In 2014, I read new-to-me author Amy Rose Bennett's historical romance, Lady Beauchamp's Proposal, which rather knocked the socks off my feet. It was SO good that it was a straight 5 star read (click here for my review). I've been awaiting a new, full-length novel from her ever since and finally, The Master of Strathburn has been published today! Do I even have to mention it's in my TBR and I'm buying it ASAP?
Amy has graciously agreed to write a blog post for Punya Reviews..., which is rather a short narratives on what inspired her to write the book. I hope you enjoy the post as much as I did. You can also read an excerpt of the H and h's first meeting in the following.
Happy Release Day Amy! Don't forget to comment!! :)
Would You Like to Run Away with a Sexy Jacobite?
The Master of Strathburn is essentially a tale about Robert Grant, a wanted Jacobite. After surviving the Battle of Culloden, he escapes to France and then the Caribbean. However, after a decade of living in exile, he desperately wants to return to Scotland and reconcile with his estranged father, the Earl of Strathburn. The only problem is, there is still a price on his head and his dissolute half-brother Simon and avaricious step-mother would have him arrested by the British in the blink of an eye to prevent him from reclaiming his birthright. Of course, when Robert returns to Lochrose Castle, his long-lost Highland home, the adventures and the romance begin...
I really enjoyed writing The Master of Strathburn as I’ve always been fascinated by Scottish history—particularly the Jacobite Uprisings—and the country itself. Indeed, I’ve been very lucky to have visited Scotland for research holidays on two occasions. The title held by Robert Grant’s father—the Earl of Strathburn—is entirely fictitious, however there were Clan Grant lands in and around the stunning Strathspey region of the Highlands where I set a good deal of my book. The Cairngorm Mountain range where I placed the earl’s hunting lodge—and where Robert Grant and the feisty heroine of my story, Jessie Munroe, have their ‘first-meet’—was quite close to the Grantown-on-Spey Bed &Breakfast our family stayed at. Even in April there was still snow on the mountains and snow flurries in and around Inverness, to the north-west!
I also visited the Battlefield of Culloden which is now a war grave and spent quite a few days in Edinburgh. How I loved exploring the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse! There is history everywhere.
I really hope readers get a sense of the stunning Highlands and the other places I described in The Master of Strathburn as they follow Robert and Jessie on their tumultuous journey to a well-earned happily-ever-after. If they do, I will be most happy!
The Master of Strathburn
Amy Rose Bennett
Published: May 15, 2016 by Escape Publishing (Harlequin)
A sweeping, sexy Highland romance about a wanted Jacobite with a wounded soul, and a spirited Scottish lass on the run.
Robert Grant has returned home to Lochrose Castle in the Highlands to reconcile with his long-estranged father, the Earl of Strathburn. But there is a price on Robert’s head, and his avaricious younger half-brother, Simon, doesn’t want him reclaiming his birthright. And it’s not only Simon and the redcoats that threaten to destroy Robert’s plans after a flame-haired complication of the feminine kind enters the scene...
Jessie Munroe is forced to flee Lochrose Castle after the dissolute Simon Grant tries to coerce her into becoming his mistress. After a fateful encounter with a mysterious and handsome hunter, Robert, in a remote Highland glen, she throws her lot in with the stranger—even though she suspects he is a fugitive. She soon realizes that this man is dangerous in an entirely different way to Simon...
Despite their searing attraction, Robert and Jessie struggle to trust each other as they both seek a place to call home. The stakes are high and only one thing is certain: Simon Grant is in pursuit of them both...
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An Excerpt from The Master of Strathburn:
This is the rather unconventional first-meet of Robert and Jessie.
Blood.
There was blood on her hand and an excruciating pain, like burning, in her left arm. Jessie stared at the bright red smear across her palm and fingers with incomprehension for a moment before rising panic constricted her throat and stole her breath. What on earth?
Her gaze darted to the strange man bending over her. Not Simon, thank God. Deep blue eyes stared straight into hers, but try as she might, she couldn’t make out what the man was saying. She felt muddled, light-headed, like her head was full of stuffing. This must be what it's like to be in shock...
