Welcome Back Marquita Valentine!

Posted by at Sep 20, 2012 6:00 am

Thanks for hosting me at Plotmonkeys again, Carly and ladies! I am so excited to be here!

When I was a teenager, it was a very big deal for a guy to have his ear(s) pierced. Like only very bad boys who were up to very bad things did stuff like that. Needless to say, my very conservative dad (former Marine) was none too happy when a potential boyfriend showed up for our first date with a lovely gold hoop in his ear.

And when that same potential boyfriend became a real boyfriend and had his other ear pierced and got a tattoo…Talk about adding insult to injury.

All kidding (kind of) aside, I love reading about a hero that has piercings. For me it’s like the new tattoo. And my hero, Sasha Romanov, in THIRD TIME’S a CHARM has two piercings.

Sasha stood, propping himself against the window above the claw-foot tub and gingerly moved the soap over his skin. Steaming hot water ran down his body, washing away the suds, blood and grime, revealing his lean, muscular form. The large cross tattoo on his bicep contracted and expanded with his movements. Gold nipple rings flashed in the morning sun.

Wonder if the heroine, Rose Holland, plans on helping him wash his back? ;)

What about you? Do you like for your hero to be tattooed or pierced? Maybe a combination of the two? Two lucky Commenters will receive an e-copy of THIRD TIME’S a CHARM for their Kindle or Nook.

Not even Holland Springs’ Most Notorious Resident can stop this Love Spell.

Customers come to Rose Holland’s apothecary shop for three things: to hear her uncanny matchmaking advice, to buy the “magical” hair and skin products she sells, and to accuse her of trying to steal their men. For years Rose has been entirely innocent and almost content with that status quo. But that was before sexy, smooth-talking Sasha Romanov came to town and made her want to use her love potions on him… until he broke her heart. Now corrupt town officials want to seize her land and sell it to an industrial giant, and her only hope for help looks like the one man she can’t trust—or stop herself from falling under his spell.

Alexander “Sasha” Romanov seems like every woman’s dream: charming, handsome and fabulously rich. But while the people of Holland Springs think he’s in town to generously invest in their economy (and possibly one of their daughters), Sasha struggles to save his sick mother from his vicious uncle’s plans by doing everything the greedy businessman wants. And Vlad Romanov wants Rose Holland’s land—at any cost.

Despite Sasha’s vow to get the job done and keep his hands (and everything else!) off Rose, the blue-eyed witch enchants him. But his mother’s life remains in the balance. Sasha must find a way to protect his mother, sabotage his uncle’s plans, and win the woman who’s captured his heart without destroying everything she loves.

“A refreshing, whimsical contemporary romance with complex characters and bursts of emotion that tugs on your heartstrings. Kept me up till one AM reading!”~ Carly Phillips, NY Times Bestselling Author

BUY LINKS
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BIO
Marquita Valentine writes small town romances that are anything but small. Lisa Kleypas, Carly Phillips and Rachel Gibson are among her favorite contemporary authors. Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man — and if that doesn’t work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.

You can find Marquita all over the internet:
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69 Comments

69 thoughts on “Welcome Back Marquita Valentine!

  1. 1
    Andris Bear says:

    Marquita, Carly & ladies,
    I have a thing for tattoos–not a lot, maybe one or two, but there’s just something sexy about a flexing bicep with ink. Or is that just me? ;} Of course, it also needs to be a manly tattoo. I don’t care how well muscled he is if he’s sporting Papa Smurf or Spongebob on his arm. :ohno: That’s a no-go in every way. Lol.

    • 1.1

      Andris, why you got major hate for Smurfs and Spongebob? :razz3: But yeah, I totally get the manly tattoo part. Can we also say that the wording *has* to be correctly spelled?

      Thanks for stopping by!

  2. 2
    Tracy says:

    I am not married to a man with piercings or a tattoo, but I find them extremely sexy to read about the Hero, in my book, to have them! Love it for his woman to make a “big” deal out of them!

    And NO Doubt, Sasha was one sexy man! :thumbsup:

    • 2.1

      Tracy, I actually married that guy with the tattoo and piercings (which his momma blamed me for him getting more of, lol!). I like reading about them, too. I think I find it most shocking in a historical, even though by Victorian times a big chunk of the aristocracy had them. Crazy, huh?

      As for Sasha, thank you!! :D

  3. 3
    Roxanne says:

    Love a good tattoo. In fact, I really want one myself, but I’m totally chicken. However, I don’t want to see more ink than skin on a guy. Also don’t love them in certain places.

