BRVL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT Ellie Thomas
Held Close to my Heart by Ellie Thomas
Held Close to My Heart
is a Historical MM Romance set in the Restoration period of 17th century
England. It’s a First Love, Opposites Attract, Friends to Lovers
romance with a HEA.
Release day is June 4th and my ebook is included in the 20% off pre-release/new release sale at JMS Books until June 11th.
Blurb:
Since
their mid-teens, Luke has been deeply in love with his childhood friend
and neighbour, Jem, who spends most of the year at the decadent court
of King Charles II in London. In the intervening years at home on
Twelvetrees Farm in Oxfordshire, Luke has been occupied by helping his
disabled father run their small estate, taking on the burden of work to
support his family. Meanwhile, Jem has enjoyed all the worldly pleasures
available to him at court.
When they are both twenty-one, and
Jem returns to Westlecot Manor to spend the summer, Luke’s feelings for
him reach boiling point. Luke can no longer cling to the belief he is
important to Jem. He is overwhelmed by jealousy at the prospect of Jem’s
dalliances with any visitors to the manor house, while aware that Jem
is bewildered by his outbursts of disapproval.
Will Luke allow
his jealousy to get the better of him? Might he dare to speak his
deepest feelings? Or would that destroy their lifelong bond forever?
Extract: from Luke’s POV
I
cursed myself for allowing my resentment to get the better of me. I
should have accepted Jem as a bright and carelessly happy creature and
be grateful he still sought my company despite being surrounded by a
glamorous throng.
But somehow, as June became July, my sense of
grievance gathered. I used the excuse that I was dog tired, working from
dawn to dusk, my father’s worries for the coming year burdening me, as I
pushed myself even harder in an attempt to allay his anxiety.
Weary
as I was by late in the day, I couldn’t refuse to accompany my family
to the evening diversions at the manor. It would have seemed churlish to
our good friend Sir Harry, and, with so many men present used to casual
customs, I was needed to help my mother keep a careful eye on my
sisters or be a strong and willing arm to support my father when
required.
Repressing a yawn while watching the dancers, I tried
not to resent Jem, glowing with health, well-rested, the life and soul
of the party, conviviality itself. For some reason, this particular
night,
he bore the brunt of my frustration, his vibrancy and happiness
contrasting painfully with my cares and exhaustion. I cursed his leisure
time, his immaculate appearance, his care-free existence. I was
heart-sore with wanting him, sick of myself and my ever-present foul
mood.
We were about to depart for home, leaving the merrymakers
to continue dancing until the early hours. I had fetched my mother’s
shawl for her and was walking through the vestibule by the library on my
way to the entrance hall where my family made their farewells.
At
that very moment, one of the court ladies emerged from behind the
library door, flushed and giggling, in the act of retying the laces at
the front of her bodice. One step behind her, inevitably, was Jem, an
amused smile on his lips as though he had been well-entertained.
“Luke,”
he called out to me in good spirits as the lady scurried off to her
chamber to tidy herself before returning to the main party. “Are you
enjoying yourself?”
The expected polite reply froze on my lips.
“Your
father is a generous host as always. But I’d rather be in my bed, and
resting up for the long day ahead,” I replied curtly.
“Oh, come
now,” he said jovially, patting me on the arm, “after your labours, you
should take the opportunity to make merry amongst us all.”
“Take your example, you mean?” I asked sharply.
Jem seemed to perceive my uncertain humour, and his smile faded. “Luke, what’s the matter? Did you not enjoy our party?”
His innocent query unleashed my pent-up bitterness.
“It’s
all very well for you to say, without a concern in the world. You don’t
have to rise as soon as it’s light, be an extra pair of hands for your
father so that he doesn’t fret himself into an early grave or keep watch
over your mother and sisters and worry about her portion and their
dowries. Those weights are not on your shoulders.”
Jem tried to
calm me with a quip, “But they are such powerful shoulders,” he said,
running an appreciative hand over the sleeve of my sober jacket. Rather
than soothing me, that seductive touch stung me to harsh speech.
“Not that you’d care or notice,” I continued bitterly. “You’re too busy chasing after any available skirt or pair of breeches.”
Jem looked taken aback by my outburst. “But Luke,” he started to protest mildly.
“Oh,
away with you. Go frolic with whom you please,” I said roughly, and for
the first time ever, I walked away from him without a second glance,
let alone an ameliorating word.
Universal Book Link:
https://books2read.com/u/b5lWPk
JMS Books Link:
https://www.jms-books.com/ellie-thomas-c-224_420/held-close-to-my-heart-p-4359.html
If you’d like to connect with me, please follow any of the links below!
Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliethomasauthor/
Twitter:
@e_thomas_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19835510.Ellie_Thomas
Bookbub:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellie-thomas
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