Guest Post & Giveaway: Elisabeth Barrett

Ah, Inns by Elisabeth Barrett

There’s something special about an inn – a quiet, beautiful place to stay, rest, and maybe even make a new friend or two. They’re so very different from hotels or motels. Inns are much more personal, and most definitely more homey, especially if you happen to stay at one that offers breakfast in the morning. Mr. B proposed to me at a bed & breakfast in Mendocino County (on the Northern California coast), so I have a soft spot for inns. When Mr. B and I decided on our main honeymoon destination, we had two criteria: (1) the locale had to be somewhere very far away; and (2) there had to be plenty of bed & breakfasts at which we could stay. We decided on the South Island of New Zealand, a wild, gorgeous land mostly populated by sheep, kind people, and lovely inns.  We also spent a week in Fiji but I will have to save those stories for another blog post!

We visited many cities and towns in New Zealand– Christchurch, Dunedin, Te Anau, Twizel, and Queenstown, to name a few, but didn’t stay at a single hotel. Even if it meant staying outside city limits, we’d find a quiet B&B in which to bunk down for the night. Here’s a photo of the beautiful inn, The Turret, in which we stayed near Queenstown:

One highlight of our trip was a stay at Claremont Castle, a renovated castle literally in the middle of nowhere (about 20 minutes West of Timaru). Surrounding the castle was a flock of wild turkeys, which gobbled at us each time we ventured outside. The inside was cavernous; we were the only guests staying there and were upgraded to a suite which was quite possibly the largest room—and the largest bed—in which I’ve ever slept.  Alas, the castle no longer operates as a B&B, but I snapped a picture so you can see what it looked like:

The Star Harbor Inn features prominently in my latest book, Blaze of Winter. The heroine, Avery Newbridge, is back in Star Harbor to help out her Aunt Kate at the inn. It is here that author Theo Grayson comes to get some peace and quiet, but he finds something else entirely—a gorgeous, guarded social worker who seems to be hiding out. At first, Avery tries to ignore him, but it isn’t long before the close quarters (and Theo’s charm) bring them together. The Star Harbor Inn in wintertime is extremely romantic—think snow-covered eaves, cozy rooms, afternoon tea, and Christmas greenery. Theo definitely makes the most of his stay by slowly breaking down Avery’s defenses until she has no choice but to fall in love with him for now, and forever.

About Blaze of Winter:

Winter heats up in this hot new Star Harbor romance, as another sexy Grayson brother, a wickedly handsome writer, plots his happily ever after with a sweet stranger.

Frustrated with her job in Boston, social worker Avery Newbridge welcomes the opportunity to reassess her life when family asks her to help manage the Star Harbor Inn. Trying to figure out her future is overwhelming enough, but she doesn’t count on distraction in the form of one Theo Grayson, the gorgeous, green-eyed author who she knows is trouble from the moment he saunters into the inn.

Not only does he have a talent for writing swashbuckling adventures, but Theo also has a soft spot for big-hearted damsels in distress, especially a woman who’s great at helping everyone—except herself. Avery’s demons challenge him, but for desire this hot, he isn’t backing down. With every kiss and heated whisper Theo promises her his heart . . . if only Avery is willing to open up and accept it.

View an excerpt of Blaze of Winter on Scribd: Click here.

Pre-order Blaze of Winter: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or the iBookstore (Apple)!

About Elisabeth:

Raised in a sleepy little Connecticut town, Elisabeth draws on her upbringing to write small-town romances. Her summers spent living and working on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard were the inspiration for the Star Harbor series, which kicked off with Deep Autumn Heat and continues with Blaze of Winter (coming September 10th). Currently, Elisabeth lives in Northern California with her husband and three children. She absolutely, positively loves inns. Find her online: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway:

One commenter will be randomly selected to win a NetGalley preview of BLAZE OF WINTER. Contest ends September 9th at midnight (EDT).You’ll need a NetGalley account, and to answer the question below: Where’s the most romantic place you’ve ever stayed?

Blaze of Winter

Book 2 in the Star Harbor series

Author:  Elisabeth Barrett

Publisher:  Loveswept

Release date:  9/10/12

Frustrated with her job in Boston, social worker Avery Newbridge welcomes the opportunity to reassess her life when family asks her to help manage the Star Harbor Inn. Trying to figure out her future is overwhelming enough, but she doesn’t count on distraction in the form of one Theo Grayson, the gorgeous, green-eyed author who she knows is trouble from the moment he saunters into the inn.

Not only does he have a talent for writing swashbuckling adventures, but Theo also has a soft spot for big-hearted damsels in distress, especially a woman who’s great at helping everyone—except herself. Avery’s demons challenge him, but for desire this hot, he isn’t backing down. With every kiss and heated whisper Theo promises her his heart . . . if only Avery is willing to open up and accept it.