Title: Haunting Highland House – A Time Traveler’s Journey, Book 1
Author: Kathryn Hills
Genre: Romance, Time Travel, Heal Level = Spicy
Book Blurb:
She’s looking to escape her man troubles. Instead, she finds the man of her dreams. There’s only one problem. He’s dead.
Living in a haunted house and uncovering a gateway in time were not in the job description when Samantha Merrill agreed to be the property manager of Highland House. Old photos of the reclusive master of the manor captivate her, yet she’s terrified when he appears out of nowhere. How can Robert Pennington be making love to her by the parlor fireplace when he died over a century ago?
Robert Pennington is a powerful industrialist charged with caring for an ailing father, a meddling mother, and two wayward siblings. Weary of his burdens, he longs for change. Is he ready for a woman from the future? His disciplined world turns upside down when the mysterious Samantha Merrill crashes his sister’s birthday ball. He is wildly attracted to this intriguing beauty, but is it magic or mischief motivating her? When Sam vanishes before his eyes, he knows only one thing for certain. He wants her back.
Excerpt:
“I’m moving into Dracula’s beach house.” Samantha Merrill stared in disbelief at the scene outside her car window. Highland House was much bigger than she had imagined, like a dark, mysterious island looming amidst a sea of manicured lawns. A skittish combination of uncertainty and anticipation coursed through her body as her fingers drummed the steering wheel.
Sam rifled through the envelopes on the passenger seat and found the key…vintage brass with a yellowed paper tag attached by a knotted string. A frown tugged her lips as she traced her name written in swirling cursive ink. Can I live in a place like this? She eyed the house and, for the hundredth time, wondered if she’d made the right decision.
The sun sat low in the autumn sky, and the mansion stood silhouetted against a blood-red line of clouds. It figured. She was expecting stately. Instead, she got creepy.
“I’m going to kill Angela for getting me into this.”
Grabbing her purse and suitcase from the back seat, she started up the long path from the parking lot to the house. The clicking of her high-heeled boots and the rolling of the suitcase seemed deafening. Her eyes darted from side to side. Not a soul in sight. She didn’t spook easily, but this place had her nerves popping like firecrackers. Daylight was fading fast. Antique-style lampposts winked on overhead, making her jump.
“Damn,” she muttered when her ankle turned.
Her gaze slid up the dark siding and stonework of the fortress-like outer walls as the path led her alongside the house. The place was a monster. Steep steps had her hauling her old bag up onto a porch. She groaned when the handle broke off in her hand.
“Great! Just what I—”
The words caught in her throat when she faced the biggest door she’d ever seen. It was black, like the entrance to a deep, dark cave. She stared down at the key, her pale fingers clutching it in a death grip. Before she could change her mind, she stepped forward and stabbed the key into the lock. The heavy door swung open with a long, drawn-out creak. Tiny hairs stood up straight on the back of her neck.
“Oh boy, I saw this in a movie once and it didn’t end well.”
Wind howled around the house and up onto the porch. A flurry of dry leaves swirled in at her feet as she shoved her things across the threshold. She closed the door against another heavy gust. Darkness settled in. Struggling to find lights, her hand connected with a panel alongside the door. She pushed buttons and turned knobs until a chandelier in the foyer blazed on. Brilliant crystals gleamed happily above as if everything in the world was perfect. Dust particles hung in the still air.
Elegant furnishings drew her gaze, a long, upholstered bench, a plush chair, an enormous grandfather clock. The clock suddenly struck causing her to fly out of her skin. Other clocks—somewhere off in the distance—chimed out in unison.
“Oh, please, it’s just an old house.” She laughed at her own stupidity, yet her voice sounded oddly high-pitched. There was nothing to be afraid of, even if it was always the girl who got it first in the movies.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
99 cent sale price will be available through Halloween 2021. Regular Price = $4.99
If you could dress up as anything or anyone this Halloween, what or who would it be and why?
I love dressing up for Halloween! One of my favorite costumes is a Victorian mourning gown. Think fitted and black with a great hat, including black lace and roses. It’s inspired by a couple of my darker fantasy/paranormal novels.
Explain why your featured book is a treat to read:
Haunting Highland House was inspired by a real place, a Victorian-era mansion on Cape Cod. One visit to this grand, old house launched my writing career. Heck, yes, it’s haunted, and I love it!
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Canada account to win.
Runs October 1 – 31
Drawing will be held on November 1.
Author Biography:
The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for many of KATHRYN’s books. Winding roads lined by old stone walls, forgotten cemeteries, grand homes with shadowy pasts... All sparks for her imagination. Whether it’s a quaint seaside town or the vibrant city of Boston, it’s easy for this “hauntingly romantic” author to envision the past mingling with the present. No surprise, some of Kathryn’s favorite stories include ghosts. Sprinkle in some magic, and you’re off on a great adventure!
When not writing, this best-selling author is reading, researching, gardening, or cooking up something special in her chaotic kitchen. She shares her colonial home in the north woods with those she loves most – her wonderful husband, daughter, and three crazy dogs.
Social Media Links:
Webpage: https://www.kathrynhills.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKathrynH
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.it/kathrynhillsaut