Seducing Darcy by Gwyn Cready

Seducing Darcy
by Gwyn Cready

Published: 2008
Genre: Romance
Paperback: 384 pages
Rating: 4

Description from amazon:
In the second hilarious and sexy novel from author Gwyn Cready, a divorcée suffering from "carnal deprivation" has a racy one-night stand with one of literature's most irresistible heroes -- and learns that you really can't judge a book by its cover. Mr. Darcy just isn't Flip Allison's style.

She prefers novels with hot sex on the bathroom sink to the mannerly, high-tension longing of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. That is, until she pays a visit to Madame K, who promises a therapeutic massage with an opportunity to "Imagine Yourself in Your Favorite Book."

Somehow, on the way to a sizzling sink-top session with a Venetian Adonis, Flip lands right in the middle of Regency England -- and dangerously close to handsome Mr. Darcy. So close, in fact, that she discovers a side of him even Jane Austen couldn't have imagined.

Waking from her massage, Flip is on top of the world and ready for her upcoming book club -- that is, until she notices a new scene in which Darcy and spunky heroine Lizzy Bennet are arguing over...Flip Allison? Her rapturous liaison with Darcy has had disastrous consequences for Austen's characters -- not to mention millions of Pride and Prejudice fans!

Flip has twenty-four hours to put the story back on course, and Magnus Knightley, a sexy but imperious scholar whose brooding good looks and infuriating arrogance are decidedly Darcy-like, is the only one who can help. The only problem is, Flip can't keep her hands off him, either....

My thoughts:

In-a-word(s): Magnus Knightley

You not only get Darcy to drool over, but Magnus and bad boy Jed. Also, there are three engaging couples to follow along with.

This modern day and Regency romance mix is just right. Lots of fun romping, but not too.

Fun time-travel-ish kind of adventure.

There's a bit of controversy regarding the now extinct Passenger Pigeons - The species went from being one of the most abundant birds in the world during the 19th century to extinction early in the 20th century. At the time, passenger pigeons had one of the largest groups or flocks of any animal, second only to the Rocky Mountain locust.

References made (of interest to me):

Alice in Wonderland

Bikram Yoga

Ornithology

Scrabble

Shakespeare

*Bravo! Seducing Mr. Darcy won the RITA award for Best Paranormal Romance Novel in 2009.

*part of my Everything Austen challenge

*part of Pemberley Ball festivities

*check out my Book Fashion: Seducing Darcy dress

*** Giveaway ***
Open to all.
Offer ends: November 29, 2009
Comment with email address and answer me this:

What is your favorite bird?

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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Darcy moment 1

Darcy adjusted his cuff for the fourth time in as many minutes. The best coat, the finest shirt, the most elegant slippers--everything had been carefully chosen for the moment Miss Elizabeth Bennet appeared at the top of his stairs--his stairs!--on the arm of her aunt and uncle, and made her way into the ball, the ball he had spun out of thin air, with no more than two-days' notice, specifically for her. Oh, he'd told her it was something he'd been planning to do in any case, though whether those amused green eyes believed what he said, he did not know, and no amount of cajoling on the part of his neighbors, whose wives and daughters desired more time to make dresses and shop for earbobs, would change his mind.

"A prime gathering," said Sir Michael, friend of Darcy's late father and one of most ancient and esteemed faces in Derbyshire, "absolutely prime. You may ruffled a few feathers among the ladies, but to my way of thinking, if their feathers aren't ruffled by the ball being too soon, then they're ruffled by being too late--or too small or too far or made up of too few gentlemen. I think you have erred in the least offensive way possible."

Sir Michael had moved between Darcy and his view of the stairway, and Darcy was trying as unobtrusively as possible to peer over Sir Michael's balding head. "You are kind."

"Your father would be proud. He enjoyed a rousing party."

Darcy took a half step to the right, causing Sir Michael to follow suit. Darcy tried turning a quarter turn to the left, giving himself at least a peripheral view of the steps. Sir Michael obliged by turning two quarter turns, giving himself a wholly unobstructed view of the prospect upon which the desire of Darcy's heart would soon emerge and causing Darcy to have to choose between turning his back to the stairs or be seen as slighting his neighbor. Darcy sighed. He'd had less agreeable dance partners, but only when he'd been forced at age five to dance with his twin eight-year-old cousins, Vivien and Maria, who pulled his hair when he trod on their feet, then danced with each other and made him oink like a pig and wallow on the floor of the nursery the rest of the afternoon. All he wanted to do was ensure he might win Elizabeth's hand for the first dance. How he longed to feel that soft warm flesh in his.

"There she is," Sir Michael called. "I see her."

"Where?" Darcy jerked in the direction Sir Michael was looking, but saw only a portly matron in a shockingly crimson gown.

"There," Sir Michael said. "'Tis my daughter-in-law's older sister. I have been most eager to introduce you. Her dead husband had an interest in a bridge-building concern in--"

"After the first dance."

"I beg your pardon?"

Darcy realized the incongruity of his response. "I mean, I shall have more time to confer on matters of ship-building--"

"Bridge-building."

"-bridge-building, yes, of course, when I have ensured each guest has been properly greeted. If you'll excuse me--"

Sir Michael tilted his chin and smiled. "Ah, look at them," he said. "How beautiful they look together. Do you know her, Darcy?"

