A Marriage of Inconvenience by Christine Young - Virtual tour and giveaway

Today we're spotlighting author Christine Young on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for the historical romance, "A Marriage of Inconvenience". She's sharing an exclusive excerpt with us.

Christine will be awarding a $25 Amazon Gift Card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, so comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner above, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops)! The more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

A REGAL BEAUTY

When the duchess decides to wed her to a wastrel and a fop, Ravyn Grahm takes matters into her own hands and declares her engagement to another man. Instead of fessing up and telling her great aunt what she has done, she goes through with the pretense. Aric Lakeland is the bastard son of an earl and has a dangerous reputation. But Ravyn is willing to do most anything to keep the duchess from discovering the lie.

A DEVIL-MAY-CARE SMUGGLER

He'd bought land in America, looking to put down roots and end his life of adventure, but Aric Lakeland got more than he bargained for when he encountered a beautiful heiress who made a promise she didn't want to keep. But the promise could not be undone and standing between them were more obstacles than either ever dreamed. Aric had made plans to spend the rest of his life in America and that was at odds with Ravyn's plan of living in England and running her father's estate. Now, he'll have to choose between his dreams and the woman he loves more than life.

"I have nothing to lose. That’s why you’re staying with Sarah. If anything happens to you, the baby will die. If anything happens to me…" Ravyn paused then spoke the bitter truth with no bitterness in her voice. "No one else will die of it."

Amorica clasped her hands together until the knuckles gleamed whitely. "Ravyn, you mustn’t go out. You don’t know this land. You could get lost just as easily as not."

"I know about storms and rain that never stops. I’ve seen animals drown trying to reach dry land. You, better than anyone else, know these things were all once part of our lives."

Amorica’s expression turned grim. "I know. It’s just that I want you to be happy and safe."

"If he loved me, he’d forgive me a promise broken."

"Ravyn--"

"You’re right of course."

"Do you have raingear that would fit me?"

"In the bedroom. I’ll show you." Amorica smiled oddly. "There’s a pistol beside the front door. It’s loaded. Take it."

Very quickly, Ravyn was on the way out of the house, wrapped in layers of wool and buckskin and a hooded fur jacket. She wore pants instead of a skirt and carried a borrowed gun. The only horse left in the corral was a tall black gelding. He didn’t want to be bridled, saddled, or ridden. Ravyn managed the first two, but was very nearly thrown before the horse gave up and left the corral with ears laid back. As she rode out into the storm, she was grateful her father had always given in to her need to ride. There were many times she was the only one able to ride the difficult horses.

Ravyn rode into the line of trees. She kept in the direction Amorica had seen the black people. She wasn’t sure if they would come out of hiding or try to ride out the tempest where ever they could find meager shelter.

Born in Medford, Oregon, novelist Christine Young has lived in Oregon all of her life. After graduating from Oregon State University with a BS in science, she spent another year at Southern Oregon State University working on her teaching certificate, and a few years later received her Master's degree in secondary education and counseling. Now the long, hot days of summer provide the perfect setting for creating romance. She sold her first book, Dakota's Bride, the summer of 1998 and her second book, My Angel to Kensington. Her teaching and writing careers have intertwined with raising three children. Christine's newest venture is the creation of Rogue Phoenix Press. Christine is the founder, editor and co-owner with her husband. They live in Salem, Oregon.

http://christineyoung-romancewriter.blogspot.com/