Wednesday, February 4, 2009

February Giveaways: The Italian Lover and The Terror


In honor of Valentine's Day, I am hosting a giveaway of five copies of The Italian Lover by Robert Hellenga.



An exhilarating novel of romance, art, and food in Florence, featuring the beloved Margot Harrington, who graced Robert Hellenga's The Sixteen Pleasures. Margot Harrington's memoir about her discovery in Florence of a priceless masterwork of Renaissance erotica - and the misguided love affair it inspired - is now, 25 years later, being made into a movie.

Margot, with the help of her lover, Woody, writes a script that she thinks will validate her life. Of course their script is not used, but never mind - happy endings are the best endings for movies, as Margot eventually comes to see.

At the former convent in Florence where "The Sixteen Pleasures" - now called "The Italian Lover," - is being filmed, Margot enters into a drama she never imagined, where her ideas of home, love, art, and aging collide with the imperatives of commerce and the unknowability of other cultures and other people.

For those of you who would prefer a no-romance V-Day, I am giving away five copies of The Terror by Dan Simmons.

The men on board HMS Terror have every expectation of finding the Northwest Passage. When the expedition's leader, Sir John Franklin, meets a terrible death, Captain Francis Crozier takes command and leads his surviving crewmen on a last, desperate attempt to flee south across the ice.


But as another winter approaches, as scurvy and starvation grow more terrible, and as the Terror on the ice stalks them southward, Crozier and his men begin to fear there is no escape.


A haunting, gripping story based on actual historical events, The Terror is a novel that will chill you to your core.

In order to enter you must leave a comment here telling me which book you would like to win. You may enter for both but please leave a separate comment for each one. Winners must live in the US or Canada and must have a street address (not a P.O. Box). Entries will be accepted until midnight eastern time on February 18th. I will randomly draw five winners for each title and notify them via email. Many, many thanks to Valerie at Hachette for generously providing the books for this giveaway!

27 comments:

Gwendolyn B. said...

I would love to read THE ITALIAN LOVER - thanks for the chance to win a copy.
geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

Nely said...

Oooh both of these sound good. If I can sign up for both that'd be great but if I had to choose one then sign me up for The Italian Lover. Thanks for hosting the giveaway.

♥ Nely
nelaine.sanchez(at)gmail(dot)com

Amanda said...

I'd love to win the Italian Lover. I own and have read The Terror and LOVED it. Great giveaways, thanks!

Lenore Appelhans said...

I'd prefer The Terror! Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

Enter me for The Italian Lover, please. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Simply Stacie said...

Please enter me for The Italian Lover.

Simply Stacie said...

Please enter me for The Terror

Unknown said...

I'm partial to "The Terror", sounds like my kind of read.

shel704 at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

Please sign me up for The Terror!

Thanks!
kherbrand(at)comcast(dot)net

Bridget said...

Posted on Win A Book. I'd like to rad The Italian Lover. Thanks.

bridgetjarsulic@comcast.net

traveler said...

I am intrigued with The Italian Lover and would enjoy it greatly. Thanks for featuring this great novel.
saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Leslie said...

I would like to win THE TERROR because it sounds like something both myself and my husband would like. Thanks!

anne said...

The Italian Lover fascinates me. Thanks for the chance.
rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

ellie said...

I would love to read The Italian lover. Thanks. It looks fabulous.
elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

avisannschild said...

I'm also interested in The Italian Lover please!

shereadsandreads(at)gmail(dot)com

Thanks!

Lisa said...

I would love to win a copy of The Italian Lover. Although I'm not big on celebrating V-Day, I've already read The Terror. Thanks for the giveaway!

The Giveaway Diva said...

i would like to be entered for the italian lover =)

The Giveaway Diva said...

and i can't resist a good book! i'd like to sign up to win the terror too!

Anonymous said...

I'm a long-time Dan Simmons fan. I'd like to win Terror.
traymona[at]aol.com

Michelle Olsen Sasak said...

I'd love a chance to win The Italian Lover. Thanks!

Michelle Olsen Sasak said...

I'm also interested in The Terror, so whichever book is fine with me :)
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hey, please sign me up for The Terror, it sounds really good. Thanks!
tiffanyak1986(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Since you said we could enter for both, please put me down for The Italian Lover as well. Thanks!
tiffanyak1986(at)hotmail(dot)com

bison61 said...

I'd love to win the Italian Lover

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

bison61 said...

I'd like The Terror

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

CherylS22 said...

Please enter me for THE ITALIAN LOVER.
Thanks! megalon22(at)yahoo(dot)com

CherylS22 said...

Please enter me for THE TERROR.
Thanks! megalon22(at)yahoo(dot)com


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About Me

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New Hampshire, United States
Bibliophile, Anglophile, Traveller... I have been an avid reader all of my life, since I took the Dr. Seuss Dictionary away from my Mom when I was less than a year old because I wanted to read it myself. In college, where I earned my degree in English Literature, I was often asked "What are you going to do with it?" Now I finally have the answer to that question!!! Being employed as a Flight Attendant for twenty years has given me a lot of life experience and, better still, a lot of time to read. I love to travel for fun, too.