The Barrister’s Bride by Suzan Lauder – Excerpt & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I am very happy to welcome Suzan Lauder at From Pemberley to Milton today to close the blog tour of The Barrister’s Bride. Suzan decided to bring with her an exciting excerpt that depicts a scene I haven’t read in a long time and that made me want to read the book immediately! I’m kind of cursing my TBR right now because this story has apparently everything I enjoy, especially a rival to Mr. Darcy who appears to be none other than his older brother! But I will let you read it for yourself so you may understand my excitement about this excerpt

I would like to thank not only Suzan for visiting, but also Meryton Press and Janet Taylor for allowing me to spread the word about this story 🙂 Thank you all!

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As the final stop on the blog tour for The Barrister’s Bride, I have a short, exclusive excerpt for the readers of “From Pemberley to Milton,” a favourite blog of mine since Rita is an excellent host. In this scene, Darcy is ruminating while he waits to speak to Elizabeth late on the night before they are to be wed. 

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With nerves on edge, Darcy tapped his fingers on the top of the grand pianoforte expecting a quiet thrumming. He startled when a far more majestic sound than anticipated echoed through the room, prompting him to flinch and stop without delay. The hour was far too late for the disruptive noise, which would penetrate into the bedchambers on this floor and those above it. To wear off his nervous energy, he spun and paced a small area between the instrument and the window a few times, swinging his arms in tandem. Perhaps this bit of exercise would settle the frenetic beating of his heart, which was certain to be causing a loudness in the corridors itself.

That organ had burst to life sometime in the past week and had insisted upon his notice this morning when Elizabeth took his hand and asked to take on the role of mistress by visiting tenants, proving she was invested in their marriage. Or perhaps his heart had succumbed when she showed compassion towards an intelligent farmer and his children, standing beside him as a partner before they were even married. He was not sure of the exact moment, but his passion for Elizabeth had bloomed into a strong sense of love by the time he closed the door to his bedchamber upon their return home from the excursion.

How could he have waited so long to know he loved her? When Darcy had recognised the sensation within him, he had reviewed her letters from when they were separated in July, and was shocked. How had he not fallen for her over several instances in the past? Every sentence upon the page now sparked tenderness within him—those words elicited even greater feelings due to the recent realisation of his attachment. He stopped pacing and sat in a chair near the window.

The friendship she had begun to forge with his family members in London and now at Pemberley caught his notice. She was nothing but magical in her ability to enchant them all and to make shy Georgiana befriend her. Even they were close to loving her as if they were family.

He loved Elizabeth Bennet, who was upon the morrow to become Mrs. Darcy. Except, tied into that situation was a problem—the promise had not been hers, and he could not know what she would have chosen had she been consulted. In truth, had she a choice in the matter, practical considerations would lead one to conclude that he would not be her selection. They had little knowledge of each other beyond that of casual acquaintances, and although they liked each other, he had not pursued her as a potential wife. The possibility existed that she had not considered him as a potential husband at any point either. No, his brother had been the catch.

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A pact that will change their lives forever…

Fitzwilliam Darcy is a successful young barrister with a bright future. His late uncle has guided his career, made him his heir, and even selected a bride for him—sight unseen—whom he’ll meet and marry upon her majority. Who could have predicted that making the acquaintance of Miss Elizabeth Bennet in Meryton would throw those careful plans into disarray?

Elizabeth Bennet doesn’t know what to make of “Fitz” Darcy, who intrigues and draws her notice like no other. Despite Fitzwilliam’s warnings, she allows Mr. George Darcy, Fitzwilliam’s older brother and master of Pemberley, to charm her. Little does she know that she, too, has been promised in marriage by her late father—to an unknown barrister, no less. What is she to do when her hopes to marry for love disappear in the blink of an eye?

Is George Darcy’s suit in earnest? Can this mysterious bridegroom of her father’s choosing become the husband of her dreams? With the danger of duels and deceit, what will come of the initial attraction between her and Fitzwilliam? Will she become the barrister’s bride?

Note: contains scenes with adult content.

You can find The Barrister’s Bride at:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

and Kindle Unlimited

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A lover of Jane Austen, Regency period research and costuming, yoga, fitness, home renovation, design, sustainability, and independent travel, cat mom Suzan Lauder keeps busy even when she’s not writing novels based on Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, all of which are published by Meryton Press.

She and Mr. Suze and their rescue tabby split their time between a loft condo overlooking the Salish Sea and a 150-year-old Spanish colonial casita in Mexico. Suzan’s lively prose can be found on her Facebook author page, www.facebook.com/SuzanLauder; on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest as @SuzanLauder; and on her Meryton Press blog, road trips with the redhead www.suzanlauder.merytonpress.com.

You can reach out Suzan Lauder through the following media:

Facebook author page

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

Meryton Press blog, road trips with the redhead.

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This is the last stop in the blog tour but you can still check the previous posts 🙂 

May   9 My Jane Austen Book Club

May 10  Babblings of a Bookworm

May 11 The Literary Assistant

May 12 My Vices and Weaknesses

May 13 Interests of a Jane Austen Girl

May 16 Austenesque Reviews

May 17 From Pemberley to Milton

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Meryton Press is giving away six eBooks of The Barrister’s Bride by Suzan Lauder. There is a swag giveaway by Author, Suzan Lauder, and it includes a personalized signed copy of the book, a Suzan Lauder reticule, an embroidered handkerchief, and a fan. Both giveaways are in this Rafflecopter link.        

Good luck everyone!