More Than Passion
by JoMarie DeGioia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Geoffrey Kane, Earl of Kanewood refuses to feel anything more than
passion. Four years ago, his fiancée betrayed him and he has no desire to
experience that again so when he meets the beautiful Rebecca Kingsley, it’s
passion at first sight. And only passion.
Rebecca has led a very quiet life working for her father at a
small country inn. When she meets Geoffrey she falls in love with him right
away. But she’s only the daughter of a baronet and men like Geoffrey never
marry country girls like her. Do they?
When Rebecca’s father tries to marry her off to a wealthy old man,
Geoffrey intervenes and marries her himself. He wants her very much but he
couldn’t possibly love her. Love is for fools. At least that’s what he tells
himself. But a sinister enemy soon threatens to destroy all that Geoffrey holds
dear, forcing him to face the truth. His marriage depends on it . . . And maybe
even Rebecca’s very life.
The Raven’s Inn was surprisingly elegant. The brick
structure was trimmed with dark green, its long windows sparkling in the late
afternoon sun. Rebecca Kingsley was straightening the beautifully-appointed
parlor of the inn. Her father, Thomas, insisted that all the rooms look fine.
His father had been a baronet, but all that was left of the family fortune, as
it were, was the inn. As a younger man, he’d traveled in the social circles of
the ton and claimed to know what the gentry and lesser folk alike looked for in
food and lodging. Many travelers stopped at the inn, and they expected service
and accommodations as fine as any in London, or so Rebecca’s father insisted.
At twenty years old, Rebecca had been working at
the inn all of her life. Her mother died when Rebecca was just two, leaving no
real memories. Thomas refused to speak of her and Rebecca had long since given
up asking. The only thing he’d say was that she took after her mother in looks.
This he always said in a gruff, affectionate manner that never failed to
surprise her. She supposed she inherited her fair skin from her mother, that
and her thick raven-black hair. She could never see anything of herself in
Thomas.
He never really gave her much notice. She worked as
hard as the servants at the inn, keeping her own room as well as half of the
rest abovestairs. Mary, the chambermaid, took care of the other rooms as well
as seeing to the guests’ personal needs. Rebecca served the morning and evening
meals in the dining room, as well, along with Emmy. Emmy was funny and kind and
a shameless flirt. She never hesitated to share her experiences with Rebecca,
who couldn’t help but blush. She listened, though. Closely.
Rebecca was usually free to go about her own
business after finishing her chores abovestairs. But this afternoon, she
polished the candlesticks and dusted the furniture in the parlor. As usual, she
wore her hair plaited in one long braid coiled at the back of her head. Her
simple muslin gown was a few seasons old and well-suited to her task. She
paused to gaze longingly out the window toward the stables out back. Beyond
them, she could see the gently rolling hills over which she so loved to ride.
If she didn’t have to see to the parlor today, she’d surely be out riding her
black filly.
From her vantage point, Rebecca could see two
figures walking out of the stable’s wide doors. One man was slight of stature
and fell in step behind the other. The man in the lead was tall with broad
shoulders and dressed in a brown coat and tan breeches. He walked with a long,
easy stride. Sun glinted off hair she fancied the color of honey. He had a
strong profile, and Rebecca couldn’t tear her gaze away from him. What color
were his eyes?
“Fool,” she chided herself. She turned back to her
work, flicking her dusting cloth in
frustration.
frustration.
MY REVIEW:
Book Review for: More Than Passion
Written by: JoMarie Degioia
Lachesis Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-897562-96-3
3.5 Stars
"More Than Passion" is a story full of intrigue
set against a historical backdrop. It's England, 1822, and Geoffrey Kate, the
Earl of Kanewood, is on his way home when his carriage is damaged. He stops in
Oakham to see to the repair where he falls under the spell of Rebecca Kingsley.
Rebecca is a young maid and works at her father's
establishment, the Raven's Inn. He's trying to marry her off, but passion
ignites between Geoffrey and Rebecca. They're caught in a comprising manner and
marry hastily.
Trust hardly has a chance to grow between them when it's
tested. There's the mystery of Geoffrey's estate missing money, work not done,
but billed for, and jealousy. Is passion all Geoffrey and Rebecca have?
The writing style is easy to read, but there are times when
the story tends to "tell" and not "show." Rebecca is a steadfast heroine. Geoffrey
is the more complex character. He struggles with conflicting emotions – wanting
to trust Becca, yet allows his jealousy to niggle at his confidence. The
supporting cast and dastardly villains also vex Geoffrey, adding to his heightened
emotional state.
There are plenty of love scenes between Geoffrey and Rebecca,
which capture the passion the two share. If you enjoy historical romances, give
"More Than Passion" a try. It's full of intrigue, greed, and
betrayal.
GIVEAWAY:
JoMarie will be awarding winner's choice of an eBook from Lachesis Publishing to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please visit here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e434217/ to sign up for the Rafflecopter Giveaway.
When you follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:
The book is available for free as an ebook from Amazon at: http://www.amazon.com/More-Than-Passion-Dashing-Nobles-ebook/dp/B0082JA4BQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1404052381
AUTHOR Bio and
Links:
I
write Historical Romances with a touch of mystery and Contemporary Romances
with a touch of home. I'm also working on a Young Adult Dystopian
Fantasy/Adventure series and a hot Contemporary New Adult Romance.
I'm
a member of Romance Writers of America, Space Coast Authors of Romance and From
the Heart Romance Writers.
http://www.jomariedegioia.com/
https://twitter.com/JoMarieDeGioia
https://www.facebook.com/JoMarie.DeGioia.Author
BN
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-passion-jomarie-degioia/1111327290?ean=9781897562956
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/More-Passion-Dashing-Nobles-Series-ebook/dp/B0082JA4BQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401151352&sr=8-1&keywords=more+than+passion
Kobo
http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/more-than-passion-book-1-dashing-nobles-series
iBooks
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/more-than-passion/id528445065?mt=11
It's nice to JoMarie visit today. Question for JoMarie: What was the inspiration behind the story?
ReplyDeleteSmiles
Steph
Thanks so much for stopping by, Steph! Actually, I woke up with the bare bones of the story in my head. Don't know how. Don't know why. But I knew I had to write this story!
DeleteWhat a beautiful cover. I loved the excerpt. I wish you all the best!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Melissa. That cover is still one of my favorites. Thanks for the kind words, and for stopping by!
DeleteThanks so much for hosting this book blast and good luck to everyone who entered!
ReplyDelete