Welcome to Elise Cyr and her Hunky Alpha Alexandre d’Èvreux of Siege of the Heart!
So Alex, may I call you Alex? No? Okay. Alexandre.
What is your favorite drink?
Ale always warms the belly, but I prefer spiced wine. Alas, it has been a long time since I have been able to enjoy it. I pledged my sword to Duke William and crossed the English Channel with his army. In between skirmishes leading up to the battle against Harold’s forces, there has not been many opportunities to enjoy food and drink. Rations have been limited to what supplies we brought over on boats from Normandy and what we have scavenged from the countryside on our march to London. I am eager to see an end to the fighting and take stock of this new land.
Favorite Food?
Roasted venison, especially if I helped bring the animal down. Since coming to England, I have only hunted once to feed my men. A young buck and a pair of rabbits. Nourishment enough to meet Harold’s axe-wielding soldiers in battle. And live to tell about it.
Best Date?
Before leaving Normandy, I stayed in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme while William finalized his preparations for the crossing. The innkeeper’s daughter was most welcoming and quiet insistent I enjoy myself before traveling to England.
Worst Date?
William has promised me the hand of an English noblewoman. She is rumored to be beautiful but not easily tamed. Secretly, I fear he wants to punish me with such a willful woman.
What do you notice first in a woman?
Her eyes. Peeking out from underneath her headrail, a woman’s gaze can cut like a knife or sooth like a caress.
What is your biggest pet peeve with women?
Stubbornness.
Use three words to describe yourself.
Brave, strong, and even-tempered
If you could meet anyone who would it be?
At the moment, I have pressing business with one Lord Bernard Dumont. He is a thane to Harold of England, but he originally hails from Normandy. William expected his assistance at Hastings, but the man never showed. It is up to me to find out where he is.
What is one secret that you don’t want people to know about you?
That I am ashamed I have no land to call my own. As the youngest son of a Norman lord, I will inherit nothing, not with two older brothers ahead of me. I am not meant for a life in a monastery, so my sword is all I have to make a life for myself. I am capable of more, and am eager for my chance to prove myself to my king.
About Siege of the Heart
He fought for king and country, but that battle is nothing compared to the one he’ll wage for a woman’s heart.
Still reeling from the news of her father’s death during the Norman Conquest, Isabel Dumont is unprepared when trouble arrives at the castle gates. Alexandre d’Èvreux, a Norman knight with close ties to England’s new king, has arrived to secure the land and the loyalties of the Dumont family. Desperate to protect her people, Isabel strives to keep the confounding knight at arm’s length and hide the truth about her father’s death.
For Alexandre, the spoils of war come with more than just a generous gift of land. They come with Isabel Dumont. Vowing to marry only for love, Alexandre finds himself in a difficult situation as a conqueror granted dominion over the land and its people. Isabel is the one person capable of helping him win the regard of those living in the war-torn country…if he chooses to accept her.
Just when Alexandre finds a spark of hope that he and Isabel have a chance at love, she vanishes. His quest to find her plunges him deeper into the conquest’s fallout. Was she taken? Or did she leave?
CONTENT WARNING: Entering into this novel may cause extreme affection toward knights of old, admiration for strong-willed women, and the overwhelming belief that love really can conquer all.
Excerpt from Siege of the Heart
They stood there like hunter and prey, but she would be no man’s quarry.
“I am Alexandre d’Évreux. But you, my dear, can call me Alex. I am here to escort Lord Dumont and his family to London, where he is to greet King William. I chose to ignore your questionable arrival when you were with fever.” He walked toward her with a decided prowl to his gait. “Now, I will wait no longer for answers.”
Isabel lifted her chin. “I have questions of my own.”
“I am sure. But first, Lady Isabel, you will explain to me why Matilde thought it necessary to hide your identity from me.”
“I know not.” Her gaze swept over him once more. “Perhaps she thought your intentions were dishonorable.”
A muscle worked in his jaw. “Matilde is extremely loyal to you, no doubt. I assure you, I am acting under orders from William himself. No harm will come to you or your family, but I expect your cooperation.”
She stiffened. “Am I a prisoner?”
“Non, not unless you refuse to cooperate. I only intend to be your family’s escort to London. How easy or difficult that is will be up to you.”
About Elise Cyr
Elise Cyr has always loved adventure, romance, and happy endings. She writes primarily in the medieval period. Because there’s still so much we don’t know about that time in history, the writer’s imagination is essential for fleshing out the research and making it come to life on the page. Plus swords and castles are just plain fun. She lives in New Mexico with her husband and the sweetest dog ever. When she’s not writing, she hikes, bikes, cooks, and (of course) reads. Siege of the Heart is her debut medieval romance. You can follow her on Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, or check out her blog.
Links
Website: http://elisecyr.wordpress.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EliseCyr
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elisecyr1/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/EliseCyr
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Siege-Of-Heart-Elise-Cyr-ebook/dp/B00J0FILLQ/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/siege-of-the-heart-elise-cyr/1118940307
Kensington: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30198