Author Interview: Marquita Valentine on her novel "Third Time's a Charm" - Holland Springs Series #2

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Read Sallie's review

Marquita is answering questions

in the comment section below

Self-published author Marquita Valentine is with Ravishing Romances today. She's the first ever author to be featured on our site twice and we couldn't be more thrilled.

Thank you for being on Ravishing Romances, Marquita!

Oh wow! That’s so awesome. Thank you so much for having me again! 

Q:  Third Time’s a Charm starts with the hero and heroine madly in lust with each other. It makes their chemistry much more intense. Did you intentionally set them up for this in the first book Twice Tempted or did it just happen? 

A: Actually the entire book kinda just happened. LOL! I had absolutely no intention of writing Sasha and Rose’s story, but Katharine Ashe, my beta reader and fabulously talented author who writes Regency set romances for Avon, emailed me and asked, “So you’re writing Sasha and Rose next, right?” My response: “Sure am.” ACK! However, their lust for one another was purely organic. I had to restrain them at times. ;) 


Q:  Though hero Sasha and heroine Rose have sexual tension…Rose hates him. A lot and often. Her distrust of Sasha creates much of their relationship conflict. Was it hard to write a wounded and guarded heroine? 

A: I’d be lying if I said any book was easy to write. It’s not. But the more I learned about Rose, the more she came across as the traditionally tortured hero. Quiet, reserved...basically the opposite of Sasha. And Sasha didn’t exactly help things. One minute he’s offering to help her out, then next he’s back to plotting against her. So the hardest part of writing Rose was showing the reader why she would ever take a chance on Sasha. 


Q:  Nipple rings. Sasha has them. Details! 

A: HEE!! I love piercings on heroes. There just aren’t enough of them. ;) I loved the thought of him having them, because it’s so unexpected yet sexy as all get out. Especially the shower scene and of course Rose loves them...it’s a source of smexytime fun. 


Q:  Is Rose a witch? Third Time’s a Charm hints at it and though some things are explained, others are left to readers’ imagination… 

A: Honestly, Rose is in fact...well, it’s up to the readers to decide if she is or isn’t a witch. I purposefully answered some things about her “powers” and left others wide open. But I will say that Practical Magic (the movie not the book) was an inspiration for the Holland Sisters. So... 


Q:  Third Time’s a Charm is part of the Holland Springs series. Holland Springs is the small town where the series is based, but their is an actual spring that plays a prominent role in the stories. Can you talk about that? 

A: Great question. Where I’m from it seemed as though every town or county had a local legend it was known for, like Blackbeard. Some of the legends, like the infamous pirate, are rather bloody and gruesome. I wanted one that was known for something rather lovely and sweet. That most people didn’t believe in anymore but still wanted the experience ends up happening with a lot of legends and traditions. Heck, even Rose doesn’t know the entire story concerning the spring OR her family’s reputation. 


Q: The next novel in your series is a novella titled His Christmas Wish and tells the story of war hero Joaquin Morales and his estranged wife Sage Caswell. Sage is introduced in Third Time’s a Charm, being kind to mistreated Rose. What’s Sage’s motivation for this? 

A: Sage is actually a nice person and one that has benefited from the Hollands’ love advice...even if it didn’t turn out so well. Besides, not everyone in town is mean or rude to the Holland women. Yet Sage does have a motive behind her very nice gesture. She wanted Rose’s advice concerning a man Sage has fallen in love with through letters. The man in question, a 1st LT in the ARMY, is deployed in Afghanistan and she’s never met him in person. Or so Sage thinks. By the way, the Holland women are always right when they match up couples. Hence Sage and Joaquin’s novella. 


Q: Can you give us an excerpt from Third Time’s a Charm? 

A: I’d love to! This is an excerpt that hasn’t been shared anywhere before and it’s one of my favorite scenes from the book. 

He lifted it to her mouth. “Open.” 

“You’re going to feed me?” 

He gave her a crooked grin. “Sharing food is something that family does in Masvingo.” 

“I don’t know.” She squirmed in her chair. Somehow the act of him feeding her seemed very intimate, something lovers did for one another. 

