Far Beyond Rubies by @writerinagarret is a Wintertime Reading Event pick #classicromance #giveaway

Title: Far Beyond Rubies

Author: Rosemary Morris

Genre: Classic Historical Romance

Book Blurb:

Set in 1706 during Queen Anne Stuart’s reign, Far Beyond Rubies begins when William, Baron Kemp, Juliana’s half-brother claims she and her young sister, Henrietta, are bastards. Spirited Juliana is determined to prove the allegation is false, and that she is the rightful heiress to Riverside, a great estate.

On his way to deliver a letter to William, Gervaise Seymour sees Juliana for the first time on the grounds of her family estate. The sight of her draws him back to India. When “her form changed to one he knew intimately – but not in this lifetime,” Gervaise knows he would do everything in his power to protect her.

Although Juliana and Gervaise are attracted to each other, they have not been formally introduced and assume they will never meet again. However, when Juliana flees from home, and is on her way to London, she encounters quixotic Gervaise at an inn. Circumstances force Juliana to accept his kind help. After Juliana’s life becomes irrevocably tangled with his, she discovers all is not as it seems. Yet, she cannot believe ill of him for, despite his exotic background, he behaves with scrupulous propriety while trying to help her find evidence to prove she and her sister are legitimate.

Excerpt:

The previous day’s storm had yielded to the sun in a cloudless sky as blue as periwinkles. Gervaise Seymour would have enjoyed riding on such a day if his thoroughbred had not become lame. He cursed under his breath while leading her by the bridle along the dirt road which hugged the riverbank.

According to the local post-master’s directions, the tall red chimneys ahead marked the end of his journey to Riverside House.

Gervaise wiped the dust from his glossy jackboots with his handkerchief, and then brushed his clothes with gloved hands. Although he preferred not to dress in the extreme of fashion like an accredited London beau, his expertly tailored cinnamon-coloured riding coat, waistcoat of a delicate shade of biscuit, and his buckskin riding breeches pleased him.

He checked the angle of his dark brown, three-cornered hat, smoothed back an errant curl, and then made sure the broad black ribbon bow still secured his hair at the nape of his neck.

How he tried not to laugh when his cronies warned him against being judged eccentric for neither cropping his hamir, nor wearing a full-bottomed wig, the artificiality of which he disliked. However, he did laugh out loud when they suggested he should powder his tanned face, which they claimed clashed with his chestnut hair.

The dappled mare snorted. Gervaise patted her neck. “Easy, girl, you will soon be in a comfortable stable.” At least he hoped she would, and after, he planned to deliver a letter to Lord Kemp, whom he hoped would invite him to pass a comfortable night at Riverside House.

He led his mare away from the river lapping the pebbled shore and the lush green banks, and along a wide path leading across a close clipped greensward dotted with daisies. They crossed a hump-backed stone bridge which spanned a stream leading into an ornamental lake. Beyond it stood a wooden pavilion painted white and banked by trees hazed with new leaves. Gervaise drew close to the small building. From inside, he heard a child weeping and a melodious voice offering comfort.

“I am sorry, sweetheart. Don’t cry. I promise to look after you.”

“Juliana, why didn’t you come home after Father died? Why did you stay in London?” the child wept.

“Hush, Henrietta. Now I am here, you will not be confined to the nursery.”

“Nurse went to London to tend Father. I needed her but she did not come back,” the child said between sobs.

“Yes, I know. However, she left her new address for us after William dismissed her.”

“Nurse should have stayed with me. William and Sophia told me they would beat me if I left the nursery. I was scared and hungry.” She sniffed. “I am still hungry. I would like something to eat.”

“You shall not go hungry again. Dry your face. We are going to have a picnic.” The exquisite voice had hardened.

“I will not go away,” the child wept. “Do not let them send me to school. I want to stay at home.”

“Sweetheart, we cannot stay at Riverside House.”

“Why?”

“It seems it does not belong to us. Stop crying. I am going to tell you a secret, but first you must promise not to speak of it to anyone.”

“I promise.”

“Instead of going to school, you shall come with me to London. But before I can take you there, you are going to stay with Nurse. Sweetheart, do stop crying. You must be brave.”

“I do not want to go to Nurse. I want to live with you.”

“Look at me, Henrietta. Decide whether you would prefer to go to school or stay with Nurse for a little while.”

“If I must leave here, I will go to Nurse. But why are you going to London?”

“To consult Father’s lawyer.”

Could they be the baron’s poor relations? Whoever they were, they seemed to be in a desperate situation. Gervaise’s sympathy for them increased. Ashamed of eavesdropping, he drew closer to the pavilion with the intention of announcing his presence.

Feet pattered within. A young woman peered through an open window. Her pale oval face looked troubled, and her coal black hair was slightly disordered.

For a moment, Gervaise could not speak. The sight of her drew him back to India. Her form changed to one he knew intimately—yet not in this lifetime. He recognised the mark of a crescent moon on her right cheekbone and sensed the love they once shared. A tremor ran through him. Never before had he thought the Hindu belief in reincarnation was worthy of serious consideration. Yet, in spite of the teachings of the Anglican Church, what if—?

“Sir?” The lady’s indignant voice recalled him from his trance-like state.

Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):

http://bwlpublishing.ca/morris-rosemary

Click onto the title Far Beyond Rubies and view all the buy links.

What makes your featured book a must-read?

Far Beyond Rubies is a beautiful romance rich in history. There’s not a lot of historical romances set in this era , so it is a joy to read. Every nuance of the period is described in intricate detail, right down to the clothing. The romance between Juliana and Gervaise is slow burning but filled with such emotion that one of my fan’s heart thumped in her chest. A fan wrote: “The characters leap from the page. Honestly, I couldn’t put it down. Historically accurate with such depth, I could see, smell, taste everything. A must read.”

Far Beyond Rubies is a sensual romance but the bedroom door remains firmly shut so the reader can enjoy the emerging romance.

Giveaway –

Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card:

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92db7750206

Open Internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon Canada account to win.

Runs January 24 – January 31, 2023.

Winner will be drawn on February 1, 2023.

Author Biography:

I live in a town in Southeast England with easy access to London and open countryside. My Literary/Romantic Historical fiction is set in England during the reigns of Edward II, Queen Anne Stuart 1702-1714, and the ever-popular Regency era. I explore themes 21st century people can relate to e.g., a soldier suffering from posttraumatic syndrome before the condition was diagnosed, a young woman seeking her birth parents, and a city on the verge of war. At heart I am historian. My novels are meticulously researched to capture times past – speech, fashion, food, customs and much more.

My novels have received many 5* reviews, They are sensual, but with firmly closed bedroom doors, the reader can relish the details of emerging romances

When I am not engrossed researching historical non-fiction, I read fiction. I enjoy knitting, embroidering and growing her own in my organic garden and putting it to good use in my vegetarian cuisine.

Time spent with my large family is very important.

Social Media Links:

twitter.com/writerinagarret.

https;//facebook.com/RosemaryMorrisHistoricalNovelist