Review, Author Q&A & Giveaway: The Marriage Charm by Linda Lael Miller (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

Title: The Marriage Charm   

Author: Linda Lael Miller     

Series: The Brides of Bliss County, #2     

Published: January 2015, HQN Books  

Format: ARC e-book, 304 pages   

Source: Netgalley via Little Bird Publicity

The women of Bliss County have a pact—to find husbands. The right husbands.

One
already has: Hadleigh Stevens, who married rancher Tripp Galloway a few
months ago. Now Melody Nolan thinks it’s her turn. Melody has recently
found success as a jewelry designer, and her work is the focus of her
life. She’s not exactly unhappy, but she wants more. She’s always been
attracted to Spence Hogan, the local chief of police, but she’s
convinced that Spence, a notorious charmer, isn’t what you’d call
husband material.

Spence is a good cop who isn’t scared of
anything—except love. And he’s done everything he can to preserve his
reputation as a womanizer—a reputation that keeps marriage-minded women,
including Melody, at bay. And yet…there’s something about Melody he
can’t forget. Something his heart can’t ignore.

My thoughts: This is the second book in Linda Lael Miller’s The Brides of Bliss County series and it was a great addition to the series. I’m really enjoying reading about these three women and how they are looking not only to get married, but to find the right guy.

This time around it’s Melody and Spence’s story and I just loved these two as a couple. They have history between them, a history that involves Melody proposing to Spence many years ago. Ever since that, Melody has been weary about trusting Spence, so when they are forced to spend a lot of time together recently with the marriage of their best friends, that old spark comes to light again for both of them.

I loved that in this story, it’s Spence that does everything in his power to get what he wants – which is Melody. This was a nice change to the typical romances that I’ve read. Spence ultimately knows how he wants his HEA to be, he just needs to get Melody on board! During that journey, there are lots of laughs and sweet moments. The banter between Melody and Spence is often filled with humor!

This story has a little bit of everything – a sweet romance, strong, relatable characters and even a mystery to be solved. Once again Melody needs to come up with a charm and I just loved what she decides to make. I am really looking forward to reading Bex’s story – the final book in this trilogy!

Books in this series:

1. The Marriage Pact
2. The Marriage Charm
3. The Marriage Season – due out 2015

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Author Q&A

Linda Lael Miller took some time to answer the following questions about the new series and weddings…enjoy!!!

Melody’s “marriage charms” (from the bet she made with her friends
about getting married and not settling for anyone but the right one in
THE MARRIAGE PACT) seem to be working perfectly! At one point in this
book, Melody thinks about making a marriage charm for Junie. Is it the
pact, or the charm—or both!—that are working their “spell” on the girls? 

I think it’s mainly the pact, the shared intention and the personal
energy these friends have invested in their project.  The charms,
however, are VERY powerful, as most symbols are.
 

Do you
work with a specific ‘image’ in mind when creating your characters? Do
you base them on people you’ve met or know, or are they more composites
of real-life and your imagination?
I often base my
characters’ appearance on a famous person, but then they evolve and
become themselves, in my mind and, hopefully, the reader’s, too.
 

Have there been any books, romance or other genres, that have greatly influenced you as a writer? What are they? 

I have been influenced by SO many books over my life and career.  Like
most writers, I love to read, and I learn something from every writer I
come across.  I enjoy meaty historical novels especially—Dorothy Dunnett
is a favorite of mine, and I loved all of Taylor Caldwell’s books, too.
 

Every writer has her own routines and methods. How do you spend a typical writing day?

After a personal quiet time, exercise and breakfast, I head for my
office, Monday through Friday, and spend around 5 hours at my computer,
actually putting words on the screen.  That said, computer time is
really only a part of the process, at least for me.  I do a lot of
thinking, walking, reading and daydreaming.  It’s a difficult thing to
quantify.
 

Can you give us a sneak peak into the next book
in the series, THE MARRIAGE SEASON? (We have our fingers crossed that
it’s finally Bex’s turn!) 

Yep, THE MARRIAGE SEASON is
Bex’s story.  Bex wants very much to be a bride, like her friends,
Melody and Hadleigh, but, marriage pact or none, she has her doubts,
too. After all, she loved and tragically lost one Mr. Right—can there
really be another man like him?  All right, Tate Calder seems
promising.  But can she bring herself to risk another broken heart? 

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GIVEAWAY DETAILS – (US only)  
 

Thanks to Katie at Little Bird Publicity, one reader can win a copy of The Marriage Charm by Linda Lael Miller. To enter the giveaway, please fill out the form by February 6th. 

FORM CLOSED

This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only and ends February 6th.  

Good Luck!!!