John Thornton makes such a captivating romantic hero, which is why I'm thrilled to see his character play a role in Ginger Monette's well-received Great War romance series! Ginger's second book, Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey, is out -- and both books have consistently received rave reviews. I'm particularly impressed, because not many books at Amazon maintain a solid five-star rating!
Amazon link to the first book here.
You'll want to dive into this series soon, because the author is planning to focus on John and Margaret's story in a future book!
I interviewed Ginger in a previous post here, where she talked about her love for John Thornton and his role in her unfolding story.
Today, she has given More Than Thornton an exclusive excerpt from her new book.
From Darcy's Hope at Donwell Abbey:
(Picking up action in the heat of a battle—Thornton goes in search of Darcy whom he suspects is trapped inside a bombed-out factory.)
A minute later, Thornton was galloping towards the factory chimney, ignoring the flaming city and cannonade overhead. Some two years before he’d concluded that his situation with Margaret was hopeless and let her go—a decision he’d regretted every day since then. He wouldn’t give up so easily on Captain Darcy.
He swung down in the factory yard and sprinted inside. “Captain!” his voice echoed in the hollow space over the muffled booms and thuds outside. “Captain?” He jogged through a sea of scattered rubble and dust. Just ahead the chimney rose above a mound of masonry wreckage. He stopped dead. Had he heard something? He angled his ear. Yes! A delicate melody—like a harp—no, a music box. He scrambled up the pile of toppled masonry, then frantically tossed aside chunks of bricks and mortar, honing in on the sound.
The captain’s head appeared—eyes closed and motionless, face bloodied and ashen with a coating of soot and grey dust. Thornton sat back on his heels and swallowed hard. Had he really thought someone could survive free falling in an avalanche of masonry? Thornton stared down at his captain. This was the man he’d served for the last five months, and for six months the year before. A man he respected—and who respected him in return. Captain Darcy had given his life to communicate one message. The least Thornton could do was give him a proper burial.
Flecks of dust floated in the air, illumined by the tunnel of light from above. The slowing music box melody stopped, like an ethereal winding down of a life passing into eternity.
Thornton sighed and pushed the debris from the captain’s chest. He lifted the tiny silver box, blew off the dust, and examined it in the light. Until now, he didn’t know what tune it played, only that it was important to the captain. It hadn’t left his person for the last five months. And neither had the photograph. He reached for the picture, wiped away the dust, and looked at it for the first time. The captain stood gazing down on a young woman whose image was marred by masonry scratches. Judging by the uncharacteristic smile on the captain’s face, he must have cared deeply for her. His chest tightened. He carried a photograph of his own—of the woman he had loved...and lost.
Second book in the series - Amazon link here.
Although I haven't taken the opportunity to read either of these books yet, I'm eager to see how Ginger's extensive knowledge of the era enhances the drama and details of the story.
The first book in the series, Darcy's Hope: Beauty from Ashes, is on sale through February. It's the perfect time -- and the perfect month -- to indulge in a new romantic tale.
The first book in the series - Amazon link here.