“It’s not poison, Rose.” He dipped the ball of sazda, then drew air circles with it. “One bite, love.” 

Feeling slightly silly, she barely opened her mouth. 

“Wider.” 

Sighing, she widened it and Sasha’s green eyes glinted.“Not that wide—I don’t want to actually watch you chew it.” 

Jerking back, she began to clamp her lips together, but he popped it in before they closed. Flavor exploded in her mouth and she moaned in appreciation. 

“What every man most likes to hear when a woman has her mouth full of his…cooking.” Sasha waggled his eyebrows as she chewed. 

She giggled. “More please.” 

He fed her another bite. “That particular phrase a close second.” 

“Stop, I’ll choke.” Somehow she managed to swallow and he fed her yet another bite. 

“Third.” 

“Now I get to feed you,” she said, pinching off a bite-sized portion of the thick tortilla, rolling it in her hand, then dipping it in the meat stew. He grinned as she held it up to his mouth. His lips parted and she pushed the sazda inside. 

“Delicious,” he said, after chewing and swallowing it down. 

Then they fed each other. Sasha purposefully nipping at her fingers when it was her turn. She couldn’t stop giggling. 

“Quit biting me.” 

“But I like the extra flavor,” he said with a teasing smile. “One last bite then dessert, yes?” 

“Yes.” She began to part her lips, but the heat of his gaze stopped her. “What?” 

“Close your eyes this time,” he gently ordered, his voice husky. 

Her lashes fluttered down, but she quickly opened her eyes again to find him leaning closer. So close that she could count the freckles on his nose. Forget counting them, she wanted to kiss each one. 

Thank you for having me again, Musing Sallie.  I had a great time answering your questions!   

Marquita's answering your questions in the comment section!

Someone please ask her about that trunk incident.

Website - Twitter - Facebook

MARQUITA VALENTINE writes small town romances that are anything but small. Lisa Kleypas, Carly Phillips and Rachel Gibson are her favorite contemporary authors. Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man -- and if that doesn't work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children. 

Ask Marquita your questions.
She's responding!

Third Time's a Charm, Holland Springs Series #2 (by Marquita Valentine)

Amazon - B&N

Third Time's a Charm rating:  3.75 out of 5 stars

Release Date:  September 7, 2012

Holland Springs series rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

"Third Time's a Charm" is the second novel in the Holland Springs series 

and can be read as a stand alone novel

How are the sex scenes?

I loved them.  There aren't so many that the sex is distracting and this isn't an erotic romance, but the hero has nipple piercings and he and the heroine have a long burn before giving in to temptation.

How are the story lines?

Enjoyed them greatly.  It was easy for me to keep up 

and I was very interested in the plot with the hero and his mother.  

Would you read it again?

The hero has nipple rings.  YES.

Back of the Book

Not even Holland Springs' Most Notorious Resident 

can stop this Love Spell.

Customers come to Rose Holland’s apothecary shop for three things: to hear her uncanny matchmaking advice, to buy the “magical” hair and skin products she sells, and to accuse her of trying to steal their men. For years Rose has been entirely innocent and almost content with that status quo. But that was before sexy, smooth-talking Sasha Romanov came to town and made her want to use her love potions on him… until he broke her heart. Now corrupt town officials want to seize her land and sell it to an industrial giant, and her only hope for help looks like the one man she can’t trust—or stop herself from falling under his spell.

Alexander “Sasha” Romanov seems like every woman’s dream: charming, handsome and fabulously rich. But while the people of Holland Springs think he’s in town to generously invest in their economy (and possibly one of their daughters), Sasha struggles to save his sick mother from his vicious uncle’s plans by doing everything the greedy businessman wants. And Vlad Romanov wants Rose Holland’s land—at any cost.

Despite Sasha’s vow to get the job done and keep his hands (and everything else!) off Rose, the blue-eyed witch enchants him. But his mother’s life remains in the balance. Sasha must find a way to protect his mother, sabotage his uncle’s plans, and win the woman who’s captured his heart without destroying everything she loves.

