by BethI'm so happy to be celebrating the release of my 5th book for Harlequin Superromance, A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS!
I have to admit, writing this story wasn't easy but with the help of my fabulous editor, Victoria Curran, and Tawny, the most fantastic critique partner ever, I was able to muddle through and get to the heart of the story. Here's the back cover:
Growing up in her perfect sister's shadow wasn't easy. Especially because J. C. Montgomery had been in love with Liz's boyfriend for as long as she could remember. Brady Sheppard, a guy who thought of her as only the kid sister. But that all changed when Liz married somebody else and Brady ended up in bed with J.C.! It was like a dream come true.
Except now J.C.'s pregnant. And Brady's a wounded marine, so it's going to be difficult for him to get down on one knee and tell her she's his reason for living…. But he will.Because she still believes in Santa Claus.
Instead of an excerpt (though, if you'd like to read an excerpt you can find one on eHarlequin and a different one on my website) I thought I'd give you all a taste of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS' beginning, middle and end.
Beginning - It might have been the numerous shots of whiskey and the goading of his fellow drinkers down at The Empire Bar, but Brady Sheppard thought crashing his ex-fiancé’s wedding was the best idea he’d had in years.
Middle - “That’s it?” He’d figured it’d be something…bigger. Stop drinking. Or go back to physical therapy. Bare his soul to some shrink.
End - And then—disheveled, contented and, if she wasn’t mistaken, mended—Brady Sheppard smiled. At her.
As you might be able to see, Brady does some growing and changing throughout the story *g*
It wasn't until I actually wrote these out that I realized how much you can tell about the story just from these few lines. Now I'm wondering if that will hold true for other stories as well. Shall we find out?
Just give us a line or two from the beginning, middle and end of the book you're currently reading. We'll call this a Launch Party Experiment *g* And don't forget to pull up a comfy spot, pour yourself a drink and enjoy the party!
I'll give away THREE copies of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS so leave a comment for your chance to win!
73 comments:
This sounds fun; I have to go find my book!
Long, long, long ago, before mortals began to inscribe mortal religions onto stone tablets and parchment, there was a time of the Three Realms: the Realm of the Flesh, the Realm of Spirit, and Half World.
She threw herself onto the mountain ledge and clung to the ground cover with her fingers and toes, her heart pounding wildly, heaving for breath, eyes tightly closed. [page 60]
The rat opened wide her mouth and revealed her long incisors in a great rate grin. "Don't be so certain," she said. "Sometimes endings are beginnings in the making." [this isn't the last sentence but it is on the last page]
-"Half World" by Hiromi Goto (no, it's not a romance novel but a YA book about a young teen girl who has to go save her mother and, of course, the world)
Well done Sheree have fun with him
Beth
I am soo looking forward to reading A Marine For Christmas I have ordered it and I am pretty sure it will arrive in the post on Monday YAY.
Love the bits from the start middle and end such a good idea. I will give these bits from the book I have just read which is a Mills & Boon Medical by Sharon Archer Bachelor Dad, Girl Next Door
Port Cavill. The scene of his first medical failure.Are we nearly there ? His daughters sulky voice interupted his dark thought. Not far Allie He rolled his neck, feeling the tiredness and tension in his muscles. Alexis she corrected with all the disdain a ten year old could muster.
Luke quelled a pinprick of apprehension Terri Both he and Allie wanted more of her in their lives.It seemed like potential disaster. He didn't want Allie to get hurt.
Allie He laughed then sobered. He'd started preparing his daughter for this possibility but had he done enough? Allie sweetheart we are going to get married.
It's about time she said and her face split into a huge smile.
I so enjoyed this book about two people who had lost their partners one who had a daughter and the other lost her baby and what they overcame to make a new life together.
Huge congrats on the release Beth and happy partying
Have Fun
Helen
Enjoy GR Sheree
Congratulations on the book Beth.... I am a sucker for anything Christmas....
Lady Brenner enjoyed the banishment to the musty north tower. Shivering with the thrill of rebellion, she tossed her kirtle onto the floor planks, perched naked on a three legged stool, and lifted one of her many paint brushes to capture what she saw in the looking glass.
"Your easiest way to freedom is to please me"
She caught his fingers beneath hers.A calculating gaze formed in her eyes. " And how may I please you, my Lord?"
