A flirty, fun, mix-and-match romance about two sisters who are betrothed to the
wrong men…
Evangeline Vernon is a woman on the verge of spinsterhood —
until the prim and proper Duke of Manchester steps in. Her family is pleased
with the match, but the duke is not the passionate man Evangeline craves. Her
heart belongs to an alluring, golden-haired gentleman, perfect in every
way…except one: he doesn’t exist.
Angela Vernon is everything a proper,
well-brought-up woman should be. She knows her place and understands society’s
expectations — which include not being jealous of her sister and not coveting
her sister’s suitor. But how can she bear the heartache of watching the only man
she loves marry not only her sister, but a woman who doesn’t see past his
exterior to the man he is beneath?
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Harlequin Escape
Publisher: Harlequin Australia’s imprint Escape
Publishing
Release Date: October 1,
2013
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REVIEWS
“This novella manages to pack all the
punch of a longer story, while not leaving great gaps in understanding or detail
for the reader… Kudos for a wonderful debut offering.” — I Am, Indeed
“I
highly recommend fans of Historical Romance give this novella a try. And even
those just looking for a fun, quick read, this novella is well worth adding to
your TBR pile.” — What the Cat Read
***
EXCERPT
She
was lost in the depths of his emerald eyes, amber drops floating in the
seductive pools. The man reclined in a wingback chair, surrounded by shelved
books. His head was tilted slightly downwards, his gaze piercing her where she
stood. Hair the colour of antique gold shimmered in the dim candlelight. His
skin was bronzed like the helmet of an Ancient Greek warrior. His harsh
features seemed to be chiselled from stone, but laugh lines encircled a
passionate mouth. A navy blue coat and white waistcoat hid what could only be a
perfectly sculpted chest. A white cravat covered his neck. Pearl grey breeches
accentuated muscular legs.
The man reminded her of a golden lion,
the king of a pride. His soul must’ve been older than time itself, for he seemed
to hold the secrets of the universe in his mind. This man was temptation
embodied.
‘Back again, my dear?’ he inquired, his voice like velvet.
Although confidence rang in his tone, his emerald eyes revealed the
humanity of this divine creature. At the bottom of those depths lay an expanse
of loneliness. Blessed with beauty, he was lacking in companionship and love. It
was as if he were a traveller lost in a desert with only mirages to keep him
company.
‘I could not stay away,’ she declared, her voice quaking
as the man rose from his chair and stalked across the room.
Evangeline took a sharp intake of breath, for the full sight of his robust body
was more than a woman could take. He was tall, over six feet. His build was as
formidable as the strongest castle wall, built to protect from the worst of
sieges. That handsome face of his, a face Adonis would’ve fought for, matched
the masculine beauty of his body.
Settling beside her, he said,
‘Nor could I. Not now. Not ever.’
The two studied one another. Both
seemed to find it hard to believe the other was there. The silence that shrouded
the room as they studied one another deepened the strength of this ethereal
spell.
‘Is it because I am a diversion?’
‘Nay.’ He
raised her hand to his lips. ‘Life would be meaningless without your
visits.’
‘I could not endure my own existence without you,’ she
replied, a bit breathless.
‘As a man without friends or comrades, I
would be the most lonesome wretch wandering the earth.’ Pain entered his
expression, the pain of one who had suffered years of isolation. His voice
cracking, he continued, ‘I would be completely alone.’
Her heart
nearly split in two upon witnessing his agony. She lifted a hand and caressed
his cheek. ‘You never shall be.’
‘You have been vital to my life, my
dreams, for these past few months.’ Turning his head, he kissed the palm of her
hand. He exhaled, his breath tickling her skin. ‘Without you I I fear I would
not know how to live.’
‘Do not say such things.’ Framing his face,
she forced him to gaze into her eyes. ‘I shall always be with you.’
‘And I with you.’ Desperation was threaded throughout the statement. ‘I am
entirely yours,’ he murmured as he angled his head, preparing to taste the
sweetness of her lips…
Katherine Givens is a museum employee with a
secret. Few know the truth of her greatest passion, but those closest to her
know she loves to write historical romances… Alright, maybe more than a few
people know she is a writer. Anyone who will listen to her can glean this from a
conversation.
So, Katherine Givens is a museum employee who wishes she
had a devilish secret or a jaw-dropping double life, but the characters in her
manuscripts often do. From the withdrawn duke mesmerized by his quiet maid or
the savage viking eager to ravish a Christian girl, her heroes are always bound
to have a secret or two. It is often up to the headstrong heroine to unravel the
mysteries surrounding the man that has captured her heart.
Katherine is a member of the Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of America PRO. She has two novellas with upcoming releases. In Her Dreams (Harlequin Australia’s Escape Publishing) was released October 1, 2013. Love Amidst the Egyptian Sands (Red Sage Publishing) will be released in January 2014. Her short stories and
poetry have been published in various magazines, including The Copperfield
Review, Tipton Poetry Journal, Nazar Look, and WestWard
Quarterly.
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