Today, I’m continuing with the countdown to the release of my second historical romance, A TASTE OF DESIRE, with another excerpt. If you want to check out the first taste, click here.
SHE CHALLENGED HIS PRIDE
Lady Amelia Bertram may have a reputation as the most brazen beauty of the ton, but she shocks even herself when she accidently—and loudly—derides one of society’s most eligible bachelors in the middle of a crowded ballroom. The timing of her faux pas couldn’t be worse, for her father is seeking someone to take her off his hands that very night…
HE CHALLENGED HER WILLPOWER
But when Thomas Armstrong overhears the so-called “Lady” Amelia slandering his sexual prowess in public, he cannot help but accept the dare implicit in her words. To her father’s great delight, he offers to take her to his secluded country estate—properly chaperoned, of course—to teach the girl a lesson in ladylike behavior…
Here’s how it all began.
As Thomas, Viscount Armstrong, digested Harold Bertram’s words, he came up straight in his seat, his hands finding the curved arms of the chair. Although the marquess delivered the request with all the gravity of a clergyman officiating a funeral, Thomas prayed he hadn’t heard him correctly.
“You would like me to do what?” Thomas issued the question in a soft voice and an even calmer tone, but the sound cracked the air like the report of a rifle.
The marquess gave a mirthless laugh and shot a quick glance at the study doors before shifting his regard back to him. “I am asking you to-to take my daughter under your care during my stay in America.”
Thomas suffered through the second such insupportable request in as many days—this one even more painful than the last.
Only the prior day, a peer in the House of Lords had presented him with the kind of offer that sent honest men hurtling full-tilt down the unsavory road to perdition. He hadn’t thought it could possibly get more unseemly than that.
He was wrong.
What Harry spoke of was not about politics and one thousand pound bribes; this was one hundred times worse.
“It would be—er—up until the new year unless I could conclude the negotiations in less time.”
Harold Bertram, the Marquess of Bradford, or Harry as he preferred close acquaintances to call him, was not a lack wit—though many might doubt that assertion at the present time. He possessed the sharpest mind in matters of finance and business, and could articulate—when not suffering a brain lapse—with the eloquence of an orator the likes of which Caesar and Henley never saw. However, his nineteen-year-old daughter could fray the nerves of even the most battle-seasoned soldier. Thomas himself could attest to that.
Fixing the marquess—who had fallen conspicuously mute—with an unblinking stare, Thomas cocked his brow. Harry must have indeed taken leave of his senses. The chit had finally driven him to that.
“If this is a joke, I assure you, I do not find it the least bit amusing,” Thomas replied, when he finally recovered enough to speak. “I mean, we are speaking about Lady Amelia are we not? Unless, pray tell, you have yet another daughter hidden away who is not a disrespectful termagant?”
A round of uncomfortable clearing of the throat ensued, followed by a weary-to-the-bones exhalation. “Heavens, then tell me what I’m to do with her? If I take her with me, I would have neither the time nor energy to keep her out of her usual mischief, especially in a country where I lack familiarity. At present, you are the only person I trust enough to come to regarding this matter. Perhaps if the trip weren’t of such importance, and I could rearrange my schedule….” Harry sent him a silent look of appeal.
At his words, Thomas’s conscience received a faint prick, but thankfully, the feeling lasted no more than a few seconds. In his estimation, voyaging to America in the interest of a business endeavor could not compare to subjecting himself to playing taskmaster to Harry’s recalcitrant daughter.
Leaning forward, Thomas’s fingers curled into the napped fabric of the armrest. “If you requested I take your place at the guillotine or the hangman’s noose, I would consider that less an imposition.”
As you can see from the first scene of the book, the hero and heroine have a prior acquaintance that is strife with animosity–at least on the hero’s part. How do you feel about a shared history between the hero and heroine that is far less than amicable? Comment and enter to win a copy of Lisa Kleypas’s LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON.
I like the tension a shared history creates between heroine and hero, especially when it’s less than amicable! I’m not a big believer in love at first sight, so I enjoy when people work at loving each other (or fight falling in love with each other).
Congratulations on your new book!
I love the sharing history between them I love these kind of books!
Thanks great blog today!
Penney
I can’t wait for the release!!!
OMG! I love this line: “If you requested I take your place at the guillotine or the hangman’s noose, I would consider that less an imposition.” I can’t WAIT to read this story. Your teasers have me drooling, Bev! 🙂
I love it when the h/h have a previous connection, especially when they THINK they can’t stand each other. It’s fun to see passion grow from something real. 🙂
And whoever wins Kleypas’s Love in the Afternoon, come join us in this month’s book discussion (but beware of spoilers before you’ve read it. 🙂 )
I love your last book and I know I’m going to love this one. I definitely enjoy some “friction” between the hero and heroine 🙂
Thanks for giving us another excerpt of ATOD! I also enjoy shared history between the hero and heroine, especially if it provides lots of tension and conflict.
I like to read books where the hero/heroine meet again whether it be under happy or mysterious circumstances. I think it brings a certain amount of angst and tension between them. It makes for interesting challenges between them.
Frenemies make the best lovers. Underneath it all is pure passion, thanks for sharing. Best wishes for your 2nd release!
