Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the tantalising blog series where I share snippets from my works-in-progress, up-coming releases and published novels, and occasionally invite good writing buddies to share pieces from their books.

I’m particularly chuffed to host regular guest Anna Campbell today, not least because it gives me a chance to gush over one of her previous releases, Winning Lord West, which I read last week and enjoyed HUGELY. It might well be my favourite of the Dashing Widows series so far. But that might all change with her new release, Pursuing Lord Pascal.

For those of you new to Teaser Tuesday or Anna’s books, Anna writes Regency romances filled with gorgeous men and sassy ladies, is a best-seller and multi-award winner, a fabulous writer, and a wonderful friend. Oh, and she’s Australian. See? All the good things at once. You should buy her books.

Here’s Anna to tell you more about Pursuing Lord Pascal. But make sure you read to the end. There might be a giveaway!

Hi Cathryn!

Thank you so much for having me back to share a Tuesday Teaser with your readers. I always love visiting!

When I originally planned my Dashing Widows novellas, I intended to write a trilogy. But luckily both readers and I have so enjoyed these stories of adventurous ladies and the rakes who win them, that there are now going to be at least three more. The first story of the ‘second’ trilogy is Pursuing Lord Pascal, and it’s out right now on all e-book platforms.

PLP features two characters who play a peripheral role in the earlier stories. Amy, Lady Mowbray, is Lord Stone’s youngest sister, and her hero is London’s handsomest man who has provided some not very serious competition for my previous Dashing Widows heroes.

There’s a touch of Dirty Dancing in this story about the geek girl who gets the cutest guy in the room—and doesn’t have to change who she is to do it. By the time you finish my latest novella, I hope you’re saying, “Nobody puts Amy in the corner!”

The excerpt is from early in the book and describes Amy and Pascal’s first meeting since she was an awkward teenager.

Raynor House, Mayfair, London, March 1829

All Amy’s newfound confidence fizzled to nothing. Striding toward her was the man she’d spent a couple of agonizing years dreaming about when she was a silly girl. He’d fueled her romantic fantasies, until she hit sixteen and decided that life was real and practical, and adolescent foolishness served no purpose.

Anthony turned, and the unalloyed pleasure in his expression surprised Amy. “Pascal, grand to see you.”

“And you, Kenwick.” Lord Pascal bowed briefly to Fenella. “Lady Kenwick.”

“My lord,” Fenella said with a pretty curtsy.

“Will you please introduce me to your lovely companion?”

Lovely companion? Amy almost looked around to see who he meant, even as those blue eyes leveled on her with unmistakable intent.

“Amy, may I present Lord Pascal?” Fenella said, shooting him a speculative glance. “Pascal, this is Amy, Lady Mowbray, down from Leicestershire for the season.”

Automatically Amy extended her hand. When he took it in his and bowed, a strange current zapped through her as if she touched lightning. Bewildered, she told herself this was impossible, especially as they both wore gloves. But it was so hard to think rationally when such remarkable male beauty filled her view.

The hundreds of candles in the ballroom turned Lord Pascal to gold. Golden hair. Golden skin. Tall, perfectly proportioned body. Broad, straight shoulders. Narrow hips. Long legs. Cheekbones high and prominent. Lips so crisply cut that they’d look sculpted from marble, if they weren’t so warm and sensual.

Such spectacular masculinity would make Michelangelo weep.

“Delighted, Lady Mowbray.” His soft murmur set her every nerve jangling with female awareness.

“Good evening, my lord,” she said, shocked that the words emerged at all, let alone as steadily as they did. With a spurt of relief, she realized that she wasn’t sixteen anymore.

By God, she could handle society. She could handle anything life threw at her. Here was proof. While butterflies and grasshoppers performed a mad ballet in her stomach, she faced down the man who had once turned her tongue-tied.

Her smile broadened as she stared into Lord Pascal’s brilliant blue eyes. Dear heaven, that color was extraordinary, like a noon sky on a perfect summer day.

Those eyes warmed and turned predatory, and she realized her hand still rested in his. Ten years ago—good Lord, last week—she’d have jerked away, flustered and awkward. Not tonight. Tonight she remained just where she was and let herself drown in those azure eyes.

“May I presume upon our new acquaintance and ask for this waltz?”

“I’m engaged with Sir Brandon.” With a flirtatiousness she’d never before attempted, she let her lashes flutter down. She didn’t mention that she and Pascal had met before, if years ago. Why revive memories of her clumsy younger self and spoil this chance to make an old dream come true?

Pascal didn’t even glance at Fenella’s son. “I’m sure he’ll yield to my greater need.”

“Greater need?” Amy slowly withdrew her hand. “That places too much importance on a waltz.”

“Sometimes a waltz can be a matter of life or death, my lady.”

Love that excerpt? You can read an even longer one and check out the blurb at annacampbell.com

But for instant happiness why not buy right now? Pursuing Lord Pascal is only 99 cents on Amazon.com. That’s a serious bargain so grab your copy today. You can also purchase from Kobo, iBooks and Nook.

Now, let Anna tell you about her very generous…

GIVEAWAY!

I’ve got a Kindle download of Pursuing Lord Pascal for someone who comments today. No geographical restrictions. Seeing this story is about a heroine with a girlhood crush who ends up getting the dream guy in the end, I’d love to know about your first crush, real or fictional.

Good luck in the draw!

Ooh, Anna, what a wonderful question. My first crush (besides those of the equine kind) was for former Pakistani cricket captain Imran Khan. That man was so gorgeous. I used to have dreams of us both escaping into the dessert on white Arab horses. Might have got my countries a tad mixed up with that fantasy, but I was only a little country girl and back then the rest of the world was a complete mystery.

Anna and I would adore hearing about your first crush. Please share and you could win!

Please note: Giveaway closes midnight Friday 14^th October, AEST. Open internationally. Prize is a Kindle copy of Pursuing Lord Pascal.

Don’t have a Kindle e-reader? Not a problem. You can download the reading app for free to your smartphone, tablet or computer and read Pursuing Lord Pascal on there.