Romantic Suspense Giveaway! A house is a home when... with Cathryn Hein

GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED
Winners are: 
Melissa Woods and Maria Fenech!

​We’re back with four fabulous authors over four days and a book giveaway a day!
What does a house or a home mean to a character in a book?

All my guest authors this week are ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Association) 2014 Award finalists for Romantic Suspense fiction - and for good reason.

In today's post there's a giveaway of an Amazon kindle copy of
THE FRENCH PRIZE and SUMMER AND THE GROOMSMAN
 
Enjoy!

Today our guest is Cathryn Hein, bestselling author of Rural Romance and Romantic Adventure fiction

Cathryn Hein - best-selling romance author. "Take your heart on an adventure!"

Cathryn was born in South Australia’s rural south-east. With three generations of jockeys in the family it was little wonder she grew up horse mad, finally obtaining her first horse at age 10. So began years of pony club, eventing, dressage and showjumping until university beckoned.
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Cathryn currently lives at the base of the Blue Mountains in Sydney’s far west with her partner of many years, Jim. When she’s not writing, she plays golf (ineptly), cooks (well), and in football season barracks (rowdily) for her beloved Sydney Swans AFL team. 

The book

ARRA 2014 Awards finalist for Romantic Suspense

The character

Raimund Blancard, sexy soldier hero of The French Prize.

Character bio: In his 30s, Raimund Blancard is brooding sexy French army officer assigned to the Foreign Legion. He’s tall, broad-shouldered and supremely fit, with short dark hair stained with a mysterious streak of pure white just above his right ear that intrigues the heroine, Olivia, no end. He’s also the most emotionless man she’s ever met but that stoic facade hides a heart in deep turmoil.
Raimund has lost everyone he loves to the secret of Durendal and family vow or not, he is determined to destroy the relic that has caused him so much pain.

The House

​Situated in the heart of the sleepy village of Rognes, the house is of typical terracotta-roofed Provencal style, narrow and covering three levels. Owned by Raimund, it is home to his elderly godparents, Edouard and Christiane Rosec, but holds a special place in Raimund’s life. It is where he, his brother and father dug the tunnels that hide the family’s extraordinary archives.
There’s a lovely terrace on the second level, scented by Christiane’s herb garden, noisily chirruped over at night by cicadas, and offering a beautiful view of the village. The perfect place for some romance, if Raimund can find it in himself to embrace it.

What makes a house a home for Raimund?

​Raimund likes to think it’s the archives and the memories he has of working with his brother and father in happier times that makes the Rognes home such a haven, but really it’s Edouard’s love, humour and wine, and Christiane’s cooking, motherly fussing and occasional bullying (which he needs!). Although Raimund owns property all over France, this is his place of safety.
It’s where he takes Olivia when she’s in danger, knowing she will be in warm and welcoming hands, and the place he protects with exhausting intensity. Here, Raimund can loosen up from being the stoic soldier with the world on his shoulders to being a man for whom love might truly be possible.

The French Prize book blurb

An ancient riddle, a broken vow - a modern-day quest for a medieval treasure.

Australian-born Dr. Olivia Walker is an Oxford academic with a reputation as one of the world’s leading Crusade historians and she’s risked everything on finding one of the most famous swords in history – Durendal. Shrouded in myth and mystery, the sword is fabled to have belonged to the warrior Roland, a champion of Charlemagne’s court, and Olivia is determined to prove to her detractors that the legend is real. Her dream is almost within reach when she discovers the long-lost key to its location in Provence, but her benefactor – Raimund Blancard – has other ideas.

For more than a millennium, the Blancard family have protected the sword. When his brother is tortured and killed by a man who believes he is Roland’s rightful heir, Raimund vows to end the bloodshed forever. He will find Durendal and destroy it, but to do that he needs Olivia’s help.
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Now Olivia is torn between finding the treasure for which she has hunted all her life and helping the man she has fallen in love with destroy her dream. And all the while, Raimund’s murderous nemesis is on their trail, and he will stop at nothing to claim his birthright.

