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Prince Hafiz’s Only Vice by Susanna Carr
What a royal wants…
Prince Hafiz devotes his days to his people and his nights to indulging his desires with his stunning American mistress, Lacey Maxwell. But duty requires him to marry a "suitable" bride.
In her deepest secret fantasies, Lacey naively hopes to one day wear Hafiz's ring, until her dreams are shattered and he chooses someone else.
Faced with the reality of a passionless union, Hafiz realizes the years spent with Lacey have done nothing to slake his hunger for her. Instead he's determined to turn his only vice into a virtue for the sake of his country…and each other!
EXCERPT
"I will miss you, Hafiz," she said brokenly as her throat closed up. The tears she thought couldn’t happen beaded on her eyelashes.
Hafiz let out a shuddering breath. He swept his fingertip against the corner of her eye, taking her tears with him. The moisture clung to his knuckle, and he rubbed it into his skin with his thumb, silently sharing her agony.
The image took a chink out of her hard-earned resolve. Lacey wrapped her arms around her stomach before she crumbled altogether. "I had so many questions to ask you, and now I can't remember what they were." All except for one that danced on her tongue. "Did you ever love me?"
Lacey blinked at the question that had tumbled from her mouth. Of all the things to ask, her mind screamed.
Hafiz went unnaturally still.
"I don't know why I asked." She shrugged as her pain intensified. "Please, don't answer that."
The words were ripped from deep within her. She desperately wanted to know the answer. She never questioned it before, but she had been living in a fantasy.
Lacey had always felt Hafiz loved her. It was in his touch, in his eyes, and in his smile. But he never said the words, even when she chanted her declaration of love in the height of ecstasy.
It was too late to find out. If he didn't love her, she would never recover. If he did love her, then she would never let go. Even if he was married, even if he kept her hidden. And she couldn't let that happen.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Prince Hafiz's Only Vice is the eighth book in the Royal and Ruthless series. What is the series about?
The Royal and Ruthless series is not connected with characters or setting. The only thing these books have in common is that the hero is a prince who much choose between duty and love.
How much of a story did you have in mind before you started writing Prince Hafiz's Only Vice?
I knew I wanted to write a forbidden romance and that it was going to be set in a desert kingdom. I had an outline and I knew how I wanted it to end, but there was no guarantee that was going to happen once I start writing it.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) of the story to write and why?
My favorite part of the story is the epilogue. When I first wrote PRINCE HAFIZ'S ONLY VICE, I stopped in the middle of the book, wrote the epilogue and went back to finishing the story. I wanted to see the happy ending and the payoff for the struggle they went through. I rewrote and revised the book but the epilogue remained the same.
What about your characters surprised you while writing Prince Hafiz's Only Vice?
I knew the hero was determined to fulfill his duty but I didn't know why until he explained it to the heroine. It was a surprise and I wasn't sure if I liked it or liked that about him.
Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer?
I approach life and view the world as a writer. Any snippet of conversation can inspire a book. My family is used to my hermit ways when my deadline approaches. And no one wants to watch TV or movies with me because I have a tendency yell out "Foreshadowing!" or correctly suggest who the killer is.
What’s your biggest challenge as a writer? How did you overcome it, or how are you working to overcome it?
The biggest challenge is self-doubt. You don't know if can't finish the story, if it's going to work, if your editor or your readers are going to like it, etc. And you will wrestle with the self-doubts with every book almost like clockwork. The only way to overcome it is to know that you've been in this spot before, you got through it and you're going to get through it again.
What are the most important elements in good romance writing, in your opinion?
There are three important elements in good romance writing:
1. Interesting and sympathetic characters: I want a hero I can admire and a heroine I can cheer on.
2. A strong conflict: Why are the hero and heroine not together and what is keeping them apart?
3. A satisfying ending: Will the couple have a happily ever after?
What is on your “keeper shelf” of books?
There are so many books on my keeper shelf and it's grouped by authors. I have lots of books by Jayne Ann Krentz, Lynne Graham and Lori Foster.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I started reading Harlequin romance novels when I was 10 years old and I haven't stopped!
What project are you working on now?
I'm working on the revisions for TYCOON'S DELICIOUS DEBT. It is a revenge story set in Portugal. It's a Harlequin Presents and will be available July 2015.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susanna Carr is an award-winning author known for her contemporary romances. Readers throughout the world find Susanna's stories a delightful escape that has often helped them through difficult times. Reviewers frequently describe her work as "fun", "sexy" and "a must read." When she isn't writing or spending time with her family in the Pacific Northwest, Susanna enjoys reading romance and connecting with readers online.
Website: susannacarr.com
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Susanna-Carr/242944799620
Twitter: twitter.com/susannacarr
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/22371.Susanna_Carr
Buy links:
Amazon Kindle
Barnes & Noble
Google Play
Kobo
GIVEAWAY
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I really loved your interview. I didn't realize that this was part of a series. I am going to have to look up the rest of the books.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention the Royal & Ruthless series is written by other authors! Sorry! The books have different settings and characters but the one thing they have in common is that the prince has to make a choice between duty and love.
DeleteThanks for interviewing me!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the release!
ReplyDeleteTrix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
This sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteA great interview.
ReplyDelete