Medieval Monday Blog Hop with Elisabeth Hobbes

I hope you’re enjoying the excerpts. Today my guest is Elisabeth Hobbes. Her excerpt is from A Wager for the Widow. "I suppose a kiss of gratitude is out of the question?”

“From the very first page, it had me hooked. The hero's entrance is incredibly memorable, as is he.” Amazon Reviewer 

Excerpt Three:

She nodded her head the smallest degree that manners would permit and Will hid a smile, turning instead to greet Edmund and Anne.

Throughout the meal Will’s mind was firmly on his duties, determined to ensure everything ran smoothly. Once or twice throughout the evening he sensed Lady Peyton’s eyes on him as he explained the ingredients of a particular dish to Sir Edgar, but if ever he looked directly at her she whipped her head down.

Before the sweet dishes were brought out Sir Edgar stood and left the table. The atmosphere took on a more informal air in his absence as members of the household dispersed or moved into groups and the hall became pleasantly alive with the sounds of voices and dice games.

Will found a spot on the end of a bench and allowed himself a moment of satisfaction that the evening had been accomplished smoothly. He watched as the three women and their attendants moved to seats by the fireside. Lady Fitzallan and Anne began to devour a plate of honeyed figs, but Lady Peyton seated herself slightly apart from her mother and sister, her body perfectly still and her eyes downcast. The air of melancholy surrounding her was almost tangible and Will’s heart lurched at the sight.

Can Will help Eleanor be happy again?  Read next week’s excerpt on Judith Marshall’s blog to find out. https://judithmarshallauthor.com/blog/

For the previous excerpt visit https://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog

Blurb: "I suppose a kiss of gratitude is out of the question?"

Widowed Lady Eleanor Peyton has chosen a life of independence. Living alone on her rocky coastal outcrop, she's cut herself off from the world of men—until William Rudhale saves her life and demands a kiss!

As steward to Lady Eleanor's father, Will knows the desire he burns with is futile—but he'll still wager he can claim Eleanor's kiss by midwinter. Yet when the tide turns Will realizes vulnerable Eleanor is far too precious to gamble with. Can he win his lady before it's too late?

Buy links

Amazon: viewbook.at/WagerforWidow

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-wager-for-the-widow-elisabeth-hobbes/1121093242?ean=9781460384640

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-wager-for-the-widow-mills-boon-historical-1 

Mills & Boon: https://www.millsandboon.co.uk/p45341/a-wager-for-the-widow.htm

Medieval Monday Blog Hop with Elisabeth Hobbes

Welcome to week 4 of the Medieval Monday Blog Hop. Roger has Lucy right where he wants her. Or does he? Today I’m hosting Elisabeth Hobbes on my blog and she is hosting me on her blog. Here is her continuing snippet from Redeeming the Rogue Knight

Excerpt

‘What are you doing here?’ Lucy asked through gritted teeth. ‘How did you find me?’

‘I won the game and the purse. I wanted to tell you, but you weren’t where I had left you,’ Roger said. Remembering the plans he had been making on his way there, he felt his temper surge.

‘Is that Robbie’s father?’

‘No!’ She stiffened in his arms.

‘Is he your lover?’

Was this the reason she had refused him? The miller already had a claim on her affections.

Does the miller have a claim on Lucy? Follow along next week on Bambi Lynn’s blog  www.bambilynnblog.wordpress.com to find out.

Blurb

The spy who sought refuge... When injured spy Sir Roger Danby comes asking for shelter at her inn, Lucy Carew is wary. He may be strikingly handsome, but the disgraced single mother has learned the hard way with men like him. Against her better judgment, she gives him refuge. Sir Roger has never been at the mercy of a woman before, and he's never met one as mysterious and bewitching as Lucy. He hasn't come looking for redemption, but Lucy is a woman who could reach in and touch his closely guarded heart...

Buy links

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Redeeming-Rogue-Knight-Danby-Brothers-ebook/dp/B01N5XJ4G4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516391475&sr=8-1&keywords=elisabeth+hobbes

Harlequin https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9780373299461_redeeming-the-rogue-knight.html

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redeeming-the-rogue-knight-elisabeth-hobbes/1125684149?ean=9781488021688

Book Depository https://www.bookdepository.com/search/Redeeming-the-Rogue-Knight-Elisabeth-Hobbes/9780373299461

Medieval Monday Blog Hop with Elisabeth Hobbes

It’s the fourth week in our Medieval Monday First Encounter snippets and giveaway. Giveaway you say? Yes, if you comment on any of the participating author’s threads, you will be in the running for a giveaway of all the ebook’s in this round’s theme. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of week 14.

