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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Exposing a secret...with Sherri Browning Erwin and Giveaway


Sherri Browning Erwin, best known for critically acclaimed classic mash-ups Jane Slayre and Grave Expectations, also writes paranormal romance and historical romance as Sherri Browning.  A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Sherri has lived in Massachusetts and Michigan, but is now settled with her family in central Connecticut. She returns to historical romance with the Thornbrook Park series. An Affair Downstairs, second in the series, was chosen by Booklist as a Top Ten Romance of 2015, and lists as one of their Top 101 Romances for the Past Ten Years.


Exposing a secret on Christmas Eve with Sherri Browning Erwin

Exposing a secret on Christmas Eve… and what a secret! In An Affair Downstairs, the second of my Thornbrook Park series set in Edwardian England, Alice and Logan finally reveal their secret love and engagement on Christmas Eve. What could be nicer? But secret love isn’t always made for happy endings, as Alice’s sister Sophia discovers when an admirer reveals himself. The story continues in The Great Estate, the third and final book of the Thornbrook series. Can Sophia and Gabriel ever reconcile?

***

It was late in the evening. Logan and Alice stayed up as late as they could for the chance to spend more time in each other’s arms. Gabriel and Sophia made their excuses, wishing to leave the two lovebirds alone.

“It has been such a long day,” Sophia said. “I’m so tired.”

“You go on up to bed, darling,” Gabriel said. “I’ve got to clear some business downstairs with Finch to prepare for Boxing Day. I want to make sure everyone is free and able to have a day off without waiting on us. I’ll meet you up in bed shortly.”

“Of course,” Sophia said. “Don’t stay up too late, you two. And best wishes again for a wonderful life together. My apologies if I did anything to stand in the way of your happiness. I might have been overzealous in acting for what I believed was in Alice’s best interest. I look forward to having you as a brother, Logan. Growing up, I always wanted brothers. Now I’m to have two of them.”

“Thank you, Sophia. It means a lot to me that we have your approval,” Logan said.

“To me, too,” Alice added. “Thank you for coming to see things as they should be. Logan and I belong together.”

“I can see that now.” She flashed a genuine smile. “And I’m very pleased for you. Goodnight. Happy Christmas.”

Logan and Alice stayed in front of the fire for some time, kissing and cuddling, not quite ready to part. At last, they decided they had better go in case they were keeping the servants up.

It was as they rounded the corner to head up the stairs that they froze in their tracks. Lord Ralston had returned. He stood in the hall, his head bowed in quiet conversation with Sophia. They looked almost like lovers, which Alice began to laugh off as preposterous, until he took Sophia in his arms and kissed her passionately. At first, Sophia had started to push him away, but slowly she began to give in.

“Sophia,” Alice breathed, unable to believe her eyes. For once, she wished so badly that she had been wrong, so terribly wrong, about Ralston’s attraction to Sophia. But it appeared that she had been right, the secret finally revealed. Alice leaned on Logan for support.

Logan’s arm around her waist gently guided Alice away from the disturbing sight, but the worst of all things happened next. Lord Averford turned the corner and witnessed his wife in the arms of another man. And his face, Alice would never forget the look on Gabriel’s face, a look of sheer agony. Alice watched her brother-in-law’s heart break into a million pieces right before her eyes.

“Gabriel.” Some sort of awareness dawned on Sophia at last, a minute too late. She looked up to see her husband watching her with Lord Ralston. “Gabriel! It’s not what it seems. Please, let me explain.”

Sophia left Lord Ralston standing there in the hall and ran off after her husband.

Alice stepped forward, Logan two steps behind still holding her hand.

“You.” The word held all the venom Alice could muster.

“I love her, Alice. I’m sorry. It has always been Sophia. I finally came to admit it to her. I had to take the chance. She said I was being ridiculous, and she begged me to leave. She said she loved her husband, but I didn’t believe her. I couldn’t. We could be so good together. I took her in my arms and I kissed her so that she would finally understand. Clearly, I was wrong. Maybe she really does love him.”

“Of course she loves him,” Alice said, perhaps a little too loudly. “Are you mad? Or just daft? She loves him, you fool. Get out.” Alice pointed toward the door. “Get out of this house, and don’t ever come back or so help me God, Ralston, I’ll shoot you myself.”

He held up his hands, resigned. “I’m leaving. There’s nothing here for me now. Goodbye. I wish you all the best.”

“Out!” Alice yelled. Once he left, she turned to Logan. “Can you believe his nerve? That man! Tonight of all nights.”

“I would have been glad to punch him again, but you seemed to have it all under control.” Logan pulled Alice into his arms. “I’m sorry we had to see that. But Sophia and Gabriel have a lot of love between them. They will work it out.”

