Sherry Ewing's Blog, page 58

Medieval Monday with Nicole Locke & a Giveaway!

It’s week nine for our Medieval Monday blog hop and today’s guest is author Nicole Locke. Nicole is sharing a snippet from her novel Her Christmas Knight so be sure to read on and leave her a comment to be in the running for our giveaway. Enjoy!

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Excerpt:

The seal slipped in her suddenly damp hands. She knew that nose. She had broken that nose. Reluctantly, against her will, she raised her eyes to his again. He was still studying her.

She felt permanently latched to him. She could not move even to let air into her lungs. Oh, she didn’t want to, but she knew those eyes. And they knew her. There was no confusion in their blue depths, there was only…waiting.

But he couldn’t be the man she knew. She hadn’t heard from him or seen him for more than six years. She’d thought him dead. She wanted him dead.

‘Hugh?’ The name escaped before she knew she still had a voice, and the corner of his lips lifted.

She knew that crooked smile. She knew that smile all too well.

Blurb:

A knight to protect her—this Yuletide 

By order of the English king, Alice of Swaffham searches London nobility for the traitor dealing information to the Scots. Little does she know that the mysterious spy she seeks is the man she once loved and thought she’d lost forever…

If Hugh of Shoebury felt unworthy of Alice before, as the Half-Thistle spy he can never claim her heart. Now he must fight to keep not only his dark secrets—and Alice—safe from a vengeful king…but also his burning longing for her at bay!

 Buy Links:

Amazon: myBook.to/Lovers-n-Legends6

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/authors/24841_nicole-locke.html

Next Monday, Nicole is at Elisabeth Hobbes’s blog here.

You can also find my snippet on For All of Ever on Nicole’s blog here.

Filed under: Medieval Monday Tagged: #Amwriting, #MedievalHop, Be My Guest, Historical Romance, Medieval Monday, Medieval Romance

First Kiss Friday with Caroline Warfield.

This First Kiss Friday, my dear friend Caroline Warfield brings us a scene in which the weary physician, Salvatore, can’t resist stealing that first kiss. You don’t want to miss Caroline’s upcoming release, Lady Charlotte’s Christmas Vigil. Happy reading and enjoy!

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Excerpt:

“Salvo?” a muffled voice queried from the bed.

He started to back out. Too late.

Lottie sat up, her cotton nightclothes white in the moonlight. “What is it? Are the boys worse?” She pulled the covers back and swung over to sit on the edge. The movement pulled her gown high over one knee and gave him a view of graceful feet and a slender leg.

“Don’t get up, Lottie. Are you well?” He raised the candle to see her face better. The purple smudges under her eyes hadn’t abated.

She looked back, puzzled. “Well enough. Why did you come?”

His eyes scanned her, from the glorious hair to the tips of those graceful toes. He tried to remind himself of his professional demeanor, but diagnosis played no part in this scrutiny.

“Salvo?” Lottie asked, her voice thick.

“I’m sorry, Lottie. You should not be embroiled in my family’s crisis.”

She pulled her gown down to cover herself. He suspected she blushed rather in the semi-darkness, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away.

“I don’t mind. It feels good to be needed. Besides, David looks better every day. I have you to thank for that.”

His feet moved into the room before he could tell them to stop.

She frowned at him. “You look exhausted. You can’t care for patients all day and stay up all night. Let me take over with the boys.” She rose. “You get to your bed.”

He had her in his arms before either could take another breath.

“Thank you,” he breathed against her mouth, just before he kissed her.

Lottie pulled back and gasped. He would have pulled back then, but a second later, she moved closer and pressed her mouth to his. He tasted her gently, but didn’t probe. He cupped her face, so he would not pull her up against his arousal, though he yearned to drag her close. He kissed her eyes and down her cheek before setting her away from him.

Lottie raised trembling fingers to her mouth. “Salvo?”

“That was shameless of me, but I can’t regret it.”

 

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About the Book

  Love is the best medicine and the sweetest things in life are worth the wait, especially at Christmastime in Venice for a stranded English Lady and a handsome physician.

 Lady Charlotte clings to one dream—to see the splendor of Rome before settling for life as the spinster sister of an earl. But now her feckless brother forces her to wait again, stranded in Venice when he falls ill, halfway to the place of her dreams. She finds the city damp, moldy, and riddled with disease.

