FREE EBOOK PROMO BLITZ
Historical Romance
Date Published: February 14, 2014
Publisher: Black Lyon Publishing, LLC
To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.
On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.
But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young woman—a dancer with an understanding of
devotion and redemption far surpassing her age.
Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that “home” is gone, replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.
Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.
EXCERPT
Bête
Noire’s walls shook as a gust of wind moaned in the distance. Soft and shameful
sobs accompanied the ambiance with haunting precision. The child sank to the
crutch of her knees—defeated, starved for food and warmth—as if she might
escape the world in that way.
Moved by
her humiliation far more than he dared admit, the dark stranger removed his
bowler hat and crouched to her level. He replaced the hat after running an
unsteady hand through his hairline. His chest lurched as the child adjusted the
torn tatters of her clothing. Swishing off his frock coat, he draped the
material over her body like it was a security blanket.
She
grasped the wool with her good hand, plummeted onto her bottom, and pulled both
legs against her chest. Her face sank from eye-line as she hid below a fortress
of upright knees. Tiny and perfectly helpless, the abundance of thick folds
seemed to devour her whole.
“Cold
night,” he whispered.
“Thank
you, m-monsieur.”
The man
softened at the tragic sight that lay before him; icicles, which had too long
clung to his chest, deftly thawed and melted away. He felt an incredible pain,
a sincere compassion and aching sympathy, which he’d believed he no longer
possessed. Despite his better judgment and a lifetime of indifference, his
heart broke.
Damnation.
He longed to turn his cheek in apathy and disgust. He yearned to feel numb to
the girl’s pain and loneliness. He wanted to hate the child—to despise the
child—for having invaded his sole sliver of peace: darkness.
Tucked
within a foreign part of his heart, only emptiness had ever existed. A terrible
and twisted emptiness. And for seventeen of his twenty-seven years, he’d filled
that internal void with darkness.
About the Author
Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and high school sweetheart of ten years. She enjoys writing dark, edgy romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and examine the redeeming power of love.
Imagining stories and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mom would jot them down for her. She has a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether sculpting the protagonist or antagonist, she always ensures that every character is given a soul.
Rachel strives to intricately blend elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some common themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness. Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.
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