Featured Book: THE UNEXPECTED WIFE by Caroline Warfield

Today I am joining author Caroline Warfield 

in celebrating the launch of her latest historical romance, 

The Unexpected Wife

About The Unexpected Wife:

The Duke of Murnane expects work to heal him. He doesn’t expect to face his past and find his future in China

Charles Wheatly, Duke of Murnane, accepts an unofficial fact finding mission to the East India Company’s enclave in Canton, China on behalf of the queen. He anticipates intrigue, international tensions, and an outlet for his grief over the death of his young son. He isn’t entirely surprised when he also encounters the troublesome offspring of his mentor, the Duke of Sudbury, but the profound love he discovers for the determined young woman is unforeseen and untimely. Charles certainly doesn’t expect to also face his troubled marriage in such an exotic locale. The appearance of his estranged wife in the company of their enemy throws the entire enterprise into conflict, and tensions boil over when the woman he loves is put at risk by his wife’s scheming—and the beginnings of the First Opium War.

Zambak Hayden seethes with frustration. A woman her age has occupied the throne for over a year, yet the Duke of Sudbury’s line of succession still passes over her—his eldest—to land on a son with neither spine nor character. She follows her brother, the East India Company’s newest and least competent clerk, to Macau to protect him and to safeguard the family honor—if she also escapes the gossip and intrigues of London and the marriage mart, so much the better. She has no intention of being forced into some sort of dynastic marriage, and she may just refuse to marry at all. The greed and corruption she finds horrifies her, especially when her brother succumbs to the lure of opium. She determines to document the truth. When an old family friend arrives she assumes her father sent him. She isn’t about to bend to his dictates nor give up her quest. Her traitorous heart, however, can’t stop yearning for a man she can’t have.

As an epic historical drama unfolds around them, both Charles and Zambak must come to terms with a love that neither expected.

CLICK HERE OR ON IMAGE FOR BOOK TRAILER:

Purchase Links for An Unexpected Wife:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon Eurozone 
| Amazon India

Giveaway:

To celebrate the launch, Caroline will give a copy of any of her books to one randomly selected person who comments between July 25th and 26th. They can choose from the books found here:

http://www.carolinewarfield.com/bookshelf/

About Caroline Warfield:

Award winning author Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.

Connect with Caroline Warfield:

 Website & Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter 

 

Saturday Snippets: Widow's Groom & Merry's Family

Last week I shared a snippet from my story in the nine-author anthology, 

Under a Mulberry Moon.

For the next four weeks, I will share two snippets a week 

from the books written by the other authors.

The following snippet is from The Widow Buys a Groom by P. A. Estelle:

    “Take your hands off him!” Katherine said, hurrying around the counter.

    “I wouldn’t be so high and mighty,” Chester sneered. “Accidents happen all the time, ’specially when you live outside of town. Young’uns get lost never to be seen again.”

    “Hope I’m not interrupting.” Three pairs of eyes turned to see a man standing in the open doorway. A black hat sat low on his head, hiding his eyes. He wore tan pants, a light blue shirt, and a brown jacket. The stranger walked in and stopped a few feet from Chester, tucking one side of his coat behind his holster. “Sounded like you were threatening this lady.”

To see all of P. A. Estelle's book on Amazon, please CLICK HERE. 

Also, to follow her on Twitter, please CLICK HERE or view her blog, CLICK HERE.

The following snippet is from A Family for Merry by Caroline Clemmons:

Blake stepped to the counter. “We’ll have sarsaparillas and cupcakes all around.”

Abby clapped her hands. “Did you hear, Tammie? We get sar’prilla and a cupcake.”

Polly protested, “Mr. Woolfe, surely you don’t intend to treat all of us.”

“My pleasure, ladies and gentlemen.” He paid Bea and then gave a slight bow. After he delivered two of the drinks he went back to the counter for more.

Merry sat and pulled Tammie onto her lap. Abigail and Calvin joined her. Polly and her two sat at the next table.

When Bea and Mr. Woolfe had delivered all of the drinks and cupcakes, he sat at the table beside Calvin. “You don’t mind if I sit beside you do you, Calvin? We men have to stick together.”

Calvin sat up a little taller and almost smiled. “Yeah, we men have to stick together ’cause we’re outnumbered.”

Mr. Woolfe saluted Noah with his glass. “Isn’t that right, Noah?”

Noah grinned and raised his drink as Mr. Woolfe had done. Although Noah still hadn’t spoken, seeing him smile was a relief.

The lawyer carried on a conversation with the children but sent her glances that left her puzzled. He was usually gruff yet he was quite kind to the children. She simply couldn’t figure out Blake Woolfe.

Caroline would love to connect with you: 

Website  Blog  Facebook  Twitter  Newsletter

Both these delightful stories may be found in
Under a Mulberry Moon 
which is now available and still at the pre-order price of 99 cents. Be sure to purchase it before it resumes its regular price of $2.99. 
To purchase, please CLICK HERE.

Saturday Snippet: He Had Good Instincts

The following snippet is taken from  

Millwright's Daughter by Zina Abbott, 

one of nine novellas in the Under a Mulberry Moon anthology:

          As he slowly rose from his chair, Kit Halsey’s gaze never left Caroline Arnold. He agreed to accept this short-term job, hoping it would prove interesting and as financially lucrative as Mrs. Arnold indicated it would.

            Kit realized one of the keys to his success as a railroad detective had been he possessed good instincts. He hoped those same instincts would serve him well once he passed the bar and practiced law.

            Right now, his instincts screamed to him the old woman had not told him everything there was to know about this case.

          

Under a Mulberry Moon is still available at its pre-order price of 99 cents. After it is published on July 17th, it will resume its regular price of $2.99. To purchase this book on pre-order, please CLICK HERE.

Also, to get a sampler of what you can expect in this anthology, CLICK HERE for a copy of Medleys and Musing by authors of Under a Mulberry Moon. The price is right -- FREE!