THE FABERGE SECRET by Stephanie Burkhart: Book Review and Giveaway

Kinky Vanilla is pleased to share The Faberge Secret by Stephanie Burkhart, a contemporary romance novella available now from Desert Breeze Publishing. 

Stephanie will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Starbucks GC to a randomly drawn host. Click on the banner to visit other stops on this tour. Be sure to follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

The Faberge Secret by Stephanie Burkhart

Elise Goodwin operates a heritage museum in Brattleboro, Vermont. Needing to buy some items for her museum, she travels to Boston and acquires a delicious surprise that would excite any curator – a Faberge Egg.

Enter Russian businessman Dimitri Romanov, the true owner of the jewel. He's following a lead hoping to reacquire his stolen egg when he bumps into Elise. He can't hide his attraction to the petite brunette with doe-like eyes. 

Dimitri's rival, Gustav Kelch, wants the rare Faberge jewel and will do anything to find it, including destroying Dimitri's life. Can Dimitri keep Elise and his Faberge heirloom safe or will his attraction place their lives in jeopardy?





EXCERPT

His gaze was as soft as a caress. He reached out and tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. Then slowly, he curved his hand around the nape of her neck and moved closer so there was no space between them.

Their lips skirted each other's, teasing, tempting... until Dimitri's mouth finally captured hers in a drugging kiss.

His lips were firm and persuasive. He smelled of soap and sandalwood. Something intense flared within her, and she fisted her hands around the lapels of his coat. Her body betrayed her desire. His erection pressed against her thigh.

All of a sudden, an all-crushing fear consumed her. He was hard for her. It was too soon, too fast. She broke the kiss and pushed him away.

"Elise--" Dimitri began.

"Umph!"

Elise's heart jumped. She swung around and looked at the door.

It stood ajar.

"Lucy!" Elise forgot all about Dimitri's kiss and rushed inside with him right behind her. Concern spiked within her the second she saw Lucy.

Her friend's hands and feet were tied to a chair, and a gag was in her mouth. The room had been trashed. Their suitcases had been turned over; their clothes and books tossed haphazardly about.

Fear knotted inside Elise. She rushed to the chair and took off Lucy's gag. Dimitri untied the knots at Lucy's feet, concern for her friend evident in his eyes. Elise was thrilled that Dimitri had helped her with no hesitation or reservations.

"What happened?" Elise asked. "Who did this?"

"They were looking for the egg," Lucy said. She glanced at Dimitri, but instead of her earlier resistance to him, gratefulness filled her gaze.

Dimitri froze and glanced up, his stare drilling into Elise. "Egg? A Faberge egg?"

Elise loosened one of the ropes around Lucy's hand and looked at Dimitri, perplexed. "What do you know about Faberge eggs?"

He muttered something in Russian, finished untying the knot around Lucy's other ankle, and stood, straightening his shoulders.

"That's what I lost. What I've been looking for -- my Faberge egg."


MY RAMBLES

At just 88 pages, The Faberge Secret hit the right notes with me. I am fond of shiny things, historical tidbits, steamy romance, and Russian accents.

I didn't know a lot about Faberge eggs before reading this story. The author did a good job of weaving in historical information with the romance and adventure. I liked being able to learn a little bit about Faberge eggs and related Russian history along with the heroine, Elise.

I also really liked Elise's willingness to put herself out there in spite of the risks to her safety and her heart. If placed in similar situations, I would probably choose the conservative route and miss out on all of the danger, excitement, and heady romance. Where's the fun in that? Seize the day! And that hunky cerulean-eyed Russian!

FYI - There is a bit of insta-love going on here, but it works for the story.

The Faberge Secret is a fast and fun read. I think fans of contemporary romance will enjoying spending an afternoon with Dimitri and Elsie.

I wonder if Lucy, Elise's best friend, will get her own story?



