I’m still sharing snippets from my upcoming Regency What a Widow Wants, Book 3 of The Widows’ Club series that will release in just 10 days on December 18!

At the beginning of the book, Fanny, Lady Stephen Tarkington, has emerged from her widow’s weeds to attend a masquerade ball dressed as the goddess Aphrodite. She’s spreading her wings, happy to be out in society again and free to flirt and frolic with gentlemen.  She meets two gentlemen dressed as Roman gods, Castor and Pollux, who ask her to dance. She flirts with them, asking how they are to pass the time until the next dance begins. This snippet begins where the previous one ends, with Pollux’s answer.

(Creative punctuation utilized to conform to WWW rules and snippet may therefore be slightly different from published version.)

His sharp intake of breath made her hold her own; even more amazing, his eyes changed from deep blue to black in an instant. The wave of his desire hit her like a tangible thing–her mouth dried, her heart raced, her whole head heated as though it had caught fire. Who was this man that he could affect her so?

“Come with me,” he said, pulling her toward the double doors behind them that led to the other part of the house.

Heart pounding, Fanny ran on tiptoes in an effort to keep up with him. This was madness. Wherever was he taking her? And what on earth did he have in mind? Oh, but she knew what that was; that deep desire in his eyes told her exactly where his intentions lay. Would she allow him to have his way with her?

BLURB:

Widowed by the Battle of Waterloo, the ladies of Lyttlefield Park are returning to London society—with their futures in their own hands . . .
 
The widowed Lady Stephen Tarkington, Fanny to her friends, has finished mourning her cad of a husband and is ready to enjoy her freedom. The kind of freedom neither a gently bred miss nor a close-watched wife is permitted: dressing up as Aphrodite for a masquerade, drawing gentlemen away from the party, and hinting at late-night assignations with her dance partners. All is going pleasurably according to plan—until the Roman god Fanny kisses during a masquerade turns out to be Matthew, Lord Lathbury, whose proposal she refused years ago . . .

Lathbury is charming, passionate, inventive, everything Fanny wants in a lover—but unfortunately, he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s more than willing to use all his wicked skills to persuade her back to the altar, but he can’t wait forever. And now Fanny’s position is more precarious than she once thought. If the tongues of the ton set to wagging, it’s possible no offer in the world will save her from ruin. But does she want to be saved? . .

The Widows’ Club series by Jenna Jaxon

For the next several weeks I’ll be sharing snippets from my upcoming Regency What a Widow Wants, Book 3 of The Widows’ Club series that will release on December 18.

At the beginning of the book, Lady Fanny Tarkington has emerged from her widow’s weeds to attend a masquerade ball dressed as the goddess Aphrodite. She’d spreading her wings, happy to be out in society again and free to flirt and frolic with gentlemen.  She meets two gentlemen dressed as Roman gods who ask her to dance. This snippet begins where the previous one ends.

(Creative punctuation utilized to conform to WWW rules and snippet may therefore be slightly different from published version.)

“I am Pollux, Aphrodite,” the gentleman holding her hand said, giving it a squeeze that sent sudden tingles all along her arm. “My brother is Castor”—the other man bowed—“though friend, rather than brother, in earnest.”

His rich baritone voice tugged at her memory, as did the deep blue eyes behind the mask; the warmth of his hand, however, addled her brain, turning it to mush. Grasping the obvious, she managed to ask, “How . . . how do you propose to both dance with me in a single set, unless one of you secures another partner?”

“An apt question, from an astute goddess; I have already captured such a lady for my dancing delight so we four shall make up a set.”

“Who is your partner?”

“That very pretty shepherdess over there in pink,” he said and pointed to a young girl in a modest costume, laughing with a group of other young ladies. Well, she’d not have much competition in keeping the twins’ attention.

“I should be delighted to make up your set, however”—she turned her attention back to Pollux—“the second set has not yet begun.” Fluttering her eyelashes up at the handsome man, she squeezed his hand and said, “How are we to pass the time until our dance?”

BLURB:

Widowed by the Battle of Waterloo, the ladies of Lyttlefield Park are returning to London society—with their futures in their own hands . . .
 
The widowed Lady Stephen Tarkington, Fanny to her friends, has finished mourning her cad of a husband and is ready to enjoy her freedom. The kind of freedom neither a gently bred miss nor a close-watched wife is permitted: dressing up as Aphrodite for a masquerade, drawing gentlemen away from the party, and hinting at late-night assignations with her dance partners. All is going pleasurably according to plan—until the Roman god Fanny kisses during a masquerade turns out to be Matthew, Lord Lathbury, whose proposal she refused years ago . . .

Lathbury is charming, passionate, inventive, everything Fanny wants in a lover—but unfortunately, he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s more than willing to use all his wicked skills to persuade her back to the altar, but he can’t wait forever. And now Fanny’s position is more precarious than she once thought. If the tongues of the ton set to wagging, it’s possible no offer in the world will save her from ruin. But does she want to be saved? . .

The Widows’ Club series by Jenna Jaxon

For the next several weeks I’ll be sharing snippets from my upcoming Regency What a Widow Wants, Book 3 of The Widows’ Club series that will release on December 18.

At the beginning of the book, Lady Fanny Tarkington has emerged from her widow’s weeds to attend a masquerade ball dressed as the goddess Aphrodite. She’d spreading her wings, happy to be out in society again and free to flirt and frolic with gentlemen.  Let’s go see who she meets.

(Creative punctuation utilized to conform to WWW rules and snippet may therefore be slightly different from published version.)

Fanny as Aphrodite

About to head for the dazzling sultan, Fanny glanced about one more time, just to make sure no one else interesting had entered the ballroom, when she caught sight of two identically dressed men bearing down on her. Dark-haired, tall, and broad-shouldered—with shoulders and arms almost bared beneath a thin cape trimmed in gold braid—their slim hips covered in a skirt resembling a pleated kilt of white linen, showing off shapely legs in white stockings and sandals, the duo was breathtaking. Before she could blink they stood beside her, true Greek gods in beauty and stature. Her evening had just taken a most satisfactory turn. A pity their faces were obscured with identical silver half-masks, embossed with a cantering horse across the forehead. She’d wager they were equally handsome underneath.

“Goddess Aphrodite, we greet you in the name of our father, Zeus.” The twin closest to her bowed and grasped her hand.

Suddenly unnerved by his very large, looming presence, she stepped back, trying to pull away but to no avail–the rogue held tight to her hand and raised it to his lips. “Do not be alarmed, my dear; we come to honor you with a request for the next set.”

BLURB:

Widowed by the Battle of Waterloo, the ladies of Lyttlefield Park are returning to London society—with their futures in their own hands . . .
 
The widowed Lady Stephen Tarkington, Fanny to her friends, has finished mourning her cad of a husband and is ready to enjoy her freedom. The kind of freedom neither a gently bred miss nor a close-watched wife is permitted: dressing up as Aphrodite for a masquerade, drawing gentlemen away from the party, and hinting at late-night assignations with her dance partners. All is going pleasurably according to plan—until the Roman god Fanny kisses during a masquerade turns out to be Matthew, Lord Lathbury, whose proposal she refused years ago . . .

Lathbury is charming, passionate, inventive, everything Fanny wants in a lover—but unfortunately, he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s more than willing to use all his wicked skills to persuade her back to the altar, but he can’t wait forever. And now Fanny’s position is more precarious than she once thought. If the tongues of the ton set to wagging, it’s possible no offer in the world will save her from ruin. But does she want to be saved? . .

The Widows’ Club series by Jenna Jaxon