And, of course, he did. The 'them' in question was Anthony Westfield, a horseman whose estate, Tustin Hill, touched Darcy's, and Elizabeth Bennet, who had managed to float down the stairs while Darcy was lost in crimson and bridges.

"I do. That is Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire."

"A beauty. I do admire the dark ones. Don't you, Darcy?"

"Aye." She was in gown of pale gold that made the sparks of fire in her eyes seem like diamonds. "I think someone might tell Westfield he is not examining horseflesh."

"Oh, Darcy, do leave the young people to their devices. We are too old to judge them by our rules."

Kind as the thought had been meant, Darcy wondered at being lumped into the same generational group as a man slightly older than his father. He looked down. Perhaps his tailoring could be a touch more outré…

"Besides," Sir Michael added, "he is only asking for a dance."

"He is?"

"Aye. He told me he intended to throw his bridle upon her as soon as she appeared--that's bridle now, not bridal, do you see?--ho ho ho--though that may come as well. I said to myself, sir, if you want to see how the young people do things, get yourself lodged in a good spot by the staircase."

"Excellent thought."

"Is Westfield still badgering you about buying that black mare?"

"No. I told him I wouldn't sell under any--" Darcy straightened. "--circumstance. Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Certainly, certainly. 'Tis not too late to find a partner, Darcy," he called. "Use Westfield as an example. Why my daughter-in-law's sister--"

The rest was lost in the buzz of the crowd as Darcy pelted over to Westfield, who was enjoying a celebratory glass of punch as the musicians tuned their instruments.

"Westfield."

"Darcy, I am in a fine mood. Will you share a glass with me?"

"I am most eager to sell the black mare."

"What? Tonight?"

"Aye. Right now. She's grown restive and mean-spirited."

"The black mare? Impossible. Darcy, are you drunk?"

"No. She--She bit me. I shan't have her on my property another night. Would you like to look at her? Else I shall put her down."

"Are you mad? She's some of the best breeding stock I've seen in years. Are you saying you're willing to sell her?"

"Aye. Tonight. If you want to look now, go ahead." The musicians were straightening their music, and Lizzie was making a slow approach from the far side of the room.

"I…" Westfield fingers twitched. "I should dearly hate to see that mare go to anyone else."

Darcy knew exactly how he felt. "Then go. Now."

"The same price we talked about?"

Darcy winced. Westfield had offered him half of what she was worth. "Aye. The same price."

Westfield put down his glass. He looked at Lizzie and back at Darcy. The fingers hadn't stopped drumming. "Will you do a favor for a friend?"

"What?"

"I know you don't like making a spectacle of yourself, but I promised Miss Bennet the first dance. Would you take my place while I run out to the stables?"

It took all his self-control not to shout "Yes." "For you," he said with a small bow, "I will make an exception."

"Keep her warm for me," Westfield called as he jogged toward the door.

Darcy turned toward Lizzie. Warm, yes. For Westfield, no.

~*~

*source for Darcy

*Guest blogger, Gwyn Cready, RITA®-Award winning author of Tumbling Through Time and Seducing Mr. Darcy.

This piece was created for the pleasure of the Pemberley Ball attendees. It is titled, Pemberley Ball: The Horse Trader.

*Special thanks to Gwyn!

In Cready's next novel, Flirting with Forever, a long-dead painter comes back to life to settle the hash of the author of The Girl with a Coral Earring, whose series of sexy, tell-all autobiographies is driving the dead art world nuts.

Look for Flirting with Forever in stores March 30, 2010.

Let me know if you'd be interested in reading this book.

You can visit Gwyn at www.cready.com.

Seducing Mr. Darcy dress

If books were dresses...

(a weekly post where I create fashionable wear with book cover art)

Seducing Darcy

by Gwyn Cready

Release date: July 2008

-excited to read this romance which will be highlighted given away during the my upcoming Pemberley Ball event

-i'm also in that girly romancy mood

Description from amazon:
In the second hilarious and sexy novel from author Gwyn Cready, a divorcée suffering from "carnal deprivation" has a racy one-night stand with one of literature's most irresistible heroes -- and learns that you really can't judge a book by its cover.Mr. Darcy just isn't Flip Allison's style.

She prefers novels with hot sex on the bathroom sink to the mannerly, high-tension longing of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. That is, until she pays a visit to Madame K, who promises a therapeutic massage with an opportunity to "Imagine Yourself in Your Favorite Book."

Somehow, on the way to a sizzling sink-top session with a Venetian Adonis, Flip lands right in the middle of Regency England -- and dangerously close to handsome Mr. Darcy. So close, in fact, that she discovers a side of him even Jane Austen couldn't have imagined.

Waking from her massage, Flip is on top of the world and ready for her upcoming book club -- that is, until she notices a new scene in which Darcy and spunky heroine Lizzy Bennet are arguing over...Flip Allison? Her rapturous liaison with Darcy has had disastrous consequences for Austen's characters -- not to mention millions of Pride and Prejudice fans!

Flip has twenty-four hours to put the story back on course, and Magnus Knightley, a sexy but imperious scholar whose brooding good looks and infuriating arrogance are decidedly Darcy-like, is the only one who can help. The only problem is, Flip can't keep her hands off him, either....

*source for silhouette