As a physician, Salvatore Caresini well knows the danger of putrid fever. He lost his young wife to it, leaving him alone to care for their rambunctious children. He isn’t about to let the lovely English lady risk her life nursing her brother.

But Christmas is coming, that season of miracles, and with it, perhaps, lessons for two lonely people: that love heals the deepest wounds and sometimes the best dreams aren’t the ones we expect.

Preorder now at

Barnes & Noble |  Amazon

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About the Author

 Traveler, would-be adventurer, former tech writer and library technology professional, Caroline Warfield has now retired to the urban wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania, and divides her time between writing and seeking adventures with her grandbuddy and the prince among men she married. Her new series sends the children of the heroes of her earlier books to seek their own happiness in the far-flung corners of the British Empire.

 

 

Find Caroline on the Web:

Website http://www.carolinewarfield.com/

Amazon Author http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/

Good Reads http://bit.ly/1C5blTm

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/carolinewarfield7

Twitter https://twitter.com/CaroWarfield

Email warfieldcaro@gmail.com

Newsletter:   http://www.carolinewarfield.com/newsletter/

BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caroline-warfield

Filed under: First Kiss Friday Tagged: #BellesInBlue, Be My Guest, Bluestocking Belles, Caroline Warfield, First Kiss Friday

Medieval Monday with Barbara Bettis & a Giveaway!

Please help me welcome to Medieval Monday my guest, Barbara Bettis. Barbara will be sharing a snippet from her novel, The Lady of the Forest. Be sure to leave her a comment to be in the running for our giveaway. Happy reading and enjoy!

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Excerpt:

“Who are you?” he rasped. “And what are you about here?”

“The lord of Stonehill sent word to watch for a stranger.”

Her tone had deepened, roughened. Did she really believe he’d think her a boy?  “And he said to attack this stranger, bind him like prisoner?”

“He did.”

An unwelcome suspicion wormed into Henry’s aching head. “Why?”

“He said the man is a traitor to England and must die.”

BLURB:

He must pursue his enemy; she must protect her people. Can their love survive the duties that drive them apart?

When her elderly husband dies, Lady Katherine fakes her own death and disappears into the forest with others escaping the brutish new lord. Determined to protect her people, she knocks the wrong man senseless. But Lord Henry isn’t an enemy, he’s the brother of her childhood friend. Although his tender confidence tempts her, she’s bound by duty.

Henry of Chauvere has found the one lady he wants for his own, never mind she’s tied him hand and foot. When he learns the king has ordered her to wed Stonehill’s ruthless new master, he insists Kate seek haven with his sister. But she won’t desert her friends. Henry vows to solve her problem, provided he catches a traitor before the threat from Kate’s past catches her.

When a daring rescue compels Henry and Kate to join forces, their attraction grows into love. If only duty didn’t drive them apart.

AMAZON  TWRP

Follow along next week at Elisabeth  Hobbs’s: https://elisabethhobbes.co.uk/    Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win an e-copy of The Lady of the Forest.

Find my snippet of For All of Ever, on Barbara’s blog here.

Filed under: Medieval Monday Tagged: #Amwriting, #MedievalHop, Be My Guest, Historical Romance, Medieval Monday, Medieval Romance

First Kiss Friday with Judith Sterling

Today on First Kiss Friday I have author Judith Sterling and her first kiss scene from her novel Flight of the Raven. We hope you enjoy this excerpt. Happy reading and enjoy!

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Excerpt:

William stood before the cold hearth with his back to the door.  His commanding presence diminished the sweeping arch of the vacant fireplace.

“Leave us,” he ordered without turning.  “Shut the door behind you.”

The heavy, oak door slammed shut.  The stone walls reverberated from the force of it.

Emma studied the sheen of his straight, black hair, the proud set of his shoulders, and the wide, leather belt which cinched his ebony tunic at the waist.  An eternity might’ve passed while she waited for him to acknowledge her presence.  When at last he turned, his dark eyes blazed.

Her stomach lurched.  “Y-you wished to see me?”

He glowered at her in silence.  A chill of foreboding ran through her, but she stood her ground.

A full minute later, he still hadn’t spoken.  Her patience waned.  If he expected her to read his mind, he could think again.

She cleared her throat.  “You obviously need time to collect your thoughts, so I’ll leave you to them.”

“You will stay right here,” he ruled in slow, measured words.  His scorching gaze belied his smooth tone of voice.  “I sent for you to discuss your betrayal.”

She swore under her breath.  Someone must’ve divulged her plan to stay celibate.  If only she’d told him sooner.

