ISBN: 9781402291944
Published by Sourcebooks, Incorporated on 2015-03-03
Genres: Fiction, Historical, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Victorian
Pages: 448
Goodreads
ENEMIES. ALLIES. LOVERS.
When her beloved father was assassinated, Lady Aramina swore revenge. The man responsible is well beyond her grasp, but his dangerously seductive heir, Leo Barrons, is fair game. When Mina obtains evidence proving that Leo is illegitimate, she has the means to destroy both the killer and his son, a man who troubles her heart and tempts her body.
A woman of mystery, Mina’s long driven Leo crazy with glimpses of a fiery passion that lurks beneath her icy veneer. He knows she’s hiding something, and he’s determined to unravel her layer by silken layer. He just doesn’t expect the beautiful liar to be the key to overthrowing the corrupt prince consort…or to saving his own carefully walled-off heart.
An Excerpt
Barrons looked at her. “Do you trust me?”
“No.” His father would have cut her down without thinking, but Barrons was an enigma. If he were a different man, she would have enjoyed his attentions, but a part of her couldn’t help wondering if his pursuit of her was just a way to get closer, to slip the knife in when she least expected it…
Could she trust that he meant her no harm?
His hand tightened around hers, dark heat sweeping through his irises. He focused on her so intently that she could almost feel it on her skin. “Then let us call a temporary truce for tonight. I shall help you escape. In return…”
“Yes?”
His voice roughened. “I want a kiss.”
A kiss. Tension slid sinuously along her limbs, each muscle clenching. Those motives she could certainly understand. It didn’t mean she had to like them.
Wariness spread through her as he lifted his hand and slowly, carefully brushed the back of his fingers against her lips. She didn’t flinch. Instead she tipped her chin up and glared him down. “Help me escape and I shall grant you such a liberty.” What harm could a single kiss do? “Until then”—she took a step back, her skirts swishing around her ankles—“I’ll thank you to keep your hands to yourself.”
His hand dropped but the ghostly sensation of that touch lingered, reminding her that it had been a long time since she’d been touched in any way intimately, and never like this. Never…soft. Full of gentleness, as if the very sensation of her skin beneath his was a pleasure in itself, not merely a step to greater satisfaction.
He was far more dangerous than she’d ever suspected, and she’d known, since the first moment she’d met him, that he was dangerous indeed. He was the only man who had ever managed to make her feel something.
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Bec McMaster lives in a small town in Victoria, Australia and grew up with her nose in a book. A member of RWA, RWA (Australia) and RWNZ, she writes sexy, dark paranormals and steampunk romance. When not writing, reading, or poring over travel brochures, she loves spending time with her very own hero or daydreaming about new worlds.
A romance heroine whom I admire is Anne, from Anne of Green gables.
A romance heroine that I admire is Rose Campbell from Eight Cousings and a Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott.
JD Robb’s Eve Dallas
Claire from Outlander.
I’M QUITE FICKLE AND IT CHANGES EVERY TIME I READ ANOTHER GOOD BOOK! FOR MY ANSWER, I’LL GO WITH ONE WITH THE FIRST ROMANCES I EVER READ A LONG TIME AGO: Heather Simmons of The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss,
Oh that’s a tough question…The one that sticks out besides all of Bec’s is Hannah Howells Gillyanne Murray from Highland Bride. She was independant, not willing for her life to just happen but set out to make things happen and a fanstastic problem solver. I respected her and was awed by her imagination!
Super tough question since I don’t have one favorite heroine!
Soooo mannny of them I love! Faith (Shifters – but in the last two books I hate her a little bit) heroine from The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Elena (Guild Hunter), Rose (Vampireacademy) etc…
Claire from Outlander! 🙂
I really enjoyed the main protagonist from Graceling by Kristine Cashore!
Hello Bec, A wonderful excerpt and cover. All the best with it.
Eve Dallas of the J.D. Robb’s series about a detective far into our future.
I really love Alexia from the Parasol Protectorate series. She’s got spunk, a fabulous social circle, and a way too awesome Parasol of Defense!
That’s a toughie. I don’t have ONE in particular, but I can tell you I like all my heroines to be smart if not witty, strong even if they don’t know it at the beginning, and they need to know their own mind, or at least they need to get to know it by the end of the story. I just cannot deal with a pushover or a heroine with no (character) growth! LOL
Hard Question but I think I have to go with Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice