NEW RELEASE - Lady Northam's Wicked Surrender

If you've ever had an old flame that you never could forget, someone who made every touch, every conversation feel intense and vibrant? A love that could make you abandon all sense of control and propriety?

That's what it is like for my heroine, Rowena, whenever she sees Simon. The six years apart fade into nothing when he is in the room and she can barely contain her rioting emotions--or her rising desire. Though she shouldn't trust him, her body longs for the exquisite pleasure that he promises.

Fall in love with Simon, Lord Rutherford, in Lady Northam's Wicked Surrender. Yield to his determination and skillful hands. It is an experience you won't forget.

Back cover blurb:

A midnight encounter between two estranged lovers rekindles a passion beyond their wildest dreams...

Rowena, Countess of Northam, is surprised to find her former suitor has returned from India and is on his way to the very house where she is staying. When he appears in her room late at night, she can only believe it is a dream. Her fantasy soon becomes reality when Simon makes every effort to seduce her.

Despite his six year absence, and the fact that Rowena married his best friend, Simon is determined to have her back now that she is a widow. It soon becomes clear that while her body craves his affections, she doesn't trust him enough to give her heart. Can Simon forget her past betrayal and convince her to surrender to the greatest love they’ve ever known?

Excerpt:

Rowena hesitantly made her way down to breakfast. She’d managed to arrive without encountering anyone in the hall. Though earlier she could swear she’d heard Simon humming in a nearby room. Her mind must be playing tricks on her. She had, after all, spent the entire night dreaming erotic fantasies about him.

A hot red crept up her cheeks now as she walked in and spotted Simon by the window. She froze. When had he gotten here? She didn’t remember hearing him arrive. Could last night have been real? Had Simon entered her room last night and attempted to make love to her?

The temptation to walk out of the room overwhelmed her. She did not want to see him. Fortunately, his back was turned. Did he know she was here? And, if he had been in her room last night, what must he think of her now? Seeing him in the light of day made her heart beat a jarring rhythm. He was here, in the same house, just a few feet away from her.

She didn’t know what to do. It was very possible that the heated kisses they’d shared were real. Which meant he had held her in the night, when she’d dazedly woken from her dream and thought she’d gone from one sensual illusion into another. It had been Simon, not her imagination, that had spread her legs open and caressed her in the most intimate place. It was Simon that had held her close and kissed her so deeply her very fingers trembled from it. She had to know for sure. How much was real and how much was fantasy?

Lord Rutherford had indeed returned. Her worst fear, her deepest dream, was now her reality. And she had no idea what to do.

Should she pretend nothing had happened? If it was a dream, no one ever had to know. But, if it was real, she’d nearly let him ravish her last night. What were his intentions? It did not speak well of him to awaken a lady in the middle of the night and take liberties that should be reserved for a husband.

Agitated, Rowena squeezed and rubbed her fingers with her other hand. She stood there, unmoving, not sure whether to run or whether to pull Simon aside and reprimand him.

“Good morning,” Alice called to her.

She straightened her back and opted for cordial formality. She would be damned if she would let him think she was affected. “Good morning, Alice,” Rowena responded, her awareness still on the imposing man at the window. Though the room was large, he filled the space easily, commanding it with his very presence the way he commanded everything. Was it any wonder that she couldn’t stop thinking about him, even in her dreams?

Alice looked from her to Simon and back again. “Lord Rutherford is just returned from India.” She stood up. “Simon, you remember Lady Northam. She and her sister are staying with us this month.”

He turned and the light caught one cheek, while the other side of his face stayed in shadow. The darkness suited him and she couldn’t help but remember the way he looked last night, pinning her body to the bed.

Lady Northam's Wicked Surrender is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Question: If you were single and ran into your first love or an old flame you still miss, would you be willing to try again or at least consider going out on a date?

My Regency comedy GIFTS GONE ASTRAY: The Hero, Heroine and Location by Linda Banche

Gifts Gone Astray is my latest regency comedy novella. Meet the hero, heroine, and find out about the location.

The hero, Stephen, in his own words:
Greetings. I am Mr. Stephen Fairfax, lately arrived here at the Earl of Langley's country estate, Four Winds, to work as tutor for his lordship's young son.

And "work" is the appropriate term. Although I taught at Cambridge for several years before I accepted this post, I have never before seen such a badly-behaved child. I vow, my private name for the boy, "Horrible Harold" is too mild an epithet for this child's actions. I wonder if I will survive.

But survive I must, until, and if, I can find employment more to my liking. With so many of the former military returning after Napoleon's defeat, jobs are scarce. I lost my position at Cambridge six months ago. A nobleman with more influence than my baron father appropriated my job for his ex-soldier son.

But then, if I had never come to Four Winds, I would never have met Mrs. Anne Copely. The young widow is the most beautiful, intelligent, kind, gracious, indeed, the most glorious lady I have ever encountered. And she regards me with some favor, too. She has given me a gift as part of her family's summer party. The generous earl includes the servants in the gift-giving, but do I detect more in her present? I certainly hope so.

Now all I have to do is open the package…

The heroine, Anne, in her own words:
My greetings to all. I am Mrs. Anne Copely. I have newly come to my Uncle James's country estate, Four Winds, for our annual family party. Although my job as teacher at Mrs. Black's girls' school is tolerable, this summer celebration is so festive, it has become the high point of my year.

Especially since my dear Edward's death. Oh, how I miss him. I am grateful for the years we had, and the pain of his passing has diminished with time. While part of me will always love him, he has been gone these two years and I must continue on.

On my first day here, I noticed Mr. Stephen Fairfax, the new tutor for Uncle James's son. What a handsome man. And not only attractive, intelligent and kind, but we are both teachers and like books! Since everyone, including the servants, receives a gift at this fete, what better way to honor my late husband's memory than to give one of his favorite books to Mr. Fairfax?

Gracious, was I too forward in giving Mr. Fairfax a present? I hope not, since I disguised my action by giving several other servants gifts, too. I liked that book as much as my husband did. Will Mr. Fairfax see my special meaning?

I do so hope he likes the gift.

And the location:
Anne and Stephens' romance takes place in Langley, Cheshire. The seat of Stephen's employer, the Earl of Langley, Langley is a town on the western edge of the Macclesfield Forest. Langley is also east of the town of Bollin, and southeast of Liverpool and Manchester.

I selected this location because I set the story on a country estate. Macclesfield Forest provides a backdrop, and Stephen goes to Bollin on his day off. Also, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the first passenger railway, was in its formative stages, and the start-up process brings a businessman to consult with the Earl of Langley. The railroad also plays a role for Stephen. I wrote a post on Regency Railroads here.

The time is the summer of 1817, two years after the passage of the Corn Laws, which raised the price of grain so high most people couldn't afford it, and one year after The Year Without a Summer, which destroyed that year's crops in many places. The combination of the two events wreaked havoc with many landowner's incomes. Anne's brother, John, is one of those landowners, and Stephen's father is another. I wrote two posts on The Year Without a Summer, which is also the setting for Pumpkinnapper. Blog post part 1 is here, and Part 2 is here.

Gifts Gone Astray BUY Link: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=176_138&products_id=4545

Thank you all,
Linda
Linda Banche
Welcome to My World of Historical Hilarity!
http://www.lindabanche.com