“I can explain,” she said.

“Save your breath.  There’s only one explanation.”

“You said ‘discuss.’  A discussion requires two opinions.”

“An opinion laced with lies doesn’t count.”

“But if you—”

“Silence!”

His shout echoed off the prison walls.  Her stomach churned, but she clamped her lips shut.

“Now,” he said, lower in pitch, “listen and learn.  A traitor can challenge the king’s reach, but only a fool underestimates mine.  My men know this.  Legions of Saracens—alive and dead—know it.  Wulfstan will know it too.”

“What has Wulfstan to do with this?”

William grunted.  “You play innocence well.”

“Truly, I know not whereof you speak!”

“I speak of your escape…tonight…with Wulfstan.”

“What?”

“My squire was in the mews while you were plotting your little scheme.”

“Holy Mother!”  Frantically, her mind snatched up the pieces of what was said and where.  “’Twas Gertrude’s idea.”

“A welcome one, reportedly.”

“I considered it, but—”

“So you confess.”

“No!  Your spy heard but part of the conversation.  In the end, I chose you.”

He snorted.  “Right.  And I sell genuine relics of the saints.”

She glared at him.  With quick, deliberate steps, she closed the space between them.  “Then I’ll fetch my purse, for I speak the truth.”

“I am no fool.”

No, she thought, but you’re a veritable god of arrogance.

A lord of intimidation, too.  Why else would he summon her to the prison tower?  With dispatch, her desire to explain the curse, and its implications to their wedding night, died.

For an instant so brief she might’ve imagined it, his expression changed.  He looked almost…wounded.

“Does the thought of marrying me so disgust you?” he asked.

His dark, infinite eyes became her world.  “Not at all.”

Large, warm hands clasped her upper arms.  “Is Wulfstan your lover?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

“Tyrant.”

His mouth claimed hers.  She wrenched her head to the side, tried to break away.  His grip tightened.  His lips demanded more.

Emma thought fast.  She couldn’t match his physical strength.  But maybe, if she didn’t resist, didn’t react in any way, he’d release her.

She willed herself to relax.  Almost at once, his lips slackened.  They became softer, gentler.  Intrigued, she relaxed further.

His lips brushed hers and left a tingling warmth in their wake.  She liked the sensation, but the longer he fed it, the more she wanted the full pressure of his mouth.  A low sound of protest vibrated deep in her throat.

William moaned, and his hot tongue nudged her closed lips.  A curious action.  Not unpleasant, though, so she opened her mouth.  His tongue slipped inside and began a slow, thorough exploration.  In response, she flicked her tongue against his.

He groaned.  The sound was raw, exciting.  His hands burned a path from her arms down to her hips.  His tongue darted deeper, faster.  Her mouth tingled.  Heat tantalized her belly.  Never had she felt so alive.

Blurb:

How eager would the bridegroom be if he knew he could never bed the bride?

Lady Emma of Ravenwood Keep is prepared to give Sir William l’Orage land, wealth, and her hand in marriage.  But her virginity?  Not unless he loves her.  The curse that claimed her mother is clear:  unless a Ravenwood heir is conceived in love, the mother will die in childbirth.  Emma is determined to dodge the curse.  Then William arrives, brandishing raw sensuality which dares her to explore her own.

William the Storm isn’t a man to be gainsaid.  He’ll give her protection, loyalty, and as much tenderness as he can muster.  But malignant memories quell the mere thought of love.  To him, the curse is codswallop.  He plans a seduction to breach Emma’s fears and raze her objections.  What follows is a test of wills and an affirmation of the power of love.

Buy Links:

Buy at The Wild Rose Press

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Barnes and Noble

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Author Bio:

Judith Sterling’s love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Flight of the Raven and Soul of the Wolf are part of her medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood. The Cauldron Stirred is the first book in her young adult paranormal series, Guardians of Erin.  Written under Judith Marshall, her nonfiction books—My Conversations with Angels and Past Lives, Present Stories—have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons.

Social Media:

Website – https://judithmarshallauthor.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/judithsterlingfiction/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16291161.Judith_Sterling

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01MT3KB7L

The Wild Rose Press – https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/2212_judith-sterling

 

Filed under: First Kiss Friday Tagged: #Amwriting, Be My Guest, Blog, Historical Romance

Medieval Monday with Mary Morgan & a Giveaway!

