by Addie Jo Ryleigh
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GENRE: Fantasy/paranormal
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BLURB:
Respectable Lady Katherine
Baxton, striving to meet the requirements of her station, has become the
ultimate dutiful daughter. And now, the Duke of Blackthorn’s betrothed. Far
from a love match, Kate is nevertheless determined to do as expected and
marry.
That all changes the night
she panics at her impending future and runs, stumbling upon a private grove, a
mysterious tree . . . and a half-naked man.
The youngest son of a
viscount widely thought to have purchased his title, Jackson Cooper
demonstrates his disdain for the aristocracy by affording himself every luxury
available—drinking, wenching, and gambling—while eschewing anything
representing the ton. Jackson has little care for his reputation and no desire
to marry. His escape from London is all but complete.
Until fate—in the form of a
beautiful, mysterious lady—interrupts his plans, enticing him with the very
thing he never wanted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
“What is your name?” As much as he longed to forever think
of her as his private wood sprite, he needed more.
Her voice held a touch of hesitation. “Kate.”
He wrapped her name around his mind and held it tight, all
the while knowing, illogical or not, she would always be his seductive nymph.
“This is unwise.” His base desire cursed him for injecting
prudence into the moment . . . and in opposition, his common sense decried his
lack of better judgement for having her in his arms.
He ignored both.
Kate remained silent as he lifted his hand and traced his
gloveless finger over her cheek, mesmerized by the smooth silk of her skin.
As much as he wanted to pull away, flee before it became too
late, he was lost.
He curved his hand around the back of her neck, urging her
closer. Their eyes remained locked as he lowered his head, drawn to the
inviting promise of her lips. Instinctively, Jackson knew the moment he acted
on the sweet provocation, everything would change. I don’t give a damn.
He needed to possess her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Addie
Jo Ryleigh writes historical regency romances that feature rakish heroes and
strong feisty heroines.
Addie
Jo has lived in the same cold-winter-hot-summer area of Minnesota her entire
life. Sharing in the raising of her three extremely rambunctious boys is her
very understanding husband who endured being dubbed “The Duke” by his
co-workers. Keeping Addie Jo company while she writes (besides her wonderfully
loud children) is her yorkipoo, Bella, who is never far from Addie Jo’s side.
And recently the newest addition to their family, a black lab puppy named Max.
Addie
Jo has always had a love and passion for romance books and became engrossed in
historical romance (particularly Regency) soon after graduating from Lurlene
McDaniel’s young adult books. Currently, Addie Jo reads any genre that has a
great emotional story that keeps her reading into the early hours of the
morning.
Addie
Jo has a bachelor degree in accounting and is a financial coordinator when not
playing chauffeur for her hockey-playing boys, cuddled up with a good book, or
writing her next story.
Author Social Links:
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*********************
My review:
3.75 stars
Once Upon a Lady by Addie Jo Ryleigh is a historical
romance with paranormal elements and is part of the ‘Soul Mate Tree’ series. Lady
Katherine (Kate) Baxton is all but engaged to the Duke of Blackthorne,
complying with her father’s desires but not necessarily her own. A chance
encounter with Jackson Cooper, facilitated by a mysterious gnarled tree, leads
Kate on a journey to discover her heart’s true desire but Jackson may not be as
willing to admit his encounter with the Soul Mate Tree will have the same
result on his life choices.
This story is a fun addition to the collection of stories
surrounding the mysterious and venerable tree that brings lovers together. The
author does a nice job of depicting the constrained life that society females
faced and the limited options available to them. I didn’t feel the characters
were as well-developed as I would have liked, but the little I did learn about
them made me want to know more about them. I liked most of the secondary
characters and would like to read about their paths to love as well,
particularly the remarkably understanding Duke of Blackthorne. I was a little
surprised at some of the choices Kate made, especially considering the
implications of her actions, but I enjoyed watching the arc of her development.
This was an entertaining story and I
hope to read more tales about these characters.
A copy of this story was provided for review
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteAs always, you are quite welcome!
DeleteSounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to read it, Rita. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteWhat book would you like to see a sequel to? Congrats on the release. Bernie Wallace BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteHi, Bernie! Personally, there are multiple series that I anxiously await. Thanks for popping in!
DeleteNew author for me.
ReplyDeleteI hope you give her a try, Kim! Thanks for coming by.
DeleteThanks for sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Victoria. Great to see you!
DeleteThank you for your review and for hosting :-)
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome. Thank you for allowing me to read it and good luck on the tour!
DeleteI am enjoying these tours and finding all the terrific books my family is enjoying reading. Thanks for bringing them to us and keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. I apologize for not greeting you more often, but I appreciate that you visit regularly!
DeleteThat was a really good excerpt. This story sounds like one that I might enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to enjoy it, Mary! Thanks for coming by!
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