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. After serving 11 years in the US Army she currently calls Castaic, California her home. Stephanie was married in Denmark in 1991 and has two young sons. She adores chocolate, is addicted to coffee and enjoys early morning walks. She's also an assistant den leader for her son's Cub Scout den and is a Boy Scout mom. She writes paranormal, contemporary, and steampunk romance and has two children's books published with 4RV Publishing.


FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/



BUY LINKS FOR A THE FABERGE SECRET:

AMAZON KINDLE: http://amzn.com/B006LTE2ZS

B&N NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-faberge-secret-stephanie-burkhart/1105070465?ean=2940013874596&itm=1&usri=the+faberge+secret

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thefabergesecret-657577-149.html

PUBLISHER'S LINK: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-236/The-Faberge-Secret-Stephanie/Detail.bok


GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway


BTW

Last month I featured another book written by Stephanie, The Wolf's Torment. It is a paranormal romance that's also available now from Desert Breeze Publishing.

You can check out an excerpt from The Wolf's Torment here.

Book Blast (Excerpt & Giveaway): The Wolf’s Torment by Stephanie Burkhart

Kinky Vanilla Romance is pleased to share The Wolf's Torment by Stephanie Burkhart, a paranormal romance available now from Desert Breeze Publishing.

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Stephanie will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $10 Starbucks GC to a randomly drawn host. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The Wolf’s Torment by Stephanie Burkhart

It's 1865 and Moldavia is a country nestled against the shores of the Black Sea. Lady Theresa travels from Austria to this country that's haunted by tales of vampires and werewolves. She's going to marry the Crown Prince, but she harbors her own unspoken secrets.

Prince Mihai has just returned to Moldavia to discover he's a witch. He's intent on being a good husband and modernizing his country, but he must find a balance with his supernatural heritage. His best friend, Viktor, accompanies Mihai and marries Mihai's sister. In an unfortunate twist of fate, a werewolf bites Viktor.

Viktor's transformation threatens everyone around him, including his wife's safety and Mihai's happiness, but he's especially dangerous when he's near Theresa. Can Mihai save his family from Viktor's lies and deceptions?


EXCERPT

Tybeski nodded and walked out. Now alone, Mihai escorted Sonia to the sofa and sat down next to her. Viktor stood behind the leather-bound chair adjacent to the sofa, bracing his hands on the headrest, keeping a certain distance between them.

"Sonia, tell me what happened."

"Viktor is a werewolf."

"What? Impossible!" Mihai got to his feet, a wave of nervous apprehension threading through him.

"It is possible, Mihai. A wolf named Bane bit me on our honeymoon. I have transformed," Viktor said quietly.

Mihai lunged at his friend, grabbing the right lapel of his frock jacket. His nostrils were distended with shock, coupled with fear. For him. For Sonia. For Moldavia.

"How could you? You were armed!"

"Mihai, no, don't harm him. He tried to fight them, but they overpowered him." Sonia got to her feet and clenched her fists against his chest. "You have to help him -- you're a witch, after all. You have to teach me to help him."

Mihai took a step back, his body as tight as a bowstring. Yes, he was a witch, but he had no idea what to do. He was no teacher.

"I must go to Mulfaltar the next full moon and meet with my maker's pack," said Viktor.

Mihai slowly ran his gaze over Viktor. Sonia was right. His eyes were no longer soft and kind, but hard and edged.

"Are you a danger to Sonia?"


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. She served 11 years in the US Army and currently calls Castaic, California her home. Stephanie was married in Denmark in 1991 and has two young sons. She adores chocolate and is addicted to coffee. She writes paranormal, contemporary, and steampunk romance and has two children's books published with 4RV Publishing.



FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

WEBSITE: http://www.stephanieburkhart.com/

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/sgburkhart/


Buy Links for The Wolf's Torment:

AMAZON KINDLE

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK

ALL ROMANCE BOOKS

DESERT BREEZE PUBLISHING


GIVEAWAY


a Rafflecopter giveaway