Jenna Jaxon Romance--because passion is timeless.

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 12/13/15 A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe: Blind Man’s Bluff

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors!

Thank you to everyone who came by to visit last week! I’m continuing with another snippet from my Regency Christmas novella, A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, that released last week!

This scene is a little further along in the novella. Jenny is at her aunt’s Christmas house party where the handsome Lord Somersby has proposed the company play Blind Man’s Bluff while the orchestra is on a break.

“This seems much more wicked than the game I played as a child,” she whispered to her friend.

“I daresay it will be for you, my dear,” Celinda said as she leaned toward her. “I believe Somersby aims on catching only one person.”

Jenny’s head went up, her gaze drawn back to Somersby who stood like a beagle sniffing the air, turning his head from side to side.

“I think you’re going to be it,” Celinda laughed and scooted away as Lord Somersby made a rush toward them.

Jenny squealed and dodged around his outstretched arms, barely escaping the fingers that stretched toward her. She inched around the side of the ballroom, trying to slip behind some of the other players. They, however, kept constantly pushing her and the other girls into Somersby’s path. She held her breath, her back pressed against the onlookers at the side of the room as the young lord made his way toward her.

Blurb for A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe:

Is one kiss ever enough?

Jenny Crowley has been duped! At her eighteenth birthday celebration her parents announce that instead of having the London Season she’s dreamed of for years, Jenny has been betrothed from birth to Alexander Isley, son of family friends and heir to a title. A distraught Jenny refuses point-blank to marry Alec, and when her aunt offers to whisk her away to a Christmas house party, complete with many eligible young bachelors, Jenny jumps at the chance to enjoy a variety of entertainments, be courted, and perhaps fall in love.

Alec Isley is between a rock and a hard place. He desires a marriage with Jenny no more than she does, but when his family’s dire financial status is revealed, he follows Jenny to the house party in hopes of convincing her to marry him after all. When he discovers who else is courting her there, Alec is frantic to keep her from making a dreadful mistake. Struggling with new-found feelings for his childhood friend, can Alec convince her of his love in time to save her from being ruined under the mistletoe?

A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe released this week and is available at Amazon and Smashwords!

And the short story that was the inspiration for the novella, ‘Tis the Season, is currently FREE in my short story collection All Wrapped Up on Amazon!

That’s all for this week. Hope you enjoyed it!

And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

Posted in A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Historical Romance, Holiday Posts, On Regency Romance, On Weekend Writing Warriors, Promotion, Regency Romance, Weekend Writing Warriors | Tagged A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Christmas novella, historical romance, Jenna Jaxon, Regency romance, sweet Regency romance, sweet romance Christmas story, Weekend Writing Warriors | 24 Comments

A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe Release Day!

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

My sweet Regency Christmas novella, A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe has released!

I am so excited to share this book with you all. Not only is it my first Regency, but it is the prequel to a series of novellas I have planned for 2016 called A Handful of Hearts. I hope you enjoy Kiss and come back for more stories about these characters in the new year.

A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe is currently available at Amazon and Smashwords, with Barnes & Noble soon to follow. I hope you enjoy this little holiday offering as much as I enjoyed writing it!

BLURB:

Is one kiss ever enough?

BLURB:

EXCERPT:

Dishes of trifle finally sat at each place. Jenny itched to pick up her spoon. She could taste the berries and cream even now. She glanced at her father, who at last smiled and nodded.

“So, Charles, when is the wedding to take place?” Great-Aunt Henrietta trumpeted the question from her place at the mid-point of the table, her spoon already busy with her dessert.

“Wedding, Aunt Henrietta?” Papa’s voice rose in a question, but he cut his eyes toward Mamma, who sent a frightened look at Jenny.

Odd, but no more so than her great-aunt’s question. Whose wedding was she talking about?

