NBtM Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: Leather & Lace (The Fool's Adventure #2) by Lauren Sevier and Abbie Lynn Smith

Welcome to my stop on the NBtM virtual book tour for Leather & Lace by Lauren Sevier and Abbie Lynn Smith. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a great guest post from the authors regarding the characters. There's also the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more content. Enjoy!

--

Title: Leather & Lace

Series: The Fool's Adventure #2

Authors: Lauren Sevier and Abbie Lynn Smith

Publication Date: December 1st 2022

Print Length: 650 pages

Genre: Dystopian Western Romance

~

Three years wandering the desert is enough to drive anyone insane, and the limits of Bonnie and Jesse’s minds and hearts will be put to the ultimate test.

A deadly showdown with a murderous outlaw ripped Bonnie away from the relative peace and ragtag family she’d built at the end of Guns & Smoke. In the thrilling next chapter in The Fool’s Adventure series, we finally get the answer to the biggest question: What happened to Bonnie?

After three years of fighting to get her back, literally, Jesse James finds her in the most unlikely of places-- New Orleans high society. With the help of his rival-turned-friend Will Ellis, and a sassy staff member, Jesse’s tasked with infiltrating the house of the man he believes was responsible for killing his parents in order to get her back. Jesse’s biggest challenge yet will be learning to fight for Bonnie in a way he never expected before: by fitting in.

Mired in high society politics and scheming, Bonnie is at the epicenter of one of the most ruthless gangs in the world. Years trapped in a gilded cage of wealth and lies has irrevocably changed her from a crass outlaw into a southern debutante. Gone is the dangerous glint in her eyes, replaced with suspicion when the devilishly handsome street fighter named Montana suddenly joins her father’s staff.

Can Jesse remind Bonnie of who she really is in time to keep her from giving her heart and hand away or will he discover that the wild, beautiful outlaw he fell in love with is truly gone?

Goodreads * Amazon * Apple Books *

Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million *

Half Price Books * Kobo * Thrift Books

---

EXCERPT:

“Stop staring at me like that.” I shut the stall door and retrieved my cigarette case to still my twitching fingers. It was smeared with blood, my hands sticky as it dried in thick streaks over my knuckles and palms. If it weren’t for Jesse, I’d have gone back to my apartment. Taken a cold shower. Cold enough to make me feel something again.

I couldn’t stop staring at my hands. The crimson faded into dark rust, settled into the lines of my skin, like a system of rivers. Everything brought me back to the river and the bridge across it.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” His voice was gruff. I shook my head as he started toward the back house. Seb would be waiting up for me, with dark circles under his disappointment-laced eyes. Just the thought of him seeing me like this, the things he would say . . . my chest tightened uncomfortably. Until I couldn't breathe.

“I can’t—” I said, the words strangled from between my lips, tortured. Jesse seemed to understand, and he changed direction, leading me toward the kitchen instead. My feet were clumsier than they’d been earlier tonight, my exhaustion catching up with me all at once. Jesse glanced at me from the corner of his eye, brows furrowed in concern.

Not that I deserved it.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Lauren Sevier & A. Smith are long time friends and co-authors from southern Louisiana. Guns & Smoke, their first joint publication, began as a “short” story after having too much wine on girl’s night. Nine years later it is now the first novel in a Dystopian/Western Romance series. The duo has plans to publish several series together in the future.

 

A. Smith spends her time with her two rescue dogs and rescue cat surrounding herself with books and Labyrinth paraphernalia. 

 

Lauren Sevier collects antique tea cups and tries to stay sane, though as the mother of a toddler she fails brilliantly most days. She also has a growing collection of crowns and tiaras and likes to act silly on TikTok.

 

Look for more thrilling novels from The Fools Adventure series in the future!

LAUREN SEVIER'S LINKS:

Website * Amazon * Facebook *

Goodreads * Instagram * Twitter *

TikTok * YouTube

A. SMITH'S LINKS:

Website * Amazon * Goodreads *

Instagram * TikTok * Twitter

---

GUEST POST:

- Where do you get the inspiration for your characters from?

Abbie: Inspiration for my characters really comes from personal lived experience or things I would like to experience. When it comes to romance, I have really high expectations, so when I set out to write Jesse, I wanted to write the type of man I think would be a stand up, decent person who isn't afraid of being vulnerable, while also showing his strength. Writing Savannah was a much more personal experience for me. I won't say she's just like me, but there are a lot of parts of myself that I put into her. I explored a lot of my personal trauma by writing Savannah, and I really hope that resonates with people.

Lauren: Oh, sheesh. Part of me wants to say the same thing as Abbie, personal lived experience, but I don’t think that’s quite true. There are always little slivers of myself in all the characters I write, there have to be to a certain degree I think. I mean, I’m interpreting them through what I understand them to be. Right? (I’m not sure if that made a ton of sense) But, mostly I think my characters are inspired by human desires. (No, not just the spicy kinds) I figure out what they want more than anything in the world, what they think will make them happy if they attain it, and the rest of their personality falls into place around that. The characters mold themselves around that desire to fit into the world I’ve created and compensate for the failures they’ve had in pursuit of that elusive thing. Whether it’s power, freedom, love, peace, acceptance, validation, safety, etc. And some characters, the really complex ones have more than one and they shift over time, based on learned lessons, changing morals, especially if they’re part of a series of novels. The novel is just the author showing you the journey of this person trying to fulfill that desire, the obstacles they overcome, and whether or not they’re successful in the end. Or realizing that whatever thing had occupied so much time and space wasn’t worth having in the first place. So, uh, that’s my answer in a nutshell I guess *awkward laugh* I figure out what they want and they tell me who they are.

---

GIVEAWAY:

Lauren Sevier and A. Smith will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Good luck!

(All the Ups and Downs is not responsible for this giveaway, its entries, or the prize. Goddess Fish Promotions and the authors assume all responsibility over this giveaway.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway