The travel company Expedia is running a competition in the run up to Valentine’s Day, giving you the chance to win a £50 voucher towards the cost of your next holiday. (Of course if you win, you don’t need to spend the money on a romantic holiday. Why not travel alone, and take a good book with you?)
To be in with a chance of winning the Expedia voucher, what you have to do is visit the Expedia blog and follow their Romantic Novel Valentine’s flowchart. This will lead you to your ideal date and destination. If you leave a comment and share the post using the hashtag #expediavalentines, you’ll be in with a chance of winning.
If I had to choose a romantic date myself (apart from with my husband, of course!) then that date would be Mr Thornton from North and South. I’ve almost finished writing my fourth contemporary romance, which is set in the Lake District in the north of England, not too far from the setting for Mrs Gaskell’s mill town. My northern hero is called Patrick, and he does have a touch of Mr Thornton about him. My heroine, Fliss, tells him he’s “all dour and northern and grumpy.” Of course if my hero happened to win an Expedia holiday, I’m sure that would cheer him up…although I can’t think of many more destinations that are more romantic than the Lake District!
How about you? Who would your dream date be for Valentine’s? And where would you go? If you have any comments, I’d love to hear from you! (Don’t forget to comment on the Expedia blog if you want to try your hand at winning the voucher. And if you do win, please come back and let me know!)
Goodreads Book Giveaway
A Way from Heart to Heart
by Helena Fairfax
Giveaway ends March 13, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Helena Fairfax 
I’ll probably always say Venice as my favourite romantic place to revisit and should probably take my husband! I do, however, like the sound of your hero, Helena.
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Venice is lovely, Rosemary! I also love Florence and Genoa. Such romantic locations! Thanks very much fro dropping in!
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I’m just back from a visit to the Taj Mahal – that icon expression of enduring romantic love. It was raining and cold, but it remains one of the most exciting wonders of the modern world. In the natural world, my own favourite place is in Sutherland. He knows who he is and he knows where…
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Hi Anne, I’d absolutely love to see the Taj Mahal! How exciting that you got to go there. I remember the iconic Princess Diana photo when she went to visit. And I love your cryptically romantic comment about Sutherland. There’s no need to travel far to find romance :) Thanks very much for dropping in. I hope you enjoy Valentine’s Day!
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Aloha Helena.
I love it. ‘All dour and northern and grumpy’. Lol.
I think I’ll pick Luther (Idris Elba) and my dream date place would be the Maldives.
Lol. What fun.
I couldn’t do the expedia thing because I couldn’t read it on my phone. But I’ll have a go later. Lol.
Thanks Helena. I don’t fancy a holiday by myself. Taken too many of those in my lifetime. But yes. Mr Luther would be lovely. Nice brain and eyes :-). Interesting. :-)
Aloha Meg. :-).
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Oh, what a date Idris Elba would be! Love your choice. And I’ve never been to the Maldives. It would be fabulous to be on a beach there right now, and away from all this damp and cold.
I put about holidaying alone because some people enjoy it, and also, some people get fed up of the loved up scene at Valentines. It’s another time of year when people can feel pressured. God, how I hated it at school! The ignominy of having your own mum send you a card. Haha! Happy days!
Hope you get to take that holiday, Meg. And if Idris can’t make it, I’m always free!
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I think anyplace could be romantic. Just give me flowers, candles, and chocolate. Sorry, I”m not a wine drinker. I’ve tried but it makes me dizzy and when I’m with the one I love I don’t want to be dizzy or foggy brained. I want to enjoy every minute of being together.!! Hope you have a lovely, memorable Valentine’s Day!
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You, too, JQ! Have a lovely day!
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Hi Helena
My you have been busy!
Best of luck for number 4.
Just wondering where you get the inspiration for all these characters – relations perhaps?
Zita
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Hi Zita, I actually wish I could write faster! Although my last book came out in November, I’d finished it last Jan (publishing is such a slow process) which means it’s taken me over a year to write book four. I need to crack on! As for getting inspiration from my relatives – I hadn’t thought of that one! You’re right , sometimes the best stories are close to home – and they do say truth is stranger than fiction! Thanks very much for dropping in!
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