Fans of the historical genre will rejoice today with the release of two amazing Entangled Publishing Select Historical romances! Highland Deception by Lori Ann Bailey and When a Lady Deceives by Tara Kingston are highly engaging and exceptionally written reads that you absolutely do NOT want to miss! Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of each book then add them to your bookshelf!
HIGHLAND DECEPTION BY LORI ANN BAILEY
Scotland, August 1642
Maggie and Lachlan must fight their growing attraction, battling suspicion and intrigue as religious and political turmoil threaten to tear their clans apart.
He has sworn he will never marry.
Lachlan Cameron is honor bound to see a wounded lass to safety, although he has well learned women are deceivers, and this lovely maid harbors a wealth of secrets. But Maggie's free spirit and charms enthrall him while he works to discover if she is innocent…or a spy scheming with his enemies to destroy his clan.
She has sworn she will never fall in love.
Maggie Murray fled her home to avoid a political marriage to an abusive man. Salvation comes when the Cameron laird, unaware of her identity, protects her as she escapes. His kindness slowly warms her, and she’s tempted to confess her real name. But his strong sense of honor would force him to return her to her father…and torment at the hands of her scorned betrothed.
EXCERPT:
Maggie rose, pulled her skirts up, and waded into the water while Lachlan remained close on the beach, but she noticed he stayed watchful of their surroundings. The cool water was refreshing. She sighed then turned to take in the full view of him. “Would ye force a woman to do something she doesnae wish, if it got ye something ye wanted?"
Lachlan’s gaze returned to her. “Not unless it was for the good of the clan."
An image of Conall flashed in her head, and she shuddered as dread washed over her. It was the answer all men in his position would give.
“But I would listen to her reasons,” he continued. “Sometimes women see things we dinnae."
She breathed out. Even though her reservations about revealing her identity lingered, it was nice to know he was willing to listen. Would her reasons be sufficient to appeal to him as a man? She thought he might listen, because he didnae seem the type to force his sister into an abusive marriage. He’d let her go out on her own.
As squealing children ran by, cold droplets speckled Maggie’s legs, and she made a small shriek as the liquid sent chills through her. One of the boys heard her and turned then splashed her again. Suppressing a giggle, she reached down to cup a handful of water and toss it back. She dropped her skirt, and it fell into the water.
The lad laughed, and they continued back and forth. A stream of water hit her headpiece. She scooped up and aimed, but he ran just out of reach and took off to join the friends who were calling to him. Pulling the wet headpiece off, she ran her fingers through her hair, and when she looked back at Lachlan, he had a boyish sideways grin on his face. Well, it wasn’t that innocent. He suddenly looked as if he wanted to devour her.
Her chest tightened, and her core clenched. Something about the way he looked at her made her want to taste him, too, and she didn’t even know what that meant.
“Come here, lass.” His deep voice washed over her and sent waves of excitement coursing through her.
Swallowing, she sauntered toward him. His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her flush to his chest as his lips crashed down on hers, causing tingles to erupt on her skin and need to ignite in her core. The kiss was warm and slow, strong and possessive. She melted into it.
When his tongue delved into her mouth, she returned the caress and rose up on her toes to get closer and her arms gripped onto his hips. Being in his arms held a strange appeal she wanted to spend more time exploring, learning why her body turned into a wobbly mess when any part of her brushed up against him.
Water spattered her cheek, and the kiss broke. The boy and his friends laughed, and she looked at Lachlan.
He had not been spared, either. Drops of liquid streamed down the side of his face. He looked dazed. She would have expected him to be annoyed with the boys, but he continued to study her as if she were the only person in Scotland. Fighting back the blush this time, she licked her lips. She wouldn’t be ashamed of wanting him.
“Ye know I want ye, lass."
“Aye.” She wanted him, too.
His hand rose and caressed her cheek. It trailed down until one finger was left tracing her lips. She gasped. She started to quiver with anticipation, then he backed away. “Tonight,” he said.
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AUTHOR INFO:
Lori Ann Bailey has a romantic soul and believes the best in everyone. Sappy commercials and proud mommy moments make her cry. She sobs uncontrollably and feels emotionally drained when reading sad books, so she started reading romance for the Happily Ever Afters. She was hooked. Then, the characters and scenes that ran around in her head as she attempted to sleep at night begged to be let out. Looking back now, her favorite class in high school was the one where a professor pulled a desk to the center of the room and told her to write two paragraphs about it and the college English class taught by a red-headed Birkenstock wearing girl, not much older than she, who introduced her to Jack Kerouac. After working in business and years as a stay-at-home mom she has found something in addition to her family to be passionate about, her books. She lives in Northern Virginia with her real life hero, four kids that keep her on her toes, two dogs determined to destroy her house and two cats secretly plotting the demise of those dogs.
