For anyone looking for an extraordinary and unique read, look no further than Kit Marlowe, and certainly no further than The Mangrove Legacy. This story follows two young cousins, Alice and Lizzie, through the death of Lord Mangrove, to kidnapping and kidnapping again, across land and sea, and through adventure and intrigue the like no two refined ladies should ever have to endure.But . . . this IS a romance and a great adventure so our two heroines enjoy these antics more than two refined ladies should! Oh, my!!
To say there is something for everyone in this book would be an understatement. Not only do we have a historical romance, piracy on the high seas, and kidnapping by highwaymen, there are also ghosts, swoonings, and for one cousin, the love of all things creepy crawly!
I suppose The Mangrove Legacy could be classed by many genres, but probably more so as a comedic gothic romance with mystery and paranormal elements.
Sound like a complicated read? Not in the least. Kit Marlowe expertly weaves this story with expertise. While a bit tongue-in-cheek, The Mangrove Legacy is every bit as engaging as a traditional romance and/or adventure story. And it IS true adventure. Imagine, two cooped up ladies with impending marriages to men not of their choosing who are suddenly set free in their kidnapping. Ironic? Yes. But this makes for great reading. Pages will slip by without notice as the reader travels side-by-side with Alice and Lizzie as they forge a new future for themselves. Even while trying to preserver the legacy of Mangrove. Awesome stuff!
Check it out for yourself --
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A gothic novel of mystery, romance — and pockets!
Follow cousins Alice and Lizzie as they are
kidnapped from Lord Mangrove’s funeral cortege, spirited away by
highwaymen, then sold to nefarious seamen until they’re captured by
pirates without so much as an improving book to read!
“There, see!” she crowed at her cousin, pointing out the window with a great absence of breeding.Lizzie sighed, then turned her own gaze outward once more. “Of course, that’s Kit Barrington,” she explained to Alice just as the young man chose to make a polite bow in the direction of their carriage — or perhaps it was directed toward Lady Mangrove in her speedy phaeton, which now drew some rather more significant distance from their slower carriage (which may have had something to do with the amount of gin young Dick Spiggot had swilled prior to being pressed into service this day upon realization of the shortage of drivers).
Alice, however, claimed the act as deference due to her as the doubly aggrieved party, having missed the chance to assess his charms at closer range during the Assembly Ball, as well as of course being part of the funeral cortège occasioned by the untimely death of her father. All of which made her tremble considerably, suddenly recognizing just how romantic her state had become. She cast a furtive eye toward the group bunched at the Darlington gate, but had little time to assess whether they had made the same realization, although she did note that young Mister Barrington had bright blue eyes, rich wavy dark hair and an admirably pale complexion.
“I do hope he is not Irish!” Alice thought, once more exposing the shortcomings of her class and its prejudices even as she did hope that he noticed her delicate blush and soft skin even from this distance. Perhaps the Darlingtons would speak of her pale and tragic beauty at greater length before they all arrived for the funerary tea or some other condolence event, Alice hoped.
Lizzie, however, apparently had had no such romantic thoughts clouding her mind. In fact, Alice noticed her cousin’s head was cocked at a funny angle, as if she were hearing something strange. Good heavens, Alice thought, the shock of the day overcoming her natural distaste for such vulgar language, perhaps it is my father’s ghost again. She quailed in her seat with a little bleat of distress, her new romance nearly forgotten.
Lizzie turned her penetrating vision back to Alice, who noticed a peculiar shine to her cousin’s eyes that did not bode well for her comfort. “I think something is about to happen!” Lizzie cried with alarm. Alice had no time to respond, for at that moment the carriage made an unexpected lurch, then picked up distressing speed.
“Lizzie!” Alice cried at last, overcoming her annoyance at having the delightful view of Kit Barrington wrested from her gaze only to feel a growing sense of panic as the carriage declined to slow at all. “What’s happening?
Lizzie, for her part, seemed to be wondering much the same thing, but forbore to reply acidly to the obviousness of Alice’s question and reached instead toward the intent.
“Why on earth is the carriage moving at such a fast speed? It might be that the horses startled at something, but surely the driver would be able to rein them in fairly soon. No, there is only one logical answer: We are being kidnapped.”
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Kit Marlowe is a writer of historical romance with humour (although there are those who say she’s secretly an English professor who writes under other names). You can find her on Facebook, too. Her lovely author portrait was created by the fabulous artist S. L. Johnson. Marlowe’s novel The Mangrove Legacy will be published by Tirgearr Publishing; you may also read her on-going comic steampunk serial, Airships & Alchemy.
Find Kit Online --
Website
Tirgearr Publishing
Kit will be at Heart of Fiction all weekend. Each day we'll hold a draw for spot prizes . . . Amazon gift cards! Your comment or question on HoF will automatically put you in the draw for the above free book AND a chance to win a gift card.
--> WAIT. There's still more.
Drop over and 'like' Kit's page --
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKitMarlowe
Monday we'll host a random draw of all 'likers' to win a copy of The Mangrove Legacy.
Or if you can't wait and want to buy a copy of this book, be sure to visit Kit's page on the Tirgearr Publishing website which has all her buy links.
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