
GENRE: Regency Romance
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Deep in debt and desperate for a solution, Julius Claydon knows that marrying a wealthy woman is his only hope. When he meets the beautiful and rich Clara Haughton in Bath, he believes she could be his salvation, but there’s one obstacle in his path: Lydia Cray, Clara’s sharp-witted and penniless companion.
When Lydia quickly sees through his fortune-hunting motives, Julius proposes an alliance. He will help secure her future if she helps him secure Clara’s heart.
But Lydia is not all she appears to be, and she has a plan of her own: to teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget. But her scheming soon leads to unforeseen consequences for them both.
Can love spring from deception?

Excerpt:
“You seem to have taken a dislike to me,” he remarked.
“I have.” It came back promptly.
“Is my dancing really that bad?”
“No. You seem quite a capable dancer,” she said as if forced to be fair against her inclination.
“Then I’m afraid I don’t know what I’ve done to offend.”
“I’m sure you don’t.”
They crossed the room once more and came back together. Her hand was stiff in his own, and there was something unyielding in the way she moved through the steps. “Are you going to explain it to me?”
She shrugged. “I know you for what you are.”
“And what exactly is that?”
“A fortune hunter.”
It was stated so flatly, so calmly, and so completely correctly, that he couldn’t help himself: he threw back his head and laughed. She looked surprised. Perhaps he should have tried to disassemble, but there was a sharpness and confidence in her tone that made it impossible. However she knew, she did indeed know, and her forthrightness amused him.
“I’m sorry, Miss Cray. How did you guess?” He did not bother to hide from his voice that he was impressed.
“Well, I at least give you credit for not trying to hide it now,” she said a little dryly.
“How could I? When you have shot the target so exactly in the bull’s-eye. Credit where credit is due.” He gave a little mock bow.
“You seem an unusual specimen of your species.”
“There are always a few outliers. Have you met so many of us?”
“You must realize I’m quite used to dealing with your kind.”
“Are you? How very humbling you are. And here I thought myself clever.”
About The Author:

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Naomi Laeuchli has lived overseas in nine different countries on three different continents where her family was posted with the American Foreign Service.
In November 2012 she moved from the Democratic Republic of the Congo back to the states and currently lives in Arizona with five horses. She works as a freelance writer and part time at the local library. She has written several interactive stories for Choice of Games, Tales, and Dorian.
https://www.amazon.com/Schoolmasters-Daughter-Naomi-Laeuchli/dp/B0D9SKC3D7 FREE TO LIVE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED
Giveaway
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