WEBSITE: http://www.loriannbailey.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/labaileya
PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/lab
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/aut
WHEN A LADY DECEIVES BY TARA KINGSTON
A woman with a secret and a dangerous man forge an undeniable passion.
In Victorian London, reporter Jennie Quinn employs deception as a weapon. Going undercover to seek justice for a murdered informant, she’s drawn into a powerful criminal’s seductive game of cat and mouse. Enigmatic former lawman Matthew Colton is as dangerous as he is clever, but the passion in his kiss is too tempting to resist. She aches to trust him, but she will not abandon her quest for the truth.
Colton is a man with secrets of his own. Thirsting for vengeance, the disgraced Scotland Yard detective has infiltrated the criminal world he’s vowed to destroy. Jennie intrigues him, even as she breaks down the barriers around his heart. He yearns to uncover her secrets—in and out of his bed. Driven to shield her, he’ll risk everything to protect the woman whose love heals his soul.
EXCERPT:
“I don’t give a damn about that. Everyone in this cesspool knows I’m a cold-blooded villain. What’s one more sin attributed to my name?"
“Rather dramatic, Mr. Colton."
He shook his head. “To the contrary. The London press hailed me as the devil incarnate during my trial. Many in the Yard felt deprived of the opportunity to watch me swing. They’ll find a way. Sooner or later."
His statement struck her like a physical blow. Matthew hadn’t been able to conceal the depth of feeling in his gravel-edged words. Guilt? Or another form of regret?
She lowered her gaze, studying the textured carpet beneath her toes. “And yet, you expect me to trust you."
“I’m the last man on the planet you should trust. You pretend to be a woman of the world, but you’re not.” He raked a hand through his dark strands. “I should not have touched you."
“So you’ve gone noble on me, have you, Mr. Colton? It doesn’t suit you in the least."
“A woman like you deserves better than what I can give. I’ve neither the time nor the patience for gentle wooing. I’ll leave that to the man who speaks his vows at your side."
“By all accounts, gentle wooing is highly overrated."
“Indeed."
He studied her beneath hooded lids. His mouth crooked into a sly smile. Oh, how she loved the taste of that full mouth.
“I must say, I rather liked you better as a scoundrel,” she said, tempting him. And fate.
He prowled toward her. “You’re enough to drive a man to Bedlam."
“You say the most romantic things."
“My talent for whispering sweet words is even less developed than my patience. You’re too beautiful to resist. God knows I’ve tried."
He kissed her again. Slowly. Deliciously. Mercilessly. She coiled her arms around his neck. His clean male scent awakened her to new temptations.
His breath tickled her earlobe. “I need you, Jennie."
“Yes.” The whisper sounded decadent on her lips. Utterly, positively so, and yet, she could not stop herself. Closing her eyes, she savored every sensation as he opened her blouse with a gentle touch. Anticipation surged through her veins. Finally, he slipped the garment from her body.
“Much better.” His hands moved lower, freeing the closure of her skirt. The heavy wool slid easily to the Oriental carpet. His deft fingers glided her camisole over her skin, and then, he peeled away her corset.
Covered only by the thin gauze of her chemise, she stood before him. Cool air prickled her bare flesh. He freed her upswept hair. Uncensored desire flickered in his eyes.
Her senses were now fully in command. Emboldened, she whispered against his ear. “I want to feel you. I want to see you."
She slid her fingers under his collar, eased his shirt from his shoulders, and smiled to herself as it drifted to the floor.
Light flowed through the amber-tinted sconce, casting a soft glow over the crisp dark hair on his chest. His skin was rough and velvet beneath her fingertips, his torso a superb melding of lean muscle and flesh and bone.
She drew her thumb over a scar below his right collarbone, a near-perfect circle the size of a shilling. “You’ve been shot."
“I trusted the wrong person.”
AUTHOR INFO:
Award-winning author Tara Kingston writes historical romance laced with intrigue, danger, and adventures of the heart. A Southern-belle-out-of-water in a quaint Pennsylvania town, she lives her own love story with her real-life hero and a pair of deceptively innocent-looking kitties in a cozy Victorian. The mother of two sons, Tara’s a former librarian whose love of books is evident in her popping-at-the-seams bookcases. It goes without saying that Tara’s husband is thankful for the invention of digital books, thereby eliminating the need for yet another set of shelves. When she’s not writing, reading, or burning dinner, Tara enjoys movie nights, cycling, hiking, DIY projects, collecting dolls, and cheering on her favorite football team.
WEBSITE: https://www.tarakingston.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TaraKings
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/aut
NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP: https://tarakingston.com/news
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