Another man with a mess of red hair suddenly appeared in her line of vision. He passed a flask to the blue-eyed man. ‘Here ye are, milord.’
Jessie swallowed. Tried to drag in enough air to speak. ‘Wha’ happened?’ Her voice, when it emerged, sounded hoarse, foreign to her own ears.
The blue-eyed man spoke again and this time she understood. ‘You’ve been the unfortunate victim of a hunting accident,’ he said gently with only the barest trace of a Scottish burr. ‘Your left arm is injured, but not too badly.’
At his words, memory flooded back. There’d been a deer. And a loud crack. A gunshot. Jessie attempted to sit up again and gasped as a hot bolt of pain seared through her arm making the simple action almost impossible. The movement also reminded her that her ankle was sprained, although at this particular moment, the throb of that injury was far less.
The man seemed to notice her struggle also. He grasped her gently behind the shoulders and helped to ease her into a sitting position. When she was upright, he dropped his hands but didn’t move away.
‘You shot me.’ Her voice emerged as a ragged whisper. As Jessie’s gaze skittered over the stranger again, she noticed he wore a plain brown coat and tight-fitting buckskin breeches. A musket hung from his shoulder. Perhaps he was a hunter. Or a poacher…
The man drew in a deep breath and wiped a hand down his face, looking more than a little contrite. ‘Aye,’ he admitted, meeting her gaze. ‘I’m so incredibly sorry. My companion and I, we were deer stalking. The deer I was after was in the copse with you, and in this mist … Well, you were neatly camouflaged I’m afraid.’His wide mouth suddenly tilted into a rueful half smile. ‘I’m obviously not as good a marksman as I used to be if I’m missing deer and shooting young ladies instead.’
Even though he’d shot her and she had no real reason to trust this man or his redheaded companion, Jessie felt that she could at least take him at his word about what had occurred. For one thing, his explanation seemed to make sense. She remembered the deer. And she’d deliberately worn colours that would hide her amongst the autumn-hued landscape. He probably wouldn’t have noticed her in amongst the deer grass and the crimson leaves of the rowan tree.
But what if her fragile trust was misplaced? He may have shot her by accident, but ownership of firearms was illegal for most Highlanders. So what on earth was this man doing up here, stalking deer on Lord Strathburn’s lands in the first place? Who was he?
Despite his assurance that she would be all right, unease fluttered wildly in her belly. She was all alone and injured. Vulnerable in the extreme. She tried to reassure herself that not everyone was like Simon—a cold, lascivious predator. Nevertheless, common sense dictated she should at the very least be wary of this man and his hunting companion.
She glanced at the hunter’s face again. He was kneeling very close to her, his deep blue eyes steadily watching her, obviously gauging her reaction to what he’d just told her. A strange frisson passed over her skin like a shiver of wind passing through the deer grass as it suddenly occurred to her that he was handsome despite his rough appearance. His dark brown, almost black hair was tied back off his face revealing a strong angular jaw line shadowed with the beginnings of a dark beard. Winged eyebrows, chiselled lips ... She couldn’t have said why, but she suddenly had the odd sensation that he seemed vaguely familiar.
About the Author:
Amy
Rose Bennett has always wanted to be a writer for as long as she can
remember. An avid reader with a particular love for historical romance,
it seemed only natural to write stories in her favorite genre. She has a
passion for creating emotion-packed—and sometimes a little racy—stories
set in the Georgian and Regency periods. Of course, her strong-willed
heroines and rakish heroes always find their happily ever after.
Amy is happily married to her own Alpha male hero, has two beautiful daughters, a rather loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Devonshire Rex cat with attitude. She is a Speech Pathologist, but is currently devoting her time to her one other true calling—writing romance.
Amy is happily married to her own Alpha male hero, has two beautiful daughters, a rather loopy Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Devonshire Rex cat with attitude. She is a Speech Pathologist, but is currently devoting her time to her one other true calling—writing romance.
Author Links:
2 comments:
Thanks so much for featuring my new release on your blog, Punya! It's very appreciated :) .
My pleasure Amy! :)
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