Seduced By A Book: Giveaway, Excerpt, and Review of Hello Stranger (The Ravenels, #4) by Lisa Kleypas

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of an unconventional beauty who finds passion with the spy who can’t resist her

A woman who defies her time
Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, is as daring and independent as any man—why not take her pleasures like one? Yet she has never been tempted to embark on an affair, until now. Ethan Ransom, a former detective for Scotland Yard, is as gallant as he is secretive, a rumored assassin whose true loyalties are a mystery. For one exhilarating night, they give in to their potent attraction before becoming strangers again.

A man who breaks every rule
As a Ravenel by-blow spurned by his father, Ethan has little interest in polite society, yet he is captivated by the bold and beautiful Garrett. Despite their vow to resist each other after that sublime night, she is soon drawn into his most dangerous assignment yet. When the mission goes wrong, it will take all of Garrett’s skill and courage to save him. As they face the menace of a treacherous government plot, Ethan is willing to take any risk for the love of the most extraordinary woman he’s ever known.

He heard her muffled chuckle. She continued to lean against him while the trio of constables expressed sympathy for the unfortunate patient. Eventually the men departed with a chorus of hearty farewells. Ethan discovered that his other arm had stolen around Garrett. Making himself let go of her was like trying to uncoil a steel spring.

“You should go up to your father now,” he said with difficulty.

“Eliza will look after him while I take a few minutes to show you some slides. I have insect wings . . . pollen grains . . . flower petals . . . What would you like to see?”

“The inside of a hansom cab,” he said softly. “I can’t be alone with you, darlin’.”

Garrett touched the edges of his vest, fingers clamping on the thin leather. “Ethan.” A blush rose in her face, like light glowing through pink frosted glass. “I don’t want to end this. We . . . we could meet in secret, now and then. No one would have to know. We would make no claims on each other. We’ll just . . . do as we please.”

The way she fumbled with the words, so unlike her usual precise way of speaking, devastated Ethan. He could only guess what it cost her to lay open her pride like this. He wasn’t certain what she was offering, or even if she knew. Not that it mattered. He wanted, craved, needed anything she was willing to give. But he had to make her understand that it was impossible. And even if it were, the idea was beneath her.

“Have you had that kind of arrangement with a man before?” he brought himself to ask.

Her eyes were the green of deep summer and lush growing things. “I’m a woman who makes her own decisions and handles the consequences.”

“That means no,” Ethan said softly. At her silence, he continued, “You’d be risking your reputation. Your career.”

“Believe me, I understand that better than you.”

“Have you ever shared a bed with a man? Even once?”

“Why is that relevant?”

Her evasive response sent a pleasure-pang down to the pit of his stomach. “That means no,” he said again, his voice even softer than before. He took a slow breath, trying to steady himself, while his blood sang with the knowledge that she’d been waiting for him. She was meant to be his. God, he wanted her beyond any reckoning of earth or heaven. But her well-being mattered a thousand times more than his own desires.

“Garrett . . . I’m a man full o’ trouble. When I vowed to let nothing harm you, I included myself on that list.”

A frown crimped her forehead. She closed her grip on his vest until her fists were tight as pine knots. “I’m not afraid of you, or your trouble.” Her green eyes were narrowed and intent as she tugged him closer. “Kiss me,” she urged in a whisper.

“I have to go,” he said shortly, and pulled back while he was still able.

But Garrett moved with him, her hands reaching up to grip his head on either side, the way he’d taught her at Baujart’s. The strength of her fingers electrified him.

“Kiss me,” she commanded, “or I’ll break your nose.”

The threat startled a ragged laugh from him. He shook his head as he looked at her, this fearsomely capable woman who loved geese and was afraid of spaghetti, and could either wield a scalpel in a complex surgical procedure or use it as a throwing-knife.

There had always been a cold streak in him, but he couldn’t seem to find it now, when he needed it most. He was breaking apart inside. He would never be the same after this.

“Christ, you’ve ruined me,” he whispered.

His arms went around her, one hand gripping the heavy silken mass of her braided chignon. She guided his head down, and he lost the battle, all his will vanquished as he began to kiss her as if the world were about to end.

For him, it was.

Lisa Kleypas

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New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas graduated from Wellesley College with a political science degree. She is a RITA award winning author of both historical romance and contemporary women’s fiction. Her novels are published in fourteen different languages and are bestsellers all over the world. She lives in Washington State with her husband Gregory and their two children.

