Book Title: The Shadow Earl
Series: n/a
Author: Stella Riley
Publication Date: 15th July, 2023
Publisher: Stella Riley
Page Length: 433
Genre: Historical Romance
The Shadow Earl
Stella Riley
Audiobook narrated by Alex Wyndham
Blurb:
At the end of his Grand Tour, somewhere between Athens and Constantinople, Christian Selwyn, the young Earl of Hazelmere, vanished - seemingly without a trace.
Time passes. In London, his uncle and cousin move into his home … while his unofficial fiancée, Sophia, is left desolate and in limbo. Finally, his friends – loyal and close as brothers – set out to search in person.
Christian’s startling re-appearance at a grand ball takes society by storm and fuels endless speculation. Where has he been during these three missing years? What happened to him?
And more importantly, how did it happen?
Only one thing is clear. The earl who left England five years ago, has returned a changed man. A man with secrets.
Buy Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/meqpeZ
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shadow-earl-stella-riley/1143607582?ean=2940166065582
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1401655
Author Bio:
Winner of four gold medals for historical romance (Readers' Favourite in 2019, Book Excellence Awards in 2020, Global Book Awards in 2022 and Book Excellence Award in 2023) and fifteen B.R.A.G. Medallions, Stella Riley lives in the beautiful medieval town of Sandwich in Kent.
She is fascinated by the English Civil Wars and has written six books set in that period. These, like the 7 book Rockliffe series (recommended in The Times newspaper!) and the Brandon Brothers trilogy, are all available in audio, narrated by Alex Wyndham.
Stella enjoys travel, reading, theatre, Baroque music and playing the harpsichord. She also has a fondness for men with long hair - hence her 17th and 18th century heroes.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://stellarileybooks.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RileyStella
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellarileybooks/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stella-Riley/e/B0034PB7UU
Book Excerpt:
Kit’s recurring nightmare
Christian slept for perhaps two hours before the nightmare came.
It began as it always did. He was face down and helpless; from behind him came the maddening, enervating tapping, accompanied by pain. Struggling achieved nothing. On it went … and on and on, just as it always did. Frustration had him screaming and –
A hand closed around his wrist; a voice spoke his name. He froze.
Something new. What?
Like a trapped animal, he lay still, panting for breath and waiting for he knew not what. Then he wrenched his hand free – something which, even in his sleep-drugged state, he was aware shouldn’t be possible.
Never mind. Use it.
He swung his clenched fist and forearm, hard and fast at the unseen presence … felt it slam into some rigid, angular surface … heard a strangled grunt … and was finally jerked fully awake.
‘Hell!’ Benedict stepped back, clutching his face. ‘It’s me, you idiot. Just me.’
Sitting up, Christian stared at him wildly. ‘What the – what are you doing here?’
‘Stopping you yelling the house down.’
‘Was I?’ He pressed the heels of his hands over his eyes. ‘Sorry. Did I hit you?’
‘Yes. And I hope I don’t wake up with a black eye tomorrow.’ Benedict hesitated and then said, ‘You were having a nightmare – and not for the first time. Care to tell me about it?’
‘No.’ He shuddered inwardly. ‘No. It’s just a … an unpleasant memory, that’s all.’
‘Really? When unpleasant clearly doesn’t even come close?’ asked Benedict dryly. Then, ‘All right. But consider talking to me, will you? And meanwhile, try to get some sleep.’
~ * ~
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Cathie xo
The Coffee Pot Book Club