Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Lady Must Decide - Giveaway for all 3 books in Mercy's Embrace series


Over the last weekend, I had the very great pleasure of finishing a story that I started reading years ago. Laura Hile's story, Mercy's Embrace is the story of Elizabeth Elliot, Persuasion's Anne Elliot's nasty older sister, and it has been packaged into three books. The third, The Lady Must Decide, was released in August.

I have been waiting for years to find out what exactly Elizabeth decided to do, given her aged state (29 years) and her various suitors, which ranged from the disgusting Mr. Rushworth (post-Maria Bertram) to the smarmy William Elliot to the deceitful but charming Admiral Patrick McGillvary.

I was also curious as to whether Charles Musgrove would really turn out to be a rake, and whether Lady Russell could actually go through with her hopelessly misguided plan to marry Sir Walter. I also wanted to find out just how far Captain Wentworth's patience would stretch when it came to putting up with and bailing out of trouble his Elliot in-laws. I wanted to find out which of her sisters would give Mary the dressing down she so justly deserves.

I was not disappointed. The Lady Must Decide moves at a breakneck pace, as Hile deftly ties up the loose ends of the various threads surrounding the fates and fortunes of the Elliot family members and their friends, spouses, cousins, and enemies. She ties up those threads with characteristic humor, warmth, sparkle, and, of course, romance. I found the ending pitch perfect!

I closed the book with a smile and a promise to myself to reread it again soon, starting, of course, with book 1, So Rough a Course. Congratulations, Laura, on a wonderful Persuasion sequel. I consider Elizabeth Elliot among my favorite heroines these days!



Now, on to the big news.

Laura has generously offered to provide all three books as a giveaway (U.S. only this time, though). Not only that, she has persuaded the dangerously charming Patrick McGillvary to submit to an interview. And knowing Miss Elliot as I now do, I wouldn't be surprised if she popped in to offer her two cents as well. Stay tuned.



All (U.S. only) who leave a comment on this blog post or those that include interviews with either Patrick McGillvary or Elizabeth Elliot are eligible to win all three books in the Mercy's Embrace series. Be sure to include your email address if you wish to enter the giveaway and confirm that your mailing address is in the U.S. Entries for the giveaway will be accepted through midnight Mountain Time on Thursday, October 28. I will announce the winner on Friday, October 29.

To recap, the Mercy's Embrace books are:
So Rough a Course
So Lively a Chase
The Lady Must Decide

Because inquiring minds want to know, here is an interview I did with Laura when I reviewed So Lively a Chase.

20 comments:

  1. Wonderful interview. Thanks for the re-caps for the books also. Would love a chance to win.

    felicialso@gmail.com

    Felicia

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  2. I really didn't like the character of Elizabeth in Persuasion, so I would love a chance to read a story that might shed some light on her character/actions. if nothing else, I could read more about Anne, whom I did like.

    Margay1122(at)aol(dot)com

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  3. I would love a chance to win, too! Haven't had a chance to read any of them... yet! :)

    taftms(at)designbinstudios(dot)com

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  4. I've read nothing but good things about this series. I'd love the chance to read them!

    runaway84(at)gmail.com

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  5. I've been waiting to read these, as I know I need to buy all three at once so I don't have to wait between books! Winning all three would be absolutely fantastic!

    jenevolves@yahoo.com

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  6. Ohhhhh, count me in please!! I am in the US.

    bookishchatter AT gmail DOT com

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  7. I am throwing my hat in the ring for the books as well. Persuasion is my favorite and I would like to read them. Thanks , Vee

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  8. Vee is in the U.S.
    verlanteree@yahoo.com

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  9. I've read them all - and my work and sleep have suffered - in the last week (and plan to read them all again this weekend). I followed the "weekly" postings back when LSL was new over the eons until the precipitous end. I had just enough time to get addicted to Mercy's Embrace but then lost touch in the middle of the following century. Just got a Kindle (LOVE IT!) and for some strange reason, the unfinished story rose to mind (one of those extraordinary bursts of mind which do sometimes occur). I searched in the Kindle store and low-and-behold there it was!!! Mercy's Embrace in completed version!!! Just waiting for the download!!! I'm currently living in Germany but will be back in Washington state as of January. In the glacial time scale involved in this story-sequence, that's just einen Augenblick (the blink of an eye), so I declare myself geographically qualified. joy

    email alpha only to confuse spam engines: k1r2i3z4m5o6m7@yahoo

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  10. Captain Wentworth/Anne are one of my favorite couples...Would love to read the story from Elizabeths viewpoint...

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  11. Sounds like an interesting series - will look out for it - I'm not US based so please just ignore me for this giveaway :).Good luck to everyone else.

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  12. Oh, to have something new to read .... I would love to add these books to my library. The author seems like an intriguing individual. :)

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  13. This is a genre I had never really pursued until, on the recommendation of a friend, I read Ms.Hile's first book in the series. I loved it. I waited, although not patiently, for the second and then the third book in the series. I had always thought of this genre as stuffy and boring, but found myself quite literally laughing out loud. Thank you for writing such an intelligent and entertaining series!

    Kelly Court
    kellyrcourt@yahoo.com

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  14. I would love to be able to read the whole series. Book one was so good!!!


    US based
    Melissa Walker
    mrtomwalker@juno.com

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  15. Count me in, I would love to win and read this series.

    Carol B. in the U.S.
    c_ann53 AT yahoo DOT com

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  16. Yes, please. These have been on my "to buy" list for forever, and I just haven't got around to it yet.

    Christine in Ca
    jc_is_life at yahoo dot com

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  17. ok...i want to play....win.....then read :)

    c. seaton in Oregon

    u40cdog@yahoo.com

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  18. I would love to have the opportunity to read these books as well.

    Nancy in Beaverton
    graniof6@frontier.com

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  19. Please enter me in the contest as well. I enjoy reading all things Regency, and have a great interest in the continuation of the Elizabeth Elliot story. Also, I haven't bought the third book yet!

    Becky in Beaverton, OR
    beckyrathjen@hotmail.com

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  20. I would love a chance to win..I have not read the books but would love to..thankyou..
    Susan E in Beaverton OR
    suz57mom@yahoo.com

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