Welcome back for the seventh week in our Medieval Monday First Encounter theme. Today’s guest is Mary Morgan with a snippet from her novel, Dragon Knight’s Axe

Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 3. Don’t forget to leave Mary a comment to be in the running for our giveaway! Happy reading and enjoy…

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Excerpt:

Fascination…

 Tripping over a fallen log, Fiona fell flat on her face. “Ouch!”

At once, strong arms pulled her up. His face so close, she could see the dimple in his chin beneath the shadow of his beard. Yet, it was those lips that caught her attention—full and sensual. Lips that could devour a woman. A slight tremor ran down her spine.

Releasing her, he backed away.

“Thanks,” she mumbled. What is wrong with you, Fiona? Did you hit your head?

He drew forth his dirk. “Hold your arms out.”

Confused, Fiona complied. In one swift slice, he cut through her bonds. Rubbing at her wrists, she smiled up at him. “Thank you…again.”

Dragon Knight’s Axe

Order of the Dragon Knights, Book 3

Blurb:

Alastair MacKay, a battled-scarred Dragon Knight flees to the sea to separate himself from his fae-given power connecting him to the land. But it is on land that he rescues a woman from a slave trader in Ireland. It is through Fiona he steps back inadvertently into a world filled with magic—taking on the role of protector and at the same time leading him on a journey to confront his greatest regret and fears.

Research assistant, Fiona O’Quinlan loves translating ancient artifacts at Trinity College. When she falls asleep on an archeological dig, she awakens in another time. She soon discovers a Dragon Knight’s relic has been entrusted into her care. Determined to return the artifact to the Great Glen, Fiona is unprepared for the danger ahead—losing her heart and soul to Alastair “Beast” MacKay.

Will their love be strong enough to soothe the beast and heal the man? Or will Death swing its axe, leaving them lost for all eternity?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Knights-Axe-Order-Book-ebook/dp/B00Y5756TO/

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-knights-axe-mary-morgan/1122070231/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dragon-knight-s-axe-1

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dragon-knights-axe/id996720081?mt=11

Follow along next week on Elisabeth Hobbes’s blog: https://elisabethhobbes.co.uk/

Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Dragon Knight’s Axe by Mary Morgan.

You can also find the next snippet from For All of Ever on Mary’s blog here.

Don’t forget to continue following and commenting on our blogs for your chance to win the eBooks from our current theme.

Filed under: Medieval Monday Tagged: #Amwriting, #MedievalHop, Be My Guest, Medieval Monday, Medieval Romance, Romance

First Kiss Friday with guest Angela Quarles

It’s First Kiss Friday and any day I can have Angela Quarles on my blog is going to be a great day. I just love her books! Today Angela is sharing her first kiss scene from her latest release, Must Love More Kilts. I’ve been waiting for this release since her last book so I can’t wait to dive in and read it. We hope you enjoy this first kiss scene. Happy reading and enjoy!

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Excerpt:

They were under attack!

Now Fiona’s stomach roiled for more reasons than just the motion of the ship as she and Duncan scrambled across the deck of the galley, Duncan pulling her along.

Near the mast, he lifted a plank on the deck and shoved her into the dark recesses between the rowing benches. “Stay here,” he barked.

Numb to do anything other than obey, she squatted. Muffled musket fire sounded outside, as well as the occasional boom of a cannon, rocking the ship.

He jumped into the space with her and crouched, rooting around. He pulled a sword out. “Here, take this.” He tossed it to her, and she caught it in trembling hands. “But remain here, aye? Don’t be coming out until I tell ye.”

Another explosion rocked the ship, the sound louder than any of the previous ones. The ship lurched to the side, and she fell back against the wooden bench.

Caught off guard, Duncan rolled toward her. He grabbed a bench seat, but his forward momentum swung him toward her, his face serious, his gaze holding hers.

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.

They were under attack!

It seemed like that was all her mind could do, repeat that phrase—and holy shit—over and over, while her heart beat louder than the exploding cannon and icy fear gripped her stomach.

She clamped down on the bench with one hand, resting against it, the sword gripped hotly in her other hand as chaos raged up above.

He must have thought she looked ready to raid the enemy ship instead of raiding the future for the biggest bottle of Tums, because he continued, “I mean it, Fiona. We’ll outrun them. We must, for they have cannon, and we do not. To be safe, though, pray for the wind to die.”

Somehow she found her voice. “Die? Don’t we need…?” She breathed fast and hiccupped. “Don’t we need the wind for the sails?”

