Darcy Burke’s Secrets & Scandals Series (Guest Post/Giveaway)

Good morning lovelies, I hope everyone had a fab weeked! Today I would like to welcome historical romance author, Darcy Burke, over who is joining us with a fun & very fitting post and giveaway!

Wine Pairing: Oregon Pinot with Darcy Burke’s Secrets & Scandals Series

I live on the edge of Oregon’s Pinot noir wine country in the northern Willamette Valley. Our climate here is similar to France, which enables us to produce Pinot noir that rivals those crafted in France, and in some cases surpass. I love Pinot noir and think Oregon Pinots are among the very best in the world. I thought it would be fun to pair an Oregon Pinot noir with each of my books. Read on for information about each wine* and book, and why I paired them!

*For simplicity, I did not select specific vintages.

Her Wicked Ways – Domaine Drouhin, Laurène

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“A bad girl heroine steals both the show and a highwayman’s heart in Darcy Burke’s deliciously wicked debut.” ~ Courtney Milan, NYT Bestselling Author

She was his savior…Banished from London for her reckless behavior, Lady Miranda Sinclair is robbed by a dashing highwayman en route to the country. By offering him a kiss in lieu of the jewels she had to leave behind, she commits the very type of act that caused her exile. When her dour guardians extend her punishment to performing charitable work at the local orphanage, she’s further tempted by the home’s owner, a provincial gentleman who stirs her passion in a most wicked way…
He was her downfall… Desperate to save his orphanage from financial catastrophe, Montgomery “Fox” Foxcroft leads a double life as a highwayman. The arrival of wealthy, well-connected Miranda, whose kiss he can’t forget, presents a lawful opportunity to increase his coffers. His problems seem solved—until she rejects his suit. Out of options and falling for the heiress, Fox must risk what principles he has left and take advantage of her wicked ways—even if it ruins them both.

I chose to pair a Domaine Drouhin Pinot with Her Wicked Ways because the winemaker at DDO (Domaine Drouhin Oregon) is a woman, Véronique Drouhin. Her family’s winery, Maison Joseph Drouhin was founded in Beaune, France by Joseph Drouhin when he purchased the trading rights of a wine house in 1880. The enterprise grew and flourished over the next century. After graduating from the University of Dijon, Véronique came to Oregon to study winemaking after Oregon Pinots began to make an international splash in the late 1970s. After studying with Oregon’s top winemakers, Véronique purchased land and Domaine Drouhin came to the new world. I love that a woman struck out from a very successful family and led them into a new frontier. This is something Miranda, the heroine from Her Wicked Ways, would do. And because Miranda appreciates the finest things in life, she would choose a wine that is consistently named one of the best wines in Oregon.

His Wicked Heart – WillaKenzie, Triple Black Slopes

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“Intense and intriguing. Cinderella meets Fight Club in a historical romance packed with passion, action and secrets.” ~ Anna Campbell, Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed

It’s hard to be respectableJasper Sinclair, Earl of Saxton, made a bargain with the devil—his father—to marry in one month’s time. But instead of declaring his intentions for an acceptable debutante, he indulges his long-buried baser needs by joining a fighting club and pursuing a delectable woman who may not be what she seems. Soon he finds himself battling addictions that threaten his already wicked heart. When you’d rather be wickedOrphaned seamstress Olivia West wants the chance to lead an honest, respectable life, but the arrogant Earl of Saxton launches a daunting campaign to make Olivia his mistress. Destitute and desperate, Olivia agrees to one night with the dangerous peer, and draws upon her mother’s courtesan experience to seduce him. After binding and blindfolding him, she brings him to the edge of release, only to switch places with an actual prostitute. However, Jasper detects Olivia’s deception and vows to claim what he’s owed—not his money, her.

