Happy Release Day, Tessa!

Today is a special day of a very special lady. The Legend of the Werestag is being released by Samhain Publishing. TLOTW is Tessa Dare's debut book, debut novella, and e-publishing debut.

Of the book, Ann Aguirre, national bestselling author of Blue Diablo, writes, "Tessa Dare writes with incandescent emotional ferocity, balancing story and character with knife-edged elegance. This is the best novella I have read all year."

This isn't a true paranormal romance, but rather a sexy, funny historical romance featuring a quintet of romantically entangled houseguests who become intrigued by the legend of a cursed man-beast. It's also loosely connected to Tessa's July print debut Goddess of the Hunt.

Smart Bitch Sarah says, "…a perfect compliment of dialogue, sexual and emotional tension, characters who are flawed and real, and a happy ending that is believable and so welcome. I rooted for the protagonists, I was very curious about the story, and I was disappointed by the fact that it was over."

Synopsis:
If a woman could die of humiliation, Cecily Hale would have perished three hours ago. Luke Trenton had finally returned to Swinford Manor, only to cruelly spurn her long-held love. But she couldn’t conveniently die of shame on the spot—oh, no. Instead she joined her friends on this ridiculous search for a legendary man-beast. Now she’ll die here—alone in the woods, at the tusks of a snarling boar.

Luke left for war a dashing youth and returned a man—just not the same man Cecily fell in love with. His passion for her is stronger than ever, but the ravages of battle changed him in ways she wouldn’t understand. Pushing her away was supposed to save her, not throw her into the path of another inhuman creature…or into the arms of another man.

For it is a man who rescues Cecily, just as the boar attacks. A mysterious, silent man who disappears into the woods, leaving her with just a glimpse—of a fleeing white deer. Could her rescuer be the man-beast of local lore?

A dangerous myth has captured Cecily’s imagination, putting Luke on the horns of a dilemma. Unless he summons the passion and tenderness to win her back, he could lose her forever…to the Werestag.

Tessa's fabulous story can be ordered from My Bookstore and More, Books on Board, and Amazon Kindle.

[Edit: For a chance to win a free copy, comment on Courtney Milan's blog now or at Dear Author later this afternoon.]

[Edit: For a bonus free excerpt, visit the Samhain Cafe loop.]