Extract from The French Prize by Cathryn Hein

Olivia stepped out onto the terrace. Raimund leaned against the stone parapet looking out towards the hill above Rognes, where the ruins of the old town still stood. The night was warm and scented, the sky purple against the horizon, coloured by the sun’s last glow. Cicadas chirped their mating calls, and in the surrounding trees, birds screeched and cackled as they fought for perches.
‘Edouard and Christiane are at the vignerons’ cooperative,’ he said. ‘Christiane has left some hachis parmentier in the oven and there is a salade in the refrigerator if you are hungry. Edouard has opened a bottle of his special wine for you.’
‘I’m fine.’
Delicious though hachis parmentier would be, at that moment, food was the last thing Olivia wanted. The wine, while enticing, could wait.
He raised his head to the sky. ‘It is a beautiful night.’
She joined him and leaned her backside against the low wall. The drop to the ground was long, but in typical French fashion, there was no guard.
‘Very.’ She inhaled. ‘It smells delicious here.’
‘It is the smell of Provence.’ He angled a little to face her. ‘And the sound. The cicadas are very noisy.’
‘It’s funny, but you don’t really notice them until they stop. Then it’s like someone’s just turned off a jackhammer.’ She smiled. ‘We have them in Australia, too. Along with blowflies, mosquitoes and God knows how many other insects. If we were standing outside like this at home, we’d be eaten alive.’
‘You miss your country?’
​‘Yes and no.’ She picked a leaf from a riotous pot of basil and held it to her nose. ‘I like Oxford. I like its air of academia and its beautiful buildings and the students rushing around, but the weather’s terrible. Here is better. It’s warm and sunny, and the food and wine are fabulous.’
‘You like France?’ He said it as though it surprised him.
She breathed in again, eyes closing. ‘Adore it.’
‘Perhaps you could move here. The university would be pleased to have someone of your reputation on their staff,’ he said.
She tossed the basil leaf over her shoulder and picked a twig of rosemary. Immediately, the air filled with its pungent scent. She didn’t want to look at him in case he saw the longing in her eyes, in case he read the desire brewing behind them. The archives, La Tasse and Durendal, and a respected position with a notable university—all her dreams in once place, her ideal life.
Except that’s all they were—dreams. After all, she’d promised to never reveal the archives’ existence, La Tasse’s secret was buried beneath stone, and Durendal’s final resting place might never be discovered. Besides, if the sword was found her usefulness would be spent. Raimund would discard her without thought. Back to Oxford. Her hands, and life, empty.
Better not to dream too hard right now.

BUY The French Prize
Amazon Australia
Amazon.com
iBooks
Kobo

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More books by Cathryn Hein

All Cathryn's books can be read as stand-alone novels.

Cathryn's latest release! A new rural romance...

It’s Levenham’s wedding of the year but unlucky-in-love Harry Argyle has more on his mind than being groomsman.
After yet again nearly colliding with an escaped horse while driving home to the family farm, Harry Argyle comes face-to-face with its pretty owner, and doesn’t hold back his disapproval.

Confronted by a bad-tempered giant on a dark country road, beautician and new arrival in town Summer Taylor doesn’t know who to be more afraid for: herself or her darling horse Binky. It’s not her fault Binky keeps escaping. The alcoholic owner of the paddock she rents won’t fix the fence and Binky can be sneaky when it comes to filling his stomach. But no matter how big and muscled the bully, she refuses to be intimidated.
When Harry’s wedding party book a session at the day spa where Summer works, both she and Harry are horrified to be paired together. Grudgingly, they agree to make the most of it – only for the session to spiral into disaster. Realising he’s made a dill of himself in front of sweet Summer yet again, Harry vows to set things right.

Summer isn’t about to easily forgive the man who called her horse stupid, no matter how brave and kind, but with everyone on Harry’s side, even fate, resistance is hard. Can these two find love or will Summer’s wayward horse put his hoof in it again?

BUY Summer and the Groomsman
Amazon Australia
Amazon.com
Kobo
iBooks

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​Discover more about Cathryn Hein and her books on her website CathrynHein.com
Say hi to Cathryn on her Facebook page CathrynHeinAuthor

​Huge thanks to Cathryn for participating in my A house is a home when... series.
I love to share great books with my readers.
 
LEAVE A COMMENT for Cathryn and you’re in the draw to WIN a copy of
​The French Prize (Australia only) and Summer and the Groomsman (International) for Amazon kindle.
Giveaways drawn Sunday 22 Nov, midnight AEST.

GIVEAWAY NOW ENDED
Winners are: Melissa Woods and Maria Fenech!
 
Jennie, in the company of Cathryn xx

Pop back tomorrow for another fantastic guest author of Romantic Suspense Fiction - and another giveaway.
​
Check out previous giveaways in this series of Romance! Adventure! Suspense! (still ongoing):
Lee Christine & In Safe Arms
Sandy Curtis & Grievous Harm