Sorry but I cannot give you the end as I have not got there yet and I don't like to read the end of the book til I finish LOL
The book is the Pleasures of Sin by jessica Trapp
Sounds like a good book!
Congratulations, Beth! A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS went straight to my keeper shelf as soon as I finished reading it. I'm so glad you persevered in the writing of it because this is a story I would not have wanted to miss!
Congratulations on your new book! Here is my current read:
"She shall not touch my pearls." The Countess of Warwickshire was a beautiful woman but her lips twisted into an ugly expression as she glared at her husband's mistress.
"I heard a most interesting rumor." Cullen was in full teasing form. Brodick rolled his eyes. He was more interested in finding his wife, but that only made him grimace.
She took solace in his presence, enjoying every second of it. The burdens of life would steal him away soon enough.
In Bed Wit a Stranger by Mary Wine
Congrats on your release, Beth! I can't wait to pick this one up. Unfortunately, I'm not reading anything right now...only writing. And I have a beginning but no middle or ending.
He definitely wouldn't have gotten within touching distance of Rita Cole. Tyler was pretty sure every damned mistake man had ever made could be laid at one of the Cole sisters' sexy toes.
"Good morning," she said with a bright smile that made him think more about hugging her than stripping her naked. Dammit.
He shrugged, then gave her a look so heart-meltingly sweet her knees went soggy.
"A Babe in Toyland" by Tawny Weber from the Harlequin Blaze anthology, It Must Have Been the Mistletoe.... (Dec. 1)
Loved it! ♥
Hi, Beth! Congratulations on your latest release! Happy Holidays! I know that I am on the "Naughty List" this year, so I may not get all my holiday wishes. "A Marine For Christmas" would be very nice indeed : )
From "Barely a Lady" by Eileen Dreyer:
It would take a miracle to get him out of this alive.
What had he done? God, he knew better.
"Yes," Jack said, saying everything he needed with his eyes to his precious, dauntless Livvie. "Finally."
"You forged my signature? You're only eight years old!"
Jenn was a sweetheart, the kind of woman who'd say having a diploma didn't matter.
How had he ever lived without her?
His Son's Teacher by Kay Stockham.
Congratulations on the release, Beth! :)
C rack!
Dr. Melanie Harding’s hands jerked. Seated at her scuffed wooden desk, she nearly dropped the financial statement she’d been studying—the first month’s figures for her new veterinary practice.
Still groggy and uncomfortable, Drew showered once more in an attempt to clear his fuzzy mind. He needed to use his brain again. Get it working on problems with his latest formulation—enhancing his, and his fellow shapeshifters’, sensory abilities to beyond feral levels, even while in human form.
While he was at it, he’d hopefully alleviate the worries creeping around the corners of that same troubled organ, thanks to last night’s events.
“Are you proposing, Major Connell?”
“Guess so. I love you, Melanie.” He sounded so serious that she smiled.
“I love you, too.” She burrowed into his waiting arms. “You sure Grunge won’t mind if we get married?” she asked against his mouth. “Or your wolf form?”
“How could they resist having a vet in the family?
“Smart canines,” Melanie said, and kissed him.
That was from Alpha by Linda O. Johnston.
Beth, I'm looking forward to reading A Marine for Christmas December 2 (Day after Deadline). I've promised myself a reading marathon then.
Since the book I'm reading now is a research tome on Asian Art, I'll take the BME passages from the last romance I read.
Grief came in waves, hard and choppy, buffeting and breaking the heart.
"I once found a Chantelle demi-cut bra--black lace, thirty-six C, hanging on a branch of a willow by the pond and the matching panties floating in the water."
And it was the start of her own happy ever after.
Good morning!
Sheree, congrats on nabbing the Golden Rooster! Do you two have plans for the day? If he was here, I'd put him to work hanging Christmas lights outside :-)
Wow! I love the lines you posted from HALF WORLD! Very edgy, suspenseful tone. Thanks for playing :-)
Thanks, Helen. I hope you enjoy Brady and JC's story!
I love the opening of Bachelor Dad, Girl Next Door, especially the last line from Alexis *g* Sounds like a wonderful read!
Thanks, Barb. I love anything Christmas, too. I was channel surfing last night hoping to find a holiday-themed TV show but no such luck *g*
Sorry but I cannot give you the end as I have not got there yet and I don't like to read the end of the book til I finish LOL
LOL! No problem, Barb! But wow, doesn't that opening and the middle give a clear sense of the character and the tone of the story? Sounds like a great book.
