Hello Romance Readers,
What a wonderful time of year to snuggle under a blanket with a nice hot beverage and a good book - I'm most looking forward to reading Eloisa James' latest release Two Lies and a Lord from her Seduction series which will be a reward for myself once I finish editing Wallflower No More.
Quick follow up from our trip to Dallas last month, we didn't get to see Newman Castle it was closed for a wedding but we did go visit Adriatica Village in McKinney.
The last two months of the year always seem to fly by in a blink of an eye. Do you have any plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years?
Hit reply and let me know I'd love to hear how you spend the Holiday season.
Book News
I'm working on editing Wallflower No More based on my Developmental editors comments and feed back. One of her comments was for me to delete the Prequel and since I had promised (if you follow me on Facebook) to include in my newsletter snippets of deleted scenes - below is an exclusive never to be published excerpt. (Author note: this is unedited/raw draft form)
Excerpt of deleted Prequel from Wallflower No More:
As if his boots were ladened down with led, Rhett walked the gang plank to board the Quarter Moon. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting its warm glow about him yet he felt cold and numb to the bone. The last few days had flown by with preparations. His mother had refused to accompany him, all the while reassuring him that his sister Claudia and her husband would not only take care of her but also of the ranch until his return. Rhett glanced over his shoulder as his family who stood on the dock waving goodbye with big, feigned smiles. He was mentally prepared to forge forward, yet his heart was torn to shreds as he prepared to leave behind his home and family only to step into a future filled with uncertainty and strangers. He punched the air with his fist and then turned back around to gather with the other passengers upon the deck. There was no turning back now. Swallowed up by the group, Rhett planted his feet and bowed his head to pray for a safe and uneventful journey.
As the ships sails filled with the wind the Quarter Moon set off. Rhett made his way to the railing rather than search out his quarters and leaned heavily against the creaking wood. His eyes trained on the dock until it was a mere speck in the distance and then all he could see were the rolling waves of the Atlantic.
The salty wind whipped through Rhett’s dark hair and against his cheeks awakening him from the trance he’d fallen into. The graze of cold metal of the engagement right against his chest through his worn shirt was an unwelcome reminder of what he had left behind.
“Lord Saxton.” A sailor called out from behind him. “Lord Saxton? Mr. Cartwright.”
Finally recognizing his name, Rhett turned to find a rather young, yet stout sailor approaching him. The man at least five years his junior stopped in front of him and tipped his hat. “Are ye Lord Saxton?”
Rhett nodded. “I am.”
“Captain Baine requests your presence below decks. A storm's brewin', and ye’d best prepare for a rough night.”
Torrid weather couldn’t make him feel any worse than he already felt. Ignoring the weakness in his legs, Rhett tore his gaze from the horizon and pushed away from the railing. “Thank you for relaying the message.”
He followed the sailor through the narrow passageways, his shoulders brushing the sides forcing him to walk slightly sideways. Each step was a battle against the swaying floorboards. It was his first time aboard a ship and only a few hours into a three-month long journey he already sorely missed land. The sailor rapped on a door and then proceeded to enter a dimly lit cabin. Rhett couldn't help but feel a sense of confinement, the walls pressing in around him.
“Mind your step, sir,” warned the sailor, as Rhett stumbled over an unseen obstacle. “These quarters weren't made for landlubbers like yourself.”
“Much obliged,” Rhett murmured, steadying himself against the bulkhead. Since he was a lad, he’d yearned for adventure, yet he could not deny the toll this arduous journey was taking on him - both physically and emotionally.
“Captain,” he addressed the stern-faced man seated at the table, “You wanted to speak to me?”
“Indeed, Lord Saxton,” the captain replied as he returned his attention back to the maps strewn across the table. “I’ve been ordered to see to it that you arrive in England post haste. Which means I’ve set a course that may result in us needin’ to brace ourselves for weather. You are in for a more than a few sleepless nights.”
As Rhett watched the seasoned seaman trace lines over the worn parchment the first question that came to mind came tumbling out, “Who issued such orders?”
“Are you certain you want to know who or should you be asking me why?”
“Captain…”
“Baine, Captain Baine is me name.”
The older man’s no-nonsense glare had Rhett widening his stance and bracing himself. “Perhaps you would be kind enough to share with me what you know.”
Eyes narrowed Captain Baine rose and studied Rhett as if he was the most intriguing creature the man had come across. “What do you know of the Saxton line?”
“Naught but what the solicitor provided in his correspondence informing me of my inheritance.” Rhett retrieved the documents from his coat pocket and held them out for Captain Baine.
With a shake of his head the captain sank back into his chair and drummed steepled his fingers together in deep thought. “Well, this is unexpected.”
Rhett crossed his arms over his chest and waited…after all patience was one of his strengths.
Curious to read more - you can preorder Wallflower No More now :)
If you are enjoying the Revenge of the Wallflower series check out
these upcoming releases:
END of Year GIVEAWAY
To enter my End of Year giveaway - hit reply and tell me - what do you dread and love most about the last two months of the year?
Me: Love the cooler weather, dreading holiday shopping.
FREE BOOK OF THE MONTH
This month's FREE BOOK is Patience by C.H. Admirand.
Patience, Charity, and Prudence…Virtuous qualities a young lady seeking a husband would surely wish to possess.
Unless, of course, a well-meaning parent chose to name her daughter Patience, with an eye to the future, hoping her precious child would seek to emulate the meaning of her name.
Patience is impetuous, impulsive, and impossible. Ah, but her parents have a plan to secure a marriage, and their daughter’s future. They intend to find a gentleman of noble birth—with deep pockets—who has never met their daughter.
Surely somewhere in all of England there is a gentleman who will embrace their daughter, thorns and all. All he need do is overlook her height, and her talent with rod, reel, and pistol.
The virtue has become the vice …
More book recommendations just for you:
May your bookshelves be full of
Happily Ever Afters.
Happy Reading and watch out for your next months Freebie...
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