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GUEST LAUNCH PARTY + GIVEAWAY: Gentlemen Prefer Mischief by Emily Greenwood


A very warm Casablanca welcome to fellow romance author EMILY GREENWOOD! The second book in her Regency Mischief series, GENTLEMEN PREFER MISCHIEF, hits stores this month!

Casa authors, thanks so much for helping me celebrate the release of GENTLEMEN PREFER MISCHIEF! It’s so fun to be here with you.

And since no party is complete without delicious treats, I thought I’d bring my two main characters, Miss Lily Teagarden and Hal, Viscount Roxham, with me today to bake the cake. Why don’t I let them get to it?

Lily: Do we really need a cake? It seems like a waste of ingredients to create something that’s not good for us.  Why don’t we make some nice whole wheat bread instead?

Hal, unwrapping a stick of butter: We need a cake. You need to live a little.

He drops butter into a mixing bowl and starts beating it, mercilessly and cheerfully, with a wooden spoon.

Lily, eyes lofting toward the ceiling: You really have taken being a viscount too much to heart. It’s made you ridiculously bossy. And pushy. When I think of what you’ve done with that thing you stole from me--.

Hal, grinning: It makes you want to laugh, right? And kiss me?

Lily: No.

She dumps a measure of sugar on the butter, wrinkling her nose as if in distaste.

Hal: You do love saying no. I take it as a personal challenge to get you to say yes.

Lily: Just get busy with that butter and sugar. It looks lumpy.

Hal (laughs, and beats the mixture harder): Like this? Is this hard enough for you?

The hint of a grin briefly teases the edge of Lily’s mouth before she returns to a serious expression.

Lily: We have a job to do, and I intend to do it properly.

She cracks several eggs into the mixture Hal’s beating and begins measuring flour and baking powder into another bowl.

Hal (sticks a finger into the butter mixture and tastes it): Pretty good, but it needs vanilla.

He pours in a hefty dash of extract.

Lily: Hey! That’s raw batter—you shouldn’t eat it. And you’re only supposed to put in a teaspoon of vanilla.

Hal (swipes another taste of batter): It’s really good, and I hear the risks of getting Salmonella are very low now. Plus, we’re Regency people, and we’ve got the iron stomachs of people who consumed unrefrigerated meats and unpasteurized milk. A little raw egg is nothing.

Lily (laughs): You are so ridiculous.

Hal: You know you want to taste it. What’s the good of being alive if you don’t take a few risks and taste everything you can?

Lily hesitates, but then uses her finger to take a small taste. Her eyes close for a minute as she savors the flavor.

Hal: I knew you’d like it.

Lily, eyes still closed, but with a smile on her lips: Go measure the milk. We need a cup.

Hal, grinning, pours the milk, and they take turns adding it and the flour mixture to the batter. Hal beats it while Lily gives directions, and they pour it into pans and put it in the oven.

Hal: Can’t wait. I love a good cake.

Lily, looking around them: We should clean up the kitchen.

Hal, looking out the window: The kitchen can wait—let’s go out and watch the sunset.

Lily hesitates, but Hal leans forward and kisses her cheek.

Hal: I promise you the dishes aren’t going anywhere, and as soon as we’ve seen the sunset, we’ll do them together.

Lily, smiling and taking his hand as they head for the door: Very well, but I suppose I shall have to teach you how to clean up properly. What does a viscount know about chores?

Hal: You’re going to be surprised at just how much I know about so many things…

Laughing, they rush outside.

Emily here again—I hope you enjoyed this little visit from Lily & Hal!

Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Emily, Lily and Hal! To enter to win 1 of 2 copies of Gentlemen Prefer Mischief, leave a comment below and tell us your favorite cake (or treat) to bake! Open to US and Canada only, winners will be chosen on Friday, 12/13.

GENTLEMEN PREFER MISCHIEF BY EMILY GREENWOOD – IN STORES DECEMBER 2013

When Adversaries Clash, Mischief Ignites Passion...
If it hadn't been for the crazy rumors, Lily Teagarden would never have approached her neighbor, Hal, Viscount Roxham—the careless rogue who broke her fledgling heart. But strange noises and lights on his property are causing serious problems for her, and she needs his help.

