Christina will be awarding a $25
Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner, and a $15 Amazon GC to another winner,
both via rafflecopter during the tour.
A lady forgotten by all...
Ruby St. Augustin must find the truth
of her past to determine what her future holds. She only has a short time in
London to uncover the identity of her real father and the secrets behind her
birth. If anyone learns of her mission, she will disgrace everyone she holds
dear. What she doesn’t expect is to draw the attention of a man who doesn’t
care about his reputation or her past.
A man mesmerized by one...
Harold Jakeston is a man without wealth
or title. Resigned to a life he loathes, Harold has the chance at a few weeks
of freedom before being trapped in a future he wants no part of. When he’s
drawn into the mysterious quest of a woman from his past, he embraces the
opportunity to forget the life that awaits him. What he never anticipated is
falling in love with a woman who ignites his desire to create a new future for
himself and for her.
A love neither can abandon...
Amazon US - http://amzn.to/1Ey852b
Amazon Print - http://amzn.to/1ujssNu
Amazon CA - http://amzn.to/11eX3kn
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1tDvaYZ
B&N - http://bit.ly/1EBFyZL
Kobo - http://bit.ly/113cnQw
Apple - http://bit.ly/1GPxGWq
Smashwords - http://bit.ly/11eXqvt
Createspace - http://bit.ly/1v0yzZ6
London,
England
January
1816
Ruby took a deep breath before
trying the final drawer that could hold all the answers to her past, her true
heritage. Her lungs expanded; she held the air inside. She didn’t exhale until
it burned. With trembling fingers, she reached for the last drawer and pulled.
Her nicely trimmed nails nearly
snapped when her grasp on the handle slipped from the force of her tug. The
drawer hadn’t budged.
Locked!
“Oh, poppy cocks!” she hissed.
Moving her hands to the folds of her evening gown, Ruby procured a small pouch
tucked neatly into a hidden pocket. Setting it on the desk, she pulled out her
array of lock-picking devices, really only hairpins and small wires she’d
collected since her first night—and her first failed attempt at breaking into a
desk—to help her disengage the drawer.
She had to know what secrets this lord held. Would she find an
envelope inside labelled ‘Abandoned Daughter,’ or a report from the Bow Street
Runners with details about herself—her hair color, the particular green shade
of her eyes, places she’d been, perhaps the details of her activities over the
course of her life?
Nothing worth finding was that simply ascertained.
No man, married or not, would leave record of their nefarious
past. It was more likely her father had not spared her, or her mother, a second
thought after throwing his pregnant mistress from his townhouse in the middle
of the night with no coat and no means to get home.
Ruby was anything but a fool, but
she found herself continuing to search regardless. She didn’t need a signed
confession—she just needed that letter opener.
Picks in hand, she knelt before the
locked drawer and eyed the keyhole, blowing a wayward strand of hair that had
fallen across her face. She’d been unsuccessful more often than not when
attempting to open locked drawers. But luck may have been on her side this
evening. She’d entered the ball with little fuss, shortly after the host and
hostess had quit the receiving line. It was surprising how similar the layout
of most London townhouses were. Ruby had navigated the halls of the second
floor and found the room she sought fairly quickly, encountering not a soul.
The pins slipped into the lock and
her tongue darted out of her mouth to lick her lips as she concentrated on
moving them exactly right to click the lock over. She fought to keep her hands
steady when sweat broke out across her forehead. She was running out of time.
Ruby applied a bit too much pressure
and the pin snapped, falling uselessly into the locked drawer. “Damn you to
hell, mother!” she cursed and sat back, wiping her slick brow.
She’d always viewed herself as a
sensible girl, a dutiful daughter, and an honest friend. She could only imagine
the horror on Vi’s face if she saw her now. A common thief. A midnight prowler.
A defiler of privacy.
Although, it could not be helped.
She sought answers and at the moment
all she had was an endless list of questions.
Gaining her feet once more, she
bundled her kit and slipped it back into her pocket. She turned her attention
to the long table against the wall behind the desk. Leaning over, she ran her
hand along the underside of the ornately carved piece, feeling for hidden
compartments or—if her luck returned—a forgotten folder of papers.
“Sherry, Miss Ruby?” an oddly
familiar voice asked behind her.
Christina McKnight is a book lover turned writer.
From a young age, her mother encouraged her to tell her own stories. She’s been
writing ever since. Currently, she focuses on Historical Romance, Urban
Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance.
Christina enjoys a quiet life in Northern
California with her family, her wine, and lots of coffee. Oh, and her
books…don’t forget her books! Most days she can be found writing, reading, or
traveling the great state of California.
Follow her on Twitter: @CMcKnightWriter
Keep up to date on her releases:
www.christinamcknight.com
Like Christina’s FB Author page:
ChristinaMcKnightWriter
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI liked the expert was very interesting thank you.
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt, I love reading historical romances and this one sounded great! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Teja!
DeleteThis is the first time I read the blurb about this book. I would love to see what happens between Ruby and Harold. I like the idea that Harold is not titled...unusual in an historical romance. I am very intrigued! Thanks so much for the post. jdh2690@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Janice :-) Yes, titles were not as common as one would think in Regency England.
Deleteinteresting
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt, I really want to know what happens next!
ReplyDeleteRuby and Harold are such a great match.
Delete