By
Lola White (Guest Blogger)
Love
is just as much a journey as life is. As a romance author, I try to
capture the ups and downs of the path, but that also means that I
travel that path, take that journey, with every book I write. The
Magic Matched series has taken me to places I never expected.
Let
me start near the beginning of the trail…
My
friend met her husband when she was fifteen years old, and the very
first time she spoke to him, she knew she would marry him. No one
thought her certainty would prove to be prophetic, but they’ve been
together since then, defying the odds for two decades, and that made
me wonder...
What
if you knew who you would marry before you were even grown-up enough
to understand what marriage was? How would knowing exactly who you
were going to marry affect your life, especially if the two of you
were very different—raised with different goals, ethics and
expectations? And what happens when you grow from childhood innocence
to adult challenges?
This
fascinated me. I had chosen to travel throughout my twenties, when
everyone else I knew was getting married and having children. I had
things to do, places to see and refused even the hint of roots to tie
me down. The thought of spending my whole life with one person made
me shudder back then, and still makes me a bit nervous now.
But
there are a lot of people who marry their high school sweethearts,
and even more who enter into arranged marriages throughout the world.
I thought of the journey they must make, from immaturity to
partnership, and applied that to a world divided between matriarchal
and patriarchal lines. I thought of how two people could grow
together, and become a solid, loving team, if they were willing to
work at it.
Magic
Matched is a four-part series, which gave me enough time to make the
journey. Silviu Lovasz is a patriarchal witch determined to rule over
all the covens. He’s also a Reap witch, born with too much magic,
which he tries to hide from others. Because of this, his father
arranged a marriage to Georgeanne Davenold, a matriarchal witch born
without magic, when they were both children. Their families expect
the pair to achieve the ultimate leadership position in witching
society because, together Silviu and Georgie can unlock each other’s
full magical potential. They are Magic Matches.
They
are also from different sides of the Schism, the divide between
matriarchal and patriarchal houses. One values women, the other men,
and that causes some conflict—not just between Silviu and Georgie,
but also the way others see them and react to them. They are both
dominant personalities with differing opinions, they’ve had
different upbringings and experiences.
But
the true source of conflict between them is Georgie’s distrust in
Silviu. Part of that is due to Silviu’s patriarchy, part is due to
a youthful indiscretion they shared. They were too young, just
teenagers, and neither of their families were prepared for the bond
they’d created between them. Not then, not when the loyalty they
had for their own families was suddenly threatened by the way they
felt toward each other.
Georgie
was sent away. She and Silviu were kept separate for ten years, and
the time apart gave Georgie reason to doubt Silviu’s motives toward
her. She believes he’s manipulating her, using her and her body to
get what he wants.
Magic
Matched is Georgie’s journey. And mine. As she learns to trust
again, as she learns to love, old wounds are reopened and she is
tested in ways she never imagined. As was I.
This
series has dragged me through emotions I would rather not have had to
confront. Fears and regrets, but also appreciation for the decisions
I’ve made. We each have different paths to travel, but eventually
we all come across the same lessons. Love is one of them, and for my
characters it’s the most important lesson of all—Magic Matches
are highly influenced by their emotions, you see. And with two
witches so potent they’re usually relegated to myth not only
walking the earth, but Matched with an unstable, unequal power, love
is the only thing that can save them…and the rest of the witching
world.
Betrothed
is the first book in the Magic Matched series and weaves together two
stories, as does every installment. Silviu and Georgie finally
reunite at a betrothal ceremony for his sister.
Ileana
Lovasz is a pawn with a string of broken betrothals to prove it.
She’s willing to use her body to escape her manipulative
grandfather, and agrees to meet Eliasz Levy, a man wholly focused on
building an alliance with Silviu. Eliasz figures marriage to Ileana
is an ideal way to get the power he wants, but when the new couple
meets, emotions they never expected change everything.
Ileana,
Eliasz, Silviu and Georgie must build an alliance that will help them
all get what they want but, with too many lies and too many enemies,
the game they’re playing turns treacherous. When the two women come
under attack, neither Silviu nor Eliasz knows which is the target.
They only know they will protect the women their hearts have claimed
as their own, even though that means defying the traditions of
witching society, risking every goal they hold dear and confronting
the dangerous members of their own families.
Betrothed
is currently on sale for 99 cents, to celebrate the upcoming release
of the third book in the series. This extremely low price is
available for only another few days, until May 17th,
but will then be sold for a temporary price of $3.99 for the next few
months. Married, the second book in the series is also being sold for
that price. This is an excellent time to enter the witching world and
meet Georgie and Silviu. Join them on their journey…
Thank
you Lisabet!
Excerpt
from Betrothed
“Do you ever
think about the night I first put my hands on you?”
Georgie froze,
stopped breathing. She shook her head as her eyes flew wide. Silviu
smiled and stepped closer, ever closer, until there was only enough
room for their bodies’ heat to pass between them. He set his hand
at her waist and sent it sliding up, following the line of her torso
to her ribcage.
“You do,” he
whispered wickedly. “You remember how it felt, when I ran my hands
over your bare body, when I ran my thumb over your perfect little
nipple.”
“Stop it. This is
inappropriate at a Levy Family function.”
Her voice was too
breathless to heed. He curled his fingers over her breast, craving
shooting through him when he felt her nipple pebble under his touch.
Her breath faltered, turning ragged, her pulse hammering in her
slender throat.
“Do you remember
when I put my mouth on you and kissed my way down, finally tasting
your first flood of passion. How sweet you were, all innocent and
fresh, lifting for me with a need you didn’t even bother to hide.”
“Silviu.”
He squeezed her
nipple lightly as he licked across her lips, nearly giving in when
her mouth opened for him. Instead, he ruthlessly held onto his lust
and drew back, leaving her aching, needing. He hoped as needy as him.
Slowly, he moved
away from her, gathering his control around him. “I think you’ll
taste like that again, Georgie.”
“I’m not a
virgin, Silviu.” She lifted her chin, chest heaving, the moonlight
showing him the flush that washed across her cheeks and collarbone.
“You’d better not expect innocence.”
Pain moved through
him, bitter regret. He pushed it aside and lifted a brow. “I took
your innocence, Georgie, when we were just children. I’ll take your
experience too, and teach you brand new things.”
“Bold words.”
“A promise, my
love. Whoever touched you, they didn’t feel like me, did they? They
didn’t feel as good, as right. You didn’t want them as much as
you want me, and you damned sure didn’t find the pleasure you found
with me.”
He lobbed his
accusations blindly, but he’d hit his mark. The tightness in his
chest eased as he saw the truth she couldn’t hide. He was right,
and she knew it. Admitted it to herself, if not to him. That would
make her surrender all the sweeter, when she finally came to him.
That would be soon.
He’d make sure of it.
Motherhood - Book 3 of the Magic Matched series!
General release May 17th.
Betrothed
on sale now at
About
Lola White
Delve
into the emotions, dive into the erotic.
An
extensive traveler who loves to incorporate various legends from
around the world into her tales, Lola White likes to twist reality at
its edges in her stories. She likes delving into the emotions of her
characters, finding their strengths and weaknesses, and seeing (and
showing) how they get themselves out of whatever trouble has found
them—if they can.
Find
her on:
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