Title: The
Frost of Springtime
Author: Rachel
L. Demeter
Genre:
Historical Romance
To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.
On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an
everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from
a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit
of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.
But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the
seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young
woman—a dancer with an understanding of devotion and redemption far surpassing
her age.
Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that
“home” is gone—replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always
out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality
and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only
Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.
Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a
poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.
BRIEF
EXCERPT
The heat of
their bodies mingled as one. With each breath, Aleksender drank in the sweet
essence of his beloved ward. His mind swam with unorthodox visions and desires.
He inclined his head, lost to the power of her nearness, entranced by
everything that was Sofia.
“Alek, my
Alek …”
Each word
infused Aleksender with a delicious and undeniable warmth. Intoxicated by roses
and wintertime, he found it difficult to speak, difficult to think. Breathless,
he swallowed and met the haunting depths of her eyes.
“Please,” she
dreamily murmured, “I want you to kiss me again…”
Praise for the book
“I am astonished at this being Rachel L. Demeter’s debut work, for in
form and style, it is very much a tour de force. A riveting story of love and
courage in the aftermath of a brutal war, the author brilliantly juxtaposes the
hazing splendor of French nobility and the impassioned elegance of two people
in love, despite all the world’s oppositions. The title is, in a sense, a
representation of change: the beginning of a new spring with La Belle Époque
and the transition into a new era, for the world and our protagonists.
The wistful loveliness of the setting paints a picture of a crying
France, blending in with the dynamic romance perfectly. Or rather, it does not
merely blend in the background as much as glitters like the brightest jewel,
shining with a vibrancy that makes one want to relieve the halcyon days of
grand old Paris. I was captivated by the setting, the lush writing of Rachel L.
Demeter, and the subtle expressiveness of the characters, which all compelled
me to research more of the historical background, of the 1871 Paris Commune,
through which this story is made more infinitely dearer.” – Buried
Under Romance
“We are in awe. The Frost of Springtime is a MUST HAVE! Despite that we
loved the true facts, we fell instantly in love with the story. It was dark,
emotionally devastating, and sensual. The innocence between the two main
characters was beautiful and their love grew so strong throughout the story
with such grace. One of us even cried while reading The Frost of Springtime. We
loved the cover, we loved the writing style, and we adored the characters. We
fell in love, really hard." – Divas Book Blog
“This novel is intricately detailed and wonderfully written! Opening
with a heartbreaking scene, I was immediately drawn to the story of Aleksender
and his Sofia. Of course, as the story moved on, other enchanting characters
helped to make this poignant book complete. The author has blended historical
facts with fiction skillfully, and presented several narratives flawlessly.
It’s beautiful! I loved it!” – Romancebookworm’s Reviews
“I absolutely love this book. The Frost of Springtime shows how love and
tragedy go hand in hand and that love can actually be more powerful than
anything. I have found that most books do not hit this point right on the nail
like this one does. It’s a Historical Romance and let me just tell you this is
one book I couldn’t put down.” – Magic Within The Pages
“WOW!! The Frost of Springtime is a powerful, epic love story unlike
anything I’ve ever read before. The emotional and visual/sensory depth is
astounding. I felt Aleksender and Sofia’s connection from beginning to end.
Aleksender’s path to healing was at times breathtaking and
heartbreaking. This is a hero who loves his woman with every last breath, every
fiber of his being… and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her. AMAZING cast of
secondary characters as well… a 'villain' who actually leaves you morally torn!
Beautifully written (loved the vivid imagery and descriptions!), dark, unusual,
rich with history, epic scope, and a soul deep love that only comes once in a
lifetime… Brava!!!” – Sivonna, an advanced reader
Buy a
copy of the book:
Amazon
(eBook) *Prime Members can read the kindle edition for free!: http://www.amazon.com/Frost-Springtime-Rachel-L-Demeter-ebook/dp/B00ICXN9N2/ref=la_B00IBKLO06
Amazon
(Paperback): http://www.amazon.com/The-Frost-Springtime-Rachel-Demeter/dp/1934912611
Barnes
& Noble (Paperback): http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-frost-of-springtime-rachel-l-demeter/1118596184
Excerpt :
Bête Noire’s walls shook as a gust of wind moaned in the
distance. Soft and shameful sobs accompanied the ambiance with haunting
precision. The child sank to the crutch of her knees—defeated, starved for food
and warmth—as if she might escape the world in that way.
