Awakening the Inner Siren - Guest Blog by Grace Elliot

            Hello and thank you Doris for hosting me!

My name is Grace Elliot and as well as being a veterinarian, I write historical romance. 'Hope's Betrayal' is a new release, the story of a smuggler, Hope Tyler, falling in love with the man who captured her, Captain George Huntley. Of course nothing runs smoothly and with the prospective lovers living on different sides of the law, they face an impossible choice between family and career.

            One of the reasons I love writing historical romance is that in the regency era, there were so many social restrictions to overcome - it makes for great sexual tension. Not only that but women must have had the same needs and desires as we do today, but they weren’t allowed to express themselves, which gives the writer huge scope for allowing the heroine to discovering her sensual side.

            Hope did as was bid and felt the weight of his hand on her back. His touch was delicious as she luxuriated in his ministrations as one by one the seed pearl buttons was undone. Even through her chemise she could feel the heat of his hand and it made her weak, with slow lingering movements he undid one after the other in sweet torture. She threw her head back, suddenly craving the feel of one of those large hands about her waist. The want of his touch was excruciating and yet the buttons released he seemed lethargic once more.

            “My stays? If you wouldn’t mind?”

            “Hmmm? Oh, yes.”

            His hand brushed the bare skin of her neck, as he pushed aside a stray curl of hair. Her body ignited, she flushed deep down her neck and silently gave thanks that the candlelight hid her unmaidenly lust, for she would not want Huntley thinking that he had married a wanton. With imperceptible movements, so slow as to be torture, George undid her laces, loosening the stays until with a wriggle of relief she tossed them aside. Only now she sat there exposed in  her chemise. With a sudden movement she shook out her hair, letting it tumble down her back, forming a dark curtain over her thin chemise.

            With shy demureness she turned to her husband.

            “Better?” He said, rolling onto his side, leaning up on an elbow. His sudden activity surprised her and then she noticed the corner of his mouth twitch into a smile.

            “Why you…!”

            Hope swallowed hard. He had been playing her along all this time, acting the goat so that she didn’t feel alarm. Part of her felt very pleased indeed, but she wasn’t going to let him know…not just yet. Two could play that game. With a prim pucker she nodded to his clothes.

            “Do you always go to bed fully dressed?”

            He glanced at her artfully. “No, but after all that standing I am a little sore. Perhaps, if you could help me…”

            Dry mouthed Hope nodded, after all, with her in nothing but her underclothes it seemed only fair.

            “Your shirt?”

            Huntley sat obligingly. Hope moved closer and tugged it over his head. Throwing the garment aside, her first sight of his torso made her gasp. He was beautiful. Spare and lean, not an ounce of fat, his sculpted chest made her shiver with desire. She couldn’t help but place a palm against it, and the hardness beneath the skin made her eyes dilate. It was her turn to close her eyes as she explored his body with touch, marvelling at the sateen softness over rigid muscles, her touch lingered, feeling the catch of his breath as tentatively she stroked a dark nipple. She wondered at her brazenness and stopped.

            “Go on.”

            She swallowed. George didn’t seem to mind, in fact just the opposite if the swelling in his breeches was anything to go by.

            If you fancy losing yourself in a sensual feast, then why not give "Hope's Betrayal" a go?

*****

Hope's Betrayal (#2 The Huntley Trilogy.)

One wild, winter's night two worlds collide.

Known for his ruthless efficiency, Captain George Huntley is sent to stamp out smuggling on the south coast of England. On a night raid, the Captain captures a smuggler, but finds his troubles are just beginning when the lad turns out to be a lass, Hope Tyler.

With Hope as bait, the Captain sets a trap to catch the rest of the gang. But in a battle of wills, with his reputation at stake, George Huntley starts to respect feisty, independent Hope. Challenged by her sea-green eyes and stubborn loyalty Huntley now faces a new threat - his growing attraction to a sworn enemy. But a love where either Hope betrays her own kind, or Captain Huntley is court-marshaled, is not an easy destiny to follow.

BUY LINKS.

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Betrayal-Huntley-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0084ND8ZY/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337537229&sr=1-4

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hopes-Betrayal-Huntley-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0084ND8ZY/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1337514149&sr=1-3

Smashwords.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/163804

Kobo

http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Hopes-Betrayal/book-Pa6FSzbX6UGi7VZo8wr0Bg/page1.html?s=0Xxp0zcWWkSg4sbgVZL1xg&r=1

*****

            Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace believes intelligent people need to read romance as an antidote to the modern world. As an avid reader of historicals she turned to writing as a release from the emotionally draining side of veterinary work.

            Grace lives near London and is addicted to cats. The Elliot household consists of five cats, two teenage sons, one husband, a guinea pig - and the latest addition - a bearded dragon!

Social Links.

Grace Elliot (blog) "Fall in Love With History." http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.com

Grace Elliot website

www.wix.com/graceelliot/grace-elliot

Grace Elliot Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Elliot/173092742739684?v=wall&sk=wall

Twitter

@Grace_Elliot

******

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Grace. 

I was fortunate to be offered this book for review, and I jumped at the chance, because the blurb reminded me of the old swashbuckling movies I used to like to watch as a teenager. What I didn't expect was the depths of emotion and surprising twists this book had. The author surprised me on several occasions by taking the story along an entirely different path to the one I was expecting. And I do like to be surprised! The love story ambles along at a gentle pace, entirely in keeping with the time period, and I was completely drawn into the conflict, and willing them to resolve it.

The hero undergoes quite an emotional journey throughout the book and the author did a brilliant job at conveying this, and the tension between the H/H had me on the edge of my seat at times. As did some of the action scenes, it has to be said. In fact, I recommended this to my hubby, and he is now completely engrossed in the story too!

I really enjoyed this book, even if the ending left me shouting, "Oh, you tease!" LOL, but that was just me being greedy.

Ms Elliot has a lovely, easy to read voice, and I have bought the first book of this trilogy to read, as I was left intrigued at the other brother's stories.

If you like a sweet, historical romance then you will enjoy this one. And even if your taste normally runs to hotter stories, like mine does, you will still enjoy this tale. It was simply a lovely read.