    It was fun writing the hero in one of my books. He has a several tattoos and a dark secret that goes along with one of them.

    • 3.1

      Roxanne, I am a total pansy when it comes to pain (which is why God made epidurals for childbirth ;p). Also, I’m so fickle when it comes to tattoos. I’m sure that as soon as I got inked, I’d want a different one. ;)

      Once while I was driving, I saw a guy riding a really cool motorcycle and he had a “tramp stamp”. Thought that was incredibly hot. I tried to talk my husband into one, but he said no. :praying: :partyman: :( Party pooper.

      Thanks for stopping by! And congrats on your new contract with Carina Press! :)

  4. 4
    katie says:

    Welcome to the jungle!

  5. 5
    SandyG265 says:

    I don’t mind tatoos as long as they aren’t over done but I’m not a big fan of piercings.

  6. 6

    Yes and yes! On heroes, definitely. Sasha is so completely sexy in every way, and his piercings are part of the whole. I loved THIRD TIME’S A CHARM! Another fabulous Holland Springs romance. Can’t wait for the next one!

  7. 7
    MK says:

    I would never get a tattoo (I try to avoid pain, and especially pain that I pay for!) but I don’t mind them on other people. I like to ask people what the tattoos mean, say, or why they got it. I like to hear the stories behind them. Piercings are ok, too. Again, other than my ears, I will not be getting any more piercings.

    But I digress, to answer your question, if the hero or heroine is tatooed or pierced it doesn’t bother me in the least. With Sasha, the hero in your latest book, the piercings fit him perfectly and the story behind the tattoo lets us know a little more about him so it totally works for me. I love Sasha and Rose and your book!! Here’s to many more books!! :yourock

    • 7.1

      MK, I love knowing the stories behind tattoos. Especially when they are more than I got drunk one night, lol!

      And thank you! I’m so happy that Sasha’s piercings *and* tattoo worked for you. I think the piercings also worked for Rose. :D

  8. 8

    I am not a fan of piercings, though my high school sweetheart got one when we were together, but it did nothing for me. I just kept wondering if he put it in the right ear. But tats…I came across them on my 2nd boyfriend, the love of my life that I’m no longer with. It was the typical around the bicep that most guys get as their 1st. But being under him, :-) , and watching it flex and glisten with sweat…oh that became my favorite part of a man. I just want to bite it and lick it….okay I need to stop thinking about them now, getting myself worked up. lol

  9. 9
    Colleen says:

    I have seen some really great tattoos out there… When it looks like great art I do not mind it… but for myself I do not think I will ever get one… as for piercings, I have never actually met a guy with any… would I mind for heroes, no.

    • 9.1

      It seemed like every guy I saw in college had piercings, Colleen. Maybe it’s because I went to a big party school? :lol:

      I’m with you on heroes. I like it when they have something a little extra for us to swoon over with the heroine. ;)

      Thanks for stopping by!

  10. 10
    Pat F. says:

    Tattoos….yum. Don’t really like the one’s that are like sleeves! Too much of a good thing. Not crazy about piercings, except ears. I cringe every time I see a guy with nipple piercings. I feel his pain!!,
    Now Sasha, our very bad boy who wants to be good, :hothot: His piercings are appropriate! Love your stories Marquita! :party:

  11. 11
    Melanie Revis says:

    I like tattoos, I have 2 and my husband has several. People thought I was crazy for letting my then7 year old son (he is 13 now) get his ear pierced. He had been asking for a couple of years. I guess we just move with the times.

    I enjoyed your visit.

    • 11.1

      Very cool, Melanie. As for you son, I’m kinda surprised since I see tons of *babies* with pierced ears. At least your son could say yea or nay in the matter. I think my husband had his ear pierced when he was thirteen or fourteen.

      And thanks for having me! I love being here!

  12. 12
    Gigi says:

    I am not too crazy about tattoos. Especially folks that are tattooed all over.

    All I think about is one day that skin is going to be saggy and the tattoo will lose its shape.
    I like for my heroes to be piercing free. That seems more rugged and manly to me (unless they are a pirate then they have to have a gold hoop). :hallpir:

    • 12.1

      LOL, Gigi!!! Nursing homes in the future will certainly be interesting with all the things we do to our bodies. ;)

      I dunno…I know some really hot and very manly men that are pierced. Some are even in the military. Can’t much manlier than that, eh? ;)

      Thanks for stopping by!