“Yes, Charles. Jenny’s wedding to young Alexander here.” Henrietta nodded across the table to Alexander Isley, who sat up abruptly, staring at her aunt with wide eyes, as though he thought the old lady quite mad.

Jenny thought so herself. A prickly sensation began at the back of her neck. She shot Alec a quick look. No, his face wore an expression of outright confusion, his brows knit over his dark brown eyes.

“She’s eighteen now, and you promised me when she was of age I’d see her married into the Isley family. I have lived for the day that I could announce to the world that one of my family had moved into the titled class.” She glared at Mamma, who blushed and turned to Jenny.

“It’s not as bad as it sounds, Jenny darling,” Mamma said, patting her hand.

That might have reassured Jenny, except her mother’s wide, staring eyes said yes, it was that bad. Maybe worse. Her heart began to pound and the sweet trifle turned sour in her mouth.

“Not bad?” Great-Aunt Henrietta swung her gaze to Jenny and fixed her with a cold blue-eyed stare. “You should be grateful, girl. Your parents and I have arranged for you to take your place in society, as a titled lady in due time.”

“It’s not true is it, Mamma?” Jenny could barely choke out the words in a voice that didn’t sound like her own at all. Too high, too soft. A peculiar roaring in her ears made her head light.

“Yes, my dear, it most certainly is.” Great-Aunt Henrietta nodded with such vehemence that the feathers on her green velvet turban bobbed back and forth. “When your mother refused to marry up, I swore none of your family would ever see a penny of my money. Then when you were born, she came to me, begged me to reconsider, and promised that you had already been betrothed to the Isley heir here.” She pointed a finger at Alec who looked like he might dive under the table. “She showed me the betrothal papers.”

Everyone at table sat in stunned silence. Jenny looked down at her hands, clasped together so tightly her knuckles showed white. All her dreams of excitement and romance during her season had just exploded in the blink of an eye. Then the real import of her great-aunt’s word sank in and her stomach twisted. They expected her to marry Alec?

And to celebrate my release, I’m giving away a copy of A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe to one commenter who tells me they’d like a copy. 🙂

Merry Christmas!

Posted in A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Book Spotlights, Historical Romance, Holiday Posts, On Regency Romance, Promotion, Regency Romance, Release Party | Tagged A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Christmas novella, friends to lovers romance, Jenna Jaxon, Regency romance, sweet Christmas Regency, sweet Christmas romance, sweet Regency romance | 18 Comments

Medieval Monday ~ Kim Headlee’s Snow in July: Kendra is anything but merry this Christmas

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome to Medieval Monday! This time around we post excerpts that fulfill a different requirement each month. For the month of December we must post an excerpt having to do with a celebration of any sort. My guest today is Kim Headlee with her medieval romance Snow in July.

BLURB:

Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate’s Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people’s lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.

Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman “squire.” But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/vFsaD1jCLLU

BUY & TBR LINKS

Worldwide Amazon Kindle link – http://getBook.at/Snow_in_July_by_KIH_Kindle

Worldwide Amazon Paperback link –http://myBook.to/Snow_in_July_by_KIH_paperback

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snow-in-july-kim-headlee/1119853202?ean=2940149693818&itm=1&usri=2940149693818

BARNES & NOBLES PAPERBACK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snow-in-july-kim-headlee/1119853202?ean=9780990505501

KOBO – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/snow-in-july

SMASHWORDS – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/450831

ITUNES – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id892162990

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22398941-snow-in-july

Excerpt Dec. 2015: Any celebration

The pewter goblet hit the trencher with an ungodly clatter. Bloodred wine seeped across the white table linens, reminding Kendra of what Del’s blood must have done the night he was ambushed.

As a servant rushed to right her goblet and blot the stain, she leaned against her carved, tall-backed chair on the dais of Edgarburh’s feast hall, certain she had imagined the voice that had startled her.

She wished Del’s condition could be righted as easily.

