Book Description:Twelve strangers. Six marriages. One year in Esperance.
Amryn
has many reasons to hate the empire. Her latest is her forced marriage
to General Carver Vincetti, better known as the Butcher. If he learns
even one of her secrets, he will kill her. And Amryn has many secrets.
Not only is she an empath with forbidden magic, she's also a newly
recruited rebel intent on destroying the empire—starting at Esperance.
Carver
knows the rebels have infiltrated the remote temple of Esperance. His
job is to hunt them down before they can wreck the emperor’s new peace.
Despite the demons that haunt him, Carver is intent on his mission—but
he’s not prepared for Amryn. From her fiery red hair to her surprising
wit, his new wife has captured his attention. The attraction that flares
between them is undeniable. Now he just has to determine if she’s the
enemy.
When the newly married couples become targets
in a violent game, Esperance becomes more dangerous than anyone
anticipated. Carver and Amryn are about to discover that no one is
exactly who they appear to be—especially each other.
Esperance
is book one in a New Adult fantasy romance series by Amazon bestselling
author Heather Frost. If you love enemies-to-lovers romance, surprising
twists, and an action-packed story you can’t put down, you’ll love
Esperance!
Excerpt:
Carver’s
warm breath teased the nape of her neck before Amryn felt the cool
salve of the aloe mixture. Every hair on her body lifted as he
brushed the salve carefully over her burned skin. She could feel the
rough callouses on the pads of his fingers, but his touch was
infinitely gentle.
Ahmi
had applied this salve last night, but it had felt nothing
like this.
“Sorry,”
he murmured. His voice was so low and deep, it resonated throughout
her entire body.
Her
fingers tightened on the end of her braid, which she still held.
“Sorry?”
“I
had no idea you were getting sunburned yesterday. If I’d realized,
I wouldn’t have kept you so long in the yard.”
She
forced herself to speak past the tightness in her throat.
“Unfortunately, sunburns are common for me. My pale skin can burn
in Ferradin, even on a cloudy day.”
His
short laugh brought a sharp exhale against her neck. With the
ointment covering her skin, the sensation was heightened, making her
shiver.
His
fingers lifted, only to return a moment later with more aloe. His
touch started just below her ear and glided down the side of her
neck, to the edge of her nightgown’s wide collar at her shoulder.
Her skin tingled.
She
peeked into the mirror just as his eyes flicked up, and their gazes
locked.
The
air was charged, and nothing in her experience had prepared her for a
moment like this. The surge of attraction they both felt made her
lungs tighten. Her toes curled against the stone floor.
His
throat rolled as he swallowed. He eased back a half-step, still
keeping her stare in the mirror. “Can you turn?”
She
should say no. She should take the salve from him, thank him for his
help, and leave to do the rest herself. Getting close to him for the
rebels was one thing, but this . . .
This
was something else entirely.
Her
body moved without her giving the order. She twisted to face him, her
lower back now pressed against the hard edge of the counter. She
tilted her chin up. She couldn’t meet his gaze, so she stared at
his jaw as he leaned in, the crisp smell of the aloe mixing with the
spicy sandalwood scent that was purely him.
The
brush of his fingertips against the curve of her cheek made her knees
weak. She gripped the counter’s edge behind her, silently ordering
herself to stop reacting to a stupid, medicinal touch,
but her
body didn’t seem interested in listening. While his smooth touch
drifted over her cheeks, offering relief to the burn on her skin, it
only strengthened the burn low in her belly.
Feeling
the heat and intensity of his
emotions did not
help.
As
he angled his head for a better view of the side of her face, she
caught sight of the small scar on his chin that she’d noticed at
the altar. Out of all the scars on his body, it would be the easiest
to ask about. But despite the strange intimacy of the moment, she
didn’t feel like she could.
His
fingers skimmed along her jaw, leaving a tingling trail. Then his
fingertips dipped to her throat.
Her
breath caught.
His
fingers stilled, then curled away.
She
nearly leaned in to follow his retreating hand, but he was only
scooping up more of the ointment to apply to her throat.
A tremble skated through her
entire body at his gentle touch.
When
he finally shifted back, she could feel the pulse of his reluctance.
Strange,
how it echoed her own.
She
had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. “Thank you, Carver.”
His
throat flexed as he swallowed. “You’re welcome.”
The
moment felt weighted, and neither of them moved.
A
distant knock on the main suite door made her jump. She straightened
sharply, and Carver took a deliberate step back, the jar of ointment
dangling from his long fingers.
“Thank you,” she
whispered again, because she didn’t know what else to say. Then she
ducked her head and fled to the safety of the bedroom.
Review:
This is the start of a new series by the author who wrote the Fate of Eyrinthia series. I thoroughly enjoyed that series, so I jumped at the chance to read this story. Please note, if you like your stories to be solved, finished, and neatly tied up with a bow in one book, this might not be for you. (Although you should really try it anyway, because the storyline is just that good.) This book is clearly just the beginning and while the reader isn't left on a cliffhanger, the story definitely isn't finished by the end of this book.
This author does a great job at bringing her characters to life and making you either love or hate them. I had my guess at who the bad guy was, but it kept changing as I got further into the story. I was fully invested in the characters and the story line, and didn't want to stop reading. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
About the Author:
Heather Frost is an #1 Amazon bestselling author of YA/NA fantasy romance. Her books have been Whitney Award and Swoony Award Finalists, and Royal Decoy was a 2022 semifinalist in The Best In Indie Awards. She has a BS in Creative Writing and a minor in Folklore, which means she got to read fairy tales and ghost stories and call it homework. Heather lives in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains in northern Utah. To learn more about Heather and her books, visit her website: www.HeatherFrost.com.
Title: Esperance
Author: Heather Frost
Publisher: Self-published
Published: November 2022
ASIN: B0BDK388D6
Source: I received an e-copy from the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
Purchase: Amazon