“I certainly hope you’re right.” Alice allowed herself to lean into him, the man she planned to marry. She wasn’t so sure that he was right about her sister’s marriage recovering. She’d never seen Gabriel look so broken. “Whatever the future holds, I’m so glad I have you to face it with me, Logan.”

“Whatever the future holds.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m here. Merry Christmas, Darling.”


Pulled apart by past mistakes. Driven by a passion neither could deny.

Sophia Thorne was young and inexperienced when she married the dashing Earl of Averford...and through dark and troubled times, their relationship nearly came to an end. Now she's determined to transform herself into the fiery, ardent lover she always wanted to be, giving them a second chance at love... before they're lost to each other forever.

It took nearly losing Sophia for Gabriel to realize he had allowed his love for his great estate to distract him from his beautiful wife. But that time is over. Despite all the obstacles standing in their way, Gabriel vows to teach Sophia what it is to truly love...and to be loved by a husband devoted heart and soul to her every desire.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

 

 Check out what's up for grabs.

Up For Grabs:
  • 1 $25 Gift Card (Amazon or B&N)

To Enter: 
  • Please fill out the Rafflecopter for entry.

**Don't forget to enter the grand prize giveaway!


Good Luck! 

Special thanks to Sherri Browning Erwin for sponsoring this giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

44 comments :

  1. Happy Holidays.... Loved Logan and Alice!!! and like me with my hubby its wonderful to have someone by your side in the future... 23 years now I've had hubby there...I wouldn't trade him or his support.... its the one thing I am always grateful for!!!!

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  2. I enjoyed your excerpt. Sounds like a great story. Thanks for the great giveaway chance too.

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  3. I really enjoyed reading this. I'm definitely going to read the series. Thank you for the giveaway.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 ( at) aol (dot) com

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  4. Sounds great, thanks for sharing!
    Merry Christmas!
    bossu49 at aol dot com

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  5. Loved the excerpt. This looks like a great second chance romance, thank you for sharing.
    Happy Holidays and congrats on your new release!

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  6. thanks! I think this sounds like a fun read!! Happy Holidays to you!

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  7. I hope everything works out ok for them!

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  8. so very intriguing! Thanks so much for sharing :)

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  9. Thank you Sherri. Your book sounds Awesome.

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  10. Sherri is a new to me author but her book The Great Estate sounds super fun!

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  11. Liked the blurb! Looking forward to reading your books.

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  12. Thank you for all your wonderful writing! Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year!

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  13. I love second chance romances...because I am the recipient of one such chance myself. My second hubby and I have now been married for 35 years. :-) So I'm looking forward to reading this newest by Sherri! Thanks for the post. jdh2690@gmail.com

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    1. Aw, glad you got your second chance. I love real love stories. :)

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  14. Thanks a bunch for sharing. Looks really good.

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  15. I enjoy reading second chance at love stories. One mistake can have huge repercussions like Sophia's kiss.

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  16. Thanks for this prequel to The Great Estate! I kind of have to read it in hopes of a happy ending.

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  17. I'm always looking for a new historical author to read and this books sounds really great.

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  18. love your books... you are one of my favorite historical authors!!!! I stalk you

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  19. Thanks for sharing that short story. It makes me want to read more...which was it's purpose. LOL I do enjoy second chance romances.

    Marcy Shuler

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  20. Interesting love triangle. I hope Sophia and Gabriel can work it all out and admit their love for each other.

    I hope you will find time to give Lord Ralston his true love soon.

    johnslake@usa dot com

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  21. Well, that was a heart-breaking scene!

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  22. It's great to see a story set in Edwardian times instead of Regency. I'll have to check this out.

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  23. I love this series! Sophia and Gabriel have their own book. I cannot wait to read it.

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  24. What a heartbreaking scene you shared with us. It is hard at times like that to remember that things are not always what they seem and to allow explanations to be given. We rarely see what the whole of things are.

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  25. Hi Sherri you're a new author to me so you now have a new stalker lol and your books sounds fantastic
    Happy holidays

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  26. it's so true that second chances are often more appreciated!

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  27. Hello and Happy Holidays Sherri just loved your excerpt and your a new to me author :)

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  28. Intriguing excerpt and premise for a second chance.

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  29. Really enjoyed reading the excerpt of this book. I'm beginning to love and want more books set in the Edwardian period and this looks like a great series. Thanks for the giveaway too.

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  30. Happy holidays and I enjoyed the excerpt

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  31. I love historical romances and since this one takes place in Edwardian England, it is very intriguing.

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  32. I like the expert, seems a good read

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  33. I love Edwardian books! I pray you have a wonderful Christmas! Thank you for this opportunity!

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  34. I loved the story and I'm looking forward to reading more.

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  35. New author to men,thanks for the excerpt :)
    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays :)

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