No need to enter me in the giveaway, got my copy of LITA. Thx.
I love the shared history between two people. This sounds like an awesome story! Please enter me for Lisa’s book because I have never read her work before but have heard a lot about her books.
I do like when the hero and heroine have a shared history that is not too good. I love when there is tention between them. Makes for a better read, in my opinion. Thanks for the excerpt from your book!
I enjoy a story when there is animosity between the hero and heroine from a shared history and they have to overcome their dislike by getting to know one another. The conflict adds to the story and makes it more interesting. The more I hear about A Taste of Desire, the more excited I am to read it.
Its the witty banter and tension in the shared history between the hero and heroine that help build their characters in friends to lover theme or second chances them. The more tension and less amicable the h/h are the more I look forward to their HEA because of the hurdles they need to overcome to get there.
Great excerpt!
I love reading the tension and snappy retorts between two strong-minded individuals. It’s fascinating to see how they both develop and learn to live with each other.
I like it. It adds an extra spark to the story.
Conflict between hero and heroine can often lead to very amusing discussions. I love a stong heroine in stories who will make her hero work for her effection. I think laughter within a story make for the best books.
I am counting down to the release day with you Bev, A Taste Of Desire is on my list of must reads.
I like reading books like that.It adds a challenge to the charters and a little spice to the book.
sounds promising! cant wait to dive into it!
These are actually some of my favorite books. I love characters that already have a shared history. It brings life to the story.
I like the books where there is a shared in-amicable history between the protagonists. Both previews make me want to read your upcoming book. 🙂
I do very much enjoy a shared history between the hero and heroine. It gives it a little… flavor. Especially if the “history” in question isn’t exactly the best. The love/hate relationships always seem to tug at my heart strings. Beverly, I definately need to run out and pick up a Taste of Desire when it hits stands.
Gosh, I don’t think there is anything better than good conflict from the very beginning, and A Taste of Desire sounds like it’s going to deliver that in spades. Can’t wait, Bev.
I love stories where the hero and heroine don’t like each other and can barely stand each other.
I love to see the animosity to attraction and love. Creates great tension for the book.
This book sounds something I’d LOVE to read !! One of my favorite historical ever is The Rake by Suzanne Enoch which has a lot of animosity (and I mean A LOT) so to answer your question, yes, I definitely like that kind of storyline. Same for hate at first sight (It happened one Autumn is a good exemple too).
Congrats, I hope to read it soon.
**and please don’t count me in the drawing for LK’s book**
I love prickly heroes and heroines who end up together! So cute.
I like seeing a couple like that because when they finally get together it’s way more meaningful. It’s like they had to work twice as hard to come together.
I love a less than amicable history between the h/h. Makes for a very interesting story.
Congrats on your future release! It sounds great. ^^ I rather like the shared history of characters. It always great interesting back story and sometimes helps with the sudden get togetherness of the characters. ^^
Past animosity between the two leads is okay with me as long as it isn’t for something silly. For example, I’ve read books where one person is holding a grudge over something that happened when they were both thoughtless children. Well, everyone does stupid things when they are kids, but when the character is still dwelling on the issue as an adult, that’s a bit much.
Great excerpt! I can’t wait to read your latest, Bev ! Sounds like a wonderfully impossible situation for our hero and heroine. Just the sort of thing I LOVE to read!
I think it’s great to have some conflict between the hero and heroine, like when they don’t exactly get along, or don’t even like each other at first. It’s good to have some tension (along with sexual) in a romance.
Your upcoming new book looks great and I’m really looking forward to it’s release! 🙂
Hi Beverly,
I am so looking forward to your next release! I love the tension between Thomas and Amelia, it makes for an interesting a fun story!
I love the tension and chaos a situation as you described would cause. I especially love reading how the author with bring those characters around to realize true love is and has been right under their noses all this time!
Can’t wait to read your next book. From the excerpts you given us, it sounds like a great story!
I love when the H/H know each other before… especially if it has the tension of not liking each other… can not wait to read it!
I actually really love it because then there some tension to the story.
The cover is lovely, Beverly and I enjoyed the excerpt. Thomas didn’t try to placate Amelia’s father, did he?
I do enjoy a story where the hero and heroine have met and were less than enchanted with each other. It’s fun to watch them change their mind in the story.
‘Far less than amicable’ is the best kind! 🙂 No need to enter me.
I’m not particular about how the hero and heroine’s history is when a novel begins… as long as there’s a HEA in the end!
A shared history that is less than amicable is great for a story. The relationship doesn’t have to start from scratch and that history is going to get the story going. That history is like having another character to drive push things along.
I like it when there is an antagonism between the hero & heroine. It adds so much to the story and makes a happy ending all the more happy. Thanks for the giveaway!
Waiting with bated breath!
I love when the Hero and Heroine have had a previous encounter and there’s nothing but animosity left. The fun is in watching them come together again and going through it with them.
I truly look forward to this Bev.
Carol L.
Lucky4750@aol.com
I like it! It sets up immediate tension & conflict and leaves me really wanting to know how they got there and of course, what’s going to happen…
Thanks everyone! I’m huge on conflict and tension. To me it’s what keeps the romance interesting. I like my characters to have to ‘work’ and maybe even suffer emotionally a little for their HEA. 😉