Please help me welcome historical romance author, and my good friend, Jenna Jaxon to the blog. Jenna writes from medieval to Victorian. Today she is spotlighting Betrayal, the second book in her three book medieval serial. She will give away a copy of Betrayal to one commenter who tells her she wants the book! How easy is that?
First we’ll look at the cover.
Here is the blurb.
Blurb:
After a night of passion with her betrothed, Sir Geoffrey Longford, Lady Alyse de Courcy is eagerly looking forward to her wedding. But when Geoffrey is forced to marry another, a heartbroken and possibly pregnant Alyse finds herself in her own private hell. She must either gamble with her reputation or marry someone she does not love.
A reputed connoisseur of women, Thomas, Lord Braeton, has dallied with many ladies of King Edward’s court, although he has favored none. However, as Geoffrey’s best friend, Thomas has sworn to serve and protect Alyse, an oath now sorely tested when he agrees to marry her—in name only—to guard her reputation. Yet, as they grow closer, and Thomas discovers Alyse’s sweet but spirited nature, he comes to desire a marriage in truth. Can he overcome her memory of Geoffrey or is Thomas doomed to burn with passion for a woman he can never possess?
And an except.
“Thomas.” Alyse curtsied quickly, then blurted out the dread she harbored in her heart. “Is my lord well? Have you news for me?”
Thanks to Anne and Margaret’s tactless comments, she had become convinced that Geoffrey had fallen ill with Sir Roland’s ailment and was now himself hovering between life and death.
Avoiding her eyes, Thomas answered briefly. “Aye, my lady. When I left him, Geoffrey was well enough.”
While relieved at his words, a shadow still lay on her heart. If Geoffrey was not ill, why Thomas’s manner changed? No longer the easygoing courtier, with the familiarity she had come to expect from him. What had summoned this aloof stranger? He was withholding something. She crossed to stand directly before him, laid a cold hand upon his arm, and gripped it. “Tell me.”
With a sigh he stared into her face, opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and looked away.
That he could not bring himself to tell her filled her with terror. He said Geoffrey was well enough when he left. Her thoughts raced furiously, trying to make sense of so little information. When he left? And now?
Before she could question him further, he drew out a folded piece of parchment, sealed with blue wax and stamped with a signet ring bearing Geoffrey’s family crest. She stared at it.
“Geoffrey bade me place this in your hand and no other, my lady.” Thomas abruptly held out the missive. With an effort, Alyse took the letter.
Thomas sighed. “He also bade me be at your service, lady, had you need of anything.” He gave the parchment into her hand. As he did so, she looked into his eyes and recognized the same pity she had seen in the Princess Joanna’s eyes.
Panic made her arms weak and her fingers numb. She forced her shaking hands to break the seal. Dread in her heart, Alyse unfolded the letter and began to slowly read the scratched and blurry words.
Author Bio:
Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical and contemporary romance. Her historical romance, Only Scandal Will Do, the first in a series of five interconnecting novels, was released in July 2012. Her contemporary works include Hog Wild, Almost Perfect, and 7 Days of Seduction. She is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America as well as a member of Chesapeake Romance Writers. Her medieval romance, Time Enough to Love, is being published this summer as a series of three novellas. The first book, Betrothal, will release on April 19th.
Jenna has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager. A romantic herself, she has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise. She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own stories. She lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets. When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director. She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage.
She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.
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