"Regency Romance set in Cornwall sparkles!"
Reviewed by Patricia (Pat) Pascale
Posted February 18, 2018
Romance Historical
Catrin Price, a widow when her husband died on their wedding
day believes her family was cursed from a spell cast decades
ago. The Morgana curse sets the stage for Welsh widow Catrin
Price to end the family's death curse. According to Welsh
mythology, a drink from the ancient druid chalice on the
wedding day ensures a long and lasting marriage. If not,
death will occur to the groom within three years. Sold by an
ancestor, Catrin locates the druid chalice and travels to
London to buy it from Lord Justin Mansfield. He is murdered
shortly after in a nearby alley. Returning to her estate,
Catrin hides the chalice and tells no one about her mission. Evan Newcomb is a noted scholar at Cambridge and has come a
long way from being abused mentally and physically by his
tenant farmer father. Evan was brought up by the owners of
the farm, Rys and Juliana Vaughan, who sent him to the best
schools. He worries that he will follow in his father's
footsteps. Evan is on a mission. He must avenge the murder
of his best friend, Justin. He believes the last person
with him the evening he was stabbed to death is Catrin
Price. He travels to her estate and meets the beautiful
current Lady of the Mist. Their relationship is rocky,
filled with lies, and deceptions. As the untruths begin to
unravel, a close relationship quickly turns into a sweet
romance and lasting love. A colorful cast of characters will
keep you guessing. Some you will love, others you will hate.
I particularly enjoyed Bos, her butler, and confidante. Sabrina Jeffries writes a delightful tale of romance and
danger in a Regency-era Wales. The locale is set in a lovely
small town Welsh countryside where folklore abounds. Ms.
Jeffries addresses abuse, loneliness, and love and tells a
story in a very special way. Catrin is beautiful, shy and
unsure of herself, always comparing herself to her vibrant
grandmother. She becomes stronger in her pursuit of
happiness and a future with a husband and family. Evan will
steal your heart. He is always there for Catrin, and I loved
his sense of humor. Supernatural elements are lightly weaved
throughout the book as Wales mythology are blended with
murder, mystery, and romance. I found Catrin and Evan to be
endearing characters, and I loved their happily ever after
ending. Ms. Jeffries never disappoints.. Anyone who loves
romance in a sparkling setting, with a sprinkling of
intrigue will enjoy WINDSWEPT. I loved it!
SUMMARY
Originally written under the pseudonym Deborah Martin, this
unforgettable tale of mystery, treasure, and passion is
back
in print at last and newly revised for today’s audience—and
available as an ebook! Welsh widow Catrin Price is haunted by a family death
curse.
Any man whom she marries without first drinking from an
ancient Druid chalice sold by her ancestor long ago is
unquestionably doomed. But when she hunts it down to
purchase it, the chalice’s former owner ends up dead. Who
will believe her innocent with the man’s treasure in her
hands? Now she lives in fear of discovery, afraid to trust,
afraid to give away her heart… Even Newcome, a scholar struggling to overcome a difficult
past, travels to Wales to find the mysterious woman last
seen with his murdered friend. So when the lady proves to
be
a beautiful yet shy creature who shares his love of Welsh
mythology, he’s torn between believing her guilty and
trusting the passion blazing between them. But as
unscrupulous men seek the chalice for their own devious
purposes, will Catrin and Evan let their wall of mistrust
stand between them? Or will they defeat their enemies
together and embrace the love intended for them since time
immemorial?
ExcerptCatrin lifted her head, then her stomach lurched once more,
forcing her to clap her hand over her mouth for fear she’d
disgrace herself.“Not yet,” Evan murmured. “Give it a moment.” “I-I’ve never done this before,” she stammered into her
skirts. What a coward he must think her. Grandmother would
never have fainted. She would have cut the obnoxious father
of Catrin’s late husband into pieces with her sharp tongue,
then had him thrown bodily out the door. “I’m not the f-
fainting sort, truly I’m n-not.” “Don’t worry about it.” His voice was kind as he stroked
her back. “Under the right circumstances, anyone can get
light-headed. Besides, you scarcely ate anything and you’ve
been dancing on an empty stomach in a crowded room. It’s a
wonder you didn’t faint before.” She said nothing, but as she continued to breathe deeply
and keep her head down, the fainting spell seemed to pass.
Slowly she became aware of the chill in the air now that
dusk was approaching. Then other things caught her attention . . . Evan’s hand
rubbing her back with soothing motions . . . his leg only
inches from hers as he knelt on one knee at her side . . .
his breath feathering her hair. Her awkward position was becoming uncomfortable, too.
Fortunately, this time when she tried to sit up, her
stomach didn’t revolt. Yet he kept his hand on her back,
his fingers still tracing circles on the silk of her gown
while he watched her with obvious concern. His kindness was too much to bear, especially after he’d
been forced to subject himself to her father-in-law’s
insults. “I’m sorry I put you in such an abominable
position.” “Kneeling at your feet?” His tone was light. “It’s not so
bad.” How could he joke about what had just happened? “N-no, I
mean—” “I know what you mean. Forgive my jest, but I thought it
might cheer you.” “I can only imagine what you must think—” He touched a finger to her lips. “I think you’re a woman
unfairly maligned and little understood.” His words only made her feel worse. After all, her
husband’s death had indeed been partly her fault, since she
was accursed. “How can you say that when you don’t even
know me?” When a tear trickled down her cheek, he rubbed it away with
his thumb. Then he traced the rise of her cheek and the
curve of her jaw until his thumb came to rest beneath her
chin. “You’re right.” His voice grew husky. “I don’t know
you well at all. Perhaps it’s time I remedy that.” She met his gaze, and her mouth went dry. He looked at her
as if he could fathom the depths of her soul. Suddenly she
realized how close he was, how intimate his thumb beneath
her chin, how vibrant and rich his eyes in the dying light.
He was close enough for her to feel his warm breath
quickening on her face. He leaned forward to touch his lips to hers.
What do you think about this review?
Comments
No comments posted.
Registered users may leave comments.
Log in or register now!
|
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy