Sep 16, 2018

Sunday Smooch with Andrea Bolter

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Andrea Bolter but first...

... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Veronica at Burgeoning Bookshelf

Can you please contact Bronwyn: bronwynjameson (at) gmail (dot) com to receive your copy of No Place Like Home

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Italian's Runaway Princess.


Is life outside the palace walls everything she dreamed of?

When billionaire Gio Grassi rescued a beautiful stranger on the streets of Florence, he never imagined she'd be royalty! Princess Luciana's innocence compels Gio to protect her, and her vivacity intrigues him. But Gio's been betrayed before and he can't let it happen again. With Luciana's arranged royal wedding only three weeks away, can this chance encounter charge the course of these two loves - forever?



Scene set-up: While Gio Grassi only intended to protect Princess Luciana during her short time in Florence, they have grown closer and are unable to deny their feelings for each other.

     All Gio could concentrate on was the two kinds of comfort invading his senses. One was the calm presence of the morning sun through the bedroom windows, letting him know that he’d slept later than usual.
    The other lay next to him in his king-sized bed. Her Royal Highness Princess Luciana de la Isla de Izerote slept facing him, her exquisite features in repose without flaw. The blonde hair that bathed her face in gold. If only he was an artist so he could capture her beauty this morning and preserve it for all eternity. Or if Michelangelo was still alive, Gio would commission him to carve Luciana’s likeness into marble.
     Actually, he might not need anything to help him remember this morning, as the recesses of his mind had already snapped pictures he’d treasure forever.
     Gently, Gio brushed away a strand of hair that fell from Luciana’s forehead across her eye. She stirred the tiniest bit from his touch. The ever so small curl of her lips affected every inch of Gio’s body, forcing his loins into an involuntary stretch.
     With the mild temperature, he didn’t perceive the need to pull the blanket over Luciana’s alabaster shoulders. Instead, his eyes traced slowly downward to appreciate the curve of her breasts. He’d luxuriated for as long as he’d wanted to last night with the perfection of them in his hands, in his mouth. With his lips, his tongue, his teeth, he’d taken her entire bod…
     He’d done what?
     Gio scratched his beard stubble as reality blew in the window. Late last night, after the disastrous attempt at cooking pasta and after they’d settled for tomato on toast and a humble table wine, the evening ended here. In his bedroom.
     Where he took the virginity of a princess.
     One who was engaged to be married.
     Who was leaving Florence in a few weeks.
     And whom he’d never see again.
     It was hard to decide which of those truths was more disturbing.
     Last night. With their laughter over their culinary foibles. Her cute yawn and outstretched arms as the evening got later. Finally her, no doubt, impulsive move to lean in and kiss him. He was unable to deny her. The faint voices in the back of his mind that had told him to be careful, to keep his distance, to remember that Luciana was to be a fleeting memory, had no strength last night. They went down without a fight.

In the beginning of this story, Princess Luciana doesn't immediately reveal herself to be royalty. Are there ways in which you conceal something about yourself because you're concerned with how people will view you? I'll out myself - I'm a crazed K-Pop music fangirl!

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a new smooch from Amy Andrews will be posted!


Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

21 comments:

  1. Woohoo Andrea what a smooch I have this one calling to me and it won't be long before I get to know Gio and Luciana I do love your stories, and I don't think I conceal anything about me LOL not that I can think of anyway. Huge congrats on the release of this one Andrea

    Have Fun

    Helen

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  2. looking to read this book and no sorry what you see is what you get---Lyn

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  3. Gorgeous excerpt, Andrea, and an intriguing premise. Who wouldn't love a story about a runaway princess! :-) I'm trying to think what it is I try and hide -- I'm thinking it would have to be my appalling ignorance about current "hot" tv shows and popular music. I just nod and agree with whoever happens to mention them. ;-)

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    1. Michelle I am with you on that seeing as I watch no TV LOL too many fabulous books to read like Andrea's waiting for me

      have Fun

      Helen

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    2. Watch BTS’s “Idol” music video on YouTube and then you can be on the cutting edge of world music. (I told you I’m a fanatic fangirl so always recruiting!)

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  4. Welcome to the Sunday Smooch, Andrea. Sadly I often hide that I'm a romance writer from people I dont know. Not because I'm ashamed or embarassed by it but because I just can't be bothered listening to all the old cliches about romance being thrown at me. Its' tiring and such a waste of breath trying to refute them with people who often have their mind made up!

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    1. I always remind people that Romeo & Juliet, Gone With the Wind, Jane Austen and Twilight might be a few romances they’re familiar with!

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  5. This beautiful extract, Andrea !! I like very much. Good luck for this release !! I think I've never really got hidden something from me to others.

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    1. Thanks! That’s great that you don’t hold anything back!

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  6. I'm a very private person so there are a lot of things about myself I keep hidden.

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  7. I own a typing/editing business. Because it is in my home, I don't advertise in my window/yard, in my car, in the newspapers, etc. Then one day I Googled "typing" and my city, and my business popped up (and nobody else's), complete with address, phone number, etc. - yet I don't have a website, I'm not on FB, nor am I on any type of social media (other than blogging under a pseudonym)! Mind you, said Google links say my company earns over $100,000 a year, so I kind of laugh and shrug about it, but still, no matter how hard a person tries, your name still gets out there (but at least I've had new customers based on those links)!!!

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    1. It’s scary how public our information is. How Facebook ads are tailored to us, how much can be found out online. Glad your experience led to something positive!

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  8. Andrea, I adore Florence, hidden identities and runaway brides so this sounds right up my reading alley. Beautiful cover, too.

    I'm a private person and an extreme introvert so there's a lot -- I mean A LOT -- I don't reveal, especially to strangers or casual acquaintances. It took me quite a while to reveal my "secret identity" as a published romance author in my local community. Not because of perception, I just don't like attention.

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    1. I think I’m kind of an introvert at heart, too. But sometimes I counter that by sharing something personal because it helps
      me break the ice. Whatever works, right?

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    3. Absolutely. Because of social awkwardness, I sometimes blurt out something that I would normally not share. But it does break the ice and has led to some interesting conversations.

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