Review

Hero Sasha Romanov and heroine Rose Holland have chemistry.  Yet it never gets too far, because their relationship is...unpleasant.

"Possibly she was mulling over how to best kill him."

Sasha is that kind of guy.  Good looking, fashionable and all together someone Rose does not trust.

Sasha's returned and Rose is furious with her little sister for renting a room in their home to him.  Naturally, this intimate proximity sets the stage for close calls, sexy sneak peeks and plenty of nighttime - and nightclothes - scenes.

For all of Rose's wariness, it seems she overcomes it rather quickly.  She's upset Sasha lives in her home and is uncomfortable with her lust for him...but he babysits Ivy and now Rose is won over because she gets to take a nap?  This is no doubt a huge gesture, but it takes only one to win her trust.  

33% through the story Dr. LA (from Twice Tempted) shows up and starts talking about a girl named Lily.  This caught me off guard and doesn't seem to fit because Dr. LA and Lily are not mentioned at any other point in the story.  

With the exception of Dr. LA's sudden appearance - all other cameos are a wonderful addition.  To tell you who pops in would be a spoiler, but towards the end when **** walks into Rose's office I about died.  It. Is. FABULOUS.  

Something else that's fabulous is Marquita Valentine's way with words.  She writes very quotable novels:

"...she carefully placed [the dress] into the back of the closet, where it couldn't mock her."

"Well, I am a Holland, and we aim to please the men around here."

Gabriel (Twice Tempted's heroine's ex-fiance) is in this novel and his gentlemanly actions made me like him even more.  He's going to be such a great hero (hopefully) one day.

Those who read Twice Tempted know Sasha has an eye for fashion and Third Time's a Charm explains a lot when we find out the reason why.  

The characters are defined, the pacing is easy to run with and the story lines intertwine while pushing along Sasha and Rose's relationship.  I do wish the paranormal element was resolved and explained.  Valentine may have intentionally left it open, but the story never specified.

And Sasha.  I thought about Sasha for days after reading this novel.  He is, quite simply, unforgettable.

GOOD job, Marquita.

Learn more about Marquita Valentine and her upcoming titles on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Holland Springs Series
1. Twice Tempted - read Sallie's review and Valentine's interview

Reviewed by Sallie:

Published by Marquita Valentine.

Disclaimer:  No compensation was received for this review.  eARC provided by Marquita Valentine.

Best Blog Post Ever

In one week Ravishing Romances went from completely on time to totally behind.  Some serious stuff happened and family takes priority.  (Me and my immediates are all great and in good health.)  

To keep the blog active, let's pretend this is the best blog post ever and give stuff away!

Ravishing Romances has featured contemporary romances lately - continuing the trend: comment below (leave your email so I can contact you), follow my blog (links to your left) and enter to win:

Amber Lin's Giving It Up

(If you win this, you can email your receipt to Amber and receive free Giving It Up shower soap.  Rawr.)

Gina L. Maxwell's Seducing Cinderella

Jessica Scott's Because of You

-OR-

Marquita Valentine's Twice Tempted

There will be three winners, each winning one novel a piece.  eBooks will be sent via Amazon.

Contest ends Monday, August 13.

What's Taking so Long?

I have approximately 16 novels on my To-Be-Reviewed list.  I could technically post a review every other day and knock them out quickly.  But I won't.

Authors put their blood, sweat and tears into their novels and I refuse to give them anything less in return.

I don't skim. I don't speed read. I don't rush through a point just to throw up a post and move on.  

Writing a review is a very involved process.  Most books are given to me by the author and my reviews are discussed with them prior to any posting.  If I dislike their novel they usually wish to know why and we discuss it in great detail.  Before I criticize a section I double-check my facts.  If I find typos, I'm usually typing a 30 minute email showing them where the typos are.

To upload a post takes even more time.  The review is filled with links to their social media sites, book selling sites and previous interviews.  

It is a great compliment to receive any book for review and it will be treated as such.

If I have to review these novels 6 months after their published date - I'll do it if that's what is required to get the review right.  Ideal? No.  But I will not disrespect these talented people with giving them half of my attention or efforts.  

