Title: The Lady and Her Secret
Author: Ruth A. Casie
Genre: Regency Romance, Romantasy
Book Blurb:
She came home to find her locket, the symbol of their love and found herself on a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation.
Lady Rachel Emerson comes from a prominent Sommer-by-the-Sea family and leads a charmed life. Her fiancé, Pryce, Earl Somerset, is more than just tall, dark, and handsome. He’s everything a woman could want. But before they send out the wedding invitations, the betrothal is called off.
Now, years later, Rachel returns to her beloved Emerson Manor on All Hallows Eve, the day before the manor is turned over to the local historical society, desperate for one last chance to find the locket that connects her to Pryce. Her search leads her to a cache of old newspapers that rekindle memories and lead her on a journey of self-discovery and reconciliation. But will she find her heart’s desire or shatter everything she once held dear?
Excerpt:
The week before her mother’s annual masquerade, on her way home from an afternoon of gathering seashells at the town beach, intent on getting her favorite pastry from Gaspar’s, she carefully approached Water Street, ready to cross.
Water Street followed the coastline and was a series of winding curves that led to a straight section of the road as it came into Sommer-by-the-Sea. The last turn, which everyone called The Bend, was doubly dangerous, especially if you were in a carriage or wagon. A sharp curve and steep rise not only obscured anything coming toward you, but if you didn’t slow down before the drop, well, the momentum carried you along, and you could quickly end up on the beach if the tide was out or, worse, underwater if the tide was in.
With nothing in sight, Rachel started to cross the road. Out of nowhere, she found herself the target of an oncoming carriage. Startled and incapable of making sense of what was happening, she froze.
“Whoa!” a deep male voice shouted. The horses drawing the phaeton squealed and reared, clawing their legs high above her. Finally, Rachel came to her senses and stumbled back, landing badly, her ankle giving way. She fell to the ground. The horses settled down inches away from her.
Someone jumped out from the carriage. Rachele looked up and stared at a pair of muscular legs. Rachel worked to catch her breath. With the sun glaring into her eyes, she didn’t recognize who stood over her.
“God’s teeth, I could have—Don’t move. I’ll take you to Dr. Manning.” The rich, baritone voice was filled with surprise, concern, and urgency.
“Don’t be silly. I’m fine.” Rachel sat up, straightening out her skirt. Her eyes traveled from his muscular legs up his almost bare, chiseled physique, revealing well-defined muscles that rippled beneath his skin. She quickly looked up further into his concerned eyes. Who was he? He helped her to her feet. She swallowed hard. Rachel had never seen a man’s nearly bare chest before.
“See.” She took a step forward, and her leg buckled.
“God’s teeth.” He had fast reflexes. He caught her before she fell to the ground.
She held her head, light-headed from the pain in her ankle or overcome by seeing him with his shirt almost entirely open.
He easily held her as if she weighed nothing and didn’t appear eager to put her down. His hazel eyes were striking, but his smile… took her breath away.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
I’ll let Ophelia tell you… “Cleverly written in a series of flashbacks, I found it deeply moving for such a short story. I didn't see what the secret - although to my mind, there were really two, if not three, secrets- was until the end, when the twist came in the last three pages of the story when all the tendrils placed earlier in the story were pulled tightly together. For me, it was a very satisfying read with its bittersweet nod to everlasting love.”
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs February 6 – February 12, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on February 13, 2024.
Author Biography:
RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author. She writes historical adventures from the shores of medieval Scotland to the cobblestone streets of Regency London. Within the pages, you’ll discover ‘edge-of-your-seat’ suspense, mind-boggling drama, and heart-melting emotions featuring strong women and the men who deserve them. She currently has four historical series: The Druid Knight, The Stelton Legacy, The Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea, and The Return of the Ladies of Sommer-by-the-Sea. A new series planned for later this year, Barrington’s Brigade.
Ruth lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms, and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at a major international bank where she was a product/ marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing romance. Grab your favorite cup of tea, or an ale if you prefer, and join her heroes and heroines as they race across the pages to find their happily ever after. Ruth hopes her stories are your next favorite adventures!
Social Media Links:
Website: https://ruthacasie.com/
Ruth’s Newsletter Signup: http://ruthacasie.com/contact.html#newsletter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthacasie/
Facebook private reader’s page, Casie Café: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963711677128537/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/RuthACasie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RuthACasie
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ruthacasie/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ruthacasie
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ruthacasie