“They do, aye.” He pointed to the benches on either side of them. “But we can row. They can’t. Never fear. If we cannot outrun them, we’re equipped to handle the swine if they dare board us. I’m betting they won’t be having the nerve.”

She nodded. “But I reserve the right to leave if the ship starts to sink.” A watery grave was not for her if she could help it.

He crouched closer to her, her knees touching his shins. He grabbed her face, his eyes searching hers for a beat. On a groan, he swooped down and pressed a quick but fierce kiss on her lips. “We’ll not be sinking.” His eyes and voice were full of conviction. With that, he leaped out, replaced the plank, and left her in complete darkness, only broken when the orange light of distant cannon fire bled through the cracks.

She touched her lips with trembling fingers, his warmth and taste still lingering there, she’d swear. And she concentrated on that sensation instead of the fear touching, clawing, her everywhere else.

Blurb

What if your husband turns out to be the man sent to kill your ancestor?

A choice to make…

Highland Games fanatic Fiona Campbell believes her only value is her family’s history, myths, and legends. So when she travels back to 1689 Scotland and discovers she’s the Fiona of family legend, you’d think she’d be excited. And she is. Except that the legendary warrior she’s to save her ancestor from is the hottie in a kilt she just handfasted.

A heart to heal…

Duncan MacCowan once trusted his heart to the wrong woman, but when a strange lass drops into his life and pries opens his heart again, he impulsively handfasts her. Yet before he can finish spinning fancies of their domestic bliss, she flees on the night of their wedding, leaving him even more convinced that he can’t trust his instincts where his heart is involved.

A family legend that will tear them apart

Fiona wants to shake her fist at Fate—she finally meets the man of her dreams but can’t have him because of the family legend? Not cool, Fate, not cool. Duncan believes he’s just terrible at picking women and destined to be alone. But as the heat of their attraction flares, how far can they tempt Fate for love?

Buy Links

Amazon: http://bit.ly/AMZ_MLMK

Nook: http://bit.ly/BN_MLMK

Kobo: http://bit.ly/KO_MLMK

iBooks: http://bit.ly/IB_MLMK

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Bio:

Angela Quarles is a RWA RITA® Winner and USA Today bestselling author of time travel and steampunk romance. Her steampunk, Steam Me Up, Rawley, was named Best Self-Published Romance of 2015 by Library Journal and Must Love Chainmail won the 2016 RITA® Award in the paranormal category, the first indie to win in that category. Angela loves history, folklore, and family history. She decided to take this love of history and her active imagination and write stories of romance and adventure for others to enjoy. When not writing, she’s either working at the local indie bookstore or enjoying the usual stuff like gardening, reading, hanging out, eating, drinking, chasing squirrels out of the walls, and creating the occasional knitted scarf.

Author Links

Website: http://bit.ly/VMFK00

Blog: http://bit.ly/WkQbXG

Join my mailing list: http://bit.ly/1sde3Qi

Twitter: http://bit.ly/Se5gQ0

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/VMFT3L

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/1qRhgHQ

Filed under: First Kiss Friday Tagged: Be My Guest, First Kiss Friday, Historical Romance, Scottish Romance

Medieval Monday with Judith Sterling & a Giveaway!

It’s Medieval Monday and I have author Judith Sterling here with our week six excerpt from her novel Soul of the Wolf (The Novels of Ravenwood, Book Two). Don’t forget to leave Judith a comment to be in the running for our First Encounter giveaway opportunity. A winner will be randomly chosen once all weeks in this blog hop are finished. Read on and enjoy!

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Excerpt:

Impatience goaded him.  “Lord Nihtscua,” he continued.  “And you are?”

She regained her composure and advanced toward him, halting an arm’s length away.  “Lady Jocelyn de Bret.”

So ’twas she.  His stomach twisted.

“I see,” he said.  But he wished he didn’t.  A man could lose his soul staring into the warm, inviting depths of her eyes.

Soul of the Wolf – Blurb

A Norman loyalist, Lady Jocelyn bristles when ordered to marry Wulfstan, a Saxon sorcerer. She nurses a painful secret and would rather bathe in a cesspit than be pawed by such a man…until her lifelong dream of motherhood rears its head.

A man of magic and mystery, Wulfstan has no time for wedded bliss. He fears that consummating their marriage will bind their souls and wrench his focus from the ancient riddle his dying mother begged him to solve. He’s a lone wolf, salving old wounds with endless work. But Jocelyn stirs him as no woman ever has.