I love the WillaKenzie winery. Their staff is fun and informative and their facility is gorgeous. It’s a fantastic place for a picnic. I wanted to choose one of their wines (and they’re all great—they make a lot more than just Pinot), so I chose my favorite WillaKenzie Pinot, Triple Black Slopes. It’s called that because the grapes are grown on the steepest hill in the vineyard, where the elevation varies from 500 to 675 feet. Their website says, “The rows are oriented north-south with an average density of 1750 plants per acre, and the vines are trained into an upright double guyot trellising system. The combination of the steep terrain, the south-facing orientation and the clonal selection contributes to the intensity of the wine.” This is a great wine to pair with Jasper and Olivia’s story because Jasper has been “trained” his whole life to be the rigid heir to a demanding duke, yet he’s turned out to be an intense, passionate man who chooses a dangerous path (the triple black slope!) where Olivia is concerned. It really is the perfect pairing!


To Seduce a Scoundrel – The Eyrie Vineyards
“Darcy Burke pulls no punches with this sexy, romantic page-turner.  Sevrin and Philippa’s story grabs you from the first scene and doesn’t let go. To Seduce a Scoundrel is simply delicious!” ~ Tessa Dare, NYT Bestselling Author

A lady on the brink of disasterLady Philippa Latham is determined to avoid scandal at all costs. When her mother’s outrageous behavior threatens their entire family’s reputation, Philippa attempts to curtail her activities. Unwittingly, she follows her to a party no unmarried Society girl would risk attending. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Philippa is “rescued” by England’s most notorious scoundrel, which sets them both on a path to public and personal ruin…
A scoundrel in need of seductionLord Ambrose Sevrin is famous for having ruined his brother’s fiancée and refusing to marry her. Dangerously attractive, he is an intriguing enigma to London’s elite. Only, Philippa thinks she’s met the true Ambrose—a gentleman who would fight to defend her and help her secure a husband before it’s too late. But he can’t fall victim to Philippa’s charms. He won’t tolerate redemption—or love—for his crimes are far worse than anyone can imagine.

The Eyrie Pinot noirs (they have several varieties) are a terrific pairing with To Seduce a Scoundrel because they’re true Oregon winemaking pioneers and were the first to win a Pinot “fight.” They produced the first American Pinot noir to successfully compete with Burgundian Pinots—the 1975 South Block Pinot Noir. This fits Ambrose for two reasons. One, Ambrose is an outsider, much like Oregon Pinots in the 1970s. Two, Ambrose is a prizefighter, and a damned good one. So I wanted to select a wine that was not only a fighter, but a winner, too. I also chose this wine because of its independent, pioneering nature. Philippa has to sort of strike out on her own to make her dreams come true, and so again, this seems like the perfect match.

I am by NO means a wine snob or a wine expert of any kind. I drink what I like and that can be anything from that awesome Ménage à Trois you can buy at Costco to one of the wines in this post. And I like all kinds of wine—red, white, pink—though I usually don’t drink Merlot. Wines are like books: everyone’s favorite is someone else’s, “OMG, that was horrible!” Taste, my friends, is up to your palate.

In keeping with the palate, tell me what kind of books your tastebuds prefer: a reunion story? Friends turned lovers? Mistaken or secret/unknown identity? Something else? One lucky commenter will win an ebook of Her Wicked Ways in the format of their choice!

About the Author:

Darcy Burke wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. An RWA Golden Heart^® Finalist, Darcy loves all things British (except tomatoes for breakfast, or any other time of day, actually) and happy ever afters.
A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her devoted husband, their two great kids, and three cats. In her “spare” time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say “no,” but she keeps having to start over. She’s also a fair-weather runner, and her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge. Visit Darcy online at http://www.darcy-burke.com, follow her on Twitter or like her Facebook page.

~*GIVEAWAY*~

As Darcy mentioned above, she is giving away one eBook of Her Wicked Ways to one lucky reader. To enter, just leave a comment answering her question and then fill out the rafflecopter. Additional entries are available but not required. Good luck! 

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