I'm so excited to announce my newest release! Royal Masquerade is a novella set in the fictional European world of Monterra, a Kindle World.
Blurb:
Alessandra Ranieri is forced to adopt a name that isn't
really hers, when she returns to Monterra to claim an inheritance...that isn't
really hers. She's certain that her Romany grandmother left her the property
nestled in the foothills of the Monterran Alps.
Raul Forli, heir to the dukedom of Forli, is determined to
unmask Alessandra's masquerade. He knows she's lying. More importantly, he
needs the same property she's claiming and he's sure that his need is more
desperate than hers. Because the duke is not all he seems, either. And he's got
nothing to lose.
This battle will be fiercely waged.
Not in a court of law.
But in the hearts of Alessandra and her fairy-tale duke.
Excerpt:
A shadow darkened the air above Alessandra. Raul. He must have seen her fall
and skied over. He was stepping out of his skis, flinging away his
poles, and in general looking and behaving like a crazy man. Her giggles
intensified. What was he planning to do?
He yanked off his helmet and knelt down on one knee beside her. “Alessandra—”
At the moment he spoke her name, he seemed to notice she was alive and well. He frowned down at her. “What in hell is so funny?”
“I fell.” She laughed up at him. “Serves me right.”
“Probably,” he growled. He was still kneeling over her, his brow
furrowed. “What the hell happened? You should have been able to handle
that. You had a great lift off.”
“I was watching you!” She laughed again at the surprise on his face. “Lost my concentration—”
Slowly, as if it took a moment for her admission to sink in, he smiled. “I guess I can’t complain about that.”
“You’d better not, you ungrateful wretch.” Without thinking, she
lifted a handful of powdery snow and flung it at him. He ducked just in
time, but a few white flakes landed in his dark hair, sparkling.
“Why you—” He leaned over her, picked up his own fistful of snow and
held it over her. “You don’t want to challenge a champion snowball
thrower.”
“Champion? Is there an Olympics for that sport in Monterra?”
“I don’t know about that,” he admitted. He shook a few snowflakes
down onto her red jacket, threatening her. “But that was my title in
third grade.”
“Oooh, I’m scared—” She laughed up at him again, loving the moment of
lying here in the snow with this handsome man looking down at her, the
sun shining around him, and his broad shoulders filling her world. It
was a once in a lifetime moment. She felt her laughter die as he stared,
his expression changing—from mock threatening laughter —to lust. The
heat in his eyes scorched her, wiping out the laughter.
He was going to kiss her. He held her gaze, his eyes gleaming, as he
leaned down, shaking off one glove, and then the other. The handful of
snow fell to the ground, forgotten.
“Alessandra,” he murmured in a low, intimate voice. He placed one
hand on her cheek, his fingers cold on the outside, but warm within.
“You look like a Christmas present.”
“Not something glittery and fake, I hope?” She couldn’t shake the
knowledge that he thought she was living under a false name in Monterra,
masquerading as someone she was not.
“No.” He shook his head slightly, a half-smile on his lips.
“Something sparkly and fun. Something unexpected.” His voice went even
lower. “Something I want to unwrap.”
Available only on Amazon (since it's in Kindle World)
here.
Here's a picture of the type of house found in Monterra.
USA Today Bestseller and Award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense, Terry Spear also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences. She’s a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and has an MBA from Monmouth University. She also creates award-winning teddy bears, Wilde & Woolly Bears, to include personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books. When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses. Originally from California, she’s lived in eight states and now resides in the heart of Texas. She is the author of Heart of the Wolf (Publishers Weekly's BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR), Destiny of the Wolf, To Tempt the Wolf, Legend of the White Wolf, Seduced by the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Heart of the Highland Wolf, Dreaming of the Wolf, The Highland Wolf in Paradise, Deadly Liaisons (vampire romantic suspense), Winning the Highlander’s Heart, The Accidental Highland Hero, A Ghost of a Chance at Love (Time Travel Western Romance), The Vampire…In My Dreams (young adult), Deidre’s Secret (young adult) and numerous articles and short stories for magazines.
Sourcebooks
is giving away some advanced reading copies of our new releases coming
up. I'm at the bottom. Wait, no, I began the stacks of books so I'm
first. Always look at things positively. Besides, it's true. :) <3 p="">
