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Jennie Jones

Bestselling Australian Author
Book Blog

Regency author Anne Gracie - and A house is a home when...

18/5/2015

 
A house is a home when…

What does a house or a home mean to characters in a book? With the upcoming release of my fourth book in the Swallow’s Fall series, The Turnaround Treasure Shop, I decided to go outside my four walls and ask my neighbours - authors of contemporary and historical fiction. 
Over the next ten days special guest authors talk us through A house is a  home when...

Today I'm welcoming Anne Gracie!
(And there's a giveaway too.)
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"Anne Gracie writes fun, Regency-era romances (the same period as Jane Austen and  Napoleon.) A national bestseller in the USA her books have been translated into more than 16 languages." 
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Australian cover for The Spring Bride
The Book: The Spring Bride, 3rd in the “Chance sisters” series. Coming in June 2015 and available for pre-order now.

Characters: Jane Chance and Zachary Black

Anne is offering one lucky person who leaves a comment the chance of a paperback copy of The Spring Bride. (USA cover - see below.) 

What makes a house a home for Jane Chance?

Character bio: Jane Chance, having had a desperately insecure childhood, wants to make a safe marriage to a rich, settled man. Zachary Black is all kinds of unsuitable – a spy currently disguised as a gypsy, he’s lived a vagabond life for the last 10 years. Jane knows she shouldn't look twice at him, but somehow she can't help herself.

The House: Jane has never had a home of her own - she was raised in rented rooms and an orphanage. Zachary never felt safe in his childhood home, so for both of them "home " is a concept. For Zach it's wherever he lays his head. But Jane has very definite ideas.

In Jane's own words...

Excerpt from The Spring Bride by Anne Gracie:
          "Those gypsy wagons you mentioned the other day," she said. "They look very pretty and colorful, but they must be very small —for a family, I mean." And for a man of his height. "Do your people really live in them, winter and all?"

            "Winter and all," he told her.

            She frowned. "But isn't it terribly cold?"

            He gave her a slow smile. "We snuggle up."

            "Oh." She felt her face heating. "Yes, I suppose so."

            "What about your house?" he asked. "Not that one,"—he gestured toward Lady Beatrice's house—"your dream house, the one you plan to live in one day. What would that be like?"

            "I want a home, not just a house."

            He slanted her a surprised glance. "What's the difference?"

            "A house is a building, a home is where a family lives, a place that's warm, comfortable and—" She stopped, feeling that what she'd been about to say would sound foolish. And embarrassing.

            "And?" he prompted.

            "Where children can play and grow up."

            "That's not what you were going to say."

            "No." They walked on and turned the corner, then slowed to watch a little boy rolling a hoop to his smaller sister. She kept dropping it and knocking it over, but the small boy never once lost patience. He showed her how to do it, over and over.

            "All children should be like that," she said quietly.

            "Patient?"

            "No, happy. Carefree." She felt him looking at her. "And safe. The difference between a house and a home," she added softly, her eyes on the two little children, "is love."

Being a national bestselling author in Australia and the USA, Anne is lucky enough to have two covers for her books. Here are the two covers for The Spring Bride:
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Australian cover for The Spring Bride
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USA cover for The Spring Bride
The Spring Bride back cover blurb:

On the eve of the London Season, Jane Chance is about to make her entrance into high society. Haunted by a childhood riddled with poverty and hardship, Jane is determined her own children will never suffer the same; she intends to make a good, safe, sensible marriage. All goes according to plan until a dark, dangerous vagabond helps her rescue a dog.

Zachary Black is all kinds of unsuitable—a former spy, now in disguise, he's wanted for murder. His instructions: to lie low until his name is cleared. But Zach has never followed the rules, and he wants Jane Chance for his own.

If that means blazing his way into London society, in whatever guise suits him, that's what he'll do. Jane knows she shouldn’t fall in love with this unreliable, if devastatingly attractive, rogue. But Zach is determined—and he's a man accustomed to getting what he wants.