  13. 13
    Ardie says:

    Skip the piercings and give me a guy with ink on his upper arm. Forget the Mom in a heart and give me something that goes around his strong, sexy upper arm.

    • 13.1

      That seems to be a favorite of many, Ardie. I have to say that I prefer the back-the bigger the tattoo, the better.

      As for piercings, come to the dark side. Piercings are the new tattoo. :cooldance:

  14. 14
    Liza says:

    I loved Sasha and his nipple rings! I’ve never dated a guy with piercings, but as long as not too crazy with location, I’d be okay. I have 2 tatts myself, so I’m good with those too.

    • 14.1

      Aw, thanks, Liza! I’m so glad you did. I think I’d have to draw the line a guy having that space between his thumb and pointer finger pierced or maybe his toes, I dunno. ;)

      What can I say, most things don’t bother me. LOL! And yay you and Melanie. I admire anyone willing to sit through getting a tattoo or two. :cheer:

      Thanks for stopping by!

  15. 15
    Nicole M. says:

    I find tatoos and piercings add a flare to the character which can be spicy. :onfire1:

  16. 16
    Anita L says:

    :cooldance: Truthfully not sure how I feel about the piercings, my husband had to get one ear pierced a few yrs after we were married and I thought that was ok(he no longer wears an earing). I like a tat on the bicep but not all over, it looks a little overdone!

  17. 17
    bn100 says:

    I don’t mind the tattoos. The piercings depend on where they’re located.

  18. 18
    Tina S says:

    First I would like to welcome Marquita to the monkey zone! Tattoos are sexy when you only have a few. Too many and it starts to look trashy. My hubby has a dragon tattoo on his arm and it’s a work of art. As for the piercings…only the ears. Both my sons have their ears pierced and I’m fine with it.

    • 18.1

      Thanks for the warm welcome, Tina! It’s fun hanging out with all these monkey. :D

      A dragon tattoo? Wow, I bet it does look amazing! Hey, there’s nothing wrong with knowing what you like on a man. They sure are vocal about what they like. ;)

      Thanks for stopping by!

  19. 19
    Lindsay W says:

    I have nothing against piercings or tattoos….they can definitely be hot!

    Third Time’s a Charm sounds great. I can’t wait to read it!

  20. 20
    Gale Sroelov says:

    If I had to say, I think tattoos would be sexy but not sure about the piercings. I barely remember to wear MY jewelry! I’d be ticked if my guy looked more put together than I did. :biggrin:

  21. 21
    Tina Rucci says:

    I think a lot has to do with the guy who has them. Some men look hot with them and some make you wonder if they got them to try to look hot and it backfired.

    • 21.1

      Great point, Tina. Yeah, I think that’s called having *too* much try.

      When I wrote Third Time’s a Charm, it kinda shocked me that the voices in my head (snicker) said that my hero (who was actually in my first book, Twice Tempted, as a 2ndary character) was pierced due to his very put-together appearance.

      Such a contrast, I think. ;)

      Thanks for stopping by!

  22. 22
    chris bails says:

    Not big on piercings, but I love tattoos. Very sexy. As long as it’s not too many. I love the sleeves on the arms. Love tattoos on the biceps. No face tattoos though. Back and chest tattoos are sexy. This sounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway.

    • 22.1

      Hi Chris, I love them, too-as you can tell from my post. Not sure why people get face tattoos. However, I do remember the story of the girl who claimed that she fell asleep while getting a tattoo and woke up with a bunch on her face. :scratch:

      And thank you. I hope you get a chance to read Third Time’s a Charm!

      Thanks for stopping by!

  23. 23
    Pamiam says:

    I don’t mind tats or piercings to a degree. My husband, daughter, son in law and daughter in law have tattoos. My son and DIL both are pierced. Actually I think my son let his ears close up and the DIL has a small stud in her nose that I actually think looks nice. I don’t like the extreme tats especially on the face. Why some people tattoo their face to make themselves look like a vampire or demon is just a little too weird for me :scratch:
    I might have been tempted to get a small tattoo when I was younger, but at my age there is no way I am exposing this body to frighten the masses. :shock:

    • 23.1

      Pamiam, I bet you could totally rock a tattoo. :cooldance: But you might not want to listen to me, because I’m an enabler who lives vicariously through others. :D

      I think nose piercings are cute. My sister has one, but she doesn’t get to wear it in the ARMY.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  24. 24
    Maria E says:

    I never realized I like tattoos before I met my husband. Boy did he have the bad boy image when I met him. I think that’s what attracted me to him. Looking forward to reading your book. Thanks for the giveaway.

