Title: The Pirate Duchess - Duchess Series Book Two
Author: Rue Allyn
Genre: Regency Era Enemies to Lovers Romance.
Book Blurb:
The fate of two strangers collides in a midnight brawl.
Esmeralda Crobbin inherits her ship and her letters of marque from her adoptive father, an infamous privateer. She plans to leave the sea on a quest to find her birth family when she encounters a man who haunts her dreams.Brandon Gilroy will inherit a duchy but would prefer to remain a captain in the royal navy.
Then he meets a sunset haired woman more alluring than the endless changes of the ocean. He expects he will never see the her again, yet she fills his every fantasy.
Fate tosses Esmeralda and Brandon into destiny’s path more than once. Will secrets and betrayal force the pair into a gut-wrenching choice between love and death.
Excerpt:
This scene occurs in the nave of an ancient church that the two main characters have decided to visit in order to learn more about the building and, unintentionally, each other.
Another backward step would place her against the wall with no room for escape. She didn’t know what he was after, but she stood her ground. “That is unlikely to happen.”
He put his hat atop the open register and took her hand. “Possibly.” His thumb stroked across her gloved fingers. “However, you have secrets that you are paying to keep private. If you told me what your purpose is with Danville and Cosistas, I might be persuaded to maintain my silence as to those secrets. Were you to assist me with thwarting whatever criminal enterprise those two are embarked upon, I would speak on your behalf, should you be arrested for piracy.”
Anger rose at his words, but was undermined by the warmth traveling the length of her arm and farther. She snatched one hand from his grip and glared into his deep-blue gaze.
She could not read his thoughts.
“You think to blackmail me into dishonorable actions, sir. Even among thieves there is honor. I may have been a privateer in the past, but you cannot prove piracy. Nor can you prove that I am still such.”
“Privateer, pirate. ’Tis a legal quibble for which you have never shown documents in support of your privateer claim. You have been an enemy of the British government in the past, and, with Napoleon gathering troops for war, there is no telling what nefarious purpose has brought you here.”
“My presence in this village has nothing to do with Napoleon or the British government.”
“So, you say.” He continued to hold her gaze and her hand. “I am simply offering you the opportunity to mitigate the punishment you are destined to receive for your crimes.”
She almost laughed in his face. She would be gone long before he could arrange for her arrest. “Any argument is pointless. However, you are most definitely wrong. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to continue perusing the register.”
He didn’t move.
“In private.” She attempted to skirt around him to the front of the lectern.
His hand on her arm halted her. “Wait. Please.”
“Why?” Their gazes locked once more. This time she saw an unnamable emotion of such heat that it could have frightened her. He’d always been cold with her before; perhaps she should be frightened.
“I… I’m not….
A racket interrupted nearby, but she could not look away from him. Then a storm of shouting, barking activity surrounded them. She was pushed in Gilroy’s direction.
“Ooof!”
His arms closed about her.
Eyes wide, she tilted her head and stared past his shoulder. Hector, the dog from the inn, raced out of the open church door with a stream of boys trailing after him. She straightened and found herself smiling into Gilroy’s face. He smiled back.
She could not have said how the kiss happened, or who broke away first. She found herself standing in his embrace, fingers to her mouth and astonished to wish the kiss had continued.
Gilroy seemed equally surprised. He released her, did an about-face, snatched his hat from where it had fallen to the floor, and fled, moving as if Napoleon’s entire army were on his heels.
What in the world? Her lips still tingled, and confusion swirled below her stomach. In front of her, the register stood forgotten. She’d never experienced anything like that. She’d kissed men before, but never wished the activity had gone on for hours.
“Are you well, Miss Fynlock?”
She blinked and finally noticed the vicar standing a few feet beyond where Brandon had been before.
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"There were so many twists and turns in this story that it kept me on the edge on my seat. You Never know what would happen next. Ms Allyn you wrote a fantastic book and I can't wait for the next installment." Amazon Reviewer
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Author Biography:
Award winning author of historical romances, Rue Allyn fell in love with happily ever after the day she heard her first story. (She claims she was a precocious little brat who read at the age of two but could hear much earlier than that.) She studied literature for far too many years before discovering that writing stories was much more fun than writing about them. One of her greatest pleasures as an author is being able to read the story before anyone else. Rue is happily married to her sweetheart of many, many years. Insatiably curious, an avid reader and traveler, she loves to hear from readers about their favorite books and real-life adventures. Crazy Cat stories are especially welcome. You can contact her at Rue@RueAllyn.com. She can't wait to hear from you.
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