Hello, reader friends! I’m Joanna Chambers and this is the blog tour for A Gathering Storm, my new Cornwall-set historical romance. I’ll be sharing thoughts on my experience of writing about eccentric Victorian scientists, pragmatic Romany land stewards and unscrupulous mediums – come and comment to win a copy of the book and a $25 Riptide gift card!
Contrasting Heroes
One of the things I love about both reading and writing romance is the discovery of how the two main characters complement one another.
For me, the most satisfying romances aren’t (or aren’t just) about attraction or compatibility. They’re about how these two (or more) people give each other what they need. How they help each other be better, happier people.
In A Gathering Storm I have one hero, Ward, who is on quest for answers and who decides the other hero, Nick, is the only man who can help him. He’s right, of course, but not how he thinks. :-P Nick may appear to have an intriguingly mystical background, but in fact, he’s a decidedly earthbound pragmatist. As for Nick, he may not realise it, but he is on a quest of his own. One that will require the very thing he finds most difficult to perform: a leap of faith.
What romance couple delivers on this for you? Bringing each other what they need, whatever form that might take?
About the Book
When grief-stricken scientist Sir Edward Fitzwilliam provokes public scorn by defending a sham spiritualist, he’s forced to retreat to Porthkennack to lick his wounds. Ward’s reputation is in tatters, but he’s determined to continue the work he began after the death of his beloved brother.
In Porthkennack, Ward meets Nicholas Hearn, land steward to the Roscarrock family. Ward becomes convinced that Nick, whose Romany mother was reportedly clairvoyant, is the perfect man to assist with his work. But Nick—who has reason to distrust the whims of wealthy men—is loath to agree. Until Fate steps in to lend a hand.
Despite Nick’s misgivings, he discovers that Ward is not the high-handed aristocrat he first thought. And when passion ignites between them, Nick learns there’s much more to love than the rushed, clandestine encounters he’s used to. Nevertheless, Nick’s sure that wealthy, educated Ward will never see him as an equal.
A storm is gathering, but with Nick’s self-doubts and Ward’s growing obsession, the fragile bond between the two men may not be strong enough to withstand it.
[zilla_button url=”http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/a-gathering-storm” style=”blue” size=”medium” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Now Available from Riptide Publishing [/zilla_button]
About the Porthkennack Series
Welcome to Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long and sometimes sinister history. Legend says King Arthur’s Black Knight built the fort on the headland here, and it’s a certainty that the town was founded on the proceeds of smuggling, piracy on the high seas, and the deliberate wrecking of cargo ships on the rocky shore. Nowadays it draws in the tourists with sunshine and surfing, but locals know that the ghosts of its Gothic past are never far below the surface.
This collaborative story world is brought to you by five award-winning, best-selling British LGBTQ romance authors: Alex Beecroft, Joanna Chambers, Charlie Cochrane, Garrett Leigh, and JL Merrow. Follow Porthkennack and its inhabitants through the centuries and through the full rainbow spectrum with historical and contemporary stand-alone titles.
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About the Author
Joanna Chambers always wanted to write. In between studying, finding a proper grown up job, getting married and having kids, she spent many hours staring at blank sheets of paper and chewing pens. That changed when she rediscovered her love of romance and found her muse. Joanna’s muse likes red wine, coffee and won’t let Joanna clean the house or watch television.
Connect with Joanna: Website || Facebook || Twitter: @ChambersJoanna || Goodreads
The Giveaway
To celebrate the release of A Gathering Storm, one lucky winner will receive a $25 Riptide credit and a copy of A Gathering Storm! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 22, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!
Happy release week, Joanna – just finished reading the book and I just love Nick and Ward. As for your question, I think Mark and Stephen from Josh Lanyon’s I Spy series have that element, especially on I Spy Something Bloody; both help each other and complete one another. One of my favorite couple. :)
puspitorinid AT yahoo DOT com
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Thank you, Didi!
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Ty and Zane from the Cut and Run series are the 2 that I think of as complementing each other
leetee2007(at)hotmail(dot)com
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Oooh, good pick, Lee!
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Congrats on your new release. I have this book next on my TBR pile.
kimandpete123 at gmail dot com
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Thank you!
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Congratulations on your release!! This looks really good and I can’t wait to read it. Thank you for the giveaway.
blaine.leehall(at)yahoo(dot)com
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Congrats on the release. It’s hard to pick out characters that compliment each other when I think every book I enjoy has MC’s that do just that.
humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
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Congratulations on the release, Joanna. I love characters who complement each other, like Adrien and Jake in the Adrien English series, or your Murdo and David.
susanaperez7140(at)Gmail(dot)com
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<3
And I looooooove Jake and Adrien.
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There are way too many characters/couples that really do it for me. As long as they bring me into the story, make me feel like I’m part of it, yeah, that couple is on the right side with me.
Congratulations and much success!
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Thanks for all the congrats and kind comments!
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I’m so happy this one’s on my kindle! Congrats on your release!
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Silas and Dom from A Seditious Affair fit that perfectly! aahickmanathotmaildotcom
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I love the couple Stephen and Lucien from KJ Charles’ A Charm of Magpies series. They just mesh together well.
waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com
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For me, it’s Griff and Dante from Damon Suede’s HOT HEAD!
vitajex(at)aol(Dot)com
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Best wishes for much success! I can’t wait to read A Gathering Storm. ree.dee.2014@gmail.com
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This is waiting for me on my Kindle! Looking forward to reading! I think Jordan L Hawk’s Whyborne and Griffin are a great couple in that way. violet817(at)aol(dot)com
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It’s difficult to narrow down just a few but Lanyon’s Elliot & Tucker as well as Ty & Zane from the Cut & Run series are two of my favorites.
legacylandlisa(at)gmail(dot)com
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Congratulations on this new release, Ms. Chambers! I am thrilled to see a new release by one of my favorite authors. This story sounds fantastic!
chalonsursaone95 (at) hotmail (dot) com
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Congrats and thanks for the post. Those same complementary parts can also lead to some nice tension. There are so many couples that come to mind, but I’ll go back to Flewelling’s Nightrunner series with Seregil & Alec. I also love your historicals and when they take me to a time and place I haven’t been. –
TheWrote [at] aol [dot] com
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Sounds so, so good! Congratulations to all the collaborators. Let there be much success. There are way too many couples that I’ve adored to be able to choose only one. Some of them are from Abigail Roux’s Cut & Run, Mary Calmes Change of Heart & Warder, & Marie Sexton’s Coda Series. There’s plenty more where that came from ;)
Thanks for the chance at this very interesting book!
taina1959 @ yahoo.com
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