Hmm...I can tell my To-Be-Bought List is going to be much longer by the time we're done here today :-)
Thanks, Elizabeth! And thanks for stopping by :-)
Thank you so much, PJ! And thanks again for the wonderful review on The Romance Dishes. I'm really glad you enjoyed the book :-)
Beth, I love that idea! A little chunk from the beginning, the middle and the end that shows character development! There's no wonder you have a RITA holding down your bookshelf!
I love Christmas stories--I can't wait to pick up A Marine For Christmas. (Okay, that sounds bad. I mean the book. Not an actual Marine.) :-)
Congratulations on your new book, I can't wait to read it. I like men in uniform. Here is the book I'm reading.
Macey Locke didn't often wake up alone in a man's bed. She didn't often wake up in a man's bed period.
Derek opened his eyes reluctantly, wondering what wrecking ball he'd gotten into a fight with. His pulse throbbed in his temples and the base of his skull felt as if it'd been disconnected from the rest of his body.
He pulled her close again and breathed in the scent of her hair. "Can you handle such an unenlightened man?Forever?" "Absolutely, I'm looking forward to the challenge. Every single wonderful day of it."
Playing With Fire by Amy Knupp.
Thanks, Maureen! Great lines - they all really hook the reader, don't they? Makes me want to know more about the story *g*
Thanks, Christie! I'm between books right now as well. My head is so full of ideas for a new proposal I'm afraid if I start reading something, all those ideas will float away :-)
"A Babe in Toyland" by Tawny Weber from the Harlequin Blaze anthology, It Must Have Been the Mistletoe.... (Dec. 1)
Oh, PJ, isn't Babe a wonderful story? And it's for sale on eHarlequin and I saw it a Borders this week so some places have it early. It's such a fun, sexy, emotional read :-)
Virginia, I can't imagine you on the Naughty List! Say it isn't so ;-)
It would take a miracle to get him out of this alive.
Wow! What a fabulous opening line! And the ending is so sweet. Another book to be added to my wish list *g*
Hey, Gillian! Kay writes such wonderful stories! I especially love that opening line *g*
Thanks for playing!
WOW!!!! Launch party in the lair! Love it. Beth, you know I love your books. I've got AMFC winging its way to me from the Book Depository as we speak. Huzzah! Can't wait to read it.
What a fun question.
I'm trying to be very quiet and not move around the house too much because I've got guests (including one Bandita!) sleeping in on a grey, rainy morning here. So I thought I'd pick MY RECKLESS SURRENDER for this game.
Here's the start:
“I want to be your lover.”
Diana was shocked to hear herself issue the invitation. Even more shocked that she didn’t stumble over the bald words.
She’d never been sure she’d summon courage to speak them aloud. Yet they emerged clearly, firmly, without hesitation.
Here's something from the middle:
Very slowly, she replaced the book she was holding and strolled around the desk in his direction. In the candlelight, her eyes gleamed with unmistakable interest. Perhaps he wasn’t the only one who found this discussion of books surprisingly arousing.
“Perhaps next time.”
And here's the end:
She twined her arms around his neck and yielded to bone-melting anticipation. “You’re insatiable.”
His smile was all libertine. His smile was all for her.
“For you, my darling, always.”
Hey, that was in interesting exercise!
Helen, I LOVE Sharon's books! What wonderful excerpts!
Minna, those are great! I haven't read Linda O. Johnston but now I want to *g*
Thanks!
Hey, Janga! I hope you enjoy A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS and best of luck with your deadline *g*
I'm LOL over that middle line! Fabulous!
I can't wait to pick up A Marine For Christmas. (Okay, that sounds bad. I mean the book. Not an actual Marine.) :-)
I don't think that sounds bad, Susan. Although our husbands might not agree. But, as I said to my hubby when I first heard the title, "Well, I sure as heck would want a marine for Christmas" :-)
Thanks, Linda! And thanks for posting lines from Amy's PLAYING WITH FIRE *g* I love her stories!
Kirsten, that ending line gave me chills! Looks like a fabulous read. Thanks for sharing :-)
Sheree, congrats on the rooster!
Beth, I'm so looking forward to this book. I love Christmas stories. I'm in revision mode right now, not reading, so I can't play the game. People have come up with some wonderful bits, though.
This sounds fun! From Linda Howard's Veil of Night.