Her seat gave her the best view of the Cristes-mæsse festivities, which at present consisted of a muzzled, scruffy bear being goaded through its awkward paces by an equally scruffy man to the raucous amusement of the crowd.

Kendra couldn’t share in the laughter.

With the tip of her dagger, she chased slices of stewed apples around her trencher, racking her brains for something—anything—she hadn’t yet tried to help her brother, either to heal his wound or cure the fever and cough invading his lungs.

Invasion. She gave a soft snort. Not three months earlier, Del had risked his life in the service of King Harold against the invading William of Normandy. Del had been one of the lucky few to survive the battle, only to be cut down on their father’s lands by one of William the Bastard’s knights. The enormity of the outrage still blazed within her heart.

Even greater kindled her wrath over the decree accompanying the coronation announcement: she must wed one of these ruthless Norman warriors.

This very day, her father was paying court upon the new king, offering his—though not his daughter’s—acquiescence to the betrothal in hopes of currying favor enough to present his complaint about Del’s attacker. He possessed the knight’s shield, though the coward had eluded capture. Waldron kept the shield locked in his quarters, for he couldn’t risk losing his one tangible link to the Norman swine.

Kendra’s heart had screamed the truth, although her father had refused to hear it: Sir Delwin Waldronson had fought for King Harold, his attacker was one of William the Bastard’s retainers, and justice would be denied.

***

Note: Cristes-mæsse is the ancient Saxon word for Christmas.

Hope you enjoyed this excerpt! See you next week!

Posted in Medieval Monday, Medieval Mondays, Medieval Romance, Promotion | Tagged celebrations, Excerpts, Kim Headlee, Medieval Monday, Snow in July | 6 Comments

Weekend Writing Warriors ~ 12/06/15 A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors!

It’s so good to be back on WWW after a very long hiatus. 🙂 I’ve got a snippet from my Regency Christmas novella, A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, which releases this week!

This is from the beginning of the novella and takes place at a birthday celebration for our heroine, Jenny Crowley, when she finds out the “family secret.”

“It’s not true, is it, Mamma?” Jenny could barely choke out the words in a voice that didn’t sound like her own at all. A peculiar roaring in her ears made her head light.

“Yes, my dear, it most certainly is,” Great-Aunt Henrietta nodded with such vehemence that the feathers on her green velvet turban bobbed back and forth. “When your mother refused to marry up, I swore none of your family would ever see a penny of my money. Then when you were born, she came to me, begged me to reconsider, and promised that you had already been betrothed to the Isley heir here,” she said, pointing an imperious finger at Alec who looked like he might dive under the table. “She showed me the betrothal papers.”

Everyone at table sat in stunned silence. Jenny looked down at her hands, clasped together so tightly her knuckles showed white. All her dreams of excitement and romance during her season had just exploded in the blink of an eye. Then the real import of her great-aunt’s words sank in and her stomach twisted: they expected her to marry Alec?

Blurb for A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe:

Is one kiss ever enough?

A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe releases this week at Amazon and Smashwords!

And the short story that was the inspiration for the novella, ‘Tis the Season, is currently FREE in my short story collection All Wrapped Up on Amazon!

That’s all for this week. Hope you enjoyed it!

And don’t forget to check out the rest of the Warriors here. There’s some fantastic snippets to be read.

All Wrapped Up is Free on Amazon!

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

It’s Christmas a little early!

My Christmas short story collection, All Wrapped Up, is now FREE on Amazon!

Blurb:

Four short stories filled with romance at Christmastime:

A girl breaks the news to her sister’s boyfriend that he’s being dumped–two days before Christmas.

An awkward situation develops when a guy is sent to fire a girl from his caroling group.

Two children discover a secret place on Christmas Day.

A Christmas dinner announcement shatters a girl’s dream of a magical social season.

“Like eating romance M&Ms“

To download it for FREE click here.

