Queen of the Night Reviews: Book Blast With Exclusive Excerpt for Defiant by Sabrina York

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Book Blast With Exclusive Excerpt for Defiant by Sabrina York

Welcome to my stop for Defiant: Noble Passions # 5 by Sabrina York.

This is part of a blast tour with BippityBoppityBook, so be sure to check out the other tour stops to read exclusive excerpts and see what others thought about the book with their review.

Defiant
Sabrina York

Noble Passions, Book 5

Publisher Ellora’s Cave

Genre Erotic Regency Romance

Release Date July 28, 2014

Length 175 Pages

See it on Goodreads

About the Book:

When rakish Ned falls in with the wrong crowd, his brother decides to send him to the Continent for “seasoning”.

For Sophia, this just won’t do. She’s loved Ned for ages—and also longed for adventure. She runs away from her boring suitors and disguises herself as a cabin boy on the Defiant, the ship sailing Ned to Italy. Ned knows he’s not good enough for Sophia, but once they’re on the Defiant, he can’t stop himself from touching her, tasting her, loving her.

Not when a wild tempest and a band of ruthless pirates threaten them.

Not when every look from her gives him such pleasure.

And certainly not when she comes, warm and wild and willing, to his bed.

If they survive their voyage, Sophia’s brother might kill him, but it will have been worth every moment and every hot, sweet kiss.

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT FOR

QUEEN OF THE NIGHT REVIEWS

Likely he had all manner of fascinating adventures.

It was hardly fair.

She shoved the plate of cakes at him and he took two.

Unfair that, as well.

As a lady on the market, she’d been advised to forego cakes as they had an unfortunate tendency to collect around her middle, and if she wanted to catch a husband—

Oh ballocks.

She didn’t.

She helped herself to a cake as well. It was delicious, an exquisite mix of lemon and mint. It made her feel decidedly better. Or at least, a touch rebellious.

The uncomfortable silence was punctuated only by their chewing and alternate sipping. To break it, and because she burned to know, she asked, “Why do you need to speak with Ewan?”

Ned grunted and swallowed. “I need him to intercede for me.”

Sophia blinked. “Intercede?”

His handsome face wrinkled in chagrin. “I got myself into a bit of a pickle.”

Oh dear. How utterly unfair. Men were always allowed to get themselves into a pickle. Sophia was guarded as though she wore the crown jewels. “I should love to get into a pickle,” she said, refilling their cups.

“I lost a bit too much at faro and, well, Edward was furious.”

“Why should Edward be furious?”

Ned had the grace to flush. “Because he had to pay the debt. As if that weren’t bad enough, there was the bit about the horse.”

“The horse?”

“I bought a horse.” His eyes lit up at that. He’d always had loved his cattle.

“Ah, Soph, he’s a beauty. An Arabian stallion. Perfect for stud. Races like a champ. Byzantium is his name.”

“Mmm. How regal.”

“He’s magnificent.”

“Why ever would Edward mind that?”

Ned’s enthusiasm crumpled. “I didn’t ask him first. There wasn’t time, you understand. He was on auction. And damn Charles for bidding me up. He knew I wanted him.”

“Still, why would Edward care?”

“He had to pay for that as well.

Sophia chuckled. “How much was it?”

Ned ran a finger around this collar. “That hardly signifies. The point is, Edward has decided I need seasoning.”

“Seasoning?” She wrinkled her nose. What on earth was seasoning?

“He’s sending me to Italy.”

Her heart stalled. Her breath caught in her throat. A sudden, unaccountable panic rippled through her, dancing shivers over her skin. “I-Italy?”

He stood and paced to the mantel, leaning against it in a classic pose, so beautiful it made her chest hurt. “A Grand Tour.” He blew out a breath. “I don’t want to go, Soph. I have a life here. Friends. All right, Edward, and Ewan for that matter, don’t care for my friends, but they’re my friends, don’t you know. I’m a grown man for pity sake. I should be allowed to choose my own friends, make my own decisions—”

“I so agree.” She clasped her hands and hid her smile at his adorable snit. He’d called her Soph again.

“You do?” His expression lit up.

“I do. You should also be allowed to lose tremendous amounts…of your own money.”

He frowned at her.

She was used to his frown. She did not allow it to affect her. “How long will you be gone?” she asked, because somehow it was vital to know.

He shrugged. “Two, three years.”

Three years?

Oh heavens.

In three years she would be married, probably to some prancing prince. Ned would be lost to her forever—

Ruthlessly, she scuttled the thought. She was over him. She was. He’d slayed all her feelings the day he’d broken her heart. “That’s-that’s a very long time.”

“It is.” He fiddled with his cuffs. “I am hoping Ewan will help Edward see some sense. He was rather angry.”

“I imagine so.” The bit about Edward being angry. Not the bit about Ewan helping him see sense. That bit was ludicrous.

Ned dropped back onto the divan, this time sitting fully, rather than perched on the edge, but his demeanor was rather deflated. “I don’t want to go, Soph.” He scrubbed his face with a palm. “I don’t want to leave.”

She didn’t want him to go. Ah, no, her heart cried out, but her tongue stayed silent. Instead, she forced a smile. “It sounds like a wonderful adventure.” She tried ignore the sudden boil of jealousy and resentment. She’d have jumped at the chance to sail the world.

© 2014 Sabrina York / Ellora’s Cave Publishing, LLC