Please welcome my guest, Elisabeth Hobbes, and the snippet from her novel Redeeming the Rogue Knight. Don’t forget to leave a comment below for Elisabeth. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt Week Four

Thomas shook his head, his eyes filling with grief.

‘No! Oh, bad tidings, Sister.’

Lucy’s heart twisted. This was not the way a son should learn such news. Thomas would regret their father’s passing more than she did. But then Thomas had never suffered the consequences of having disappointed him as greatly as Lucy had.

The man groaned. Thomas glanced at him. ‘Tell me more later, but now we need to take him upstairs to a bed.’

Lucy took a step back, shaking her head. Not to the floor where Robbie slept in peace, blissfully unaware of the drama happening beneath him. She barred the way, finally revealing her poker and brandishing it like a sword.

‘Come, little dove,’ the injured man slurred, grinning crookedly. ‘Be sensible and we all might live.’

Back Cover Copy Redeeming the Rogue Knight by Elisabeth Hobbes

The spy who sought refuge…

When injured spy Sir Roger Danby comes asking for shelter at her inn, Lucy Carew is wary. He may be strikingly handsome, but the disgraced single mother has learnt the hard way with men like him. Against her better judgement, she gives him refuge.

Sir Roger has never been at the mercy of a woman before, and he’s never met one as mysterious and bewitching as Lucy. He hasn't come looking for redemption, but Lucy is a woman who could reach in and touch his closely guarded heart…

Buy link

You can find Elisabeth’s snippet next week on Bambi Lynn’ blog here.

Elisabeth is hosting my fourth snippet on her blog this week. You can find me on her blog here.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by today and left a comment for a chance to win our giveaway!

Why Elisabeth Hobbes Loves to Write Medieval Stories

Welcome back to Medieval Monday. Elisabeth Hobbes is visiting us today. Wait to read why she lives in Cheshire!

I’m sure my love of the Middle Ages is mainly due to where I’m from.  The city of York has a rich history dating back to the Vikings and Romans but many of the surviving buildings are medieval.  We have The Shambles (the low rows of cottages looming towards each other that housed the city’s butchers) the magnificent Minster and Guild houses, streets of Medieval buildings too numerous to mention and the magnificent gated walls which still encircle the town.  I spent most of my teenage years wandering around the city looking for a handsome Roman or Viking to sweep me off my feet. Sadly this never happened but growing up somewhere like that it was impossible not to develop a passion for the period as I walked to and from school past castles and ruins imagining the lives and loves of the people who came before me.

The Medieval period had very clearly defined conventions, social structure and strict codes of behaviour, and transgressing these had real, life threatening consequences.  Not for my characters the genteel Regency ballroom and risk of being ‘cut’ by the Ton. Put a foot wrong in my world and you’ll find yourself on the wrong end of the sword not a snapping fan!  It was a time of conquest and conflict, tournaments and battles.  Life was harsh and dangerous, life expectancy was low but the period gave rise to the code of chivalry and some of the greatest architecture still standing. 

Author Biography

Elisabeth’s writing career began when she entered her first novel, Falling for Her Captor, into Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write contest.  She finished in third place and was offered a two book contract.  She has since written five novels for Harlequin Mills & Boon with settings and eras ranging from the turbulent events of post-Conquest Cheshire to the thrilling tournaments of thirteenth century York.

As well as writing Elisabeth is a part time teacher and full time mum to two children. She spends whatever spare time she has reading and is a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book.

Elisabeth's other hobbies include horse riding, skiing, Arabic dance, fencing and exploring dreadful tourist attractions, none of which has made it into a story yet. She loves ginger mojitos, historical fiction and has a fondness for dark haired, bearded heroes.

Elisabeth lives in Cheshire because her car broke down there when she was house hunting and she never left.

Author link viewAuthor.at/ElisabethHobbes

Medieval Monday Blog Hop - Elisabeth Hobbes

Excerpt 7- The Saxon Outlaw's Revenge

Constance glanced at the men swinging from the ropes and their father waiting in chains. Brunwulf stood, shoulders tense and expression stricken. Robert left the dais and walked to where the boy knelt in the mud. When he reached Aelric he leaned over, putting his face close to the boy’s.

‘And how do you propose to do that, Aelric, son of Brunwulf?’ Robert asked. His voice had taken on the cold, mocking tone that Constance had come to dread.

Aelric’s blue eyes bored into Robert, staring down the man twenty years his senior.

‘By killing you.’

Robert was silent. The crowd hushed in frozen expectation. Constance gripped Jeanne’s hand, waiting for Robert’s response. For him to strike the boy or run him through. Instead he did something unexpected, yet far crueller.

He laughed.

Aelric’s face reddened.

Robert waved a dismissive hand and turned away.

‘Hang him with his father.’