Moved by her humiliation far more than he dared admit, the
dark stranger removed his bowler hat and crouched to her level. He replaced the
hat after running an unsteady hand through his hairline. His chest lurched as
the child adjusted the torn tatters of her clothing. Swishing off his frock
coat, he draped the material over her body like it was a security blanket.
She grasped the wool with her good hand, plummeted onto her
bottom, and pulled both legs against her chest. Her face sank from eye-line as
she hid below a fortress of upright knees. Tiny and perfectly helpless, the
abundance of thick folds seemed to devour her whole.
“Cold night,” he whispered.
“Thank you, m-monsieur.”
The man softened at the tragic sight that lay before him;
icicles, which had too long clung to his chest, deftly thawed and melted away.
He felt an incredible pain, a sincere compassion and aching sympathy, which
he’d believed he no longer possessed. Despite his better judgment and a
lifetime of indifference, his heart broke.
Damnation. He longed to turn his cheek in apathy and
disgust. He yearned to feel numb to the girl’s pain and loneliness. He wanted
to hate the child—to despise the child—for having invaded his sole sliver of
peace: darkness.
Tucked within a foreign part of his heart, only emptiness
had ever existed. A terrible and twisted emptiness. And for seventeen of his
twenty-seven years, he’d filled that internal void with darkness.
Eyes of emerald locked with eyes of sapphire, each pair
searching the secrets of its counterpart’s soul. He could sense the girl’s will
to live, to simply survive the world and all of its cruelties, as if it was a
tangible thing. And, within that lucid moment, a recollection from his own
childhood emerged. The emptiness eased and lifted. His heart pounded as a
montage of horrors resurrected—just barely …
A whisper of half-sobbed words: “Life is pain. Love is a pretty
lie.” Empty and burning tears. A seductive glint. Steel, cold and rusted,
plunged into a slate of creamy flesh. A distorted prayer: “Do not love the
world or anything in it. The world and its desires pass away. But those who do
the will of God shall live forever.” A moment of silence followed by a pair of
beautiful, breathless lungs—
The jumbled tangle of memories disappeared as quickly as
they’d come. Once more the emptiness returned. But one truth remained—long ago,
something had happened. Something unutterable. Something his conscience and
consciousness had chosen to forget.
And then, miraculously, for the first conceivable time in
the man’s life, a ray of hope shined through his darkness.
Perhaps the girl could help him find himself.
Perhaps two orphaned souls could unite as one.
Consumed by his sudden revelation, the dark figure lifted
his hand and attempted to brush a stray curl from her eyes. Jerking free of his
touch, she flinched out of his reach—just as he’d expected she might—behaving
like a mongrel who’d only known beatings.
He retreated with a dejected sigh and shook his face.
“Might I know your name, ma petit?”
“Sofia …” Her voice
was little more than a whisper and a true breath of fresh air.
“Good to know you, my dearest Sofia.” The man inclined his
head, gave a charmingly crooked grin, and clasped a palm to his heart. Aware
that everything had changed, it beat against his ribcage at a rapid pace, the
rhythm hard and strong. “I am Alek…”
Author Bio
Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California
with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and high school sweetheart of ten
years. She enjoys writing dark, edgy romances that challenge the reader’s
emotions and examine the redeeming power of love.
Imagining
stories and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can
remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while
her mom would jot them down for her. She has a special affinity for the
tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether sculpting the protagonist or
antagonist, she always ensures that every character is given a soul.
Rachel
strives to intricately blend elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some
common themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul
mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness. Her
dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.
Links
Watch the trailer for the book: THE
FROST OF SPRINGTIME by Rachel L. Demeter - Book Trailer
Official Site: http://racheldemeter.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelLDemeter
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/rldemeter
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/racheldemeter1/
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/24737695-rachel-l-demeter
Amazon Author Page: http://racheldemeter.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/amazonbutton.png
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/RachelLDemeter
Giveaway!
Tour-wide
giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
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Hi, Natalie! Thank you so much for the beautiful post! I really appreciate it! <3 :)
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome :)
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