Trouble is oh-so-diverting for Viscount Roxham, and what could be more amusing than investigating what's plaguing his prim, beautiful neighbor—haunted sheep, of all things. Every time he seems to make progress, though, she throws mischief in his path, and his attraction to her is becoming extremely distracting...too bad Lily's the only woman in England who doesn't think he's Lord Perfect.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Greenwood worked for a number of years as a writer, crafting newsletters and fundraising brochures, but she far prefers writing playful love stories set in Regency England, and she thinks romance is the chocolate of literature. A Golden Heart finalist, she lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. For more information, please visit http://emilygreenwood.net/, follow her on Twitter @EmiGreenwood, and like her on Facebook!

Comments

  1. Congrats on your new book. Sounds great. My favorite cake to bake is apple, raisin bundt cake.
    Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  2. I loved your little cake baking scene, so cute. I am looking forward to reading this book as I really enjoyed the first one.

    I am not much a cake from scratch baker, although I have made a few eggless cakes for one of my sons with an egg allergy. My favorite thing to bake would probably be my grandmother's banana bread recipe or just your everyday chocolate chip cookies. They are both a specialty of mine and what I get asked, by family, to make the most.

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  3. Thanks for your kind comments, Sarah. Mmm, banana bread. Some of those eggless cakes are super good, aren't they? I have a yummy "secret ingredient" chocolate cake recipe that uses vinegar.

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  4. Crystal, I always forget about bundt cakes--I don't see them as often as layer cakes, but they can be so delish. Love apple desserts!

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  5. Hahaha. I love the salmonella dialogue! I received notification that your wonderful new book will arrive today. Yay! These characters seem like sooo much fun. It's going to a hot read on this cold night.

    Oh, was I supposed to say something about my favorite cake? All types of cake are good. It's cruel to choose. However, I'm rather gluten-free so I get all starry-eyed, nostalgic thinking of cake.

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  6. Susanna, here's to frank talk in Regencies about the oogy & real things in life :-)

    Hope there's some kind of sinful, gluten-free dessert in the cards for you this holiday season.

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  7. Love the excerpt. I don't bake much anymore but I use to make a wonderful Swiss chocolate cake with butter cream icing. And our Christmas cookis is a light, almond flavored thumbprint with jelly filling and sprinkled with nuts. Maybe I'll have to rethink that baking lol.

    catslady5(at)aol.com

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  8. chocolate chip cookies

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  9. catslady, thanks ;-) Oh, your Swiss chocolate cake sounds divine!

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  10. I'm here for grabs! :)) I love to bake Ragged Chocolate-Coconut pastry (literally translated):)) And of course, EVERYTHING my Mom bakes! She is Cake Wizard :)) Thank you for the giveaway!

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  11. I'm not much of a baker, but if I have to bake something, I'd choose chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chips.

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  12. Ivana, the ragged pastry thing sounds amazing -- I'm in for that! My mom made amazing desserts too, and my favorite was this French treat called a buche de noel.

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  13. Barbara, those cupcakes sound so good. Love any kind of chocolate cake thing with chocolate bits in it.

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  14. I'm not a baker by any means. In fact, I try to avoid the stove at all costs. But I love making these peanut butter and chocolate crackers-- no stove required! Just a fridge and microwave ;-)

    justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

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  15. Banana Nut Bread (fixed the diabetic way) for my husband! Thanks for the chance to win this book.

    mlawson17 at Hotmail dot com

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  16. I don't get a lot of time to bake but my sister always loves it when I make egg tarts!!

    Congrats on the new release, Emily, can't wait to read it!

    thebigbluewall77 at gmail dot com

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  17. It looks so good...and what a gorgeous cover!

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  18. My favorite treat to bake is a flourless chocolate cake. It is very rich so I don't bake it often.

    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

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  19. I like to bake congo bars, which are chocolate chip/walnut/brown sugar cookies. Congrats on the release; it sounds great.

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  20. Emily, Just responding to your comment about the cake with vinegar. My grandmother's banana bread recipe calls for vinegar as well. I call it the secret ingredient, too, and people are always surprised when I finally tell them that I put vinegar in the banana bread.
    As for the egg free cakes, I was quite surprised by how yummy they are. I also make egg free pumpkin cookies that are very good.

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  21. Sounds intriguing! I love to bake cookies. Anything with chocolate chips in it. :)
    lattebooks at hotmail dot com

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  22. Thanks again to Emily for stopping by the Casa blog, and to everyone who commented. Now I want cake for breakfast.

    Our winners are
    Anita H
    and
    Susan P

    I'll be emailing you both shortly. Happy weekend!

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