by Samantha Holt
Historical Romance
Self-Published/Indie
Released on July 1, 2012
Heat Level: Steamy
Word Count: 48,000
Available at:
Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK)
Blurb:
1216 England
The country is torn apart by a rebellion as the French invade. Reunited after five years, Madeline and Tristan find themselves caught up in the war and in a fight to save their love.
Tristan is thrilled when the girl that he has loved, and missed, for five years returns to him, but the time apart has changed Madeline and she feels herself incapable of depending upon another. Can Tristan convince her otherwise?
As the French close in upon them, Madeline has to summon the courage to fight for her home, her country and for a love lost. Will she succeed or will their love and lives become another casualty of the rebellion?
Excerpt
Tristan
thrust a hand into Madeline’s hair and pressed a determined kiss to her mouth.
Seizing her helm, he rammed it onto her head.
“Stay
safe, wife.”
“And
you, husband.” She grinned at her words, partly from joy and partly to cover
the trepidation that descended upon her as she was greeted by the sights and
sounds of impending battle.
A
soldier handed him his shield and, with a last anxious look at her, he nodded
and threaded his way through the men steadily filling the space behind the
wall.
Making
her way to the wall, she noted the smoke thickening. The hiss of arrows
startled her as they emerged from the fiery grey cloud and she ducked
instinctively as they rained over the wall and into the bailey. Screams sounded
out as the arrows hit home but most of the soldiers were ready with their
shields above their heads, more used to the noises of war than she. Madeline
desperately searched out Tristan and was relieved to see him unharmed.
Stones
arced over the wall, landing with a smash and kicking up debris. Leaning over
the battlements, she could see the French assembling, awaiting the moment they
could storm the inevitable breach. To her eyes, it seemed as though there were
enemy soldiers as far as the eye could see and she wondered how on Earth they
could hold the keep against such odds.
Taking
her cue from the crossbowmen either side of her, she began to fire into the
mob. Aware she had a limited number of arrows; she took her time lining up each
shot. The crossbows were deadly and accurate but their reload time was slow
while she could be quick if needs be. However, while they had a stockpile of
bolts, she had only what she could carry.
She
successfully felled many a foe, the sharp tips of her arrows embedding
themselves into necks and chests, and managed to avoid being struck herself.
Most returning arrows went wide, plunging down into the bailey. A rock smashed
into the wall, not two paces from her, and it skimmed across the top, taking a
crossbowmen and a chunk of wall with it, coating her in dust.
As she
coughed and rubbed at her grit filled eyes, she became aware of a shudder
beneath her feet. The trembling increased and, glancing wildly around, she
noticed a fissure forming in the eastern tower of the gate. With a sudden
rumble the base of the tower fell away and the entire thing crumbled before
Madeline’s disbelieving eyes. The tower disintegrated, taking men with it and
crushing anyone unfortunate enough to be close by. A huge cloud of powdered
stone kicked up, obscuring the vision of the waiting armies and covering
everyone in a cloying film of dirt.
Samantha Holt resides in Warwickshire, England, with her twin girls, having followed her soldier husband around the UK for nearly 10 years. Growing up in Hampshire, she was inspired by the authors Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, both of which lived and wrote only miles from her home town.
Samantha loves the romance genre and has been devouring romantic literature for as long as she can remember. History is another passion of hers and she loves to combine her love for history and romance in exciting and passionate tales.
Her books include the bestselling novel, The Crimson Castle and The Angel’s Assassin.
Connect with Samantha Holt:
Website
Blog
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Thanks for having me Ruth! Just to let your readers know that A Summer Siege is free on Amazon for the next two days.
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