Eighteen-year-old
Emily Stanton is excited to attend this season's society balls and begin her search
for a husband. She is thrilled when the dashing and handsome Connor Preston
begins to show her more attention. After each ball, Emily finds a love note in
her drawstring reticule, and she expects a marriage proposal from Connor any
day.
When her father objects and forces Emily to accept the proposal from Lady Tisbury's shy nephew, Ethan Richardson instead, her heart is broken. How can she love her new husband when her heart belongs to the man who wrote her such beautiful love letters?
When her father objects and forces Emily to accept the proposal from Lady Tisbury's shy nephew, Ethan Richardson instead, her heart is broken. How can she love her new husband when her heart belongs to the man who wrote her such beautiful love letters?
LOVE BY SECRETS is a novel. (~200
pages)
Read for FREE with KindleUnlimited:
Excerpt:
Emily
took a seat waiting for her father to tell her the good news she hoped had
finally arrived. “What matter, Papa?”
“I
had a visit from young Mr. Richardson the other day. He would like to speak
with you in private.”
Emily’s
shoulders slumped. “What? Mr. Richardson?”
“Yes,
who else? Who were you expecting?”
Emily
felt a sharp stab in her heart. She was so shocked that she could not draw air
into her lungs. This was not the news she’d been expecting at all. How could
this be? She didn’t want to speak to Mr. Richardson in private. No, this was
all wrong. She had to fix it. “Papa, I thought it was, um, Mr. Preston who had
come to see you.”
“Preston?
No, I have not spoken to him. Emily, do you realize what this means? Mr.
Richardson will propose marriage to you.”
Emily
stood up and started pacing her father’s study. She wrung her hands together
and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “Papa, I don’t want to talk with
Mr. Richardson. He’s nice enough, but he’s so dull. Please don’t make me speak
with him.”
She
glanced at her father and his eyes narrowed at her outburst.
“Emily,
what has gotten into you? Mr. Richardson will be an excellent choice as a
husband, and he’s from one of the finest families around. You could not ask for
a better match. You will want for nothing. I’m in favor of the union and you
should be too.”
Tears
coursed down her cheeks. “But, I don’t love Mr. Richardson. I love Mr. Preston.
Please, Papa, I know Mr. Preston will speak with you soon, perhaps even at the
ball. Please wait for his visit before you make a final decision,” she pleaded.
She swiped at her cheeks to wipe away the tears. “Please, Papa.”
Riley
stood. “Emily, dear. You are young and not wise in these matters. I only want
the best for you. Love is not the only foundation for a good marriage. Love
alone cannot put food on the table, or warm you in the winter. You must be
taken care of financially and Richardson will do that as well as give you an
ample allowance of your own.”
“But,
Papa, you love Mama.”
“I
do, of course, but I did not when I married her. I admired your mother while I
courted her, and that admiration grew into love over the years. Richardson is a
kind young man who admires you a great deal. I’m sure you will grow to love him
as I did with your mother.”
“Papa,
please wait. Don’t make me do this. I’m begging you.”
Riley
reached out for his daughter. “Emily, enough of your silliness. I want you…” He
stopped in mid-sentence and grabbed his left arm, pulling it close to his
chest.
“Papa,
what’s wrong?”
“Pain…”
he sputtered, before crashing to his knees.
Emily’s
hand flew to her mouth. She
watched in horror as her father crumpled to the floor. She rushed over to his
prone body and picked up his hand. She patted it furiously. “Papa, can you hear
me? Papa, please open your eyes.”
Reviewers Comments:
"As a fan of the incredible Jane Austen ... this
novella was a real treat for me to read. The author does a wonderful job
with descriptions, such as when she describes Emily's first ball as a
kaleidoscope of colors as the couples dance the night away."
"Love by Secrets is a sweet, bite-size love
story. ... I really liked the time period the book was set in. It reminded
me of Pride & Prejudice in that regard."
"The story was captivating, truly
well-written.....Overall, Love by Secrets was an enjoyable, quick read. The
author did a good job in conveying all the right elements of a sweet historical
romance and I look forward to continuing the series, as well as read her other
works. I recommend giving this one a try.
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