    • 24.1

      Maria, can we all meet your husband? Just kidding! :winking: I blame my husband for my love of those, too. Bad boy influences…what would we do without them. :batteeyes: :biggrin:

      And thank you! I hope you get a chance to read Third Time’s a Charm!

      Thanks for stopping by!

  25. 25

    I wanted to thank Carly and all the ladies of Plotmonkeys again for having me. And a HUGE thanks to Carly for my fabulous quote for Third Time’s a Charm. I did this when I read it: :fainting: Then did this :party:

    Don’t y’all love all the cool emoticons?!

  26. 26
    Moundsbar says:

    :hallpir:
    Tattooed, pierced or both but, not too many and not real gaudy.
    One pierce in one ear is enough!! LOVE the BAD BOY image in a
    suit and tie!!
    EVERYBODY HAVE A FABULOUS WEEKEND!

    • 26.1

      Tastefully pierced and inked- I love it, Moundsbar! :applause: Yeah, there is something about a man wearing a suit and tie when you know underneath…there’s something just for you. ;)

      Thanks for stopping by and you have a fabulous weekend, too!

  27. 27
    Rachel Donovan says:

    Sounds awesome! :biggrin: Can’t wait to read it!! :biggrin: I always love witch-y things ;) Guys with tattoos are awesome! I myself love the tat I have. 8) Looking forward to getting my next! My fiancee is trying to figure out what he wants and then we’ll go get ours done together. :hugging: Can’t wait to read!~ :cooldance: :reading:

    • 27.1

      Rachel, thank you! I do, too! Third Time’s a Charm is kind of a Practical Magic meets Garden Spells type of thing.

      Oh wow, I think that’ so cool 8) 8) you guys will be getting it done together. And congratulations on your engagement! :applause:

      Thank you and I hope you enjoy my book!

      PS My mother named my sister after the main character of the tv show Bewitched.

      • Rachel Donovan says:

        Thank you so much :D This book sounds right up my alley, being that I’m a wiccan; using herbs to heal, totally in the norm! lol, I love that show bewitched, pretty funny, so was I Dream of Jeannie. I love watching them when I’m not feeling good, after all, laughter is the best medicine. I hope your book has great success, it sounds wonderful! :winking:

  28. 28
    Brenda Rumsey says:

    A few tattoos are great on the hero, but I say no to piercing….with the exception of certain time periods or locations that the story takes place in. It just has to “fit” with the man.
    Congrats on your book. It sounds like a must read.

    • 28.1

      Brenda, I remember reading a lot of Virginia Henley books that took place in medieval times, Elizabethan times and pre-Regency. Her heroes (and sometimes her heroines) usually had a ear pierced or a tattoo. And for some reason I didn’t blink an eyes at it. So, I get what you’re saying though and agree! It needs to fit the story and the character.

      Maybe Virginia was an influence for me and not the boyfriend turned husband, lol?

      And thank you! I hope you get the chance to read Third Time’s a Charm.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  29. 29
    erinf1 says:

    Thanks for a fun post and congrats to Marquita on the new release! I just bought her book today! No need to enter me, just wanted to say hi! :)

  30. 30
    Krystal B. says:

    As a female with 12 of my own piercings (no tatts yet!) I can appreciate a man whose got a few decorations on his body lol.

  31. 31
    Sherie says:

    I am not a fan of ear rings! But I don’t mind a good tattoo. Now I have never been with a man with nipple rings, I may have to look into that after I meet Sasha!

  32. 32
    Eileen R says:

    I have ear piercing and no tattoos but do like seeing nice tattoos on men. Women not so much. I’m a big chicken when it comes to pain. Plus it is SOO permanent. :D I guess I would have to see his piercing to know if it works on him or not. LOL

    • 32.1

      Eileen, I am such a chicken too. However, I think tattoos hurt worse or maybe longer because they take a while. Piercings are like quick rubberband snaps of pain.

      It’s always good to see piercings on a hot guy up close and personal. :winking:

      Thanks for stopping by!

  33. 33
    Jolene A says:

    This sounds like such a great read, can’t wait to get started. I love tattoos and have several, so I always enjoy it when a character has a few. Tattoos on men are really hot to me, one of the first things I noticed when I met my husband :) I am always intrigued when a character has them and I love imagining what it looks like

  34. 34
    Margay says:

    I’m not really into the whole tattoo and piercing thing, but if the tattoos are tasteful and not overdone, I prefer them to piercings.

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