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The Witch of Rathborne Castle by @Virgini35142126 is a Beach Reads Event pick #beachread #pnr



Title: The Witch of Rathborne Castle


Author: Virginia Barlow


Genre: Paranormal Romance


Book Blurb:


Lady Jane Lenwood is abandoned and left penniless and alone at Rathborne Castle in the middle of a dark, twisted forest. She yearns to live a normal life and blames her misfortunes on the current duke. But Lady Jane has a secret, a voice in her head warning her of the future, which brings unwanted visitors to her gates.

Wounded, Max Radley is found inside the gates of Rathborne. He is intrigued and drawn to the beautiful red-haired woman the locals call a witch. After spending the winter snowed in, Max must resume his search for a traitor but finds he cannot forget Lady Jane.

Treason, enemies, lies and deception surround them. Jane must give everything to save them both, as well as Rathborne.


Excerpt:


She inspected the stranger’s face as she worked. His dark hair was

pulled back and bound with a thin strip of leather. The

man had a straight nose, a square chin covered with

dark stubble, and a high brow. He was extremely

handsome. Jane frowned. The stranger unsettled her. He

was dark and sensuous. The pit of her stomach

tightened.


Your path lies beside his.


“Stop it!” Jane cried, putting her hands over her

ears.


Thomas glanced at her in alarm. “My lady?”


Jane took a deep breath. “Never mind, Thomas. I

was busy with my own thoughts.”


Thomas nodded but kept his gaze on her.


Jane took the knife and slit the man’s breeches to

his thigh. Her eyes widened at the size of his muscled

leg. He was well formed and tanned, his skin smooth

and supple. Jane stretched out her hand, running her

fingers the length of his thigh. Her breath hitched in her

throat at the warmth of his skin. She caught the smell of

sandalwood on his clothes. She had never seen a man

such as this.


Alfred entered the cell.


Jane looked up. “Help me remove the arrow.”


Alfred and Thomas took hold of the man’s

shoulders. Jane ripped his shirt open, revealing a

muscled chest covered with crisp dark hair. She

retrieved the knife and cut off the shaft of the arrow.

The men lifted the stranger to a sitting position and held

him while Jane pushed the arrow through, removing it.

Blood ran down the stranger’s chest and back. Jane

reached for a cloth and water. When she cleaned it to

her satisfaction, she applied an herbal salve and

wrapped strips of linen around his large chest. When

she finished, the men laid the stranger down.


Alfred dismissed Thomas. “Gertie wants you to

gather some firewood.”


Thomas nodded and left.


Jane washed the dried blood from the gash on the

man’s thigh.


“Is the wound deep?” Alfred leaned over to see

what she was doing.


“No. It requires stitching, though. Hold the candle

for me.”


Alfred took the candle from the wall and held it up.

Jane took a needle and threaded it with her silk

floss. She applied the needle to his skin, drawing the

ragged edges together in tiny, neat stitches. Then she

applied more salve and wrapped the wound with a clean

cloth, tying the ends together. “Cover him with a

blanket, so he does not catch a chill, and keep an eye on

him. Let him have some broth when he regains

consciousness. Inform me immediately once he is

awake. I want to question him.”


“Of course, my lady.” Alfred placed the candle

back on the wall and reached for a clean blanket.


“There is something familiar about him, but I cannot

decide what it is. Did you learn anything?”


“I know how he came to be here, but not who he

is,” Jane murmured. “It was the strangest thing, Alfred.

When I touched him, I saw what happened. It was not a

whisper in my mind.” She gazed at the stranger.


He shall be your lover.


She jerked back as if burned. “He cannot stay. He

is to leave as soon as he can travel.” Jane rose and

turned toward the door, easing her twisted leg before

her.


“My lady, I thought you were urged to help him.

What changed?”


Your lives are twisted together as your bodies

shall—


Jane stopped in her tracks. “We have little enough

to eat as it is. We do not need another mouth to feed.”


Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):








What makes your featured book a must-read?


A dark romance with plot twists and adventure will transport you to another world. Take this steamy paranormal romance along to the beach or the pool for an afternoon of intrigue and sensual delight.


Giveaway –


Enter to win a $25 Amazon US or Amazon Canada gift card



Open Internationally. You must have an active Amazon US or CA account to win.


Runs July 18 – July 26, 2022.


Winner will be drawn on July 27, 2022.



Author Biography:


I love roses, chocolate, and rainy afternoons with a good book. Writing and being an author has been a lifelong dream for me. As my children grew older and left to make their own life, I found time to make my dreams a reality and haven’t stopped since. My dogs, Beethoven and Mozart, keep me company while I write, laying at my feet or guarding the door should a villain jump from my pages and come to life. Creating fantasy worlds for the stories in my head is my happy place, second only to spending time with my family.


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2 Comments


Unknown member
Jul 21, 2022

Oh, I'm liking the sound of this story, Virginia! Continued all the best!

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N. N. Light
N. N. Light
Jul 21, 2022

Thank you, Virginia, for sharing your book in our Beach Reads Bookish Event!

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