Escape Into Adventure, Romance, Suspense, and Magic This July

Find Your Perfect July Escape

Reluctant Heroes #1
Zebra
March 2021
On Sale: February 23, 2021
Featuring: Lauren Alcott; Rafe Townsend
352 pages
ISBN: 1420151959
EAN: 9781420151954
Kindle: B089N96BXM
Mass Market Paperback / e-Book
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HERO WANTED

Betina Krahn

Betina Krahn
Author Book List

From New York Times bestselling author Betina Krahn comes a sparkling new historical romance series that will ignite your spirit, and your heart . . .

When dashing, determined bachelor Rafe Townsend, and beautiful, impetuous Lauren Alcott are trapped into an engagement by their powerful business magnate fathers, their attraction suggests there may be pleasurable compensations to matrimony after all. Until an outing together puts a damper on their future . . .

Lauren is appalled when Rafe refuses to help two women whose boat has overturned on a river. Stripping her outer clothing, she dives in to rescue them herself—delighting a nearby reporter. Soon newspapers and scandal sheets have labeled Rafe as “less than heroic,” for all of London to see, while Lauren is viewed by many as brazen. Besieged by scandalous rumors, and with both their reputations in the balance, what ensues is a prickly scheme that will either forge a partnership of deception—or blaze a path to true love . . .

Excerpt

Sometime later Lauren awakened to find her head on his shoulder and her arm curled tightly over his chest. He lay on his back, watching her.

“This is a surprise,” he said, his voice husky... or maybe just dry. If only they had some water.

“You were shivering. Body warmth was all I had to help you.”

He looked down at the petticoat wrapping his shoulders and belly.

“I see you managed to take your clothes off again.”

“Only one petticoat. And in a good cause.”

“Saving me is a good cause?”

“In the present circumstances.” She gazed into his eyes and felt a strange arousal in her deepest core. It probably wasn’t wise to continue this conversation in such close proximity, but the sensation was too interesting not to explore. “I called again and again for that Fosse fellow, hoping to get blankets and some water, but he didn’t come and you were so cold... I... had to do something.”

“Most charitable of you. Perhaps I can repay you someday.”

“You already have,” she said, her voice now oddly resonant. “I was cold and miserable, too. I shared my warmth, you shared yours.”

“You didn’t find such contact objectionable?” He glanced at her arm, which was still wrapped around his ribs.

“The chill may have affected my judgment.”

His smile, at such close range, was mesmerizing. Her gaze slid to his lips as she wondered...

Apparently he was wondering the same thing.