Let's give a warm welcome to fellow author Linda McLaughlin who shares her romantic idea and presents her lovely romance:
Sweet Regency Romance
Blurb
Lady Elinor Ashworth always longed for adventure, but when she runs
away from her abusive aunt, she finds more than she bargained for. Elinor fears
her aunt who is irrational and dangerous, threatening Elinor and anyone she
associates with. When she encounters an inquisitive gentleman, she accepts his
help, but fearing for his safety, hides her identity by pretending to be a
seamstress. She resists his every attempt to draw her out, all the while
fighting her attraction to him
There are too many women in
barrister Stephen Chaplin's life, but he has never
been able to turn his back on a damsel in distress. The younger son of a
baronet is a rescuer of troubled females, an unusual vocation fueled guilt over
his failure to save the woman he loved from her brutal husband. He cannot help falling in love with his secretive
seamstress, but to his dismay, the truth of her background reveals Stephen as
the ineligible party.
Buy links:
Excerpt:
Elinor
looked around her. “Where shall we have our picnic?”
“I
have a particular place in mind.”
A
few minutes later, he reined in the horses near a small pond with a few ducks
paddling on the surface. He put his hands on her waist and swung her down from
the curricle. His hands lingered for a moment longer than necessary as he
stared into her eyes. His were a dark liquid amber, like honey, and the warmth
in his expression set her heart to racing.
Alarmed
by her reaction, she stepped away from him. Oh my, this very private picnic
might not have been a wise idea at all.
After
tethering the horses, he spread a blanket under a nearby oak, and then produced
a picnic basket. While Elinor lowered herself onto the blanket, removed her
gloves and bonnet, he dug into the basket. The picnic turned out to be a hearty
repast of cold chicken, cheese, bread and butter, cider and sweet, fresh
strawberries.
Elinor
did not realize how hungry she was until she took the first bite of chicken.
Before she knew it, she had devoured a bit of everything, aware of Stephen
watching her the entire time.
“I
did not mean to eat so much,” she said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“As
you are so slender, I had not expected you to have such a hearty appetite,” he
remarked with a smile. “I approve.”
“Everything
was delicious.”
“I’ll
pass your compliments on to Mother’s cook. She kindly provided the food.”
“You
mean you cajoled her into it,” Elinor teased him.
He
flashed her a boyish grin. “Cook always did have a soft spot in her heart for a
hungry boy.”
“You
must have had a wonderful childhood.”
He
shrugged his shoulders. “Fairly typical, I should imagine, except for my habit
of bringing home stray and injured animals. I was the despair of my mother.”
Elinor
laughed softly. “Then you have not changed much, only now you collect stray
females. What does your mother think of that?”
Again
he shrugged. “If only I were to marry one of them, she would not object at all,
or so she says.”
“I
see.” So he was under familial pressure to marry. But he could hardly consider
a liaison with a seamstress. Was he pursuing her as one last fling before
getting married?
“There
is one strawberry left.” He held it out to her.
She
leaned toward him and bit into the sweet pulp. A trickle of juice ran down her
chin. With one finger, he captured the moisture, and then licked it off, all
the while holding her gaze. Her eyes widened at the intimacy of the gesture as
heat rose to her cheeks. She was in over her head here.
Linda’s Summer #RomanticIdea
“A Jug of Wine, a
Loaf of Bread—and Thou” - The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
I love that quote, and it makes me think of
romantic summer picnics—at the beach, by a lake, in the mountains or a
park—whatever location works best where you live or vacation. But what to pack?
Wine, bread, meat and cheese are a given, but don’t forget the summer
fruit—ripe red strawberries, lush juicy peaches or crisp apples. There’s
nothing like a taste of fruit to sweeten a kiss.
Author bio:
Linda McLaughlin
grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers
writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past
where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest
reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont,
and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell.
You can find her
online at:
Sounds wonderful. I love that quote too. Congrats to Linda. I am also enamored of the metallic sheen to those chess pieces on the cover.
ReplyDeleteYes, Flossie, I love the quote, too. Isn't it the very quintessence of what love means?
DeleteAnd Linda's story is a sweet Regency romance, lighthearted and delightful.
Thank you for checking our tour!
Carmen, thanks for hosting me today. Glad you and Flossie like the quote, too. Sorry I'm so late in commenting. Just got back from vacation and I'm pooped! I love to travel, but it can be exhausting.
ReplyDeleteNo problem, Linda!
DeleteGood for you! You recharged your batteries for further writing, I'm sure. For another lovely story like Lady Elinor's Escape.
Sounds lovely. I thoroughly enjoy sweet romances, especially set in the Regency period. Congrats to Linda and thanks to Carmen for introducing us to another author and her books!
ReplyDeleteGlad you stopped by, Mae!
DeleteLinda is such a nice lady and talented author, too.