The Exiled Jeweler by Susie Warren - Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susie will be awarding a Vintage Books Smartphone Case to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. This plastic hard case features a nostalgic photo of book spines of popular books. It’s scratch resistant – made from polycarbonate used for motorcycle helmets. Full colour, high quality image is printed all over the case, available for iPhone 4/4S, iPhone 5, and Samsung Galaxy S3. Click on the tour banner for the other stops on the tour.

Emilia Berceto’s beauty captures the attention of a well-known Italian billionaire, Alex Armanti, when she attends a gala at his mansion in Los Angeles. Images secretly captured of her partially nude are released to the tabloids and her overly protective family sends her far away.

Four years later, Emilia continues to live a secluded life designing custom jewelry for the wealthy. Her family needs her to return home to California when their jewelry empire is near bankruptcy. When she returns, she must face the man who caused her downfall and is threatening to reveal her secret if she is to save her family’s jewelry empire.

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt:

Alex observed the expressions fleeting across Emilia’s face as she acknowledged him. Her shoulders straightened and she turned a pale, set-in-stone face toward him. She had been so elusive that it had been impossible to make contact with her. But making a bid for Berceto had brought her out of hiding.

The elusive heiress said something to her father. Emilia Berceto held her father in the palm of her hand. But handing her the company on a silver platter was beyond her father’s ability at this point. Berceto would be lucky if they were in business in six months.

She had refused any contact with him after that night, which still rankled him. Her parents had shipped her off to parts unknown. He would have insisted on protecting her and suing the tabloids.

He could feel his chest tighten as he remembered her spell. At the gala, he could barely keep his eyes off of her. She tempted him in a way that no other woman had and then left without a backward glance.

But he had made a mistake with her. He hadn’t known how sheltered and out of her element she had been. She had been kept hidden from view and overly protected so the press didn’t even have her on their radar. He had been shocked when he found out several days later that their moment of passion had been caught on film.

Now the Berceto Empire was rumored to be short on cash and hurting for sales. The surprising element in all of this was that Emilia, instead of being merely a spoiled rich kid, possessed a hidden talent for design and the determination to succeed in her own right.

Alex stepped closer and shook her father’s hand before turning his gaze on her.

“Emilia.” He let gaze rake over her and noticed she took a slight step back.

Her face was exquisite with the barest application of makeup. She no longer had shoulder-length brown hair; instead it had been replaced with shocking red hair reaching her mid-back. He noticed her slim build and the feminine shape of her hips and breasts. She had lost some of her shyness but still seemed self-contained and elusive.

Peter Berceto said, “I didn’t realize the two of you had met before.”

She held his gaze. “We haven’t officially.”

“Alexander Armati, I would like to introduce my daughter, Emilia Berceto.”

She held out her graceful hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Armati.”

Alex could feel an awareness pass through him as he felt the touch of her hand. Banishing the memory of their past encounter from his mind to stay focused.

“Alex, please.”

About the Author:

Susie Warren writes contemporary romance. Besides being an avid reader, she spends much of her free time crafting intense and complex stories about falling in love. When she is not writing, Susie works as an administrator in a small, independent school while caring for three teenagers and keeping tabs on her inventor husband. With the launching of her first book, The Forgotten Heiress, she has slowly begun to navigate the social media realm.

Susie loves to hear from readers and responds to each email and Facebook post. Please reach out to her via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susie-Warren/647556668647832 or Twitter @susiecwarren

For more information on her upcoming releases, new excerpts and other related postings, or to sign up for free promotions, please visit www.SusieWarren.com

The Rosa Legacy Series

The first novel in The Rosa Legacy series, Ruthless Perfection, started with the idea of a traditional Italian mother who wanted her only daughter happily married. The mother, Carla Rosa Neri, along with her two sisters, Francesca and Marie, had emigrated from Italy as young girls and each went off to create a dynamic and successful family.

Each of the sisters had an only daughter and they made sure the girls spent time together. They attended the same boarding school in the northeast and visited each other’s homes in the summer.

Ruthless Perfection

Carla Rosa married into the Neri family with a long history in the Carrara marble industry. Her daughter, Isabel Neri, being a filmmaker and wanting to honor her grandfather’s legacy, approaches a reclusive billionaire, Marc Santoro, to ask permission to produce a documentary about the life of a quarry worker. Ruthless Perfection is the story of how they fall in love.

The Exiled Jeweler

Francesca Rosa married into the Berceto family with a long history in the jewelry making business. The Second novel in The Rosa Legacy series, The Exiled Jeweler, is about her daughter, Emelia, who went into seclusion after a scandal tore the family apart. Emelia is a talented jewelry designer who lived a sheltered life and was drawn into a passionate encounter with her family’s rival, Alexander Armati at a gala. Outside in the garden, photographs were taken on them and sold to the tabloid press. Her family was shocked and embarrassed and sent Emelia off to Florida. Four years later, she returns when her grandfather has a heart attack and her parents are deciding to sell the family business.