And now, another Christmas present for you:

My new Christmas novella, A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, releases this week! Based on the ‘Tis the Season short story in All Wrapped Up, this novella gives a more detailed account of what happened to Jenny during her “Christmas Season.”

Blurb:

Excerpt:

“Aunt Arabella, what is this running the mistletoe Lady Celinda told me about? I’ve not heard of it before.”

“Well, that is a bit of a story.” Her aunt laughed and linked arms with her. “It’s a custom in Marbury’s family. His mother is German and when she married, she brought a lot of those customs to England. That’s why we celebrate Christmas with a Christmas tree.”

“I’d wondered about that,” Jenny said with a smile. “Mama thought it very odd when she first heard of it.”

“Many people do, although Queen Charlotte has had one for many years.”

“Yes, I’d heard that as well. And we are to decorate it on Christmas Eve, aunt?” It sounded like a fun time. “And the Snapdragon? We will have that as well, won’t we?”

“Of course.” Aunt Arabella stopped to look around. “This way,” she called to the larger party following behind them and pointed to several large evergreen trees on her left.

“But what is running the mistletoe?” Jenny had almost forgotten about that mysterious event.

Aunt Arabella laughed, a tinkling sound in the crisp air. “You know what mistletoe is?”

Jenny nodded. She’d seen sprigs of it hung over the doorway at home at Christmas and caught her parents kissing under it a time or two.

“Well, when we come to cut greenery for the house, we also find a ball of mistletoe to take back for the doorways.” Her eyes twinkled. “Be careful going through the doorways for the next couple of weeks, Jenny. You don’t know who you’ll meet coming the opposite way. You’ll end up collecting a lot of little white berries.”

Collecting berries? How odd. “What do you mean, aunt?”

“For each kiss, the gentleman cuts off one of the berries and gives it to the young lady he kissed.”

Jenny’s cheeks heated despite the nipping cold, and her aunt laughed.

“But the ball we find out here is high off the ground. So in Germany the young men dare the ladies to run under the mistletoe. They give them a five count start and if they can catch them by the time they reach the mistletoe ball, they can claim a kiss.” Her aunt grinned and whispered, “That’s how I met Marbury.”

“Really, Aunt?” Jenny’s heart beat a little faster. Would she fall in love with someone who caught her under the mistletoe?

You can download free copies of All Wrapped Up also at Smashwords.

You can download free copies of my contemporary Christmas short, An Almost Perfect Christmas, at Smashwords, B & N, and ARe.

And you can download free copies of Betrothal at Smashwords, B & N, and ARe.

Hope you enjoy all this Christmas cheer!

Posted in A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, Free Reads, Holiday Posts, New Release, Promotion, Regency Romance | Tagged A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe, All Wrapped Up, Christmas novellas, Christmas romance, Free Christmas romance, Free Christmas stories, free reads, Jenna Jaxon, sweet romance, sweet romance Christmas story | 2 Comments

Medieval Monday ~ First Encounter: Barbara Bettis and Silverhawk

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

Medieval Monday is back, with a new twist. This time around we post excerpts that fulfill a different requirement each month. For November we must post an excerpt with the meeting of the hero and heroine. My guest today is Barbara Bettis with Silverhawk.

BLURB

He’s everything a proper lady should never want; she’s everything a bastard mercenary can never have.

Sir Giles has come to England to kill his father, who seduced and betrayed his mother. First, however, he’ll seek sweet revenge—kidnap the old lord’s new betrothed. But when Giles uncovers a plot against King Richard, he faces a dilemma: take the lady or track the traitors. What’s a good mercenary to do? Both, of course.

Lady Emelin has had enough. Abandoned in a convent by her brother, she finally has a chance for home and family. Yet now she’s been abducted. Her kidnapper may be the image of her dream knight, but she won’t allow him to spoil this betrothal. Her only solution: escape. Rescuing the intrepid lady—while hunting traitors—is a challenge Giles couldn’t anticipate. But the greatest challenge to Giles and Emelin is the fire blazing between them. For he’s everything a proper lady should never want, and she’s everything a bastard mercenary can never have

EXCERPT

(Sir Giles has been rescued from outlaws by Lady Emelin’s escort of soldiers and she’s insisted that she take the unconscious knight to her betrothed’s castle for treatment.)

