Jeannie Hudson's Blog: Bookmarks - Posts Tagged "romance"

Don't forget to request my historical suspense novel BEHOLD A LONE HORSEMAN
featured in my new Giveway from Jan. 10 -
Feb. 10. I think you'll love this story of Regan Townsend's dauntless quest to become a successful photographer in 1876 Dakota and Colorado Territories, an era dominated by men of foresight. Fearless and gifted, Regan meets these challenges head-on and with the help and love of the dashing and powerful Englishman Aiden Endicott, she carves out her own success and finds enduring love. Excerpt from BEHOLD A LONE
HORSEMAN:
..."She looked up into merry dark eyes. A slender man in a brown frock coat stood in the aisle,waiting for permission to sit.
'Hello, my name is Aiden Endicott. I'm sorry but the seats are filled otherwise.'
Regan glanced around to see if this was true,then embarrassed by her bad manners quickly placed her bag on the
floor. 'Forgive me,I was feeling a bit out of sorts and planned to sit here in
my doldrums all the way to Denver.' She
offered another smile of apology. I'm
Regan Townsend.'
He considered her with a droll
expression that sent amber lights dancing
in his eyes as he eased his long frame
down beside her. 'I promise I won't intrude on your misery.'
'Oh, I wish you would since I'm
behaving like a child, something I won't
allow.' She laughed at her choice of words.
Amusement still filled his eyes,
such a deep brown they appeared practically black.
Aiden Endicott. The name matched
his British accent that had faded a bit
and perhaps mellowed, suggesting he'd not
lived in England for some time.
'You'll no doubt feel a great deal
happier after some rest. You look very
weary. How long have you been traveling?'
The almost tender concern in his
cultured voice made Regan newly conscious
of her cramped muscles, the exhaustion
produced by boredom with the endless hours as much as lack of sleep. 'Nearly
four days. I came from Philadelphia...'
They'd left the station behind by the time she'd finished explaining.
He stroked his chin with long fingers. 'I lived in Philadelphia for several months some years ago. The final
winter before I came West to stay.' His
demeanor grew pensive and he seemed to look into the past....

For those of you who love Historical Suspense, I want to recommend my novel
BEHOLD A LONE HORSEMAN! Set in 1876 Deadwood, Colorado and Dakota Territories,it is the story of Regan Townsend, gutsy, young photographer determined to make a name for herself in a male-dominated society. She falls in love with Aiden Endicott, a debonair Englishman who's already carved out his niche in the massive pursuit of progress and success sweeping across the awakening land.Yet, issues from the past threaten their love. However,with courage and insight and the help of Aiden as well as Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill whom she encounters in her search for the finest photographs for her future exhibitions,Regan forges a future she couldn't have fathomed when she first set out upon her quest.

I hope you enjoy BEHOLD A LONE HORSEMAN
as much as I loved writing it. I'd love
it if you could jot a review on Goodreads
and Amazon.

I'm writing the final two-hundred pages of my historical romance family saga,
MARIPOSA BOOK ONE - THE QUEST. This is the story of the Whittaker twin brothers, Damien and Brendon from Herefordshire, UK - Harper has loved the brothers since they were all children but has finally chosen Damien as her life partner. They are engaged to be married only to be torn apart by Peggy, a neighbor who's been Harper's avowed enemy since they were girls. Now that the brothers are about to emigrate to America with a herd of their prime Hereford cattle, it is Peggy who tricks Damien into marrying her instead of
Harper. Desperate to follow Damien, Harper agrees to marry Brendon whom she no longer loves....


I'll be posting excerpts from MARPIOSA BOOK ONE - THE QUEST during the weeks
before its publication in May.

I recently gave my historical suspense novel BEHOLD A LONE HORSEMAN to Dawn Newland the gifted artist who is creating
the cover for MARIPOSA. I was delighted by her response after reading BALH. I must share - "I just finished BEHOLD A LONE HORSEMAN. I must tell you I couldn't put it down. What a creative and captivating writer you are. I am honored to be doing your next cover...."

I would love it if my fellow Goodread
members would read BALH or my romantic
suspense TEN HOURS 'TIL SPRING and write a review. Thanks so, so much!!!

Now here's another excerpt from my brand
new historical romance MARIPOSA BOOK ONE -THE QUEST that will be published in May.

'He stopped at the edge of the wood,
his breath catching at the sight of her absorbed in her drawing, her slender body
inclined over her sketchbook. She'd discarded her bonnet onto the grass and the dappled sunlight through the branches
bathed her delicate features in soft light. Her low-cut summer gown offered an
enticing view, the elegant column of her
throat, creamy ivory shoulders and cleavage. He full mouth was pursed in thought. Heat flooded Damien's groin when
he recalled that her sensuality was no longer completely forbidden.
He hadn't expected such fervor in one so young and innocent, though he had
sometimes been sorely tempted by her amorous teasing. He had thought weeks of
gentle lovemaking would be required to unlock the passion he was determined would nourish their marriage. As it was,
he found in her an eager desire that roused his own carnal appetite and fueled a burning impatience. Now that he
knew her promise, he was half mad with his love for her and knew he'd never want
another woman in his bed. If she would agree, he'd elope with her tonight, the consequences of such brash action be damned.
When he stepped nearer, she looked up from her work, her eyes lighting. Tossing aside the sketchbook, she reached for his hand to stand, then dove headlong into his arms, searching his face for answers. "Please, what did she
say?"
"Kiss me first." He lowered his mouth to hers, glorying in her unabashed
answer, the warm melding of her body to his.
"Damien, I love you so," she said
some minutes later, her eyes shiny, her
limbs trembling. "When can we be married?"
He tenderly traced the curve of her cheekbone. "Tonight if you like, darling."
Her lips parted in confusion mixing with her joy. "But how...."
He pressed a slender finger to her
mouth. "Come sit with me and I'll tell you what Aunt Pris told me." One hand spanned the small of her back as he shepherded her to a low chestnut limb where they sat. "Aunt Pris doesn't want us to marry right away, Harper."
Her hand convulsed on his arm; worry
chased away the last of her gaiety. "She
loves you like a son. She's known since I
was small that I'd marry either you or
Brendon. She's known for years and years
that you're the one I chose...." She held
to the haven of his steady gaze as tears
threatened her composure.
"My love, she disapproves neither of
me, nor our marriage. She's merely determined that you see something of life beyond the refuge of Laughlin and
Willow Rook. In spite of her prim demeanor, Aunt Pris is a freethinking
woman, Harper. She hates the idea that
you might have a typical marriage where
you're only a subservient accouterment
of my life...."
"Our marriage won't be like that!
You said you wouldn't have it!'
"Certainly not, darling, I'll cherish and care for you, protect you with my life. Yet I want us to nurture
each other, sharing equally as we love and make love. You will be mistress of
Willow Rook and share equally in our life there...."

I love historical suspense set in England so I looked forward to reading this book with great anticipation. And it was an enjoyable read. Yet, when I finished it, I
was left wanting more. I wanted to love
Bay as much as Charlotte and Sisi did but
his character development wasn't quite thorough enough to remove my misgivings
about him. After it was stated in the
beginning that Bay had fathered a child,
this was hardly mentioned again. This may have been perfectly acceptable in Victorian times but it left me fearing that Bay was a cad as Augusta and Fred feared. I would have loved to have seen some resolution of that situation. Despite my reservations, I found FORTUNE HUNTER a fast, intriguing novel. I give it 4 Stars.