LETTERS TAKE THE LADY by Anna Valleria excerpt and giveaway

LETTERS TAKE THE LADY

Anna Valleria

GENRE: Historical Romance

BLURB:

Antigone Sprague, the spirited daughter of a gentleman scholar, has no patience for arrogant lords. So when she meets the reserved and bitingly clever Lord Michael Northram, she’s immediately put off by his condescending manner. She has no idea that he is utterly captivated.

Tongue-tied and overwhelmed by a passion he doesn’t understand, Michael can only confess his feelings in secret poems never meant to see the light of day. But when Antigone begins receiving those very poems from a charming and ambitious suitor, she believes she’s found the man who understands her soul. Believing he has lost her forever, a heartbroken Michael accepts a diplomatic mission to America, unaware that the woman he loves has actually fallen for his words.

Years later, his return to England ignites a shocking reunion and an undeniable spark. But their second chance is built on a foundation of lies. When the truth of the letters emerges, it exposes a scheme of shocking deception, and her spurned suitor reveals a desperate and dangerous side, threatening her very freedom. To win her trust, Michael must finally bridge the gap between the poet on the page and the man by her side, proving he is the hero she’s always deserved.

EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT

He swallowed as he imagined embers all around them, a circle of fire that shut out the rest of the world, all of the bungled past, all the uncertain future. He had never so badly wanted to kiss another human being, to envelope her into himself. He had not realized he had risen from his bench and moved closer to her in the space of their conversation. He could see the glint of red in her eyes, the dark shine of her hair reflecting the moonlight. He was reminded of that first time he had seen her and imagined a shield maiden of a faraway land. “Since we are not friends, you will not miss me when I’m gone.”

“You’re leaving?” Her mask slipped again, and concern filled her eyes.

A pathetic part of him hoped it was regret. He found himself leaning towards her as he smelled the soap on her skin and saw a small strand of her hair blow in the gentle breeze. Longing overtook his own body as his fingers burned to reach out and tuck the strand behind her ear. Couldn’t he have just one moment with her?

She seemed lost in the moment as well, as her chest rose and fell, matching his own. “Where are you going?”

What had she asked? Her change in demeanor pushed him out of his stupor and he recovered himself enough to respond. “Washington. I’ll be gone indefinitely.” There. That would put an end to whatever power she had over him. He would just put an ocean between them.

“Oh.” Her eyes were shuttered and she looked down, biting her beautiful lip. Then she looked up at him and gave him a sad smile, holding out her hand. “I wish you well, Lord Michael.”

She offered her hand in the American handshake, perhaps referencing his upcoming departure, but he caught her hand and turned it. It was not done for a gentlewoman to shake hands in the American way, but they had always gone beyond appropriate, ever since their first meeting. While she might be betrothed, it was certainly not appropriate that she was out here alone with him, and he knew he had seconds left with her and strove to make them count. Michael lowered his head and gently caressed her knuckles with his thumb, feeling her soft warm skin through the soft material of her glove. He brushed his lips over her knuckles, trying to direct all the longing and emotions he couldn’t name into that moment, that contact. He stepped back abruptly and walked away, knowing he could not look back and watch her marry another man. But he could do nothing to stop it. The metal he had fashioned himself into had been blunt and cold and had driven her away long before she had even met Sir Ambrose Trevathan.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0FP4CMQ1F/

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Anna Valleria writes historical romance that is sweet with steam. Her stories have been praised for their rich, realistic tone and aching romanticism, reminiscent of classic romance novels. She crafts deeply layered characters, like the honorable heroes and resilient heroines in her Victorian Historical Rogues Fall First series, that will remind you why you fell in love with romance in the first place. Anna was also a runner-up in Dragonblade Publishing’s 2024 “Write Track” Writing Contest, soon to be seen in the Tales of Timeless Love Vol. 4.

A lifelong lover of coffee and writing in cafes, she finds inspiration in the historic city that she lives in.

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Website: http://www.annavalleriabooks.com

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