the blog hop tour where you can win loads of books and a NOOK!

At this I’m giving away a copy of my eBook novella, To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield and my latest Kensington Brava Regency romance book, Invitation to Scandal. Simply tell me what’s your favourite way to cool down! 

I also thought I’d tell you what the Summer Solstice is in case you were interested. The summer 

solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. This happens twice each year, at which times the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the North or South Pole respectively.

It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but not where I live. Here in New Zealand its mid-winter (winter solstice), where the sky is definitely not streaked with vivid colors of purple and gray - it's just gray!.

But I write Regency romances set in England where it is summer. And in the heat of summer most of the ton (upper classes) left London for their country estates. Why? Because, in overcrowded London (London had a population boom during the Regency period), with the heat came disease and an overpowering stench from the open sewers. The country air was more conducive to good health and pleasant living conditions.

In book one of my Wicked Wagers trilogy, To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield, Harlow Telford, the Duke of Dangerfield, is rusticating at his country estate when he comes across a very pleasant diversion....

 “If you’re going to point that delectable rump at a man you’re asking for trouble.”

Caitlin cursed under her breath and ignored the cultured baritone voice goading her from behind. She remained bent, focused on her task, determined to clear the stone from her horse’s hoof. Still, irritation dribbled down her back. If she were a cat her hackles would have risen.

She knew who the voice belonged to. She’d heard the melodically ducal tones in church and the village store often enough. Harlow Telford, the Duke of Dangerfield, consummate rake and the most powerful man in the Kingdom next to the Prince Regent.

The man determined to see her father ruined.

Of all the damnable luck. Why did she have to run into the likes of Dangerfield on her very first gallop upon Ace of Spades?

She rarely rode her horses off the estate, and certainly not dressed in men’s clothing. Why did he spot her today of all days? She’d needed to put the stallion through rigorous race-condition tests and had ridden farther than she’d envisaged.

“A woman with a derriere as luscious as yours should not wear trousers. It is most distracting.”

He’d moved closer.

She inwardly sneered at Dangerfield’s banal approach. She expected nothing less of him. The tall, arrogant Duke lived for pleasure and frivolous pursuits. He was a typical rakehell who cared for nothing but himself.

She held in her sigh and would not let him distract, or unnerve her.

With the stone removed from her horse’s hoof, she straightened and turned to face him. Too fast. She gripped her horse’s mane for support, the sudden rush of blood from her head making her dizzy. It certainly wasn’t his captivating, sensuous smile. She, of all women, was immune to the fancy ways of rakes.

Yet her breath hitched as her traitorous eyes appreciated his beauty. She looked up, and then up further. Goodness she’d forgotten how tall he was. Not too tall though. Any shorter and his massive build would have made him look decidedly out of proportion. His glossy, black curls were tousled from his ride, and her immediate reaction was to tug them straight and watch them curl around her finger. They were wasted on a man.

His eyes sparkled with amusement, the deep grey as beguiling as the man. A sensual mouth, creased in a knowing smile, had her licking her lips wondering what his would feel like against her own.

She took a step back.

It would be so much easier to hate the man if he didn’t look like every woman’s wicked fantasy.

And didn’t he just know it.

It was definitely time to leave. “If I’m distracting, then the solution would appear simple. Don’t look.” And she made to move around him.

He blocked her path. “But where would be the fun in that?”

Caitlin gritted her teeth, wishing for the millionth time she’d been born a man. Then she could punch him on his too-perfect nose. A little dent might make him look more human.

“I’m not here for your amusement, sir.”

He moved to stand directly in front of her with the languid grace of a large panther. Dark and dangerous.

“More’s the pity.”

“If you’ll step back, I’d like to mount my horse.”

“I know what I’d like to mount,” she heard him say under his breath. A scandalous utterance that she wisely chose to ignore.

He gave a smile that she suspected melted the resistance of the majority of women and, if she were honest, had too much impact even on her. He rubbed Ace of Spades nose. It appeared her finely bred stallion wasn’t impervious to the wretched man’s charms either. Her horse snorted and pressed his head toward the enemy as if longing for Dangerfield’s touch.

Caitlin Southall longed for no man’s touch, especially not the tempting touch of the Duke of Dangerfield.

To find out how Caitlin escaped Harlow’s seduction you’ll simply have to buy the novella - Amazon or B&N or Smashwords or Apple or Kobo (sorry can’t link to them from NZ).

I’m giving away a copy of my eBook novella, To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield and my latest Kensington Brava Regency romance book, Invitation to Scandal.

Simply tell me what’s your favourite way of cooling down!

Enjoy the rest of the tour.