Title: The Painted Lady
Author: Avery Sterling
Genre: Historical Romance
Book Blurb:
Aspiring artist, Delaney Harper, sails to New Orleans after her mother’s death. On the night of her arrival, she’s welcomed by a masked stranger who steals one breathless kiss.
Alderic Beaumont is a fallen aristocrat. Once a corsair and now a smuggler, he’s a force to be reckoned with. On the night of his friend’s celebration, he’s captured by an irresistible beauty. He kisses her, promising to find her come morning.
By then, Delaney’s world has crumbled—the truth about her mother reveals Delaney now owns a brothel. With Alderic, Delaney embarks on a path of intrigue and passion. Her wit and artistic skills help conceal her identity and restore the once-prestigious bordello...but her deceptions could cost her Alderic’s heart.
Excerpt:
Alderic couldn’t lie; he was fascinated. She was an exquisite creature. He shook his head and tried to gather his wits. What was wrong with him? He finished his wine and was ready to leave. He could appreciate beauty and intrigue, but his reaction to this place was disarming. To find himself on the opposite side of seduction, and succumbing to it like an unseasoned boy, bothered him.
He set his wine glass on the nearest server’s tray and spun on his heel. That was when he nearly fell over the madam. A nagging sense that he knew her plagued him.
“Monsieur Beaumont, what are you doing here?” she asked, the faintest smile crossing her lovely mouth.
“I was invited...it is Madame Cardui, no?”
“Oui,” she replied.
He smiled. “How do you know who I am?”
“I should not be surprised that you were discovered amongst the
birds.”
She hadn’t answered him. Perhaps he did know her? “I’ve heard that a couple of times tonight, madam. Tell me, is it my lavish attire, or my charm?”
“Neither, monsieur,” she said, waving her gloved hand and turning away. She gave him one last glance over her shoulder, and said simply, “You are quite tall. You stand above the crowd.”
A wicked grin formed on his lips as she turned away and weaved through the crowded parlor.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-painted-lady-avery-sterling/1145544574?ean=2940186177203
What makes your featured book a must-read?
The Painted Lady is a captivating romance that sweeps you up in a whirlwind of intrigue, passion, and danger.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $30 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs June 25 – July 4, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on July 5, 2024.
Author Biography:
Avery Sterling's love for the romance genre began in her teen years when she picked up her first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotions brought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards learning the art of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that felt authentic. Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and words, she finished her first novel at sixteen. It was a step towards understanding the essence of what she wished to create.
Most of her youth was spent traveling, searching out the romance and beauty in her everchanging world. From the waves that crashed against the rocky shores of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of the Caribbean, she discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest and simplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate to, one that conveys the truth and nature of love… with all that steamy romance.
Social Media Links: