Hello romance lovers!
I’m sharing a look at my historical romance, Redemption from a Dark Past. This full-length Gothic novel is set in the kingdom of Hungary in 1723 and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense.
Here’s the summary, a mild excerpt, and links:
Redemption from a Dark Past
Lord Sebestyen Adrik has an unsavory reputation as a madman, murderer… and worse. Lonely and searching for love, he seeks the companionship of local young women, hoping one of them will ease his torment and bring him the happiness he longs for. Katarina is his last chance—but will she fear him like all the others? Or is she the one who can lift his curse?
Desperate to avoid a forced marriage, Katarina agrees to become Lord Adrik’s latest companion, despite the rumors she has heard about him. She discovers the “Dark Lord’s” secret past and realizes he’s not the monster everyone thinks he is.
As their love blossoms, she renews his passion for life—yet they cannot escape the ghosts of the past.
When a meeting of the nobility goes horribly wrong, Sebestyen’s world unravels, and his enemies plot to destroy him. As all seems lost, a mysterious stranger arrives at the castle. Sebestyen must decide if he is a friend or a foe…and if he can find redemption in his love for Katarina, or lose her and everything else that he holds dear.
The Excerpt:
Katarina stood in the parlor doorway, clutching her skirts. The large room was lit with three candles, and firelight cast long shadows on the walls. One story about His Lordship seemed to be true; he did live in the dark. She heard a low growling noise coming from the corner. What was that? Did Lord Adrik have a vicious dog?
She stepped into the parlor and spotted a figure slumped in the throne-sized chair near the fire. A white ruffled sleeve hung over the armrest. A moment later, she realized the noise was coming from Lord Adrik. He was fast asleep and snoring.
Had she kept him waiting too long? She had eaten her fill of meat and potatoes and even tried the greens and biscuits. His Lordship hadn’t been interested in talking to her before, so why he had summoned her here?
She touched his arm. “Lord Adrik?”
He jerked awake. “What is it?”
She reeled back. “I finished eating and—”
“Your name again?”
“Katarina.” Had he forgotten about her already?
“Yes, Katarina.” He blinked up at her. “Sit here, next to me. I wish to ask you questions.”
She balanced herself on the padded arm of the chair as he instructed. Even from her perch, she couldn’t see him clearly—he was still cloaked in shadows. Why did he hide himself? Was he deformed or disfigured in some way?
“Are you afraid of me?
How should she answer? She wasn’t afraid, but she was nervous. The last thing she wanted was to make a mess out of things and displease him. “No. I’m not afraid, merely curious. I’ve never met a lord before, and I haven’t been around such finery, My Lord.” She hoped her answer would satisfy him.
“Tell me about yourself. Where do you come from? How old are you? Are you a virgin? How many lovers have you had?”
“What?” The questions surprised her, and she spun toward him. As she did, she lost her balance, toppled off the arm of the chair, and fell into Lord Adrik’s lap. She yelped and gazed up at him.
“From the expression on your face I imagine I’m not what you envisioned. What did the villagers tell you? That I had horns? That I was a troll?”
“No, nothing like that. Nobody ever mentioned your looks,” she replied.
Lord Adrik was anything but malformed. In fact, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. His black wavy hair hung to his ruffled white collar, his clean-shaven face was long and lean, and his green eyes sparkled in the firelight.
“Do you wish a glass of wine or brandy? It may settle your nerves.”
“No, Your Lordship. My… my… nerves are fine,” she stammered.
“For now,” he said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pinning her close to him. “But in a little while you may wish you had a healthy dose of liquor in you. It would dull the torment of being sacrificed to the Dark Gods.”
What did he mean by that?
* * *
Order Redemption from a Dark Past here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DL1FXYW/
Link to all other platforms: https://www.books2read.com/u/3R1aYD
I hope you’ll check out this Gothic romance novel. It’s a great read for a winter afternoon.
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books.
Her romances span many genres and heat levels, and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories.
October 2018, Kelli published Cupid’s Schemes, Volume 1 – a collection of sweet mini-romances. (Look for Volume 2 coming in 2019!)
She also released her first online writing course, Fiction Writing for Beginners, through Teachable. This course is perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.
Kelli’s historical romance, Redemption from a Dark Past, was published in 2018. This full-length Gothic novel is set in the kingdom of Hungary in 1723 and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense.
If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her latest novella, Nightmare in the North.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website www.KelliWilkins.com and blog http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/ to learn more about all of her writings.
CATCH UP WITH KELLI
Here’s a full list of where you can find Kelli on the web.
Website: http://www.KelliWilkins.com
Blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins
Twitter:
www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
Facebook Historical Romances: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/
Facebook Contemporary Romances: https://www.facebook.com/Contemporary-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1965702023664339/
Facebook Gay Romances: https://www.facebook.com/GayRomancesbyKelliAWilkins/
FREE READS:http://www.manicreaders.com/KelliAWilkins/
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Teachable Online Writing Course: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/
- About the Author
- Posts in the Past
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 20+ romance novels, 7 non-fiction books, and 5 horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror stories.
Her latest novel, “In Another World” was released in January 2022. This contemporary mystery/romance is set in the world of the paranormal.
She also released two horror shorts, “More Than I Bargained For” and “Silent Sentinel” in 2021.
In 2021, Kelli published “Journaling Every Week: 52 Topics to Get You Writing.” This fun and innovative guide to journaling is filled with hundreds of thought-provoking prompts designed to get you writing about your feelings and emotions.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and to find all her social media links.
