EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Finding Gabriel
by Rachel L. Demeter
Finding Gabriel is currently on tour with Reading Addiction Book Tours. The tour stops here today for an excerpt and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other participating blogs as well.
Description
Colonel Gabriel de Laurent departed for the war intending to die.
After a decade of bloodstained battlegrounds while fighting in Napoleon's army, Gabriel returns to the streets of Paris a shattered and haunted soul. Plagued by inner demons, he swallows the barrel of his flintlock pistol and pulls the trigger.
But fate has a different plan.
Ariah Larochelle is a survivor. Orphaned at twelve and victim to a devastating crime, she has learned to keep her back to walls and to trust no one. But when she finds a gravely injured soldier washed up on the River Seine, she's moved by compassion. In spite of her reservations, she rescues him from the icy water and brings him into her home.
Now scarred inside and out, Gabriel discovers a kindred spirit in Ariah - and feelings he imagined lost forever reawaken as he observes her strength in the face of adversity. But when Ariah's own lethal secrets unfold, their new love is threatened by ancient ghosts. Can Gabriel and Ariah find hope in the wreckage of their pasts - or will the cycle of history repeat again?
Perfect for fans of Gaelen Foley's Lord of Ice and Judith James's Broken Wing, Finding Gabriel features all the dark romance, searing passion, and historical intrigue of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables.
Book Trailer
Excerpt
Ariah stood beneath the immeasurable night sky as she admired the breathtaking view. She lost herself within the constellations, allowing those luxurious diamond strands to coil around her heart. Numberless stars reflected within the Seine’s glassy surface and set the water afire. Breathing deeply, Ariah reached out and folded her hands atop the stone balustrade.
This is where she’d found him. Her heart picked up speed as memories of that fateful night invaded her mind and body. Down below, water lapped against the embankment and infused the atmosphere with a soothing lull. A flashback of Gabriel’s motionless form materialized within the shadows ... and Ariah’s chest constricted as she relived his every kiss and touch.
Then –
A gentle pressure whispered against her back. Gabriel’s unique aroma filled her spirit while strong arms enfolded her from behind. Somehow, some way, she’d known he’d be here tonight.
She sighed deeply and relaxed within his protective embrace. One hand lost itself in her curls and delicately sifted through the strands; the other applied subtle pressure to the base of her spine in a ghostlike caress. Breathless and at peace, she spiraled into a decadent trance. She drank in each sensation ... the mesmerizing caress of his fingertips against her scalp, the wind’s crisp breath, the Seine’s haunting lamentations ...
Gabriel brushed away the swarm of curls, exposing her ear to the night, and breathed against the fine cartilage. This was the moment she’d feared for weeks – the moment of their parting. Then he sang to her – his voice rich, warm, and sultry, and all other thoughts fell away.
“The gentle breath of winter sings,
It cools my brow and furls my wings.
And when the dusk at last descends,
I shall keep my hope, steel my heart, for never will thy love depart.
Now you are come all my grief is gone,
Let us forget those nights that never dawned.”
The rich cadence of his voice seduced her into calmness. Fighting to hold back tears, she rotated in his arms, never once leaving the security of his embrace. Indeed, she’d stay with him until the very end – and they wouldn’t part a moment sooner. She tilted her chin up and met his expressive gaze. The nearby oil lamp shone brightly behind Gabriel, silhouetting his strained features. She directed his body to the side, needing to see his eyes, directing the shadows from his face.
“You remember.”
Gabriel shook his head while a riot of emotions crossed his features. “I shall never forget.”
Praise for the Book
"Finding Gabriel was unlike any books I've read before. It was exquisite, personal, emotional and I just loved it so much. It took me a good six days to finish it but it never got boring. All I know is, I want to read more by this author! [...] The writing also was gorgeous. Actually, that was one of my favorite parts of this book and I was practically inhaling every sentence because it was written in such a beautiful way. I'm definitely keeping an eye on the author's future books. I just want more stories like this!" ~ Amazon Customer
"I was transported to a time and place that felt bleak, dark and raw. Rachel Demeter has reason to be proud of her work, as she breathes life ad hope into two lost souls fighting for reasons to go on and thrive. Not your typical bosom-heaving romance, this feels like a genuine piece of history shared in contemporary times. [...] I received an ARC copy from Rachel Demeter in exchange for my honest review. Highly recommended!" ~ Dii
"A fantastic, raw and powerful novel from start to finish. I finished this novel in one sitting as I did not want to put it away. I was so engrossed in Ariah and Gabriel’s story, and how they overcame their pain to move forward not happy and blissfully but at peace with all around them and their own personal demons. While it has some sexy and romantic scenes, I love how the focus is on the characters and their personal scars from their past that they must deal with." ~ Carla
"Reading this story was like being in a raging storm of emotions. My emotions went from weeping uncontrollably from the gut wrenching pain these two endured, to smiling from ear to ear with the kindness and love they had for each other. This story shows that true love heals all. This book takes you on of journey of tragedy, loss and a all healing powerful love. This author is a definite one click buy!" ~ tjarch
"In my eyes being introduced to new and gifted writers to read is one of the greatest joys in life so I cannot express how excited I was to come across Rachel L. Demeter. The buzz around her did not do justice to the actual experience of reading one of her books. While her talent was hinted at in comparisons to other writers of note her writing genius is uniquely her own. Eloquent writing paired with detailed research, Finding Gabriel is an exceptional work! [...] Profoundly beautiful, Rachel L. Demeter's writing will saturate you in emotion and persist in your imagination far beyond when you have finished this extraordinary story." ~ Amazon Customer
About the Author
Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, edgy romances that challenge the reader’s emotions and examine the redeeming power of love.
Imagining stories and characters has been Rachel’s passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mom would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.
Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.
Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card and three signed The Frost in Springtime bookmarks.
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