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Christine Poe ~ Romance Author
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Anna Bentley gets more than she
bargains for when she inherits a
haunted Victorian home on the
Northern California coast. The
ghost lures her back in time to
the year 1880, and right into his
lusty arms. She solves the mystery
of her adoption and falls in love
with the rugged man whose very
essence holds her in the past.
Sea Captain James Duncan is set on
avenging his father's exile from
Scotland, until Anna appears quite
suddenly onboard his lumber schooner.
She is his destiny...and the only
person who can save his troubled soul~
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2003 EPIC Quasar Award Winner!
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Whisper Of A Tryst
A Paranormal/Time Travel Romance
Wings ePress, Inc.
www.wings-press.com
ISBN 1-59088-017-X (e-book)
ISBN 1-59088-967-3 (paperback)
Reviewer comments:
"If you can get past drooling over the cover long enough to get to this story, you will eat up this time-travel romance. Ms. Poe wastes no ink belaboring heroine Anna Bentley's background as she arrives to take possession of a beautiful, if haunting, Victorian home on the Mendocino coast of Northern California. Equally haunting is an old portrait, circa 1800's, of the devilishly handsome sea captain and former owner of the house, James Duncan, which hangs in the home. Anna is barely unpacked before the painting's subject makes his presence known in the house, and so begins a journey for Anna that will ultimately wash her ashore in another time.
James Duncan is a to-die-for hero, a true Scot, befuddled by time travel but willing to try to understand the, uh, "unique" needs of his lady love. As a 20th century woman not sure where she belongs, Anna does pretty well adapting to the past but worries endlessly about what repercussions her actions will have back in her own time. And well she should! James' awkward yet charming explanation of "hand-fasting" has Anna justifiably worried...
I have to confess I'd never picked up a TT before and now I don't know why: I'm hooked. WHISPER OF A TRYST is well-researched and is tightly written. James' crewmen are a delightful lot, each with a story of their own. Ready for something new and refreshing? Pick up this book today and you will read it through!"
Anne Carter ~ STARCROSSED HEARTS, Wings ePress, Inc.
FIVE ROSES! "Whisper Of A Tryst is a wonderful story of fated love that endures through time. This was a fast paced read, and the story was so memorable and beautiful. Christine took a typical time travel plot and turned it into a love story that is sure to be a keeper book with many readers."
Kari Thomas ~ A Romance Review
"Ms. Poe pens an exciting, intriguing tale with her book,
Whisper Of A Tryst. Well-crafted characters and a well-written story makes Whisper Of A Tryst hard to put down. I found myself reading the book in one sitting, turning the pages to discover the outcome. I recommend Whisper Of A Tryst for an enjoyable read to curl up on the couch with."
Robin Peek ~ The Word On Romance
"James was all man, a true gentleman, and Anna a woman who belongs in any time. If you can't get to the movies to watch 'Kate And Leopold', buy this book, or buy this book even if you can."
Amanda Killgore ~ Love Romances
~*~
I want to thank my dear friend, Jim Warren, for the use of
his fantastic art print for Whisper Of A Tryst's cover art. His work is unsurpassed and his talent is never-ending... as is now well-known since Whisper Of A Tryst won the EPIC 2003 Quasar Award for best cover art! Please take a few moments to preview Jim's web site. You won't be sorry~
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Read an excerpt:
Anna Bentley awoke drowsily to a firm masculine body pressing intimately against her. The whisper of his tender lips caressed her neck in nuzzling little kisses. Her breast tingled to the touch of his large callused hand massaging it to full titillation. She sighed dreamily as her mind suddenly came to total responsive awareness. Her eyes flew wide open
only to reveal the empty moonlit bedroom. She sat bolt upright and searched the room's dim corners. Surely, no dream could be so vivid?
"Why me?" She rubbed her temples in complete frustration. Once again, the same highly erotic dream had disturbed her sleep. It meant something significant. Her nocturnal lover was trying to tell her something. Maybe it was time to move on with her life, give up the past and begin anew. She tossed back the
bedcovers and walked over to the open window. In the distance, she could hear the pounding surf calling to her poetic soul. She sighed. She wanted a place to belong and someone to love her. Not just anyone. She wanted the kind of man who existed only in her dreams and a love to last for all time. Anna took a step back toward her bed and paused.
