Pure of Heart
by Auria Jourdain
A ghost child left to
die in a French forest, Contesse Blanchefort seeks her long-buried past after
her
adoptive father dies at the Bastille. Embarking on a quest across England
with a pagan woman and a rogue Gypsy, Contesse falls ill in London, and her
companions are forced to seek help. With overwhelming compassion, physician’s
apprentice Eric McEwan nurses Contesse back to health, but discovers that her exotic
accent and pale features set his heart ablaze...her mere touch brands his soul.
Passion blooms as the two discover their love for one another—with disastrous
consequences.
Upon his expulsion from
Cambridge, Eric must battle his domineering grandfather’s wrath. When family
tragedy strikes, he must return to his provincial home and confront his abusive
past. Carrying on with her quest, Contesse struggles to free herself from her
childhood as sinister details are revealed. Without Eric, she’s lost. But love
is strong...can they conquer their demons to find one another again?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now for an Excerpt!
Eric and Talon's voices wafted away as Contesse stepped out
into a small clearing where the goldenrod, dead nettle, and pink heather
bloomed all around her. The warm sun tickled her face, and she pulled her cloak
tight to protect her skin. Sitting gingerly upon the grass, she perked up as
the thunderous sounds of the river rumbled nearby. With a gasp, she turned to
look, her mind whirling. Rubbing her eyes, a ghostly likeness of herself as a
young child walked among the reeds, and she suddenly leapt back to a time she’d
long forgotten...
Wrapped in a long, rainbow colored cloak to cover her
delicate skin, the child stooped over to pick the goldenrod. Rubbing it between
her fingers, the girl smiled and placed it carefully in an elongated, open
basket hung on her arm. Intent on her work, she didn’t see the two young
children running toward her, laughing and pointing. “Devil's Spawn! Devil's
Spawn!" the girls mocked. “You don’t belong here!” The little girl sat in
the grass and cried, bent over with a sprig of goldenrod in her hand.
Standing, Contesse went to the river bank to comfort the
poor girl, but she had disappeared. A mockingbird called from high in the
treetops, and Contesse frowned. Gazing down in surprise, she gripped a yellow
flower tightly in her fist. Holding it to her nose, she inhaled the spicy
fragrance that lingered upon her fingers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the Autor:
History buff, Francophile, and hopeless romantic that
demands an HEA—it’s the perfect
mixture for writing romance! With fond
childhood memories of reading on quiet afternoons, I loved the "happily
ever after" sweet teen romances, but I quickly plunged into the world of
historical romance—my get-away-from-real-life transporter. Add in a degree in
Political Studies with six years of French, and twenty years later, I’m living
my dream. With three published novels, 7 finished, and several more in my head,
I have years of work ahead of me!
Facebook: Auria Jourdain Books
https://www.facebook.com/auriajourdainbooks/
Twitter: @AuriaJourdain – https://twitter.com/AuriaJourdain
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/auriajourdain/?hl=en
Website: www.auriajourdainromance.com
Amazon buy link:
https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Heart-Escapades-Book-ebook/dp/B01HYAT144#nav-subnav
a Rafflecopter giveaway
2 comments:
Thanks for hosting!
Good Morning! Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog, Wendi! And thanks to the readers for your questions and comments. I'll be checking in here and there today, and I'd love to chat with you about my books, writing, or any whimsy that you might have. :D
First, a bit about my books: I love history, and I do extensive research on every one of my novels. My goal is to portray the time period as accurately as possible. Set during the 18th century in the midst of a world ravaged by revolutions, Pure of Heart follows the heroine, Contesse Blanchefort, as she travels the English countryside in search of the family that abandoned her as a child. Socially outcast because of her achromatic condition (albinism), she's guided on her quest by a rogue Romani (Gypsy) and a pagan druid woman that don't see eye to eye. Along the way, she meets and falls in love with an Englishman studying to be a surgeon. Isn't that just typical of Lady Fate?
I hope you enjoyed my small excerpt of Pure of Heart. The first edition was released in 2015 with a small vanity press, and I received my rights back last spring. It needed a fresh revamp with new material and a brand new cover, and I'm so pleased with this second edition!
Don't forget to comment to be entered to win my Rafflecopter!
~Auria~
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