Welcome to one of the many stops on the book blitz for The Imperial Orchid by Nicola Italia with XPresso Book Tours. Look for others participating in this blitz across social media and on your favourite bookish blogs June 28 – July 3, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway! More on that at the end of this post. #historicalromance #romance #hisfic #nicolaitalia #XpressoTours
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About the Book
The Imperial Orchid
by Nicola Italia
Published 22 June 2021
Genre: Historical Romance
Page Count: 283
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
At the end of the Victorian era, Orchid Mania has gripped the wealthy and aristocratic men of England. Collectors are willing to spend a small fortune to obtain the rare flowers from distant lands. Lord Holloway, president of the Royal Horticultural Society in London, has decided to finance an expedition team to Ceylon to capture one of the rarest orchids on earth.
Frances Wakefield is an educated woman and a gifted illustrator and has traveled throughout Europe documenting various plants and flowers for the Society. When Lord Holloway handpicks her to travel to Ceylon as a member of the expedition team, she is thrilled.
When she lands in Egypt to meet the other team members, she comes face-to-face with Miles St. Clair, Lord Holloway’s son and heir. He is the arrogant, handsome, insufferable man she encountered at several soirees in London and the team’s leader.
Frances soon learns the trip to Ceylon is to find a very rare orchid. But someone has been watching Lord Holloway’s expedition team, and treachery is afoot. While the expedition intensifies, so does the growing attraction between Miles and Frances, who must work together if they hope to make it out of Ceylon alive.
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Excerpt
Miles rubbed his chin and felt the growth of aday’s beard. He could barelyremember thenight before except that he had lost a goodlysum on whist, and he vaguely recalled ablonde half-nakedin his arms.
He opened his eyes gingerly and saw that there wasno blonde in sight, and he was indeed lying in a bed inone of his favorite brothels. The curtains covering thewindows werecrimson red, and the bed was a plushmattress in an ornate wooden frame with baby cupidsdetailed in the artwork. He groaned as his head ached;he had lost count of thenumber of whiskeys he hadconsumed the night before.
He contemplated looking for his trousers and getting dressed, but he knew that would cause his head to poundmore. He preferred to lie in bed a while more until he felta little better.
A sharp knock fell upon the door, and he looked up,wincing. He looked around but knew he was very muchalone. Had the blonde returned? He wasn’t up for anymore love play.
“Come in,” he called out.
He grinned with relief when his companion andlong-time friend from university, Percival Browne,entered the room.
“You look like half-baked shit,” Percival told hisfriend as he picked up Miles’s trousers from the floor.Miles groaned as he caught the pants Percival flungat him.
“I don’t remember much of last night, Percy. Exceptthat I lost a fair amount, and there was a blonde.” Hetossed the bed sheets back and pulled on his trousers.
“Do you see my shir—” he began just as the clothingarticle hit him in the face.
“Cheers, mate,” Percival said as he took a chairopposite the bed.Miles narrowed his eyes at his friend as he pulledhis shirt on.
“And did you say, ‘lost a fair amount?’” Percy easedthe chair back. “If I recall the exact amount you lost asthe correct amount, your best bet is to go to Americaand start afresh, so your father doesn’t skin you alive.”
About the Author
Nicola spent her childhood in Los Angeles. As a young student in elementary school, she had a great fondness for reading and began to write creatively. She graduated from university with a degree in communications and held a variety of positions in journalism, education, government and non profit.
Nicola has traveled extensively throughout Europe, China and Central America.
Nicola’s goal is to create rich characters with a strong male lead and a passionate female lead.
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Giveaway Alert!
Blitz-wide giveaway (US only): 5x paperback copies of The Imperial Orchid
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