The Convenient Wedding

Marie Rosa married into the prominent Montgomery family, with a successful background in politics. Her only daughter, Lucia, is fascinated by politics and becomes a campaign aide. The opportunity to work on a senate campaign in Connecticut draws her into the middle of a scandal. Anderson Adams is a dark horse in the senate race yet convinces Lucia to play along with a strategy to save his campaign. The third novel in The Rosa Legacy series, The Convenient Wedding, is the story about how they reconcile their public image with their private life. The Convenient Wedding will be available in February 2015.

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Ruthless Perfection by Susie Warren - Interview and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susie will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Thanks for stopping by It's Raining Books, Susie. Why do you write contemporary romance? What draws you to it?

I love to read contemporary romance. I’m drawn to the happily ever after, satisfying emotional arc and the fast pace.

For me, the hardest part of being a romance writer is the willingness to explore the emotional core of the story. I get lost in intriguing plots and the structure of the story and have to push myself to fully investigate the emotional life of the characters. But the reader ultimately is looking for the emotional impact in the story so the setting and plot details in a well told romance will be somewhat invisible.

What research was required required for Ruthless Perfection?

I learned a great deal about the history of the marble trade while doing the research for Ruthless Perfection. Marble is a very tangible commodity and for most people they have touched a marble countertop or admired a marble statue. Part of the challenge for me was to not allow too much of the history to come in and overshadow the relationship between Isabel and Marc.

Do you have any odd or interesting writing quirks, habits or superstitions?

I have a tendency to write early in the morning as the sun is rising. The house is very quiet at this time and the phone seldom rings. As I get drawn deeper into the story, the house could go up in flames and I may not realize it as I keep putting words on the page. I also like to wear the same cashmere sweater and keep my office set up in the same way.

Are you a plotter or pantser?

I’ve shifted from a pantser to a plotter. I’ve always been drawn to creating the structure of the story but I used to allow the characters to set the pace. Now I insist on a framework so the story doesn’t go off on a tangent.

Look to your right – what’s sitting there?

A stack of books about writing. I like to hold onto non-fiction books and occasionally will glance through them for inspiration.

Anything new coming up from you? What?

My third novel, The Exiled Jeweler, is coming out this month.

It’s about a shy heiress to a jewelry empire that captures the attention of a celebrated business entrepreneur when she attends a gala at his mansion in Los Angeles. Images secretly captured of her partially nude are released to the tabloids and her overly protective family sends her far away.

Do you have a question for our readers?

Why do you like to read? It is to immerse yourself in another world? Escape everyday stresses? Or is it just the sheer enjoyment of the story?

A filmmaker wanting to honor her family’s legacy approaches a reclusive billionaire for help Isabel Neri’s innocence captures the attention of a well-known Italian marble mogul, Marc Santoro, when she approaches him against her family’s wishes. Wanting to honor her disgraced grandfather, Isabel needs Marc’s permission to produce a film about the Carrara marble industry. Faced with honoring an old family obligation, Marc allows Isabel to travel to Italy with him but seeks to limit her exposure to his family’s tragic past. Isabel discovers the untold story and challenges Marc to reveal the truth. She is forced to expose her own secret as their desire sparks out of control.

Enjoy an excerpt: Isabel felt a moment of panic as she watched the driver make a swift exit. She carefully walked up the stone path that led to the front door, being careful not to catch her black Manolo Blahnik heels in the stones. The front door swung open and Isabel felt the oxygen leave her body. She wasn’t prepared for seeing Marc Santoro in the flesh again. She could feel his gaze rake over her in appraisal, apparently sizing her up. He looked every inch the wealthy business owner: he was dressed in an expertly tailored gray shirt with slightly darker gray trousers that were pressed to exactness. He was even more striking than she remembered, and she reminded herself to just breathe and focus on her pitch. It was his intensity that she responded to; he seemed to be absorbing everything about her. Isabel hid her expression as she acknowledged to herself that while he may appreciate her outward appearance, he wouldn’t appreciate her damaged body. Would he remember meeting her before? She forced herself to reach out and offer her hand. As his warm fingers enveloped hers, she felt a spark of attraction travel through her body. She immediately pulled back, but not before she saw his eyes darken. He merely smiled at her reaction, saying, “So you are not just a figment of Alberto’s imagination.” Guiding her inside, he added, “I was beginning to doubt that the old man had any relatives interested in the marble trade.” Isabel felt her spine stiffen. Was he questioning her family’s loyalty? “My grandfather speaks very highly of you,” Isabel said as she took in the luxurious setting, trying to get her bearings. His voice was cool and didn’t give her any clue if he welcomed her visit. “It isn’t often that Alberto Neri asks for a favor.” About the Author: Susie Warren writes contemporary romance. Besides being an avid reader, she spends much of her free time crafting intense and complex stories about falling in love. When she is not writing, Susie works as an administrator in a small, independent school while caring for three teenagers and keeping tabs on her inventor husband. With the launching of her first book, The Forgotten Heiress, she has slowly begun to navigate the social media realm. Susie loves to hear from readers and responds to each email and Facebook post. Please reach out to her via Facebook or Twitter @susiecwarren For more information on her upcoming releases, new excerpts and other related postings, or to sign up for free promotions, please visit www.SusieWarren.com. Buy the book at Amazon. a Rafflecopter giveaway