Is this the end for Aelric? Discover his fate next Monday on 

Cathy MacRae’s blog

http://www.cathymacraeauthor.com/bits-n-bobs-author-blog

Back Cover Copy

At the mercy of her enemy!

Abducted by Saxon outlaws, Constance Arnaud comes face to face with Aelric, a Saxon boy she once loved. He’s now her enemy, but Constance must reach out to this rebel and persuade him to save her life as she once saved his…

Aelric is determined to seek vengeance on the Normans who destroyed his family. Believing Constance deserted him, he can never trust her again. Yet, as they are thrown together and their longing for each other reignites, will Aelric discover that love is stronger than revenge?

Buy links         US http://bit.ly/SaxonOutlaw

UK http://bit.ly/OutlawSaxon

Medieval Monday with Elisabeth Hobbes

I hope you’ve had a great weekend celebrating which ever holiday is yours. At our house, the kids came home and we’re still celebrating.

Our Medieval Monday is still about Celebrations. This week our guest is Elisabeth Hobbes. She has an excerpt for The Blacksmith’s Wife. I hope you enjoy it.

Excerpt

Thundering beats on the door roused them from their bed as men from the villagers came to claim ale from Hal as Lord Danby’s representative. He allowed himself to be taken away, leaving Joanna in the hands of Meg and the other women to gather flowers and greenery from the moors and bind them into wreaths.

The women arrived on the village green at midday. Raucous, uncontrolled games were taking place amid cheers and catcalls of the onlookers already well into the ale, but stopped as they appeared.

‘Crown the queen!’

The call was taken up and repeated by everyone present. Girls giggled and blushed, young men freely ogled them and Joanna felt hands in her back pushing her to the front of the crowd.

Hal appeared from among the men. He took her by the hand and turned her to face everyone. A crown of twisted greenery was placed on her head to cheers and good-natured whistles from everyone watching. Pipers began to play and dancers found their partners.

‘I thought the May Queen was supposed to be a maiden,’ Joanna whispered to Hal.

He held her waist tightly as he led her to the circle. ‘This year I thought I’d exercise my rights to choose.’

‘You can do that?’

‘I can do what I like, I’m their lord’s son,’ he joked. He put one hand on her back, the other to her cheek and looked into her eyes. ‘I cannot give you tournaments and pageants to delight you, but I wanted to give you something to remember.’

She covered her hand with his. ‘You have,’ she said. ‘This is enough.’

She realised as she said it that she spoke the truth.

The dancing and games carried on long into the night. As the sun set Hal and the men carried brands from the forge and lit the bonfire. More barrels of ale were tapped and the ox that had been roasting all afternoon was speedily eaten.

As groups and couples began to disperse to find their own diversions Joanna sat alone by the fire, warming her hands and yawning. She’d danced until her calves burned and drunk far too much wine. Her bed called her. Hal had vanished a while before, called away by the miller, and she was becoming tired of waiting. She walked home and was halfway to the door when she noticed light coming from the forge.

Curious, she walked across the dewy grass. The door was partly open, but no sound came from within. Cautiously Joanna pushed the door wider and peeped around it.

Hal was standing by his workbench. In the dull glow of the furnace Joanna could only see his back.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked.

Hal jumped at her voice. He strode towards her, blocking her entry into the forge.

‘What’s wrong? Why won’t you let me in?’ she asked.

‘Nothing’s wrong. I’m coming now,’ Hal said. His voice was guarded. He took hold of her arm and tried to turn her away.

He was so obviously hiding something. Determined to find out what Joanna twisted from his grip and pushed past him. Her blood drained slowly away, leaving her cold to the bone as she recognised her own drawing pinned to the beam above the furnace.

‘That’s mine!’ she hissed. ‘How did you get it?’

‘You dropped it on the moors,’ Hal said.

She remembered the day, but that had been over a week ago and he had kept it all this time! Furious, she lunged and ripped the drawing from the wall. She rounded on Hal.

‘How dare you keep it,’ she stormed. ‘You had no right to do that.’

She pushed roughly past him and wrenched the door open, stumbling out into the darkness.

Back Cover Copy

A passion forged from fire 

Rejected by her favored knight, Joanna Sollers knows she will never love again. Especially when the man she's now forced to marry is none other than her beloved's half brother! 

For blacksmith Hal Danby, marrying Joanna makes his lifelong dream of entering the Smiths' Guild possible, even if the secrets in his past mean he'll forever keep his distance. But everything changes with one stolen night, and in the arms of his new bride, Hal wonders if this loveless arrangement could transform into something real…

Buy links

US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017RCL96M

UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blacksmiths-Wife-Mills-Boon-Historical-ebook/dp/B01B16JQ10/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=