I can't thank Anne enough for coming over and sharing with us - and I've bought my pre-order copy. You can find all the links of where to pre-order your copy, and find out more about Anne Gracie and her bestselling Regency-romance books over on Anne's webpage: annegracie.com 
Leave a comment to go into the draw to WIN a copy of THE SPRING BRIDE (USA cover) 
courtesy of Anne. 
Open internationally to all. Good Luck! 

And pop back tomorrow to see the next of my special guest authors and discover what a house or home means to a character in Montana who is a 26 year-old single woman who has put her wild past behind her and is growing up...

Jennie, in the company of Anne Gracie x

bn100
18/5/2015 03:23:38 am

looks interesting

anne gracie link
18/5/2015 03:50:48 am

Thanks BN100

Mary Preston
18/5/2015 03:32:14 am

Both covers are gorgeous. You must be thrilled.

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 03:50:07 am

Thanks, mary -- yes I am -- I can't decide which one I like best. :)

Jennie Jones
18/5/2015 03:54:05 am

I suppose the best news is that it's the same marvellous book inside both gorgeous covers! I don't think I'd know which cover I loved best either :)

Effie B
18/5/2015 04:03:58 am

I wouldn't mind a bit of Zachary Black in my life!!
Please put me in the draw, and thanks for the giveaway!

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 05:26:45 am

Thanks, Effie -- he's a hero in need of taming, and you're in the draw. :)

Sharlene Wegner
18/5/2015 04:29:10 am

I have been enjoying this series & the covers are both so pretty!

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 05:28:05 am

Thanks Sharlene. I feel very lucky with both these covers. Thanks for dropping by.

Marcy Shuler
18/5/2015 04:49:13 am

Hi, Anne. The excerpt made me tear up. Jane has so many emotions in so few words. I'm looking forward to reading this book.

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 05:29:09 am

Thank you Marcy. Jane's dreams are very simple, but totally heartfelt.

Susan S
18/5/2015 06:08:17 am

I know that I will just love this
Regency romance; it is very
touching. Thank you for the
giveaway!

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 12:24:39 pm

Thanks Susan -- I hope you do enjoy it. Thanks for dropping by.

Glenda S. Hefty
18/5/2015 05:06:55 am

Both covers are very nice. I really liked the excerpt. This book would be a great read going by that!

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 12:23:51 pm

Thanks, Glenda, they are pretty, aren't they? Glad you liked the excerpt.

Roseanna Crawford
18/5/2015 05:35:39 am

I have really enjoyed the others in the series, can't wait fir the Spring Bride.

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 12:25:38 pm

Thanks so much, Roseanna. Hope you enjoy Jane and Zachary.

Jennie Jones
18/5/2015 05:49:30 am

Hi everyone! Just popping in to say there might have been a few problems leaving a comment and with the Captcha saying you can't! Will try to sort out now but hopefully the issue (if you're having a problem) will right itself in a half-hour or so. *Fingers crossed* :)

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 12:26:33 pm

Thanks for sorting it, Jennie. I was getting very fed up with the computer telling me I wasn't human! LOL

Cathryn Hein link
18/5/2015 05:57:35 am

Rah! After reading the first books in the Chance Sisters series I've been hanging out for The Spring Bride. This series is utterly gorgeous. Zach and Jane, hey? Now that should be interesting, as we can see from the extract!

Gorgeous covers too, Anne. Think I'm more partial to the US cover, although the Australian version is very pretty.

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 12:27:38 pm

Thanks, Cathryn, I've been very lucky with my covers, I think. Thanks so much for dropping by.

Ag
18/5/2015 07:42:54 am

A wonderful series. Looking forward to reading this book makes life brighter!

Anne Gracie link
18/5/2015 10:41:52 pm

Thank you, Ag - what a lovely thing to say. :)

lily malone link
18/5/2015 07:47:55 am

That's a lovely excerpt, Anne.

