EXCERPT
Empathy
(Emotional Chains Book 1)
(Emotional Chains Book 1)
by Carolyn Wren
Empathy, the first book in Carolyn Wren's new Emotional Chains series, is currently on tour with Bewitching Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
What if you could sense the emotions of everyone around you? What if you fell in love with someone you’d never even met?
Oliver Lord belongs to one of three special families, empaths who feel emotions as a physical sense. Quiet and reserved, and accustomed to keeping his abilities hidden, Oliver is drawn inexorably to a woman he’s never met. The woman who made his brother’s last year of life so happy.
When Zoe Daniels, talented sculptor, loses her fiancé before their wedding, she can’t imagine finding love again, until she meets Jasper’s unknown brother, a man so different, yet so achingly familiar to the man she adored. What is Oliver’s secret, and why is he so determined to keep her at arm’s length?
A violent kidnapping and murder forces the empaths from the shadows to seek justice for one of their own. Oliver turns to Zoe, needing her comfort and love. Can she accept him for who he is?
Oliver and two powerful empathic friends need to track down the kidnappers before they strike again, but how do you solve a murder, when your only clue is emotion?
Book Video
Excerpt
Zoe sat with her back to the tree as she always did, knees drawn up. Thin cords dangled from her ears, attached to the smart phone at her hip. Her feet tapped out a rhythm to a tune Oliver couldn’t hear. She put down the book in her hands and tilted her head to the dappled sunlight peeking through the branches. A smile lit her face as the beams played like mischievous children on her closed eyelids. The old forest was lush and vibrant, a calm oasis of another age. Jasper had always loved spending time here, lost in the peace and quiet. No doubt he’d brought Zoe here. That she’d feel close to him in this isolated place they’d shared was understandable.
Oliver shut his eyes and reached out to read her. If he looked deep inside, he could find the essence of the brother he missed so much. He tried not to. The first time it had seemed an intrusion, but sometimes he couldn’t help himself. She was warmth and goodness. Her calm was a soothing balm to his nerves and a link to a beloved lost sibling. He indulged himself and took a tiny moment. She’ll never know.
“Why don’t you come out from behind that tree?”
Oliver’s eyes flew open at the sound of her voice. He’d not planned on being seen, and normally when he chose that option, he wasn’t. It was a simple, foolproof empathic trick, one he’d been able to do since childhood. Remaining silent and unmoving, he projected a low level of emotion in her direction. Disinterest. Indifference. Boredom. Every gentle empathic nudge was designed to increase her need to walk away and not look back.
She continued to talk as she stood. Brushing leaves from her trousers, she walked toward him with determination in her blue eyes. “If you keep lurking, it just looks suspicious.”
The moment their gazes met, he caught a flare of something. Surprise? Confusion? Oliver regained his composure. “I’m sorry if I scared you. I was enjoying the sunshine. You looked as if you were deep in thought. I didn’t want to disturb your privacy.”
“What about all the other times? Were you concerned about my privacy then, too?”
She’d noticed him before? Oliver’s much vaulted confidence of his own abilities took a distinct dive. “I’m sorry. It’s a pleasant spot, somewhere I enjoy and find calming.” Only because you’re here. “I won’t intrude on your peace any longer.”
“Do I know you?” She tilted her head to one side. The filtered sun caught the blonde strands of her short feathered haircut, making them shine.
“No.”
“Do you know who I am?”
“No.”
“May I ask you another question?”
Oliver frowned. “Of course?”
“Why are you lying to me? And who were you to Jasper?”
Praise for the Book
"All in all it was a great book. The characters, even the ones without gifts, were believable and every one of them had a personality that stood out. No character was the same, and that’s something to appreciate. A lot happened that kept the readers constantly wanting more to develop, especially between Kira and her fated person (that could be me being selfish), and we were never left with a dull moment. There wasn’t a lot of action, but when the action did happen it was explosive and had my heart racing. The only complaint I have with this book, and again this might just be me being selfish, is that for an erotic romance, it lacked when it came to the erotic scenes. [...] Other than that it was a really great read. I [...] recommend it to those who like reading erotic romance, paranormal mystery, and novels about fated love." ~ Leslie Williams
"This ends with a cliffhanger !!!! I would have liked to know that going in. Even seriously ticked off it was a good book. The story engaging and easy to fall into. There is a lot of characters and setup in the book for what I'm sure will be a series. I look forward to the next one." ~ shoefreak
"This is a very well written story and ends in a cliffhanger." ~ Patricia Blevins
"Emapthy is a beautiful read with so much to explore that can't all fit in one book. So I understand why this book is a cliffhanger even though such books drive me nuts. I'm looking forward to the next book." ~ Rina, Cocktails and Books
From the Author
Empathy is the first book in the Emotional Chains series and the storyline does continue into the next book, Perception. The intricacies of the plot were simply too much for a single story. Please don't hate me for the cliffhanger, it will be worth it in the end, I promise.
About the Author
Carolyn Wren is the award winning author of a seven part romantic suspense series called The Protectors. Having spent her working life as a book-keeper and finance officer for international companies, she discovered a passion for fiction writing in 2009. Assuming it was some sort of mid-life crisis, she kept it a secret for six months. In an impulsive move, she entered The Emerald, a prestigious writing contest for unpublished authors run by the Romance Writers of Australia. Much to her utter shock, she won it. This was followed shortly after by a finalist placing in the International Daphne Du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
Carolyn received a seven book contract with Secret Cravings Publishing in 2011. Her debut published work Diplomat’s Daughter won the RWA ‘Ella’ award for novella of the year.
To date, The Protectors series has received four award nominations, resulting in two trophies.
Carolyn’s other works include a very naughty ghost erotic novella, Ghosts of Grace Cottage, that she wrote during a stormy winter day. Her new series, the murder mystery urban fantasy Emotional Chains, is her latest obsession.
She writes full time now, enjoys every minute of it, and loves hearing from readers.
Freebie
Everyone can download a FREE copy of Diplomat's Daughter (The Protectors Book 1) (also on B&N, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords) by Carolyn Wren.
Links
