I am so excited to have Layna Pimental stopping by with 'Shadowed By Sin' this Gothic Historical novella set in England.
If you are searching for a great read, then may I personally suggest this book, it has everything you can imagine
'Shadowed By Sin'
Well deserved 5* Review
I am going to start this review with stating how much I enjoyed this novella ‘Shadowed by Sin’, it had been hooked on each and every page, fast paced, great descriptions of the characters, setting and powerful storyline.
This novella a Gothic Historical set in England.
I am fortunate enough to live in England and with the amount of stately homes
and halls that remain Layna did well to captivate, even the language.
The story, wow, there was everything found in
this book, secrets, romance, danger, murder, lies, scandal, emotions, suspense,
and twists you don’t even see coming. I will confess I adored the main
character Lord St. John, Ben he had me swoon! Lord St. John and his fiancée are
invited to travel to a Hawthorne Hall for a masques ball. Only at the destination isn’t all what it
appears to be, walls talk, secret creepy passageways, the family are evil,
deviant, guests dying and an old mystery unearthed. Will Lord St. John and
Estelle make it out the manor alive? Well I’m not saying, it’s a MUST read and
trust me you will enjoy every page!
Layna is a fabulous writer and I look forward
to reading further works from her.
From ARe bestselling author Layna Pimentel comes a brand new
suspenseful historical romance.
Novella – 83 pages
Historical Romantic Suspense/Gothic Romance
ISBN: 978-1-62210-245-7
Warning:
This book is intended for a mature audience only, and contains frank language
and adult situations.
Reviews:
The twists, diabolical turns
and disturbing descriptions had me hooked and wanting more! I couldn't put it
down! ~ Goodreads review
Filled with emotional turmoil,
danger, suspense, mystery, deceit, lies, scandal, murder and romance. What an
awesome blend of romance with suspense, family turmoil and secrets. Not for the
faint of heart… ~ My Book Addiction and More
Where I can usually figure out
the intrigue element in most mysteries, I wasn’t exactly left guessing who the
bad guy was, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out he had an accomplice! ~
Award winning author Nichole Severn
Blurb:
Every man has a price...
As
Lord Benedict St. John and his fiancée prepare to marry, his family is
blackmailed by a former acquaintance. Hoping to set things straight, he accepts
an invitation to dine at the Blackmailer’s family estate.
Estelle
agrees to accompany Benedict, but nothing prepares her for the mysteries and
bodies she stumbles across during her time at Hawthorne Hall.
Hawthorne
Hall holds many secrets, but will Estelle and Benedict escape to see the day
their union is blessed, or will they succumb to an untimely end?
Excerpt 1:
Benedict St. John glared
ice-cold daggers at his father. The marquess paced behind his desk, muttering
oaths and, within his meaty grip, he held a crumpled piece of paper. Benedict
didn’t know what had the patriarch so vexed, however, whatever it was, had to
have been infuriating enough to radiate contempt. To have pulled him away from
making arrangements for his and Estelle’s wedding had to have been of great
importance.
Exhaling, Benedict took a seat
by the fireplace, but not before reaching for the brandy his father left out on
the sideboard. He swirled the amber liquid and inhaled the sweet scent of the
indulgence; the liquor his father preferred to drink when something went awry.
“Dare I ask what has you in
such a state, Father?”
“I’m not sure if you want to
be privy to such information. It’s a bloody scandal. Your mother is going to be
surly when she finds out. Not to mention how the rest of our family will be
dragged through the mud. No, it is crucial we put a stop to this madness.”
Benedict winced, knowing all
too well his mother would only give her scathing disapproval if the situation
were related to their finances. They had led a comfortable lifestyle up until
now and, while taking up a smaller residence wouldn’t bother him that much, his
mother would certainly object. He imagined his mother’s words spewing and
sputtering, society this, and society
that. They would be ruined, and she would be too embarrassed to face
society. She would insist that they leave town, and God would only know to
where.
In fact, while he maintained a
small income and the inheritance he received from his grandfather, the time had
arrived for him to consider moving into his own residence. Something he should
have done some time ago, but his resolve in ensuring him and Estelle had enough
income without relying heavily on his parents had weighed on him greatly.
With his nuptials to Lady
Estelle Humphrey pending, he really should have established their family
residence by now. He had no excuse to not have it completed already. Their
wedding being more than a month away certainly didn’t leave him more time to piss
about and squander time he didn’t have.
