Tag Archives: FRANCE

POSTED FRIDAY OCT. 21st, 2011

THE REVOLVING BOOK FRIDAY EDITION IS BY CADDY ROWLAND

TITLE:  GASTIEN PART 1: THE COST OF THE DREAM

GENRE: HISTORICAL ROMANCE

PUBLISHER: CREATE SPACE

RELEASED: SEPT. 2011

WHERE YOU CAN BUY THE BOOK:

PAPERBACK/PRINT: CREATE SPACE http://tinyurl.com/3luddg7
AMAZON KINDLE:  http://tinyurl.com/3ecu8ku
BARNES AND NOBLE NOOK: http://tinyurl.com/3ue4a7h

SYNOPSIS:

In this both dark and hopeful first book, young Gastien Beauchamp begins his journey to Paris with two goals in life.  The first is to become an artist with his own studio, following his own rules. That is an almost impossible dream for a peasant.  Gastien has no money, no formal training, and is a naïve eighteen year old fresh off the farm. Paris spits out talented men into the gutters every day. “Good” gets you nowhere. “Great” maybe gets you a bowl of soup.

The second is to become the greatest lover in France. That should be easy. With his stunning looks, and his willingness to learn, the women of Paris are about to be awakened in a way they have only dreamt about in the 19th century!

Gastien swears that he has no interest in love.  Love would only take away his dreams.  But he is innocent and does not realize that sex without love can be quite empty.  Before he can learn that, he must face obstacles and heartaches that will threaten to destroy his very soul.

Insatiable, burning passion. Focus and drive. Raw, natural talent. Armed with those, Gastien is determined to succeed at any cost.  Poor Gastien. If he could only know in advance what struggles lay before him, he might think twice about leaving home. However, he is young and full of hope. The dreams burn relentlessly inside of him, not allowing him a moments rest. And so the journey begins…

REVIEWS:

ON NOOK: http://tinyurl.com/3ue4a7h

“Wonderful, compelling read!  Challenges your own thoughts, dreams and soul!  Cannot wait for Part 2!  Thought I would miss Gastien but cannot seem to get him out of my head.”  -acelles (NOOK link above)

“I fell in love with Gastien. His story is going to captivate you.”  -Anonymous (NOOK link above)

“…catches your mind and races away with it. Drawing you further and further into Gastiens world and holding you there for hours upon hours.
When you can break away, it stays in your thoughts, until you rush back, and once again you are drawn into the world of Gastien.”
-Dayton F. Larson (Kindle link above)

” Unfamiliar with this author and not ordinarily a reader of this genre when a friend of mine loaned me this book I admit I had fairly low expectations. So after half expecting to read a bit and then get bored, instead I found myself completely drawn in to the story…The book has a contemporary feel to it in the dialogue and sexuality, but there is enough of 19th century France in there to keep you grounded in place and time. The book has some fairly graphic intense moments but they contribute to the story rather than detract from it. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to pick up a story to get lost in for a couple of days.” -W. Parker (Kindle link above)

“What do you do with artistic talent and a heart bursting with the need to express it?…Developing your art and learning the difference between love and sex makes for a powerful story. The sex is graphic, but flows with the story. You’ll be looking for more!!!
-K. Druart (Kindle link above)

READ AN EXCERPT: http://tinyurl.com/6467c8s

AUTHOR BIO:  Caddy Rowland grew up in the Midwest with a stack of books that almost reached the ceiling before she was five. Books, along with her vivid imagination, have always been her closest friends.

She lives in Minnesota with her husband, who was her high school sweetheart. They are owned by two parrots. Yes, they can talk, and yes, they can bite! Melanie, the African Grey has such an extensive vocabulary that Caddy sometimes thinks Melly is preparing to become an author.

After over 20 twenty years in advertising sales, Caddy decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an author in 2011. There are four books planned for the Gastien series, and many other books in her head. Now, if only she can learn to type 2000 words a minute…

Her goal as an author is to make readers laugh, cry, think, and become intimately connected with her main characters. To her, a good main character stays in the mind long after the story has been read. They should become as real in the mind as the person next door.

CONNECT WITH CADDY ONLINE:

BLOG: http://caddyrowlandblog.blogspot.com (Writer of Fiction, Painter of Life & Energy)

FACEBOOK: Gastien fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/Gastien.Beauchamp

Twitter: @Caddyorpims

SNEAK TEASE:

“Bonsoir yourself! You are quite bold sitting down without being invited! How do you know I am not meeting someone? How do you know if you are wanted?” she challenged softly, refusing to be the first to look away.