Anne Gracie link
19/5/2015 12:38:50 am

Thanks, Lily -- when Jennie sent me the theme of her blog, I knew at once my book would fit in perfectly. Neither the heroine nor the hero have ever had a proper home, so she dreams, and he cultivates his vagabond streak. :)

Alice
18/5/2015 08:13:24 am

Really like the sound of this series!

Anne Gracie link
19/5/2015 12:40:53 am

Thanks, Alice. I hope you enjoy it.

Brenda
18/5/2015 11:32:06 am

The Spring Bride sounds fabulous! Love Historical Fiction and haven't read any of Annie's work as yet :) I'd love to win a copy of this one...thanks for the opportunity!

Anne Gracie link
19/5/2015 12:42:22 am

Thanks, Brenda. BTW if someone wins who hasn't read Autumn or Winter Bride, you can have your pick out of the three books in the series.

Brenda
19/5/2015 03:35:34 am

Many thanks Anne :)

Annie
18/5/2015 09:48:43 pm

i can't wait for this book to be out, I just keep rereading the other till the new one comes out!!!!

Anne Gracie link
19/5/2015 12:43:10 am

Thanks Annie. So pleased you're enjoying the first two.

Kate Belle link
20/5/2015 01:35:23 pm

I've got a huge soft spot for vagabonds! And you write them so well Anne!

Anne Gracie link
20/5/2015 02:40:08 pm

Thanks, Kate -- I did enjoy Zachary Black. ;)

Julie link
21/5/2015 02:53:46 pm

Both covers are equally gorgeous! Can't wait for Zach's shenanigans.

Anne Gracie link
21/5/2015 10:27:59 pm

Thanks, Julie, yes, I think I really lucked out with both covers. Hope you enjoy Jane and Zach. Thanks for coming by.

Bube Petreska
23/5/2015 08:59:54 am

What a great excerpt!I enjoyed reading :)
Thank you Anne for the wonderful post :)

Anne Gracie link
23/5/2015 10:16:30 am

Thanks Bube -- so pleased you enjoyed it. Thanks for dropping past.

Jessy
23/5/2015 05:05:44 pm

The book covers are gorgeous.Love to read your novel.

Anne Gracie link
23/5/2015 11:59:25 pm

Thanks, Jessy -- and good luck in the draw.

Laura Boon Russell
25/5/2015 08:17:16 am

Hi Anne and Jennie, oh dear … Jane in love with a gypsy'! I can't wait to see how this pans out. I love both covers. It's hard to decide but I think the Australian one just pips the US one at the post :)

Anne Gracie link
25/5/2015 09:15:34 am

Thanks Laura -- she's in denial for a good part of the time -- or trying to be. ;) As for the covers, I go 50/50 myself -- and count myself 100% lucky!

Jennie Jones
31/5/2015 07:20:00 am

AND THE WINNER IS: Brenda - thank you so much everyone for joining in the fun - let's do it again soon. Brenda - Anne Gracie will contact you via the (private) email address you left your comment with. Congrats! xx

Anne Gracie link
31/5/2015 09:09:38 am

Thanks, Jennie for inviting me to blog and play, and thanks to everyone who left a comment. I'm sorry you couldn't all win.


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"We may not have everything in life we want but at least we can have it all in a book." ~ Jennie Jones
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  • Home
  • BOOKSHELF
    • Rangelands #1 A Place to Stay
    • Rangelands #2 A Place with Heart
    • Calamity Valley #1 Lone Star Hero
    • Calamity Valley #2 Lone Star Protector
    • Calamity Valley #3 Lone Star Defender
    • A Heart Stuck on Hope
    • Swallows Fall #1 The House on Burra Burra Lane
    • Swallows Fall #2 12 Days at Silver Bells House
    • Swallows Fall #3 The House at the Bottom of the Hill
    • Swallows Fall #4 The Turnaround Treasure Shop
    • Swallows Fall #5 The House at the End of the Street
    • Swallows Fall #6 The House on Jindalee Lane
  • Meet Jennie