Book Tour for Kissed by Tanya Anne Crosby (Review & GIVEAWAY)

Today we have the amazing Tanya Anne Crosby visiting to give us a glimpse of her well received historical read, Kissed.  So keep reading to get a glimpse into this book along with my impressions of it.  Before you leave don't forget to make a comment for your chance to win a great prize.......

Swept from the aristocracy of England to The Colonies on the eve of war, Jessamine Stone vows to wed no man but her onetime fiancé, Christian Haukinge. She sets out to win back Christian's affections, unaware that her brother has already offered him a bribe to break her heart.

Driven by something dark, Christian agrees to the devil’s bargain, but soon finds Jessie’s innocent passion, trust, and faith undermine his resolve for vengeance. Now only the woman he has betrayed can heal his deep and scarring wounds. But these are dangerous times and love alone cannot mend all wounds.

EXCERPT:

With a very unladylike snort, she lifted her goblet and quaffed down the rest of her wine, then set the crystal gently down upon a small table beside the looking glass. With a sigh, she unbuttoned the topmost button of her gown, and then the next, and the next, sighing wistfully.
She stared at her image, trying to see herself as he might, and then irritably turned from the mirror. She wandered to the drapery-covered window with the intent of drawing it open to the fading daylight, and then it dawned on her suddenly that she’d forgotten to procure flints with which to light the lanterns tonight. She sincerely hoped she could find some within the cabin itself, for she had no desire to remain in total darkness. Shuddering at the thought, she tugged open the blasphemously dark window coverings, and gasped aloud at what lay beneath.
The most beautiful stained-glass window she had ever beheld stood in all its grandeur before her—three full-length panels! The left and right were wholly painted in colorful biblical scenes, but it was the double-wide center pane that caught her attention and held it fast.
There in the middle of the depiction stood a grand apple tree, its limbs outstretched, forming a beautiful green shelter. Beneath it lay the figure of Eve, her dark hair unbound and spread gloriously beneath her like a carpet of black silk. In her proffered hand, she held a shining ruby apple, offering it up to... Adam?

The resemblance between the figure of Adam in the depiction and Christian was striking—and good Lord, he was nude as the day he was born! So was Eve for that matter, beckoning to Adam with the apple like some seductress straight from a preacher’s fire- and-brimstone sermon. Her green eyes were brilliant, haunting in their intensity.

Her gaze was drawn upward. The sky of the depiction was clear glass, a masterpiece, utilizing the blue of the true sky as its color—if it was dark outside, the painting would be as somber as midnight; if it was bright and sunny, Adam and Eve’s world would be as blue as sapphires; and if the weather was foul, then it would draw them both into the stormy tempest. This moment, it was faded a blue-gray, with orange and pink hues streaking as far as the eye could behold. The sun in the horizon was rapidly sinking from view, plummeting into the murky darkness of the sea.

Jessie’s gaze reverted to the nude form of Adam, and she swallowed convulsively as her eyes settled upon that very male part of his anatomy. Such an odd, odd member... and so very, very... erect! She scrunched her nose. And then suddenly, her eyes widened as she recalled a certain something she’d said to Christian.

It boggles the mind to consider why men were not born with horns or other weapons on their person. Do you not agree, my lord? Her heart leapt at the recollection.

Are you quite certain of that fact? he’d asked her.

She couldn’t have known. Her eyes narrowed in outrage and her lips trembled with misery. The cad, he’d been mocking her, even then... How he must have laughed at her naïveté—how he must have rejoiced in her stupidity!

She was a fool.

She was still a fool.

Unable to keep herself from it, she reached out for him, her breath becoming labored and her body stirring wickedly, heating with the Madeira... and something else; as she smoothed her fingers over Adam’s full body. She stopped abruptly at his groin—couldn’t help herself, brazen as it was—feeling with wonder the almost indiscernible raised lines where one color met another. She was awestruck by the artfulness of the glass, by the beauty of the man depicted. Shuddering with the desire that burst to life within her, she caressed the cold glass before her... her heart thundering...

Her eyes closed, and her head fell back, remembering...

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON   |   BN

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

With its nomination from Romantic Times Magazine as Best Historical, it's not surprising that this book was an enthralling read from start to finish.  With a setting not often depicted in books, Kissed sets itself apart from other historical reads and keeps you immersed in its emotional ups and downs and guessing until the final page due to its numerous twists and turns.

Upon first being introduced to Christian it's hard to see him as the hero.  There's a request to hire him and have him turn on the woman he's professed to love in the past.  From this moment on the road to redemption and a HEA is going to be a rocky one with the line between good and bad a finely drawn one.  Christian is a dark character who's been through a lot of emotional turmoil courtesy of a jealous sibling. He's not always done the right thing but upon seeing his lost love Jessie again he wants desperately to be a better man and if anyone can help him do that it's Jessie.

Jessie too has a sibling who will do anything to get what he wants, and what he wants is for her to marry a man of his choosing.  She's still in love with Christian though, no matter how hurt she was over their separation she still longs to be with him.  She's shed copious amounts of tears over him  in the past and will shed more as the story progresses.  While I applaud her loyalty there were times I became frustrated by her weepiness and desperately wanted her to get a stronger backbone in regards to the actions done to her.  Her undying love and support though is what Christian needs to pull him out of the darkness towards a hard fought but immensely satisfying HEA.

Their times together reek of sexual tension.  There's always a sense of foreboding as well, especially with so many and so much going against them which makes their sexual interludes all the more satisfying. Along with a satisfying romance comes numerous twists and turns where no one is as they appear.  This keeps you on the edge of your seat guessing until the end while rooting for Christian and Jessie every step of the way.  The secondary characters leave a lasting impression as well as their actions add another layer of twists and turns to an already emotionally draining story.  From beginning to end Ms. Crosby has created a story with all the elements romance readers have come to expect from her and Kissed is yet another winner in her already long list of successes.

My rating for this is an A.

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Tanya Anne Crosby has written seventeen novels, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists including the New York Times and USA Today. Best known for stories charged with emotion and humor, and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and reviews and she’s a five-time nominee for a RT Career Achievement Award. She lives with her husband, two dogs and two cats in North Michigan and grew up in Charleston, SC.  
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Tanya's website: http://wwwtanyaannecrosby.com
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TanyaAnneCrosby
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanyaannecrosby
On Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tanyaannecrosby/

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Tanya will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Nook gift card (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during both this and the Speak No Evil Tour. 

-To be entered, leave a comment, along with your email addy.

-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.

-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 5/10.