Beginning:
SIX WEDDINGS IN FIVE DAYS. HOLY SHIT.
Middle:
If he had anything to say to her, she wanted witnesses.
"I thought I should probably tell you not to leave town," he said in that flat, cold cop tone, his hazel eyes narrowed.
End:
Eric glanced over his shoulder. Then he closed his eyes and dropped his head forward. "Oh, shit, not again!"
Congratulations on the release of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS! Sounds like a great read!
The Interior Of Willand's Mercantile, redolent of leather and wood smoke, seemed to recede as Juliana Mitchell stood at the counter, holding her breath.
Lincoln felt his neck warm.
He deftly dispensed with her undergarments, parted her legs, and felt that most intimate part of him, pressed against her.
A Creed Country Christmas
by Linda Lael Miller
Beth~ I have read A Marine for Christmas and really enjoyed it.
From Fortune's Proposal by Allison Leigh
Beginning>"Happy New Year Deanna. Hope you have fun tonight"...
Middle>"Drew's lashes narrowed until all Deanna could see was the thin glimmer of golden brown"...
End>"And a few hours later when their plane landed in Las Vegas, they didn't"...
PS. Don't enter me in the contest since I have read the book.
I'll have to go find one of my current reads, Beth! Congrats on A Marine for Christmas! Can't wait to read it!
congrats on your release Beth. I like how you gave us a taste. I never thought of asking for a Marine for Christmas, but now I want one. ;)
A Marine for Christmas sounds fantastic!
-----
Shey Lynn, you've been her three months and not once have you taken those boys to church!
Don't worry about what other people say. You're his mom. He's your responsibility. Trust your instinct.
You've seen a doctor?
She's gone Country by Jane Porter
Hey, Fo! I'm envious you have a Bandita in your house!
I so love the opening line of MRS! What a fantastic hook *g*
Hi, Nancy! Thanks for stopping by - good luck with your revisions!
And yes, everyone has come up with such interesting lines that really seem to set the tone for the book. It's been a fun experiment :-)
Laurie, those are all fabulous lines! They definitely make me want to read the book - thanks for playing *g*
Leni, thanks for sharing a Christmas book! Sounds like a good one :-)
Hi, Ellen! So good to see you here! I've missed everyone over on the Harlequin forums at eHarlequin. I'm hoping to get back there next week *g*
Thanks for playing and for saying you enjoyed AMFC :-)
Hi, Fedora! I wasn't sure what to expect from just a few lines but it's amazing how much you can get about a story in such a short format *g*
I never thought of asking for a Marine for Christmas, but now I want one. ;)
LOL, Dina! It's not too late to ask for one ;-)
Thanks for stopping by!
Chey, I've heard such wonderful things about She's Gone Country! I'll have to check it out - these lines are great :-)
From Tawny's Riding the Waves--
B: "I think I'd be better off giving up on men," [Drucilla] admitted to her best friend and fellow scientist, Niki Hanson. "This is the sixth failed dating experiment this year. And it's only August."
M: Her brain shut off. Her last thought was that this was why Alex was so dangerous to her. He could make her stop thinking with just the touch of his lips. And without her brains, what was she? In trouble. That's what.
E: She tilted her head back to smile up at him. "I do," she said. "I love you today, I'll love you tomorrow, and all the tomorrows after."
Aww... ;)
Good going, Sheree! Make the GR behave!
Can't wait to get my hands on your new one, Beth! I LOVE adding Christmas books to my Christmas reading shelf! I drag them all out every year to get me in the Christmas spirit.
Unfortunately the only thing I'm reading right now is my latest finished novel. Editing as it came in at 119,687 words !!
Here's a bit from the beginning :
London - February, 1817
“What does one call a male whore?” Cain Overley muttered as he counted the thick stack of pound notes on the dressing table.
“Cain?” Millicent mumbled in her sleep from the gauze-draped monstrosity of a bed.
He chuckled softly and shook his head. God certainly had a sense of humor. Cain glanced around the plum silk and chintz nightmare his lover called a bedchamber. From the dainty lace-trimmed furniture to the profusion of porcelain shepherdesses that dotted every flat surface, the room screamed suffocating femininity. And here he stood trapped in the middle of it. He ran his hands over his face. He needed a shave. He needed a drink. He needed a way out. God, how had it come to this?