He smiled lazily and sat back. “Bold? I was bought and paid for last night when you sent me five bottles of champagne. I am definitely wanted. And, oui, you were waiting for someone. That person is now here, non?”

She nodded slightly, dropping her eyes. “Oui. He is here.”

“What is your name then?” he asked.

“Nathalie. Or Nath.”

“Well, Nathalie, I am puzzled. Tell me, do you prefer to play games? I can do that, but I prefer being open about what I am interested in. I thought last night you made your interest clear. Do we have to go through charades now?” The waiter appeared and Gastien ordered a glass of vin.

Nathalie raised her eyebrows as the waiter walked away. “Usually a gentleman buys the lady a drink.”

“You are right. They do on a date. We are not on a date. You are also assuming that I am a gentleman.”

She gave a small laugh. “My mistake.”

“I am just saying, please don’t assume things about me until you know me better. I am always open about things. However, I don’t like it when people assume they know me before they actually do.”

“Fair enough.”

“Also, anyone who can afford five bottles of champagne for a stranger can afford to buy her own drinks.”

“So, you expect me to buy the drinks?”

“Non. Not mine. I am simply making my intentions clear. I am not interested in courtship, Nathalie. I don’t think you are, either.” She looked surprised. He was not as green as she expected, but every bit as delicious looking as she remembered. Perhaps they would make good bed partners more than one time. He was a challenge.

“So tell me, what are those intentions, and what is your name?” she asked.

“My name is Gastien. My intention is to come home with you so that we can enjoy ourselves in your bed.” He sipped his vin. “That is, after I have a meal. I need to satisfy that hunger first.”

“And if I have decided I am not interested?” she shot back.

“Then I want to say merci for the champagne last night, and I will move on. But, come on, Nath. Are we still playing games?”

She looked into his huge brown eyes. Those eyes were dangerous, there were too many emotions reflected in them. She would have to very careful about not losing her head over this one. But she could be careful, she told herself. She wanted to taste that mouth.  Even more, she wanted to find out what he felt like inside of her.

Gastien smiled, this time sweetly. “You are more than interested. You are already deciding what you want to do with me the first time tonight.”

“The first time? You plan on multiple times tonight?” This man was too full of himself!

Gastien nodded. He looked at her openly. “Oui. I told you I like to be honest. Here is the situation: I have not been with a woman for almost four months. Therefore, it is almost a guarantee that I won’t last long the first time. That is just the way males are. I am sorry. But, if you will let me just make myself happy that first time, I promise to make it up to you. Several times, if you wish.” He opened the menu and started to read it.

She grabbed his menu, pulling it down. “Several times tonight?”

He stared at her unblinking. “Oui. I am eighteen, Nath. I can go all night.”

“Four months without sex? With the appetite you seem to have for it? What, you weren’t in prison or something, were you?”

Gastien threw back his head and laughed. “Non, not in prison. I did nothing illegal. I am an artist, Nath. I was homeless for awhile. No one found me very appealing then.”

She thought that over for a few minutes. This man had lived on the streets during the winter. Somehow he had not only survived, he was sitting in a restaurant, in new clothes, sipping a glass of vin. Obviously, he was not without a quick mind and good instincts to go with those looks. Definitely not a one night fling like she had imagined. This man would be worth establishing a relationship with, one that benefited both of them sexually. This time she smiled even bigger, as she asked, “Several times?”

Gastien sighed. “Oui, Nath. As I said, several times. As many as you can take.”

“And if I am the one to wear you out?” she challenged again.

This time it was Gastien to raise a brow. “Seriously? Is the lady throwing down the gauntlet?”

She smiled. “I think, Gastien, that you and I are going to make each other very happy. Very happy indeed.”

Throughout the night, Gastien was her student. She started with kissing, teaching him that devouring a mouth was good in some cases, but sometimes, you needed to let a kiss start as a whisper and build steam. She taught him that kisses can happen in other places besides a mouth and a conne.

Nath showed him parts of the body that responded to touches and rubs. She taught him how to use his tongue on nipples, on ears, on the back. She taught him how to suck and bite on toes to make a woman crazy, how to run a tongue along an instep, biting the arch.

When he got to the Polidor, about six of the ten men from last night were there. So was she, at her table. The guys called him over to their table. He waved at them, but walked over to the woman’s table. Mon Dieu, she was arresting looking! Whoever wore their hair like that? He liked that she dared to do something with her hair no other woman did. He bet it would soon be in style for the masses. She looked up as he casually sat down at her table across from her. He met her eyes, gave a small indication of a smile and said “Bonsoir.”