An Ideal Michelle Styles

AN IDEAL HUSBAND

Harlequin Historical

ISBN 9780263898194

When heiress Sophie Ravel finds herself in a compromising situation, notorious Richard Crawford, Viscount Bingfield, swoops in and saves her reputation! She might have escaped the attentions of one undesirable, but will Richard's protection expose her to even more scandal? Richard curses his impetuousness at offering a betrothal in the heat of the moment! He gladly accepts Sophie's terms that their engagement remains a pretense until, quite by chance, he unlocks his shy fiancée's passionate nature. Now nothing will steer him from wedding - then bedding - his blushing bride...

READ ALL ABOUT IT

 MEET MICHELLE

Born and raised near San Francisco California, Michelle Styles currently lives a few miles south of Hadrian's Wall with her husband, three children and menagerie of pets. An avid reader, she became hooked on historical romance when she discovered Georgette Heyer, Anya Seton and Victoria Holt in her school's library. Michelle enjoys writing stories in a wide range of time periods including Roman, Viking, Regency and early Victorian.

WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?

MICHELLE: Whenever possible. I love and adore reading. There is nothing better than being able to be so lost in a story that I burn the bread I am making or stay up way too late.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading? 

MICHELLE: The first book I read was a Richard Scarry. I used to love his books when I was little. I taught myself to read with them. I then progressed on to fairy tales, and books like the Little House books and Wizard of Oz. I constantly had my nose in a book.

ANGI: What’s your favorite fairy tale?

MICHELLE: I love fairy tales. My favourites are King Thrushbeard – the one about the spoilt princess who so exasperates her father by making fun of her suitors, particularly mocking the king of the neighbouring country that he marries her off to the next caller who happens to be a minstrel (the king in disguise). She goes through trials but learns the value of love. I also love the Wild Swans — the one about the princess whose brothers turned into swans and she has to make stinging nettle shirts for them to wear. I think about it every time I pull stinging nettles in my garden. Old nettle stalks were used to make linen a long time ago. And I adore the Beauty and the Beast/East of the Sun, West of the Sun/ Cupid and Psyche story.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

MICHELLE: Wiley Coyote because he has such grand plans which always go wrong but never ever gives up. I have a shirt which my mother gave me years ago that has a picture of him and says – yes, you may call me genius.

ANGI: What do you like about the hero of your book?

MICHELLE: I love Richard because he is persistent and doesn’t give up on people. He also notices the small details about Sophie, my heroine, things which other people don’t. As a child of bitterly divorced parents, I love how he doesn’t give up on either parent and tries to play a balancing act.

ANGI: Is there a playlist you’d recommend for reading your latest release?

MICHELLE: I always do a playlist for my books and listen to it obsessively but I am not sure how useful it is to others but here goes:

The Sun Is Coming Over the Hill Karina Polwart

I Know Where I am Going Laura Walsh

Half A Million Mile the Kennedys

I Found A Road The Kennedys

Breathe The Kennedys

She’s A Lady Tom Jones

My Baby Loves Loving The Jam

ANGI: Where do you read and how often?

MICHELLE: I read wherever and whenever I can. I love reading in the sun room as I can look over the garden.

ANGI: What sound or noise do you love?

MICHELLE: The morning chorus of bird song.

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?

MICHELLE: Both.

ANGI: What was the first story you remember writing?

MICHELLE: The story I first wrote that got me hooked on writing was My Friend the Buffalo. I was about 12.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

MICHELLE: Casablanca.

ANGI: How is it working with hot guys and sexy women all day?

MICHELLE: It is the best job in the world when the words are flowing but when my characters decide to be stubborn, I’d rather be cleaning toilets. Fortunately because I loathe cleaning, I mostly think it is the best job in the world.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK: When you first moved to Britain, what was the first food you missed from the states?

MICHELLE'S GOTTA ANSWER: My father who moved around a lot when he was growing up because my grandfather was a career naval officer felt happiest in Santa Fe, New Mexico and because of that and growing up in California, I have always loved proper Mexican/ Tex-Mex food.  When I first moved to the UK, it was very hard to come by and what there was very mild, so I learnt to make my own including tortillas.  I used to order chiles from the US and even now when my mom comes to visit she brings corn husks and bags of dried chiles. Things in general are much better in the UK when I first moved over, they didn't even have M&Ms, cranberry juice or peanut butter. And even today, some of the American food can only be found in the foreign food section of various specialist food stores (ie Harrods or in the North East where I live –Fenwicks) – for example proper large marshmallows or Hershey kisses.

ANGI’S GOTTA SAY: I'd send you a proper junk food basket if I didn't know you're curbing sugar etc. CONGRATULATIONS on getting healthy and looking SOOOO great !!  EVERYONE should check out Michelle's Fit & Fab column 4th Thursdays on the Pink Heart Society.

FIND MICHELLE

Contact   Website   Facebook   Twitter @MichelleLStyles     Goodreads   Pintrest    

Blogs   Pink Heart Society

UP NEXT for MICHELLE:

PAYING THE VIKING’S PRICE , November 2013

It is the story of an Anglo Saxon lady who is forced to become a Viking warrior’s concubine in order to safe guard her people. It is set in 876 Northumbria when the Vikings began to settle the area around York, rather than just raiding.

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED by MICHELLE:

For a full list of Michelle's releases, visit her website.

MICHELLE is giving away  a signed copy of AN IDEAL HUSBAND (International giveaway).

DON’T FORGET to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook to keep up with all our guest authors and their prizes. Join me next Wednesday when I host the lovely Robin Covington. And come back tomorrow when Donnell hosts Pam McCutcheon.  ~Angi

MICHELLE WANTS TO KNOW:  What time periods do you love?