And from the middle :
“No thank you, Miss Warren.” He dropped her hand and sketched her a bow. “Taking anything, especially money, from the women in this house comes at too high a price. I’ll settle for room and board for Barclay, Hobbs and me. I’ll find this killer and you do what I tell you and consider telling me the truth. That’ll be our little arrangement.”
With his first real grin of the evening, he cupped her shoulders and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. Before he could pull away, she pushed up on her toes and grabbed the back of his head for what turned out to be a rather clumsy kiss. Cain stumbled back and narrowed his eyes to study her face.
“What if I want more?” she asked softly. “How can I arrange that? I mean—”
“Sorry, love,” he spat out in a bad Covent Garden accent. “I’m out of the business.” He dragged his hand across his lips.
She’d made a terrible mistake. They’d ended up in bed twice, but it meant nothing to him. Or perhaps he simply couldn’t stomach bedding Millicent’s stepsister.
“Henley Snowe seems to want something from you. Why don’t you make your offer to him? I’m sure he’d be gentle if there was money involved. His performance will be enough to satisfy you.”
And from the end :
“I’ve just bought myself a husband, sir. I want to sample the goods to make sure I’ve made a wise purchase.”
Cain delved his hands beneath her skirts and ran them up the velvet softness of her thighs. “If you feel you must, but I warn you, ma’am, I expects me vales for services of this nature.”
She began to unfasten the buttons of his falls. “What sort of vales would suit you?”
“Kisses, my lady.” He pressed his lips to hers and began to work on the fastenings of her gown. “Your firstborn child and all of the children after that. All of your days and especially all of your nights. And your love, my lady, for the rest of our lives.”
She drew her arms from her sleeves. Her gown slipped to her waist. His beautiful Sarafina gazed at him from glistening emerald eyes and smiled. “Done, sir, if you can promise me the same.”
His heart hurt with love for this magnificent creature. “Done, my lady.”
With a wicked smile she tapped the little window behind her head. “Around the park a few times, Hobbs, and then home.”
Congrats on the release! Gah! You're asking me to skip ahead in a book?? ............oh, very well. But just this once!
Beginning:
He remembered the match vividly. After that - after he had fallen by the bridge - he had no recall and only knew what had happened from the statements of the witnesses at his trial.
Middle:
He was suddenly aware that his chequered brown wool suit was shabby and his boots thick. He had never felt this before with Enid, and he didn't like it at all.
End:
"Oh, but he did," interjected Alwyn. "He doesn't like him." Murdoch sighed.
- Let Loose the Dogs by Maureen Jennings
"You're looking a little pathetic there, Mom."
Meg had no idea what constituted grace for these people.
"Kill me now," Lizzie answered.
(Lines are from An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller)
Oh, I'm so late to the party! Are there any drinks left??? Ha, it's the Lair, so there must be plenty! LOL
Congrats again, Beth! I'm so looking forward to reading A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS.
Here's something from what I'm reading now:
He lifted his chin in challenge. "Say it."
"Fine. There's something going on here. I don't know if you're a tailor or not, but there's something going on here that's just plain weird."
"Weird?"
"Sparks, explosions, invisible domes that shiver and shake?"
"And you came here to find out?"
"Yes."
"I think this is what you came here to find out." He pulled her to him and buried her mouth with his. The kiss was neither romantic nor halting. It demanded an answer, which she damned herself for giving. A charge exploded in her belly. His mouth was hard and practiced, and she returned his hunger with her own, spurred by the iron arms at her back and the scent of a storm-laden sea that hung on his clothes and skin.
- ACHING FOR ALWAYS by Gwyn Cready
Ooh, Louisa, that's brilliant! Thanks so much for sharing that with us. What wonderful characters - you can tell even in that amount!
Actually, Beth, there's always a Bandita in my house - ME! But not always two Banditas. Such a treat.
And thanks for saying you like the hook of MRS!
Why thank you, La Campbell! Praise from you is praise indeed!! I must admit I do have a HUGE soft spot in my heart for Cain and Sarafina. They put me through the wringer at times, but theirs has been a truly satisfying romance to write!
And Beth I am thinking A Marine for Christmas is going to join other Bandita books in my Mom's Christmas basket!
Ooooooh, I so love this book!! Brady is classic Beth Andrews - a tortured, struggling hero who overcomes his inner demons because of love. And I adore JC.