“Father, come and sit down
with me. I am certain we can discern how much trouble the family is in. If
there is an opportunity to consolidate properties—”
The earl guffawed at the
suggestion. “My dear boy; let me ascertain that none of the servants are nearby
and I will confide in you. What I have to say impacts on everyone and I want to
make sure this information stays between you and me.”
Benedict raised a brow at his
father’s comment. What on earth, could the man be hiding?
Excerpt 2:
“Pardon the intrusion, my
lords. This just arrived for Master Benedict.”
The butler passed him an
envelope with the identical wax seal from the note his father received earlier.
Only this time, the letter was decorated with intricate designs.
“Thank you, Horace.”
“What is it? Who is it from?”
his father asked quizzically.
“I don’t know, Father. I’ll
have a look at it later. I’m rather late for a few appointments now. I will
check in on you later this afternoon. Do tell Mother I will be asking Estelle
to join us for dinner tonight.”
His father groaned yet again.
While his parents approved of his desire to marry, they simply did not care for
his selection of a wife. The aristocratic snobs that they were, they had
expected him to marry an equal, or a lady that came with an extremely large
dowry. Estelle was Baron Humphrey’s daughter, and while her dowry wasn’t that
of an earl’s or viscount’s daughter, her purse strings and entitlements didn’t
bother him in the least.
From the moment he saw her for
the first time at the market, he’d been smitten with the petite and exotic
beauty. He’d lifted her from the muddy street, and as her deep dark eyes
settled on his, she’d bewitched him. Mind, it took several weeks for him to
dissuade another potential suitor, not that the lad stood a chance. Estelle was
one catch he would never give up, and now he had to find the perfect home for
them, but where? She lived in town with her father and widowed aunt in a modest
townhouse during the season, and after that, they resided in a country home
with a full set of staff and several tenants to oversee. All of which he could
match with his inheritance; but for Estelle everything had to be perfect. She
deserved nothing but the world, and if he could give it to her, he would.
“Horace,” Benedict called out,
reaching for his hat. “See that my carriage is ready post haste. I have to go
to town and begin looking at properties.”
“Yes, my lord. Right away.”
The butler disappeared around the corner, leaving Benedict alone in the foyer.
He desperately wanted to open
the envelope but refused to do it so close to home. He didn’t want his father
to worry, nor did he want the servants to speculate on what was the matter.
He’d open the blasted thing and read it in the privacy of his carriage.
Darkness shrouded the street,
as if evil lurked for its first victim of the day. He stepped in, and gave his
driver directions to Mayfair. A quick scout of the area would give him an idea
of where there might be some opportunities. His future countess deserved the
best. After scouring some neighborhoods, he’d collect his lovely bride and
return home for dinner.
A few minutes into the drive,
he pulled out the letter and opened it.
Lord Benedict St. John,
You are formally invited to Hawthorne Hall as a guest of Lord George
Cuthbert. Celebrations are expected to last a week, and we hope that you will
stay for the duration. Several festivities, including a masque, will be held in
honor of George’s return from the continent. We hope you will attend, and look
forward to being introduced to your lovely bride-to-be.
Regards,
Lady Cuthbert, Countess of Hawthorne.
Nothing made sense. Why would
Lord Cuthbert send a letter blackmailing his father, and then invite him and
Estelle to attend a party at Hawthorne Hall? It had to be a ruse of sorts, but
then again, he could use this as an opportunity to dig more into the situation
with his father. Yet, was it wise to introduce Estelle to this particular crowd
of society, especially when there were other sinister things being plotted? If
anything happened to Estelle while she was in his protection, he would never
forgive himself. Nevertheless, if he told her about his plan and what was
happening, she might be willing to aid him in freeing his father from the
devil’s clutches.
Biography:
Born and raised in Toronto,
Ontario, Layna discovered her love of reading at an early age. She’s a
bestselling author at All Romance eBooks, and multi-published author of
historical, paranormal and contemporary erotic romances. When she isn’t
devouring salacious romance novels or writing, she enjoys losing herself in
researching ancient history and mythology, weaponry, and hiking. She lives in
Northern Ontario, with her husband and two daughters.
For updates on her upcoming
releases, or to leave her a comment, you can find at:
Website: http://www.laynapimentel.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LaynaPimentel
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/R1bCH
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