I recently received this Facebook post from an author, "This is a TERRIFIC review.  Wow.  Nailed it.  Thank you."

Time it took me to write his review?  3-4 hours (not including reading).

Time it took him to write his novel?  Probably months.

It's the least I can do.

Comment and Follow to win everyone!

Author Interview: Marquita Valentine on "Twice Tempted" - Holland Springs Series #1

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Read Sallie's review

Marquita is answering questions

in the comment section below

Self-published author Marquita Valentine is with Ravishing Romances today and she’s giving the scoop on her debut novel "Twice Tempted."  Marquita, I’m thrilled to have you and am excited to ask you the one question I’ve been dying to know:

Thanks for having me today, Sallie. I’m super excited to be here!

Q: Where did your parents get the name Marquita and do your friends call you something for short, like Mar Mar?

A: LOL! It’s actually a family name. My grandmother is the original Marquita, but some of us call her Diva. I prefer being called Marquita, but my family and friends from school and college tend to call me Quita (key-ta). Although I did have a professor in college call me Marky. It didn’t stick.


Q: Your website mentions you met your husband at Sonic. You can’t just type that and leave us hanging. Exactly how did you meet your future husband at America’s should-be favorite drive-in? (Extra tidbit, I used to carhop at Sonic. I’m very happy to share a love for cheesy tater tots with you.)

A: I was cruising the strip (driving up and down the main street of the town I lived in) with my best friend and decided to stop at Sonic for a drink. Hot Builder aka my husband saw my best friend (his cousin) and pulled in beside us, then asked both of us to ride with him. He asked me out that night, I said yes, and the rest is history. :) Not that exciting but he did accidentally on purpose lock me in the trunk of my car once.

Now on to Twice Tempted…


Q: The heroine, Zoe, is a best-selling romance writer who is clumsy and dresses like a gypsy with bells on her clothing. You’re a romance writer. Is Zoe you and does your clothing make sounds?

A: LOL! The only thing Zoe and I share (besides occupation) is a love of (fictional) bad boys and hair color. I actually based her klutziness and looks on Jessica Alba’s character in the movie, Good Luck Chuck, with a little Lucille Ball thrown in. ;)


Q: Twice Tempted is different in that the hero, Christian, is already a changed man. He has overcome his drug addiction and is now a spokesperson for a back-to-school campaign. Why chose this road of redemption instead of letting Zoe change him?

A: Great question. Personally, I don’t believe in people changing for another person, not for such deep-rooted issues as Christian has. Now that’s not to say that meeting a woman like Zoe couldn’t be the catalyst, but the majority of people (myself included) change their ways because it doesn’t work for them anymore. Or they hit rock bottom. Plus, I didn’t want it to be an extra conflict for them to work through. They have enough to overcome in Twice Tempted. LOL! :)


Q: Christian lends his private jet to Angel Flight, a real organization that arranges free air transportation for those in medical and financial need. Are you purposefully drawing attention to Angel Flights or is this just another way to show Christian’s sincerity?

A: A little of both. When I first heard about the organization, I was blown away. I love to learn about people ( some of the donors really are anonymous to the public) who are helping those who are doing everything they can to make it, but just need an extra hand. And yes I did want to showcase Christian’s sincerity. That this very public figure, who could use extremely good press, was doing something that no one knew about. In that way it made sense for him to go from supporting Angel Flights to supporting an organization that helps kids get off of drugs and back into school. Underneath it all, Christian is a good guy who genuinely wants to do the right thing-most of the time. ;)


Q: Zoe’s keeping significant secrets from Christian while he is fairly open and honest with her. Usually it’s the other way around. Why this approach?

A: Compared to Christian, Zoe’s a saint. However, she’s still human with foibles. Ones that are relatable (and hopefully empathized with) to the reader. And I had to find a way to showcase them in such a way that when she finally reveals her secrets to Christian, he’s devastated. To him, she’s perfect in every way. (Which is another reason why he couldn’t change his former drug habit for her: She lets him down, now he turns to the one thing that won’t. Bad, bad, bad. )


Q: Twice Tempted is very contemporary with mentions of sex tapes, Twitter, TMZ, Facebook and Twilight. What’s the reader response to this and will we ever hear more about those sex tapes?

