Rachael Thomas Has A Book Giveaway!

Hi everyone and it’s great to be back here on Get Lost In A Story to celebrate the release of my latest Harlequin Presents To Blackmail A Di Sione:

Billionaire Liev Dragunov has spent a lifetime plotting revenge against those responsible for his family’s ruin. Finally he has the way: Biance Di Sione. She’s denied their obvious attraction and coolly rebuffs every request to work for him – until he finds her weakness: a diamond bracelet she desperately needs! Bianca must become his fake fiancée if she wants her trinket! But the taste of revenge isn’t as sweet as desire, and Liev discovers that she is innocent in more ways than one….

Read a little, BUY THE BOOK

‘How could you?’ Bianca’s furious tones alerted him to her presence, even if the zip of energy which rushed through him hadn’t.

He turned to face her, anger glowing on her cheeks and sparking in her eyes. There was more yet, of that he was sure, and he stood silently against her anger.

‘You are unbelievable. You’ve just done this to get at me, because I wouldn’t represent your company. I knew you were trouble, knew you couldn’t be trusted.’ Her hissed tirade continued, attracting the attention of passers-by. The fury in her face and the exasperation in her stance brought a smile to his lips. She looked quite beautiful, stunningly passionate, with her eyes sparking so wildly that he wanted to kiss her into silent submission.

‘I had no idea you wanted the bracelet quite so badly.’ He raised his brows speculatively as he looked down at her, sure his smooth tone was as irritating as the fact he’d bought the bracelet, belittling her as much as she had him in the bar in Geneva when she’d refused to represent his company. He could feel the heat of her anger burning him.

‘You saw me bidding. You as good as stole it from me.’

Now his anger matched hers, but whereas hers was red hot, his was ice cold. Nobody branded him a thief and got away with it. ‘Think what you like of me, Ms Di Sione, but never call me a thief.’

Her accusation hurtled him back to the days of living rough on the streets of St Petersburg. And he clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides, determined not to allow her to push him to the limits of his control.

‘I need that bracelet.’ There was only the merest hint of desperation in her voice. Anyone else might not detect it, but with years spent on the streets, fending for himself, he’d become adept at such a skill.

‘I’m sorry. Did I deprive you of your latest little trinket?’ A bad taste filled his mouth as he again thought of her, growing up with the life of a princess, while he, along with other unfortunates, had sometimes not eaten for days.

‘Why do you even want it?’ She glared at him, her voice lower and more controlled, but her anger was all there in her eyes to see. He snapped the door closed on his past, knowing it would only make him angry—and anger wouldn’t help him now, only cool control was needed.

He waited calmly as she fixed him with those dark eyes, her breathing coming fast and hard, as if they’d just shared a kiss. The thought sent a rush of awareness around him, flooding his body with an undeniable need to know her much more intimately, to know how she kissed, how she liked to be held, but he pushed aside those heated ideas. He must be fired up by the exchange and the thought that now he had her where he wanted her. ‘That is none of your concern.’

The Billionaire’s Legacy is a series of eight books by different Presents authors and I had fun working on mine, bringing my Liev and Bianca to life to produce their story. The whole series is worked around the Di Sione children, who have been brought up by their grandfather after the loss of their parents. When the grandfather becomes ill and wants to be reunited with valuable and sentimental pieces from his past, each grandchild is given the task of locating one such item. Bianca’s item was a diamond bracelet and in trying to obtain this item she brings Liev into her life and then her heart.

The process of writing this story was slightly different to my previous books as I was given the details of the hero and heroine, along with the backstory and premise of their romance. I also had to be aware of the other seven stories and the characters, weaving them into my story.

I also had the fun of researching New York as this was the setting for part of my story and whilst I was due to go there for Romance Writers of America conference it wouldn’t be until after I had written the book. I have always been fascinated by Central Park, so used The Bethesda Fountain to set a scene in the book, so when I did go to New York, Central Park was top of my list of places to visit. 

The whole process was a great experience. I really enjoyed bringing Liev and Bianca to life and hope that you will enjoy their story as much.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR VISITING THE BLOG TODAY, RACHAEL!  She is offering a signed UK Edition of To Blackmail a Di Sione, to one lucky winner of our Rafflecopter below. Answer the following question in the comments section below:

Just tell me where in the world have you always wanted to visit?

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