Having escaped the clutches of Malcolm Baxter, a cruel man
who had
brutally abused her, Monica Danes has built an independent
life for herself
as an actress in Bath, in 1897. Shunned by her family for
refusing to marry
Mr. Baxter, and for shaming them by becoming a famous
actress, Monica
has never returned to Marksville House in her hometown of
Biddestone.
Gaining the freedom that she has always wanted, Monica has
found true
friends and a lifestyle she adores. But when her younger
sister Jane writes,
letting her know that their father has died, Monica knows
she must return to
help her sister. Terrified of being trapped into that old
life, she vows to bury
her father and leave as soon as possible. However plans
never seem to be
straight-forward.
Upon her return, Monica finds her mother deeply ill and
delusional, Jane
desperately wants her to stay to look after the estate and
all who depend
on Marksville for their livelihood, and finally Thomas,
her father's groom
and right hand man. He has been the one man she can trust,
the one who
has held her heart since she was young, and the one that
infuriates her
beyond measure!
As their passionate feelings for each other resurface,
they both try to stop their growing love. Thomas believes
that the
differences in their class prevents them from ever being
together, and it is
killing him to keep his distance from her. Monica loves
Thomas but knows
that the land that she dislikes so much, is a part of his
soul, and that he
could never be happy in Bath. And she believes she can
never be happy in
Biddestone. But when Monica reveals an unusual plan, that
will leave her
free to return to Bath, but also leave Thomas and her
family in the home
that they love, will Thomas finally fight for what he
wants,deep down in his
heart? Or will Monica run away from her destiny and her
true love?
WHAT A WOMAN DESIRES by Rachel Brimble is a wonderful tale
of
independence and love in the Victorian era. Monica is an
independent,
strong, self-established actress who has been damaged by
the actions of
Malcolm Baxter, but also by the actions of her parents. As
she struggles to
escape Marksville and her feelings for Thomas, as a reader
I felt every
emotion that she portrayed - her fear, her love, her need
for freedom.
Thomas is protective, loyal, and loving but afraid of the
ramifications of his
feelings, and so he tries to deny what is in his heart.
WHAT A WOMAN
DESIRES by Rachel Brimble is a delightful Regency tale
with strong
characters and a few twists and turns that grab your
attention.
From country girl to actress of the stage, one woman
dares
to live her dreams—but is she brave enough to open her
heart…?
Monica Danes always wanted more than the village of
Biddlestone had to offer. After a failed courtship to a
man
of her parents’ choosing, she fled for the city of Bath
and
never looked back. Today, Monica is the undisputed queen
of
the theater—a wealthy, independent woman. But when she is
called home in the wake of tragedy, Monica returns—
intending
to leave again as soon as possible.
Thomas Ashby has been a groom at the Danes estate since
he
was a boy—and has been enamored with Monica for almost as
long. He knows he isn’t a suitable match for his master’s
daughter, despite the special bond he and Monica have
always
shared—and their undeniable attraction. But now that
she’s
returned, Thomas has one last chance to prove himself
worthy—and to show Monica a life, and a love, she won’t
want
to give up...
Excerpt
Monica stared at the man’s partially revealed profile,
obscured by the shadow of his hat. Familiarity she
couldn’t place swept over her. He was tall, almost a foot
taller than her, his shoulders broad and his biceps
thick. Her gaze drifted along the sinewy forearms
revealed by his rolled shirtsleeves. A laborer. She
lifted her gaze to his face as he glared at their
attackers. His jaw was chiseled despite the stubble that
grazed it. She swallowed as shameful intimidation and
attraction rolled through her. She imagined his eyes were
the deepest blue. . . .
“Get up.”
The sound of his deep, rough voice a second time sliced
through her appraisal and Monica stiffened.
“Get up now,” he growled.
Her breath knotted in the center of her chest. “Thomas?”
He turned and their gazes locked for the briefest moment
before he looked to the men once more. It was barely a
second, maybe two, that he’d looked at her, but the
intensity of his gaze lingered on Monica’s skin, burning
white-hot heat through her clothes to sear deep into her
flesh just the way it had years before. Her heart picked
up speed and her body warmed with a desire she hadn’t
known in so very long. To trust a man implicitly, to know
he cared for her and those closest to her was a rarity
she’d taken for granted throughout the years she’d lived
in Biddestone.
Her time away had taught her more than Thomas would ever
understand. Shame pinched hot at her cheeks. No matter
her previous connection with him, the men she’d met since
had made her doubt her instincts and not dare to trust
again. Yet, the life lessons she’d endured would do
nothing to soothe the undoubted scar she’d left on
Thomas’s sense of loyalty by leaving Marksville and not
once looking back.
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