Swollen eyelids, a puffy cheek, and bloody scrapes couldn’t hide the knight’s handsome features. Waves of midnight hair fell across his wide forehead to brush one side of his square, stubble-darkened jaw. Grit clustered on the high bridge of his nose. What shame such a strong, rugged man should be cut down. Her pulse fluttered, and she sucked in a sharp breath. Ashamed of such reaction, she squeezed shut her eyes.

Would Stephen have been so handsome, had he lived through the crusade? She hardly recalled what her youthful first betrothed looked like when he left, a hopeful squire at nineteen, to follow his foster father on King Richard’s journey. If only he’d returned from Outremer, she’d be wed now, with the family she craved.

She sighed, reached for her patient’s cheek—and found herself staring into the palest gray eyes she had ever seen. His mouth moved, and she leaned forward.

“What is it?” she murmured.

“Before…I…die…” came the hoarse whisper.

“Yes? What would you like before you die?” If it were in her power, she would provide the poor man with his wish. Drink? Food?

A strong hand gripped the back of her head, pulled her forward. That close, she saw his eyes weren’t flat gray, but clear, layered like a winter pond winking with ice. They were silver.

“To…kiss…a nun,” came the outrageous reply before his lips met hers.

The brush of his warm mouth robbed her breath for an instant. Then she snapped back with a gasp. And, with in-born reflex, slapped him. His head jerked, his eyes closed, and he lay motionless.

“Oh, Sweet Mary,” Emelin whispered, “I’ve killed him.” Leaning close, she saw his narrow, beautifully molded lips relax. His mouth curved at the corner.

At least he died with a smile on his face.

BUY LINK:

http://amzn.to/1WTz3KJ

Hope you enjoyed this excerpt! See you next week when our excerpts will change to celebrations in honor of the season.

Posted in Historical Romance, Medieval Monday, Medieval Mondays, Medieval Romance, Promotion | Tagged Barbara Bettis, Excerpts, H/h meet, Medieval Monday, Silverhawk | 1 Comment

A New Cover for My Christmas Novella!

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Jenna Jaxon

You are never too old to learn a new trick. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I did just that: learned how to create a cover using Microsoft Word. Now, I will be the first to tell you design is NOT my forte, however, things came together and before I knew it, I’d spent a pleasurable two days tinkering with the design elements, watching Youtube videos, and cursing loudly as my learning curve escalated.

A friend of mine had said she’d do the cover for my Christmas novella. She’s done the covers to my other two Christmas stories, so I thought it would be great to continue the tradition. Then the image I got for the couple was difficult for her to drop the background on. My daughter volunteered (ok, I volunteered her) to do that pic. She sent the couple to me to send to my friend, and I thought, “Hey, I think I could do this.” (Famous last words. That’s exactly how I started to write romance in the first place. LOL) So I had the elements, I’d messed around a few weeks ago with creating a meme, so I knew a very tiny bit about what to do, and so I just started to put the elements together.

Long story short, with the help–read encouragement and tons of advice–of some of my author friends, I have created what I think is a serviceable cover for my Christmas book. It won’t win any awards, but I think it will catch readers’ attention and that’s all anyone can want their cover to do.

One more note about the book itself. It began as a very short, short story that was published as ‘Tis the Season in my collection of Christmas stories, All Wrapped Up (currently free on Smashwords and B & N.) Grab your copy and read the original before the new, very expanded version is released. 🙂

So without further ado, I give you a sneak peek at my brand new cover for A Kiss Beneath the Mistletoe!

Is one kiss ever enough?

BLURB:

EXCERPT :