Title: Hello Stranger: The Ravenels, Book 4
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Ravenels (Book 4)
Format: Paperback; 496 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; Large Print edition (February 27, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0062792113
ISBN-13: 978-0062792112
Author's Website: http://lisakleypas.com/
Notes: I received an ARC from the publisher for review purposes.

At a young age Garrett Gibson fell in love with science and decided to become a doctor. She believes there will always be people who will say your dreams are impossible, but they can't stop you unless you agree with them. When she was barred from studying in England, she studied abroad. She got her degree and went back to London and began practicing there. The only thing she thought she might never be able to have is a family of her very own. She believed no man would ever let her do what she does. When she meets the mysterious Ethan Ransom, however, she thinks maybe, just maybe, she was wrong...

Ethan Ransom has been fascinated with Garrett since the first time he met her. She's like no one else he's ever met. He's never really thought about marriage, but as he gets to know her there's something about her that keeps drawing him back. He has done things in his life that he's not proud of, but somehow he thinks Garrett may be the one person to accept him as he is--faults and all.

I will confess to being a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas. Of all the novels she writes I feel her historical romances are the most magical. My favorite types of historical romances delve into what life was really like for woman in historical times, and then creates a heroine that defies her station and manages to find a man who allows her to be true to herself.

Now you may think Ms. Kleypas stretched reality a bit by creating a female doctor for a book which takes place in the 1800's, but there was such a doctor at that time. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first female doctor in England, was the inspiration for Garrett Gibson. As a nod to the real life doctor, Ms. Kleypas used Elizabeth's maiden name for her character's first name. Garrett, of 'Hello Stranger', is a smart, strong, independent, and courageous woman. Taking a wild guess, I imagine her namesake couldn't have achieved what she did in the time period she lived if she didn't possess all those same qualities. I recall a couple of years ago seeing information about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson in a Google Doodle celebrating her 180th birthday. I'm curious if that is what inspired the idea for this character in Ms. Kleypas' mind?

Ethan is a man of mystery, quite literally. He's a secret agent for the crown, although no one but a select few knows it. He is a very fun, smart, sexy, and complex individual with a lot of baggage. His first appearance in this book has him following Garrett. Now, this could be seen by some as being stalker like behavior, but I didn't get that vibe. He sees this beautiful woman entering time and time again a bad section of town at night to help out her patients and he wants ensure nothing bad to happens to her. He does his best to go unnoticed and lurks in the shadows. He never intends to make contact with her, but after three randy, drunk, young men plan to assault her, he takes action. I rather loved this, and I think it both charmed and maddened Garrett in equal measures.

The song that was playing in my mind was Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man from 1966...

'There's a man who leads a life of danger
To everyone he meets he stays a stranger
With every move he makes another chance he takes
Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow
Secret agent man, secret agent man
They've given you a number and taken away your name'

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I absolutely loved it and all the little details Ms. Kleypas incorporated into the story. I felt I passed through a looking glass and came out in a different time period. There was plenty of suspense, drama, and romance with a couple of twists and turns thrown in. I rather enjoyed seeing these two get to know one another and fall in love. I adored how each saw marriage as something they dare not wish for, but secretly wanted. I also loved how each managed to help emotionally heal the other. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I HIGHLY recommend this one.

Order of The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas:

Notes to keep you in the know:
Check out 'A Short History of Blood Transfusion' by Phil Learoyd. It mentions Dr. J. Roussell who was the chief authority on blood transfusions in 1865 and whose invention, the Roussell transfuser, is mentioned in 'Hello Stranger'.
http://www.sld.cu/galerias/pdf/sitios/anestesiologia/history_of_transfusion.pdf

Check out this interview with Lisa Kleypas done by Entertainment. It discusses the creation of 'Hello Stranger'.
http://ew.com/books/2017/09/13/lisa-kleypas-hello-stranger-cover-interview/

Check out the information that was provided by the Google Doodle back in 2016 on Elizabeth Garrett Anderson:
https://www.google.com/doodles/elizabeth-garrett-andersons-180th-birthday

Buy a copy at one of the following book retailers:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2mGsuAd
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2mRfLvD
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2EQPLH5
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2BckeNI
iBooks: https://apple.co/2DJ339o
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2rjQ37l