The Danelle Harmon Newsletter, June 2000, Issue No. 4

Hi Everyone!

So many of you have written to me impatiently asking, "When is THE DEFIANT ONE going to come out?" Well, I'm happy to be able to say, "It's out NOW!" Yes, this third installment in my popular de Montforte series set in Georgian England, is just hitting the bookstores at the time of this writing. THE DEFIANT ONE is the story of the brilliant and brooding Lord Andrew de Montforte and animal activist Lady Celsiana Blake, a lonely young heiress who thinks dogs are better than men. Of course, we all know there's nothing that might enlighten Celsie more, than a virile de Montforte male!

So, what about Lord Andrew? When we last saw him in THE BELOVED ONE, it was obvious that a disastrous fire had left him changed him in a very strange and gifted way... and that his manipulative eldest brother Lucien, the Duke of Blackheath, was going to have his hands full orchestrating a "cure" for Andrew. But the ever-interfering Lucien intends to do more than just orchestrate a cure for his brother... can he engineer yet another de Montforte marriage as well? With a heartwarming cast of animals, a nasty villain, and a very potent aphrodisiac that wreaks delightful havoc on Andrew's and Celsie's lives, THE DEFIANT ONE is, according to Romantic Times, a "laugh-out-loud read [that] is a special treat for animal lovers who will fall in love, not only with the humans in the story, but their unforgettable pets as well. Ms. Harmon's sensual hero and charming heroine will sweep into your heart"!

Romantic Times gave THE DEFIANT ONE a glowing 4-star review and its prestigious K.I.S.S. Award. New York Times Best-selling author Lisa Kleypas also praised THE DEFIANT ONE: "I thoroughly enjoyed THE DEFIANT ONE... My only regret is that I didn't read it with my oven mitts on. Witty and wonderful... a fresh and enchanting story with provocative love scenes and intelligent, passionate characters. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I am awed and delighted by Danelle Harmon's talent!" Reviewer Harriet Klausner also gave THE DEFIANT ONE four stars, and says, "An entertaining, often times jocular Georgian romance that lives up to its predecessor's standard of excellence." Finally, for another rave review of THE DEFIANT ONE, check out Jeri Cerutti's review on The Romance Journal website.

THE DEFIANT ONE is available in bookstores near you as of June, 2000; if it's not on the shelf, just ask them to order it for you. Alternatively, THE DEFIANT ONE can be ordered from on-line bookstores such as Amazon.com ... I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it!

In other news: I'll be doing a series of booksignings over the course of the summer in the Massachusetts and New Hampshire area. Check my website for a list of appearances!

Got an urge to write a novel? Or just have a bit of fun? Visit the "Fun!" section of my website to take the trivia quiz, or to add to the ongoing story.

On May 2, my husband Chris and I became the proud parents of a baby girl. Emma Janette weighed eight pounds at birth, and like her mom, appears to be something of a night owl! Our youngest dog, Poppy, has "adopted" little Emma, and I frequently find her standing guard over the crib. Nothing goes together better than dogs and children!

LUCIEN NEWS: For everyone who's been clamoring for Lucien's book (and his comeuppance), I'm happy to announce that THE WICKED ONE, the much-anticipated finale to the de Montforte series, will be in the bookstores in January, 2001. I think you'll all agree that Lucien most definitely deserves his comeuppance, and trust me, he gets it in THE WICKED ONE! (Though you'll get to meet her... his comeuppance, that is <g> -- in THE DEFIANT ONE.) Avon recently sent me the cover for Lucien's book, and I can't wait to share it with you... it's gorgeous! Painted by Andy Bacha, who also did the covers for THE WILD ONE and MY LADY PIRATE, this one is fabulous. I just adore Andy's work! For a look at THE WICKED ONE's cover, check out my website. I'd love to know what you think of this artist's rendition of the Duke of Blackheath!

Well, that about does it, this time around! I hope you all enjoy THE DEFIANT ONE, and please, if you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, just drop me an email and I'll take you off the mailing list. Have a safe and happy summer, and happy reading!

Best wishes,

-- Danelle Harmon