Allura
Christine Young
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 4
Allura is the first book in the 12 Dancing Cousins series it is a Regency Romance
Buy at:
www.roguephoenixpress.com
Read An Excerpt
Eddington, Scotland 1815
"You can’t plan to wed me to
that--that man down there!" Allura McClellan’s heart thundered and lodged
in her throat. Balled into fists her hands trembled. "You promised I could
marry for love. I thought when the last man failed to discover this imaginary
secret you think I have, you would stop this craziness. I thought you would
take the ad out of the Times and the other papers."
From the boxing ring below, fist met
flesh, the sound echoing throughout. Hunter Gray whirled and ducked. He guarded
his face to block the stinging blows his opponent rained down upon him. He spun
and ducked again. The man he fought countered the attack, but he did not move
fast enough. Hunter’s next jab was so fast and so hard the other man didn’t
block the punch. The man staggered backwards, blood running from his eye. Men
yelled and cheered for the two combatants. Hunter paused and spoke to the man
he practiced with before the match continued once more.
Allura saw her life as she had planned it
slip away as if it was grains of sand in an hour glass. She stopped pacing and
watched the men below. She turned on her father. "The ad in the
Times--giving me away to any man--you have gone too far. A marriage of
convenience is barbaric. You promised." For a moment, she closed her eyes.
She did not want to acknowledge anything that went on here. It was not her
fault she could not find a man she loved. What horrific bit of bad luck had
found her?
The laird cleared his throat.
"Perhaps I have not gone far enough or soon enough. And the ad did not
promise you to just any man. He must be strong enough and smart enough to win
your hand."
It was not Allura’s nature to allow
others to rule her fate. “These men,” she waved her hand in the air,
frustration sweeping recklessly within. "They don’t want me. They come for
one reason only. They are greedy and hungry for power. You have taught me
everything I need to know. I can run your estate and all of your holdings. I’ve
studied endless hours. I know the men who work for you. I swear I’ll defy your
wishes. At the altar I will say no."
The McClellan’s grin faded as quickly as
it had appeared and without further thought, he said, "Perhaps not, you
are beautiful lass--one with rare promise. And," he stroked his chin,
"no matter how much book learning a woman has she cannot dictate her own
life. It is up to the men in her life to make sure she is happy and provided
for."
A strained silence followed. She sagged
against the stone wall. As if sensing her vulnerable position, she stiffened.
Outraged and furious she looked upon her father. "They are money grubbers
and want your land--our land. They have no right to any of your estate."
The McClellan held back for a moment,
seemingly aware there was more than just a little truth in what Allura said.
"How indeed?" he questioned her. Yet his smile was tight, forced.
"I grow old. I only want this land secured and my daughters happy before I
die. You are twenty-two. I have given you ample opportunity to fall in love. I
thought it time to bring new blood to this land, a new man. I thought perhaps
one would take your fancy."
"That man," she began. Her hand
shook when she pointed at the man who danced and whirled avoiding each blow as
if he dallied in child's play. She trembled so violently she could not speak.
“Is an Englishman.”
Title: Allura
Genre:
Historical
Author:
Christine Young
Reviewer:
Chrissy Dionne
Publisher:
Awe-struck E-Books
ISBN: 9781587497223
Release Date:
May 2009
Author
Website: http://www.christineyoung.bz/
Author Email: achristay@aol.com
Format: EBOOK
Rating: 4.5
blue ribbons (if it wasn’t
for the issue with Hunter’s father it’d get a 5)
Eddington,
Scotland 1815
Allura McClellan
is horrified by her father’s decision to take out an ad in the Times awarding
her to the man strong enough and smart enough to win her hand and uncover her
secrets. She’s an intelligent young
woman who takes great delight in the freedom allotted to her by her
father. She’s well aware that marriage
would effectively curtail the adventures she’s shared with her sisters and
cousins.
Hunter Gray is
nothing like the other men who’ve arrived to vie for Allura’s hand in marriage
and everything that goes along with it.
However, he is the first to refuse to concede defeat and pursue her
despite her attempts to disguise her true appearance. It’s her temperament that is of more concern
to him than her looks. Hunter has worked
all his life with the hope of someday owning his own land. Now that it looks like there’s a very real
possibility that everything he’s ever wanted is within reach nothing is going
to deter him – including Miss Allura’s disagreeable disposition.
Allura is not
at all happy with her father’s dictates and decision to marry her off to the
man who can uncover her secrets and prove himself worthy of possessing his
land, her hand and the title Laird. What
she finds most disturbing is the intensity with which Hunter pursues his goal
and goes about ensuring her safety – even from herself. He’s making it impossible for her to pursue
her own pleasures and any adventures to the island the girls all love could
result in him discovering the secret, thus he’d win her hand in marriage. Despite Allura’s discontent with Hunter’s
constant presence she’s attracted to him and soon discovers that his kisses are
addicting and while she longs for the freedom she treasures there’s a certain
amount of pleasure in knowing he truly cares for her wellbeing. That doesn’t make her any happier about being
‘forced’ into marriage and there’s the little issue that Hunter is rigid and
refuses to allow any woman any leeway with him.
As if that isn’t enough one of the previous ‘suitors’ has returned and
Guy makes Allura’s skin crawl and oozes an evilness that Hunter has dealt with
for most of his life.
Christine
Young’s ALLURA is a delightful historical novel full of suspense, lovable
characters, humor and a budding romance between two characters determined not
to fall in love. Allura and Hunter’s
stubborn, determined natures allowed for some interesting scenes as they
attempted to get one up on each other.
As a modern day woman I felt bad for Allura because technically her
husband would dictate every aspect of her life and the freedom she loves would
be a thing of the past. Hunter is
unbending as far as to how he believes a wife should behave but falling in love
changes him and his perception of Allura.
Hunter and Allura are the main focus of this story but there are
secondary characters whom I absolutely adored and would love to revisit in
future novels (hint, hint). Especially
the youngest sister Aiden and Hunter’s trusted friend Blade. He doesn’t believe in love and she’s
determined to do whatever’s necessary to get him to notice her.
SNIPPET—
Allura has
come to treasure her freedom and the adventures she shares with her sisters and
her cousins but her father’s decision to find her a husband threatens that
freedom. He’s placed an ad in the times
in search of a man strong and smart enough to discover where exactly it is that
the girls venture when they leave the safety of the castle.
Comment on any Rogue's Angels post, including goddessfish tours from January 1st to March 17, and you will be entered to win.
Follow the Rogues Angels blog and you will be entered twice.
Rogue's Angels will have drawings through January, February, and March. Grand prizes to be awarded on Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day.
Prizes
After the drawings on February 15th we now have:
Gift Cards: $20 Starbucks GC
Name in next anthology (pending, I'm pulling for May Day)
Bookmarks: to everyone who leaves a comment
I love a determined, spunky heroine! Allura sounds great.
ReplyDeleteGFC Follower: Catherine
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com
Thanks Catherine. I do love a spunky heroine. This is the first book in my regency series which is supposed to have 12 books. I've only written 3 books and the third one is not published yet. I need more time! Yikes.
ReplyDelete