Title: Upon Your Return
Author: Marie Lavender
Genre: Historical Romance
The first page from Marie Lavender's Upon Your Return
November 8, 1853
Fara Bellamont stepped away from the bay window overlooking the harbor. She didn't want to move; she would miss her home too much. The view of the waves rocking against the hulls of the ships in the harbor had calmed her restless soul on many sleepless nights. There was something about the greenish hue of the ocean and its gentle sway that drew her to it. It was a sight she welcomed, but it was not exactly in her blood. Her parents' home was but a carriage ride away from port. Her father was a businessman who had acquired many connections with the trades' captains.
Even the sea's lullaby could not calm the uncertain waters ahead. With a heavy sigh, she crossed the room to the trunk in the middle of her chamber. She lifted the lid and kneeled, gently probing the yards of soft, blue velvet. It was her mother's gown from the night her parents had met. They had been united by her mother’s season celebration in Marseille. A woman's first introduction into society was not supposed to result in a love match, only certain options. A potential husband would have come in time when her mother had been to numerous parties and such. But, Andre Bellamont had been the luckiest suitor in the crowd. Fara had heard the story many times. Her parents often reflected on it, and she herself tended to beg them to tell her how they'd met time and time again. Nothing could have prevented their union. They had fallen in love despite her grandparents' insistence that Annabelle D'Aubigne was too young to be tied down.
Fara's throat tightened with emotion as she touched the portrait of her parents, which was rolled securely for safe storage. A sense of loss overcame her.
Welcome, Marie! Can you tell us about your book?Fara Bellamont stepped away from the bay window overlooking the harbor. She didn't want to move; she would miss her home too much. The view of the waves rocking against the hulls of the ships in the harbor had calmed her restless soul on many sleepless nights. There was something about the greenish hue of the ocean and its gentle sway that drew her to it. It was a sight she welcomed, but it was not exactly in her blood. Her parents' home was but a carriage ride away from port. Her father was a businessman who had acquired many connections with the trades' captains.
Even the sea's lullaby could not calm the uncertain waters ahead. With a heavy sigh, she crossed the room to the trunk in the middle of her chamber. She lifted the lid and kneeled, gently probing the yards of soft, blue velvet. It was her mother's gown from the night her parents had met. They had been united by her mother’s season celebration in Marseille. A woman's first introduction into society was not supposed to result in a love match, only certain options. A potential husband would have come in time when her mother had been to numerous parties and such. But, Andre Bellamont had been the luckiest suitor in the crowd. Fara had heard the story many times. Her parents often reflected on it, and she herself tended to beg them to tell her how they'd met time and time again. Nothing could have prevented their union. They had fallen in love despite her grandparents' insistence that Annabelle D'Aubigne was too young to be tied down.
Fara's throat tightened with emotion as she touched the portrait of her parents, which was rolled securely for safe storage. A sense of loss overcame her.
Fara Bellamont has been back in society for a year
after leaving Cluny Abbey, where her uncle sent her long ago. When he
chooses a suitor for her for marriage, she fears that she will be forced
to marry a stranger and live a miserable life. But, Fara finds herself
thrust into an adventure of a lifetime when unforeseen circumstances
cause her to place her trust in a strange man for protection. His
intervention not only saves her, but puts her in an even more
compromising position. Grant Hill, a trading captain, is enchanted by
the young heiress not only because of her beauty, but because she is
hardly conventional. Underneath her ladylike exterior lies a tigress.
Grant cannot help but offer his protection as she is in need and he is
far from immune from her charms. Fara just never bargained on the
passion that she feels for Grant Hill. As events unfold, she must decide
whether her desires and the dictates of her heart should trump the
rules of society...
Fara Bellamont is my favorite character. Despite the
dictates of society, she uses her strength and stubborn disposition to
create a life for herself.
Usually, my ideas just come to me. This one did as
well. One day, I was going to a doctor's appointment and a part of the
dialogue between the hero and heroine just hit me. The book was born at
that point.
What is your favorite and least favorite part of the writing
process?
My favorite part is when the story is flowing really well. The
words just spill onto the page naturally. My least favorite is editing.
It is painful because you can end up cutting a lot or changing things.
I write a lot of different types of romance - romantic suspense, historical romance, contemporary romance and romantic mystery.
You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+. My book is available on Amazon in both e-book and paperback.
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