A: So far they’ve loved it. I had one tell me that technology and pop culture references felt like such an integral part of the h/h lives, just like it is for us. As for the sex tapes…Christian and Zoe earned their happily ever after. So, no sex tapes appearing on the internet for them. :)


Q: Have you ever flown in a helicopter controlled by a drunken pilot or seen a heart-shaped vibrating bed? If yes, please explain.

A: LOL! Unfortunately no, but the minute I do, I’ll let you know.


Q: Sex happens at a strategic time during Twice Temptation. Will this be a reoccurring theme in your stories?

A: No. The timing worked for this story and this hero and heroine. Besides, how often would a guy like Christian have work that hard for sex? Hee! On a more serious note, I treat sex and sexual tension like very powerful characters in the story. Like what is sex doing now: helping or hindering the h/h? However, the theme that does reoccur in my books regarding sex is that it changes the relationship of the hero and heroine.


Q: Rose and Alexander “Sasha” Romanov are the next heroine and hero in the Holland Springs series. Tell us about the story.

A: Rose and Sasha. *dreamy sigh* I adored writing their story. It’s a big change of pace from Twice Tempted. The book is set almost entirely in Holland Springs.
Here’s the blurb:

Not even Holland Springs' Most Notorious Resident can stop this Love Spell. 

Customers come to Rose Holland’s apothecary shop for three things: to hear her uncanny matchmaking advice, to buy the “magical” hair and skin products she sells, and to accuse her of trying to steal their men. For years Rose has been entirely innocent and almost content with that status quo. But that was before sexy, smooth-talking Sasha Romanov came to town and made her want to use her love potions on him… until he broke her heart. Now corrupt town officials want to seize her land and sell it to an industrial giant, and her only hope for help looks like the one man she can’t trust—or stop herself from falling under his spell. 

Alexander “Sasha” Romanov seems like every woman’s dream: charming, handsome and fabulously rich. But while the people of Holland Springs think he’s in town to generously invest in their economy (and possibly one of their daughters), Sasha struggles to save his sick mother from his vicious uncle’s plans by doing everything the greedy businessman wants. And Vlad Romanov wants Rose Holland’s land—at any cost. 

Despite Sasha’s vow to get the job done and keep his hands (and everything else!) off Rose, the blue-eyed witch enchants him. But his mother’s life remains in the balance. Sasha must find a way to protect his mother, sabotage his uncle’s plans, and win the woman who’s captured his heart without destroying everything she loves.

Q: You recently kidnapped The Romance Man’s blog and talked about *man candy*. (Okay, you talked about Twice Tempted, too.) I noticed you didn’t show a picture of Karl. Have you met Karl? Everyone should know Karl. 

A: In my defense, RM told me that my blog post had to be dirty, but he didn’t say how it had to be dirty. So dirty man candy was born! And Hello, Karl! Everyone *should* know about Karl. Let’s spread the word!

Marquita's answering your questions in the comment section!

Someone please ask her about that trunk incident.

What readers are saying about Twice Tempted:

This was a fun read full of unexpected twists. It reminded me of an "I Love Lucy" episode, with Zoe trying to be sophisticated and Christian trying to be suave, but always falling a bit short and ending up in one scrape after another.
- Andrea Wenger via Goodreads

This is a novel of love, family, and small town life. It’s about starting over, the right way. The sexy scenes are plentiful and HOT. Ms. Valentine has given us a very enjoyable story. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment!
- Pat F., review requested by The Romance Man via Goodreads

I truly enjoyed was that the hero wasn't perfect and his redemption was believable. The heroine was multidimensional...not perfect either, and likeable because of it. The supporting characters are intriguing...can't wait for Sasha's story.
- Elena Compo via Amazon

Website - Twitter - Facebook

MARQUITA VALENTINE writes small town romances that are anything but small. Lisa Kleypas, Carly Phillips and Rachel Gibson are her favorite contemporary authors. Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man -- and if that doesn't work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children. 

Ask Marquita your questions.
She's responding!