Their attraction is undeniable. Their fates are intertwined. Together, they must face their demons and bring light to a troubled land.

Buy Links

Buy at The Wild Rose Press

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Barnes and Noble

Find Judith’s snippet next week at the blog of Barbara Bettis here.

You can find my snippet this week on Judith’s blog here.

Don’t forget to keep following our first encounter theme and to comment. Thanks for stopping by!

Filed under: Medieval Monday Tagged: #MedievalHop, Be My Guest, Medieval Monday, Medieval Romance

First Kiss Friday with Elisabeth Hobbes

Please welcome my guest Elisabeth Hobbes to another First Kiss Friday. Today Elisabeth is sharing the first kiss scene from her novel Redeeming the Rogue Knight. We hope you enjoy this excerpt. Happy reading!

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Excerpt:

Lucy Carew is about to go to bed when her night is disrupted by the arrival of two men demanding refuge: the brother she hasn’t seen for years and a mysterious stranger who has been injured.

She barred the way, finally revealing her poker and brandishing it like a sword.

‘Come, little dove,’ the injured man slurred, grinning crookedly. ‘Be sensible and we all might live.’

Lurching forward unexpectedly, he raised his left arm and knocked the poker out of her hand. He staggered, as if this had taken the last of his strength, and fell forward towards her. Instinctively Lucy reached her arms out to catch him, her hands sliding beneath his armpits. She stepped backwards and found herself wedged between him and the wall, his weight crushing her. She yelped in pain as something sharp scratched her left shoulder through her thick wool dress. She looked down to see the head of an arrow protruding from the man’s right shoulder.

‘He’s really hurt!’ she exclaimed.

‘Don’t let me die unmourned, dove,’ the man slurred, his voice deep and husky.

Before Lucy could think how to reply he had reached his left arm to the back of her head, tilted it back and covered her lips with his.

The kiss took Lucy by surprise, the rough beard scratching at her cheek and lips teasingly, sending shivers through her. His mouth enclosed hers, his lips firm and his tongue seeking hers with a fierceness that left her weak. Her mind emptied as desire lurched in her belly and without intending to she was kissing him back. If he could kiss like this when close to death, what would his touch be like when at full strength?

She came to her senses almost immediately and jerked her head away. His mouth followed, greedily seeking her out again, and his good hand slid from her neck down her body, fumbling at her breast.

A kiss she could tolerate, but the groping was too much. Outrage surged inside Lucy and now she had her wits about her. He was not the first of her customers who had tried to force attentions on her and was likely not to be the last. Injured or not made no difference. She twisted her leg until it was between his and brought her knee sharply upwards.

The man gave a whimper of pain and crumpled on to her, his eyes rolling back in his head. He went limp and Lucy realised, aghast, that he was close to passing out. Her hand shifted against his back and touched feathers. The fletch of the arrow was sticking out. Guilt swept over her that she had done such a thing to a wounded man. She bit her remorse down. She had not asked for her home to be invaded, or to be kissed. He had brought it on himself.

She supported him as best as she could, but he was a tall man and broad with it, and was crushing the breath from her as she leaned against the wall. Even by the feeble light of the fire, the man looked as pale as a wraith with a waxy sheen to his brow. His hair was matted to his cheeks. He must have bled from his wound, but against the darkness of his cloak it was impossible to tell.

‘I’m sorry,’ she murmured, reaching to brush the hair from his face. His forehead was cold to the touch and her fingers came away damp with his sweat. He opened his eyes.

‘Do you have wine? Anything stronger?’ he moaned.

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Redeeming the Rogue Knight blurb

The spy who sought refuge…

When injured spy Sir Roger Danby comes asking for shelter at her inn, Lucy Carew is wary. He may be strikingly handsome, but the disgraced single mother has learnt the hard way with men like him. Against her better judgement, she gives him refuge.

Sir Roger has never been at the mercy of a woman before, and he’s never met one as mysterious and bewitching as Lucy. He hasn’t come looking for redemption, but Lucy is a woman who could reach in and touch his closely guarded heart…

Buy Links:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5XJ4G4

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XFY3HFS

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BIO:

Elisabeth’s writing career began when she entered her first novel, Falling for Her Captor, into Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest.  She finished in third place, was offered a two-book contract and hasn’t looked back!  She has since written five novels for Harlequin Mills & Boon with settings ranging from the turbulent events of post- Norman Conquest Cheshire to the thrilling tournaments of fourteenth century York.