Catching her eye, a long white envelope glowed in the moonlight as it lay on the nightstand. She reached down to pick up the letter. Postmarked from Mendocino, California,
April 2000, the short letter held the answer to her future. She thought the letter a joke at first, but last week she had called the attorney and he told her it was legitimate. She had inherited an old Victorian home in Mendocino County at a stranger's bequest.
~*~
"Oh, my!" Anna's startled gasp brought the young attorney immediately to her side in the entry hall of the old house. They stood in curious contemplation before the portrait of a middle-aged man. The strong magnetic pull she felt toward the life-sized image nearly took her breath away.
"Do you like oil paintings?" Mr. Thornton asked, straightening his tie. He glanced quickly around the hall before his attention settled upon the portrait.
"Not usually," Anna said with a sigh, wondering why the man was behaving so oddly. Sure, the house had a musty smell from
being closed up, but it wasn't all that bad. She fiddled with the end of her tawny blonde braid as she returned her gaze to the alluring painting. "Who is this guy?"
"Perhaps he was the first Duncan, a sea captain. Uh, as I
understand it, he lived here at Duncan's Point until his tragic death at sea...late eighteen hundreds, I believe." "To die at sea--how awful!" She scrutinized the man in the portrait.
A distinguished gentleman in a dark suit stared back at her, looking nothing like a salty old sea captain her creative imagination would dig up. His aura gave off an authoritative air that he must have emanated in life, whether on land or
at sea. Unruly chestnut hair fell in waves about a ruggedly handsome face, making him seem vaguely familiar. A sensual smile tilted up one side of his mouth creating a slight dimple in his left cheek--a very roguish dimple that bespoke of a teasing nature. His unusual sapphire blue eyes twinkled with laughter, making her wish she could sample his charm in person. In fact, his whole expression held a mischievous sparkle that tugged at her heart. She heard a strangled gasp at her side and turned in time to observe a worried expression cross Mr. Thornton's peaked face. She had been so caught up in her detailed examination of the portrait that she had completely forgotten her companion. The poor man! He looked about ready to exit the house at break-neck speed.
"Are you okay?" He blinked several times and nodded. "Y-y-yes. I'm--I'm just fine."
Quite unexpectedly, goose bumps rose on her skin. She was not a bit afraid, but something was definitely going on in here. Her five senses were chaotic. She had never visited this particular old house before, yet she felt welcome. A strange sort of welcome, almost like a homecoming.
Mr. Thornton cleared his throat to a froggy croak. "The Duncan family made their great fortune in logging, an extremely lucrative business in the 1890s, as I recall my California history."
For the moment, Anna didn't care a hoot about history, only the odd sensation silently filling her soul. She rubbed her small icy hands across her bare arms and turned back to face the attorney. It was peculiar how he could more or less ignore the undercurrent in this house. Another glance at his pale face told her she was wrong. He appeared to have his fear under control, but he was definitely fearful of something. Glancing around, she wished she could understand the complex emotions assaulting her senses. Not that the house was haunted, she didn't believe in ghosts. Still, there was something chilling, something a bit elusive floating in the air about them. It was almost as if the place had feelings of its own. All in all, if she really was the sole inheritor of this piece of property, it would be a wish come true...a place of her very own, far away from the crowded city. She would have a beautiful home overlooking the scenic Pacific Ocean and surrounded by lush green pine trees reaching for clear blue sky. She would be in heaven.
A sudden heavy scent filled the room around them, its aromatic intensity nearly stifling. The startled gaze of the attorney let her know he could smell it too.
Pick up a copy of Whisper Of A Tryst at www.wings-press.com
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Don't forget to check out my other web pages for my two Contemporary Romances: Heroes and Hunks (September 2002), and Quixotic Fantasy (February 2003).
Thank you for visiting my website. You might also be interested in visiting my eBay for my ACEO original drawings: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZcatdancing51
Wishing you love to last for all time~
A few links to some *special* places:
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