Twice Tempted, Holland Springs Series #1 (by Marquita Valentine)

Amazon - B&N

Twice Tempted rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Release Date:  July 8, 2012

Holland Springs series rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

"Twice Tempted" is the first novel in the Holland Springs Series

How are the sex scenes?

Moderately steamy. The sexual tension makes every hero/heroine interaction simmer.

How are the story lines?

Consistent and humorous. A bit too many characters and their history for the first novel in a series, but I was never bored.

Would you read it again?

Parts of it. It's a long book, so probably not the entire thing.

Summary

Twice Tempted by Marquita Valentine is a contemporary romance.

Romance author Zoe Ambrose heads to Las Vegas for a book signing. Accident prone and living life on the safe side, she's encouraged by her sister-in-law to let loose and find "...a man. Or five." Little does she know that Zoe's already found her man, and lost him the very next day.

Actor Christian "Ian" Romanov is a reformed drug-addict determine to use his success and millions for good, but old pictures with Photoshopped date-stamps threaten to ruin his new image and his endorsement of the Back to School organization. His agent requires he fix this by dating a normal woman or she'll not represent him, leaving his reformed image to be ruined yet again.

An accidental run-in has Christian pursuing Zoe all around Vegas, but she wants nothing to do with him or his conceited movie lines or his seductive smile and stalking-ass press.

He doesn't even remember her.

Review 

Twice Tempted reads like a romantic comedy and kept me laughing the entire time. From the start, someone's telling the heroine to find someone fun.

"That's your advice: get laid? This conversation is quickly going the way of cliched romance novel opening."

That may be true, heroine Zoe, but a funny cliche it is. And very appropriate.

Zoe is clumsy and exceedingly lucky [to find her dream man], making her the ultimate cliche for every romantic comedy heroine everywhere.

Sure, she isn't the only person to get lost in an airport, be sprayed by a fountain, have her suitcase stuck between motion-censored doors and have her luggage lost.

But toss in her bumping into Mr. Right, Mr. Wrong, and then being pursued by Mr. Right continuously until she stabs him with her steak knife and relents...

Yes. Yes I think she's the only person to have experienced that.

Christian is the cliched playboy: a Russian second son set to inherit his family's money, yet not the title, and is content to make his millions being an American actor. He's been everywhere, done everyone and now decides he has finally found the one in Zoe.

Despite these traits being unlikeable, you can't help but like him. He knows he's messed up and he knows Zoe's too good for him. He also says the dumbest things and quotes his movie lines to her, assuming she'll fall like every other girl.

"You smell delicious, Zoe.  Good enough to eat and I haven't had any dessert...yet." 

"I get the distinct feeling there's more than meets the eye when it comes to you." 

"Why don't you follow me on Twitter?  I could tweet our picture."

Zoe calls him on his moves, don't worry. But my favorite conversation between these two destined-to-be love birds?

"North Carolina." 

"Small town?" How serendipitous would it be to land at McCarran and find his small town image remake at the airport? 

Her fingers paused [on her cellphone] and her brows drew together. "No, it's a state." 

Oh, good God, she thought he didn't know... 

This defines their entire relationship.  Christian searching for an in, trying to be suave and impressive...while Zoe is preoccupied with anything other than him and thinking he's the dumbest thing since...well, ever.

I would love this story, except:

* There are some editing issues.  Ms. Valentine did hire professionals and she's always reading her manuscript for typos and flaws. (Not her fault, but the story still pays);

* Zoe has many siblings whom we mostly meet all at once and I got lost in the conversations; and

* The Holland Springs legend kinda comes from nowhere and reads like it should be cut from the story. For being the series's name and central theme, I'd have liked for it to be introduced sooner.

Do these things make it a bad novel? Not even close.

Will I continue with this series? Most certainly.  I really want to know how the hero of Valentine's next book, Third Time's a Charm, ends up dead in a tobacco field.

Fine, almost dead...

Learn more about Marquita Valentine and her upcoming titles on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Published by Marquita Valentine.

Disclaimer:  No compensation was received for this review.  eARC provided by Marquita Valentine.