Elisabeth is a part time teacher and full time mum to two children.  She spends whatever spare time she has reading and is a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book.  She loves ginger mojitos and hot & sour soup, though not at the same time.

Elisabeth lives in Cheshire because her car broke down there when she was house hunting and she never left.

Redeeming the Rogue Knight is Elisabeth’s fifth medieval romance for Harlequin and tells the story of Roger, the ne’er do well brother from The Blacksmith’s Wife.

Website: https://elisabethhobbes.co.uk/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ElisabethHobbes/

Twitter https://twitter.com/ElisabethHobbes

Filed under: First Kiss Friday Tagged: Be My Guest, First Kiss Friday, Historical Romance, Medieval Romance

Medieval Monday with Lane McFarland & a Giveaway!

Welcome to another Medieval Monday hop and a chance to win our First Encounter theme eBooks just by following our blogs and commenting! This weeks guest is Lane McFarland and her snippet from Elsbeth. Happy reading and enjoy.

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Excerpt:

The sister’s violet eyes captured Brandon McLeod’s attention. A white coif surrounded her flawless skin, and he held back a staggering desire to touch her cheek. Would it feel as soft as it looked?

She leaned to the left and wind caught her habit, wildly whipping the black fabric behind her. Stinging sleet peppered his face, and he mentally shook himself. The cold had obviously addled him. The woman was a nun.

BLURB:

Elsbeth MacDougall recoils at the violent Scottish rebellion and the bleak plight of orphans. Vowing to protect the homeless, she embarks on a journey to Scone and sets her course to become a nun, sheltering children from the cruelties of war. But when Brandon McLeod arrives at the Abby, he shakes her convictions and stirs provoking emotions she buried long ago.

After English soldiers murder his family, Brandon McLeod determines a course of revenge and leads numerous clans in Scotland’s fight for freedom. Bent on the annihilation of English oppression, he is resolved to a life of solitude, vowing never to marry and chance the pain of losing loved ones again. However, that was before he met the enchanting Elsbeth.

 BUY LINK: Amazon

Join Lane next week to find out what happens at Elizabeth Hobbes’s blog here!

You can find my 5th week excerpt of For All of Ever on Lane’s blog here, too.

Thanks to everyone who leaves a comment and good luck. Remember… the more you comment and follow us, the bigger your chances to win!

Filed under: Medieval Monday Tagged: #MedievalHop, Be My Guest, Historical Romance, Medieval Monday, Medieval Romance

Cover Reveal for Caroline Warfield

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Cover Reveal!

This beautiful cover for Caroline Warfield’s 2017 Christmas Novella comes with the announcement that the book is available for pre-order from various retailers.

Love is the best medicine and the sweetest things in life are worth the wait, especially at Christmastime in Venice for a stranded English Lady and a dedicated doctor.

About the Book

Lady Charlotte Tyree clings to one dream—to see the splendor of Rome before settling for life as the spinster sister of an earl. But now her feckless brother forces her to wait again, stranded in Venice when he falls ill, halfway to the place of her dreams. She finds the city damp, moldy, and riddled with disease.

As a physician, Salvatore Caresini well knows the danger of putrid fever. He lost his young wife to it, leaving him alone to care for their rambunctious children. He isn’t about to let the lovely English lady risk her life nursing her brother.

But Christmas is coming, that season of miracles, and with it, perhaps, lessons for two lonely people: that love heals the deepest wounds and sometimes the deepest dreams aren’t what we expect.

Pre-order links:

Amazon  |  Smashwords

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About the Author

 Traveler, poet, librarian, technology manager—award winning and Amazon best-selling author Caroline Warfield has been many things (even a nun), but above all she is a romantic. Having retired to the urban wilds of eastern Pennsylvania, she reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures while she nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart. She is enamored of history, owls, and gardens (but not the actual act of gardening). She is also a regular contributor to History Imagined, a blog at the intersection of history and fiction, and (on a much lighter note) The Teatime Tattler, a blog in the shape of a fictional nineteenth century gossip rag.

Her current series, Children of Empire, set in the late Georgian/early Victorian period, focuses on three cousins, driven apart by lies and deceit, who must find their way back from the distant reaches of the empire.

Click here to find out more here.

Filed under: 2017, New Releases Tagged: #Amwriting, #BellesInBlue, Caroline Warfield, New Release