How
to Marry a Royal Highlander
The Renegade Royals # 4
The Renegade Royals # 4
By: Vanessa Kelly
Releasing June 30, 2015
Zebra
Blurb
Illegitimate
yet thoroughly irresistible, the Renegade Royals are leaving behind their
careers as daring spies for the greatest adventure of all…
At
sixteen, Alasdair Gilbride, heir to a Scottish earldom, fled the Highlands and
an arranged betrothal. Ten years later, Alasdair must travel home to face his
responsibilities. It’s a task that would be much easier without the distracting
presence of the most enticing woman he’s ever met…
After
one escapade too many, Eden Whitney has been snubbed by the ton. The solution:
rusticating in the Scottish wilderness, miles from all temptation. Except, of
course, for brawny, charming Alasdair. The man is so exasperating she’d likely
kill him before they reach the border—if someone else weren’t trying to do just
that. Now Eden and Alasdair are plunging into a scandalous affair with his life
and her reputation at stake—and their hearts already irreparably lost…
For
the first time since she’d entered the room, Edie looked uncomfortable. She
took a hasty sip of the spiked tea, probably to fortify herself.
“Whatever
it is, lass,” he said gently, “you won’t shock me. Just say it.”
Her
gaze met his, and she gave him a reluctant smile. “Very well. I got myself into
a spot of trouble last night at Lady Charlfort’s ball, and Mamma is furious with
me.” She grimaced. “My parents are convinced I need to rusticate.”
Alec
wasn’t surprised she’d gotten herself into trouble. As far as he was concerned,
she was an accident waiting to happen. But it startled him to hear that Lady
Reese was unhappy with her. The woman adored her daughter and, according to
Wolf, was convinced that Edie could do no wrong.
“Would
I be correct in assuming this trouble involved a man?”
There
was that faint wash of pink again. This time, though, Alec wasn’t charmed. The
idea of Edie getting into trouble with a man had him clenching a fist against
his thigh.
“Who
was he?” he asked sharply when she remained silent.
She
seemed perplexed by his tone. “Sir Malcolm Bannister, though it really isn’t
any business of yours.”
Now
both his fists were clenched against his thighs. “Bannister? Are you mad? The
man is a notorious rake.”
Edie
set her teacup down on his desk with a loud click. Then she crossed her arms
over her impressive bosom and gave him an ironic stare. That she was silently
but clearly commenting on his reputation as a rake did not improve
Alec’s mood. Yes, he liked women, but he never tampered with virgins or
innocents.
“Never
mind,” he growled. “Just tell me exactly what happened.”
“Nothing.
That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everyone.”
“Then
why the need for such drastic measures?”
“Well,
almost nothing,” she grudgingly admitted. “I’d almost escaped from him when
Lady Charlfort and her witch of a mother stumbled upon us.”
Alec
closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fury turning his vision blood red. When
he opened them, she was eyeing him like he was the one who’d lost touch
with reality. And perhaps he had. The notion of Edie in another man’s arms made
him want to commit several acts of mayhem.
“Did
he hurt you?” he growled.
She
blinked as if surprised by the question, then waved an insouciant hand. “As if
I couldn’t handle a cad like Bannister. You can be sure he’ll never come within
ten feet of me again.”
Her
naïveté and reckless self-confidence bordered on criminal. Still, there was
little to be gained in pursuing that point. The sooner he got the image of Edie
in Bannister’s lecherous embrace out of his head, the better.
“As
a result of this unfortunate encounter with one of the ton’s most
notorious rakes,” he said, “you now find yourself in an awkward situation. Lady
Reese is no doubt focused on the gossip.”
She
was obviously irritated by his characterization. “Yes, Mamma is convinced the
damage to my reputation will be quite severe. It’s an assessment I don’t agree
with, by the way.”
“Imagine
my surprise. And yet, your parents want you to rusticate. To Maywood Manor, I
assume?” But what did any of this have to do with him?
She
pressed her full lips into a grim line.
“Miss
Whitney?” he prompted when she remained silent.
“Actually,
Wolf suggested another alternative, something you’ll find as displeasing as I
do, I’m sure.”
The
familiar sense of premonition Alec never ignored prickled along his nerves.
“Which is?”
“They
want me to go to Scotland with you,” she blurted out. “For the entire winter.
Can you imagine? I’d probably kill myself by leaping off the nearest Highland
peak. Or we’d kill each other, which is, I suppose, the likeliest scenario.”
Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/how-to-marry-royal-highlander-renegade.html
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22891461-how-to-marry-a-royal-highlander?from_search=true
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/102630-the-renegade-royals
Author
Info
Vanessa
Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal
of the American Library Association, as one of the “New Stars of Historical
Romance.” Her Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in
a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the
prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Her current series,
The Renegade Royals is a national bestseller. Vanessa also writes USA Today
bestselling contemporary romance with her husband, under the pen name of VK
Sykes.
Rafflecopter Giveaway (grand prize of a $25 Amazon eGift card and
4 runner-up prizes - each of those winners will receive a copy of How to
Plan a Wedding for a Royal Spy and Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom
)
2 comments:
Thanks for hosting me - again!! *wink*
Thank you for hosting HOW TO MARRY A ROYAL HIGHLANDER
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