I'm happy to announce the release of my latest novel, a romance/saga spanning two generations and taking place in Budapest, New York, and Saratoga Springs in the late 1800's. It's a sweeping novel of tragedy and lots of romance that'll leave you with a tear in your eye and a happy all over feeling.It's available for purchase in paperback format from Amazon.com and in eBook format from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, and Allromanceebooks.com.
BLURB:
The Diamond Cross is a
sweeping historical romance/saga that exemplifies love, hope, fortitude and
personal triumph in a spectacular, hedonistic era. Siblings János
and Eva Imre emigrate from Budapest to New York in 1873 in pursuit of elusive Bart
Karolyi, a wolf in sheep’s clothing who has stolen Eva’s heart, her virginity and
the entire Imre family’s savings. János and pregnant Eva face incredible odds after being
processed through Castle Garden--the gateway to America. Will the family
heirloom, a fabulously stunning diamond cross, help sustain them and guarantee
a future for Eva’s bastard child? Or will it prove to be their undoing? Can Janós rise
above adversity to gain revenge on the man who destroyed the simplicity and
sanity of their lives?
Even in the midst of personal chaos, hope shines
through as Janós and his son Brenton discover the presence of a striking thirteen year old
girl in the lobby of their hotel in Saratoga Springs. Who is this young beauty
and why was she abandoned upon their doorstep? Does she have the power to rearrange
their lives, to forever imprint herself upon them? Heather Hatfield captures
the hearts of the Imre men folk, maturing into a breathtaking young woman with
a keen business sense. Neither János nor Brenton can get enough of her. But
whose heart does she hold dear? Can she love both father and son equally? Is
her presence in their lives a good thing, or will it destroy them?EXCERPT:
Heather sang while bathing later that morning. She was still
singing when she appeared in the lobby dressed in lilac and smelling of it,
too. János spent the night in his office and looked weary, but she didn’t
notice as she danced around the lobby, greeting the guests with a cheerful,
“Good morning. Nice day, isn’t it?”
She was on her way to see Artemus when she heard Brenton’s voice
coming from a room next to János’ office. It was a smaller office and Brenton
was using it as his own until a larger one could be outfitted for his needs.
Heather knocked once. Without waiting, she opened the door. What she saw
curdled her blood. Veronica Farmingdale and Brenton sat face to face across a
wide table and there were what looked like wedding invitations strewn upon it.
Veronica had just addressed a white parchment envelope when Heather barged in.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Veronica said.
Brenton looked like Veronica’s cat had gotten the best of him as
he said, “Hello, Heather.”
“Hello?” Heather mouthed
in astonishment. “What’s going on here, Brenton?”
“We’re writing wedding invites,” Veronica said snottily. “I don’t
believe I saw your name on our list.”
Heather grimaced. “Brenton,
may I see you alone for a moment?”
Brenton’s brows furrowed, but he stood and followed her into the
hallway. She led him inside the now empty dining room and stood looking at him
for a long moment. When he said nothing, she tapped the toe of her shoe on the
floor and said, “I believe an explanation’s in order.”
“Veronica picked our wedding date. It’ll be just before Christmas.
We were just…”
“Addressing the invitations. I know. Brenton, after last night…”
“Last night was special, but it doesn’t change anything,” he said
softly. “I’m still marrying Veronica.”
Heather’s heart went limp and she fought back tears of hurt and
outrage. “How can you say that? How can you do that? You told me you loved me,
Brenton.”
“I do,” he said sadly. “But Veronica’s good marriage material. I
need to marry into money the way my father did. A match between Veronica and
myself would cement our families and be a good investment for the Meredith
Arms. With my education and her money, we could build this hotel into a palace
and her father could help us secure even more properties.”
“That’s it?” she said incredulously. “A business investment? She’s
marriage material and I’m not?” Heather felt herself fill with rage.
“We can still be friends,” he said. “We’ll see each other every
day and…”
Heather slapped him, a swift palm slap to the side of his mouth
which resounded in the otherwise quiet room and bounced off the walls. “You’re a bastard,” she shouted. “Go to
hell.” She turned on her heels and stormed out of the room.
