01 Dec 2019

Blog Tour: Dangerous Alliance by Jennieke Cohen – Coffee and Tea with the Characters and Giveaway!

Posted in Blog Tour, Giveaways |

Dangerous Alliance

Author: Jennieke Cohen

Publication Date: December 3rd 2019

Publisher: HarperTeen

Synopsis: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Jane Austen in this witty, winking historical romance with a dash of mystery!

Lady Victoria Aston has everything she could want: an older sister happily wed, the future of her family estate secure, and ample opportunity to while her time away in the fields around her home.

But now Vicky must marry—or find herself and her family destitute. Armed only with the wisdom she has gained from her beloved novels by Jane Austen, she enters society’s treacherous season.

Sadly, Miss Austen has little to say about Vicky’s exact circumstances: whether the roguish Mr. Carmichael is indeed a scoundrel, if her former best friend, Tom Sherborne, is out for her dowry or for her heart, or even how to fend off the attentions of the foppish Mr. Silby, he of the unfortunate fashion sensibility.

Most unfortunately of all, Vicky’s books are silent on the topic of the mysterious accidents cropping up around her…ones that could prevent her from surviving until her wedding day.

TEA and COFFEE with Jennieke Cohen and the characters of DANGEROUS ALLIANCE

Which of your characters take their coffee black?
- My main character Vicky’s suitor Mr. Carmichael would be a black coffee kind of guy because he’s always traveling for business and is a bit of a man’s man.
Which of your characters take their coffee with lots of cream?
- My main character Vicky’s former best friend Tom Sherborne probably would, because he spent four years living in Switzerland and would have had access to some of the best tasting cream ever! I think he would have brought the Swiss love of dairy back to England with him. 😉
Which character would rather have tea?
- I actually think most of my characters would prefer tea since they’re English and living in the late Georgian era. Though London had many coffee houses, tea was the beverage of choice for many. Still, I do think my characters would drink coffee occasionally.
Which characters are creatures of habit and which are always changing their orders?
- Tom probably always gets the same thing because he’s had a lot of uncertainty in his life, so he likes to be able to control whatever small things he can. Vicky loves variety and (like me) probably gets whatever sounds good to her that day!
Which of your characters heads straight for the pastries?
- Vicky because she has a bit of a sweet tooth!
Who is there to people watch?
- Vicky’s older sister Althea loves attending society events, so she’d be all about the people-watching.
Which of your characters takes photos of their coffee art? (Who is there for the ‘gram?)
- Tom’s sister Susie wouldn’t have seen much coffee art or spent time in upscale coffee houses, so she’d love to take some photos—or more realistically some sketches since cameras weren’t invented yet. J
Which of your characters is there for their meet-cute?
- Vicky but only because she has to find a husband this season to save her home. If she meets some forward-thinking, eligible gentleman in a coffee house, she certainly wouldn’t pass up such a fortunate situation!
Which character holds up the line talking to the barista? Which character gives the order and runs?
- Tom’s younger brother Charles Sherborne might hold up the line, just because he has a penchant for fine foods and drinks so he’d want to make sure he was ordering the right drink. Vicky’s sister Althea has been through a lot, so she wouldn’t be too interested in talking to strangers and would give her order quickly.
How do you take your coffee (or tea?)
- I’m mostly a tea drinker and I love all varieties and blends! With black teas (and some green teas), I like a little almond or coconut milk and maybe a touch of honey. White teas or herbals are great plain or with a more neutral sweetener than honey (my fave at the moment is made out of concentrated apple juice) or, if iced, with a splash of fruit juice. (You can probably tell I feel pretty strongly about these things ;)) When I do drink coffee, I’ll go for some coconut milk, a dash of vanilla, and maple syrup—I guess I’m extra, but if you haven’t tried it, coffee with maple syrup is a ridiculously good combo, IMHO!
What is your favorite coffee spot?
- I have a lot of criteria for a good coffee spot (nice outdoor seating with good Wi-Fi, not too dark inside, not too loud, good drink selection), and there are some great local places near me that satisfy most of those criteria, but I also tend to end up at Peet’s Coffee more often than not because they’re the most consistently satisfying for my writing needs.
Tell us about your favorite bookish or writing mug!
- Um, am I the only book lover/writer who doesn’t have a cool mug? I have a really nice, sturdy red one that kind of has an hourglass shape and a nice paisley design element, but nothing bookish or writing inspired. I might have to go troll Etsy now…
Do you write in coffee shops? Why or why not?
- I do, and I tend to switch up the ones I go to due to the reasons mentioned above. I find I can usually concentrate better out of the house, and I actually like people-watching and interacting with other people a little since writing is usually so solitary. That said, sometimes when you’re in the writing groove, you just have to be somewhere quiet with no Wi-Fi to be productive.
Who do you grab coffee with to help with the sticky plot point?
- My husband is great at throwing out ideas so we’ll find a nice nook at a coffee shop or our favorite tea place and brainstorm!

Jennieke Cohen (JEN-ih-kah CO-en) is used to people mispronouncing her name and tries to spare her fictional characters the same problem. Jennieke writes historical fiction for young adults inspired by real people and events because life is often stranger than fiction. She studied English history at Cambridge University and has a master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California. Jennieke loves exploring new locales but always returns home to Northern California where the summers are hot, the winters are mild, and life is casual.