I'm a little ashamed to say I'm not reading anything right now because I'm starting a new book and avoid reading other work in the gestation stages of new stories. But this has been so fun to read the comments of beginnings, middles and ends.
and yes, I'm loving PJ's a lot *ggg*
Sheree, you got the rooster!
Oh, what a great game!
I started A Marine For Christmas two days ago, got to the reception, then had to stop. I got slammed with work and haven't been able to read since then. I can't wait to finish it. It sucked me in SO hard! If it keeps on this track, this will be my fav of your books so far. *grin* It's banging at the back of my mind and I think I'm going to get to read more tonight.
Okay here's my last one:
"Soooo? How was your date?" Drucilla Robichoux froze, her spoonful of lemon yogurt halfway to her mouth. She'd been dreading this question.
It wasn't until she felt the thuds against the back of her head that she realized someone was knocking on her office door. The door she was currently getting hot, wet and wicked against.
There was nothing like surfing at sunset. The colors of the sky, the feel of the cooling air as it whipped around her body while she flew over the water. Incredible. Simply incredible. Much like her life.
That's Riding The Waves by Tawny Weber
Fedora, that's one of my favorite stories *g* And those lines show why it's so great! That middle shows the herione's conflict so well :-)
Thanks, Louisa!
I love your lines! As always, I'm so impressed by the talent we have in the lair!! Thanks for sharing your work with us :-)
Gah! You're asking me to skip ahead in a book??
LOL, Pissenlit! You didn't have to read ahead, but I'm glad you played along ;-) I'm one of those who always checks out the end. Drives Tawny nuts *ggg*
Hey, lgm52. That's a great opening line! Maybe because I have teenagers and I'm used to them being brutally honest :-)
Thanks for stopping by!
I'm one of those who always checks out the end. Drives Tawny nuts *ggg*
She's right... it really does drive me crazy!
Are there any drinks left??? Ha, it's the Lair, so there must be plenty! LOL
LOL, Gannon! You know us too well ;-)
Great lines - I love a first kiss scene *g*
Actually, Beth, there's always a Bandita in my house - ME!
LOL! So true - and while one Bandita is good, two are GREAT!!
Ooooooh, I so love this book!! Brady is classic Beth Andrews - a tortured, struggling hero who overcomes his inner demons because of love. And I adore JC
Not that your biased though ;-)
Thanks, Tawny!
And I have to brag because the new book Tawny is working on is so fabulous *g* Luckily, we have A Babe In Toyland (and other upcoming releases) to read while we wait for her to finish her latest ;-)
Thaks, Cassondra. I hope you like AMFC.
And isn't Riding The Waves, fab? I love Dru and Alex - they were so perfect for each other *g*
From Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
The beginning: A fist crashed into Judd's cheekbone. Focused on eliminating his opponent from the field, he barely noticed the impact, his own fist already swinging out.
The Middle: Judd dreamed of killing again, of seeing his hands dipped in blood. Red. The blood was red in the otherwise monochrome landscape. That was when he realized he held Brenna's dying heart in his hands. It was beating, a pulsing accusation of what he'd done.
The End:"You're walking funny" Lucy said, a shit-eating grin on her face.
Five days of out of this world sex could do that to a girl.
A marine for Christmas sounds great - good luck with it
Cath
Very late to the party - but was out and about. Wanted to drop into the Lair and say how excited I am about your latest release. I love your books and can't wait to meet your latest yummy hero ... Brady sounds like another one I'll lose my heart over.
And, even if I didn't have it already on order from The Book Depository (Amazon UK doesn't stock Harlequin books anymore!) you'd have me with that first line!
Congratulations on the book. It sounds like a great Christmas read. The book I'm reading now is showing great growth of the heroine.
"Intellectually, she knew it was time to put aside her grief and get on with the task of living.... But emotionally she felt numb... It was as if she had no heart at all now, her world veiled in a shadowy fog that held the worst of the pain at bay but kept out the pleasure and vibrancy as well."
"he saw the happiness rising on Mallory's countenance that he hadn't seen in such a very long time. She might think she could no longer enjoy herself, but with each new day she came a step closer to breaking free of the sorrow that had imprisoned her for so many dark months. She might still grieve in the days and weeks to come, but she would find happiness as well."
I have a third or so of the book left, so I don't have an ending excerpt, but she is progressing.
WICKED DELIGHTS OF A BRIDAL BED by Trecy Anne Warren.
librarypat AT comcast DOT net
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