In Bronwen Evans’s Loveswept debut, a pair of damaged souls ignite each other’s deepest passions—even as they tempt fate by deceiving the world.
Desperate to escape her abusive past, Sarah Cooper disguises herself as a governess in the employ of Christian Trent, Earl of Markham, the man who, long ago, she fantasized about marrying. Despite the battle scars that mar his face, Sarah finds being near Christian rekindles her infatuation. A governess, however, has no business in the arms of an earl, and as she accompanies Christian on his voyage home, Sarah must resist her intense desires—or risk revealing her dangerous secrets.
One of the renowned Libertine Scholars, Christian Trent once enjoyed the company of any woman he chose. But that was before the horrors of Waterloo, his wrongful conviction of a hideous crime, and his forcible removal from England. Far from home and the resources he once had, Christian believes the life he knew—and any chance of happiness—is over . . . until his ward’s governess sparks his heart back to life, and makes him remember the man he used to be. Now Christian is determined to return to England, regain his honor, and win the heart of the woman he has come to love.
Guest Post by Bronwen Evans
Hi Jillian and ladies, thanks so much for inviting me to guest blog today.
I haven’t been here before, so I’ll tell you a little bit about me. I live in New Zealand and I’m a romance author. I’ve been writing for a little over five years and my first book, Invitation to Ruin was released in March 2011. It went on to win the RomCon Readers’ Crown Best Historical and was a RT Reviewers’ Choice Best First Historical Nominee.
I’ve just released my eighth book, A KISS OF LIES, book #1 in my Disgraced Lords Regency series. I had so much fun writing this book because the characters were such survivors, and who doesn’t love to root for the underdog.
My hero, Christian Trent, Earl of Markham, was badly burned at Waterloo (read a FREE prequel on my website) and his life changed overnight. He was no longer the sought after rake with the world at his feet. He became an embarrassment to Society. The grand dames did not want his badly burned face at their balls, but they couldn’t overlook the war hero. His mistress deserted him, and the mothers who used to throw their daughters in his path now humiliatingly avoided him.
To top all that, one morning, he wakes in a brothel accused of raping the Duke of Barforte’s daughter. The Duke and his son, Simon, shanghai Christian to Canada leaving him in a strange winter-land with no money and no proof of identity.
My heroine, Sarah Cooper, is basically sold into marriage to pay her father’s gambling debts. Once she signs the marriage register, what she doesn’t realize is her husband intends to take her to Virginia, nor does she know he’s a cruel and sadistic plantation owner, who will treat her little better than the slaves he forces to work his land.
How do they meet up? Christian’s in Canada and Sarah is in Virginia. Sarah manages to escape north to York, and sees an advert for the role of governess to the Earl of Markham’s ward. Sarah believes fate has brought her to Christian. She remembers Lord Markham from home.
Here’s a snippet:-
Hi Jillian and ladies, thanks so much for inviting me to guest blog today.
I haven’t been here before, so I’ll tell you a little bit about me. I live in New Zealand and I’m a romance author. I’ve been writing for a little over five years and my first book, Invitation to Ruin was released in March 2011. It went on to win the RomCon Readers’ Crown Best Historical and was a RT Reviewers’ Choice Best First Historical Nominee.
I’ve just released my eighth book, A KISS OF LIES, book #1 in my Disgraced Lords Regency series. I had so much fun writing this book because the characters were such survivors, and who doesn’t love to root for the underdog.
My hero, Christian Trent, Earl of Markham, was badly burned at Waterloo (read a FREE prequel on my website) and his life changed overnight. He was no longer the sought after rake with the world at his feet. He became an embarrassment to Society. The grand dames did not want his badly burned face at their balls, but they couldn’t overlook the war hero. His mistress deserted him, and the mothers who used to throw their daughters in his path now humiliatingly avoided him.
To top all that, one morning, he wakes in a brothel accused of raping the Duke of Barforte’s daughter. The Duke and his son, Simon, shanghai Christian to Canada leaving him in a strange winter-land with no money and no proof of identity.
My heroine, Sarah Cooper, is basically sold into marriage to pay her father’s gambling debts. Once she signs the marriage register, what she doesn’t realize is her husband intends to take her to Virginia, nor does she know he’s a cruel and sadistic plantation owner, who will treat her little better than the slaves he forces to work his land.
How do they meet up? Christian’s in Canada and Sarah is in Virginia. Sarah manages to escape north to York, and sees an advert for the role of governess to the Earl of Markham’s ward. Sarah believes fate has brought her to Christian. She remembers Lord Markham from home.
Here’s a snippet:-
Mrs.
Sarah Cooper, although ushered into Lord Markham’s study by invitation,
immediately felt the waves of animosity rolling off him. Gone was the
fun-loving, handsome, and jovial rake she remembered spying on in her youth.
Instead, she found a man whose love for life seemed as snuffed out as last
night’s candle.
She couldn’t miss his scars,
and saw that life had hurt him, marked him . . . as indeed it had her. He was
badly burned over the right side of his face.
His once sensual lips appeared
to curl at the corner as if he were permanently sneering. Lord Markham had let
his hair grow longer than was fashionable and allowed it to hang about his
face, probably in an attempt to hide the worst of his scars. As he swung round
to greet her, she glimpsed his puckered cheek. The skin was pulled so taut,
surely it must hurt to talk or eat. However, God had been slightly merciful,
because his eye had not been damaged, nor much of the skin around it, he even
had part of his eyebrow. She’d always loved the green of his eyes, as warm and
welcoming as a summer meadow.
She couldn’t remember the last
time she’d been free to run through tall grass. She couldn’t remember the last
time she’d been free, period.
Life hadn’t transpired as
she’d thought or hoped.
They had that in common.
I hope you read A KISS OF LIES and follow the journey
Christian and Sarah take to their Happy Ever After. If you do, let me know what
you think of their story.
Thanks for having me over today.
Can you imagine what that must have been like in the early
1800’s – no wonder Christian turned to his five best friends.
Bronwen Evans grew up loving books. She has always indulged her love of storytelling and is constantly gobbling up movies, books, and theater. Is it any wonder she’s a proud romance writer? Evans is a two-time winner of the RomCon Readers’ Crown and has been nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.
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