Don’t miss out on Marisa’s debut historical romance, The Lady of the Garter…
Lady Elena defies her family and disguises herself as a squire to reunite with the man she’s always loved. She might be able to wield a sword, but she still possesses a woman’s heart.
Thrust into a world of danger and family rivalry, James and Elena face the ultimate test.
Can James avenge his father’s death and find passion, or will his Garter oaths hold him to a life of service without love?
A group of boys, full of more than mischief, nearly knocked her off her perch before she found her knight on the field.
Her breath caught when she eyed the too familiar golden mane of hair. It whipped wildly in the wind. Sitting atop his warhorse in full armor, he did not disappoint. He was everything she’d imagined and remembered. He radiated courage, strength, nobility, and pride. She pitied his opponent.
Close enough to catch his attention with a shout, the temptation passed quickly. Instead, she would admire his handsome features. With a square jaw, a narrow straight nose, and a wicked smile, he represented everything she’d always been attracted to in a man. He was exquisitely made. She’d seen tapestries of the Greek Gods and even they could not compare. Oh yes, and those steel-blue eyes, the same color of the three lions emblazoned on his shield. His black destrier wore matching marks on its ornamented trapper and pawed the ground impatiently, as ready for action as his esteemed rider.
William startled her when he grabbed her by the waist and attempted to pull her off the fence. She resisted, slapping at his hands. No, she didn’t want to take her eyes off her knight. Not yet. Never. She’d waited too long for this moment.
“You there, Squire,” a noble shouted to William above the fray, “who are the knights that take up their arms on the tournament field?”
William let go.
“God’s teeth, didn’t you check the lists?” William answered. “Tis Sir James and Sir Hugh, both Garter knight champions. With King Henry in attendance, will make for a fine competition.”
“No. I just arrived at Warwick Castle from the north,” the man explained. “I ask not about these knights now,” he said, pointing toward the jousting area. “Who was the champion just leaving the field? The victor with the bloodied lance?”
“Sir Nicholas, the king’s cousin,” William answered, then leaned against the railing behind him. “What is the importance?”
“The man’s brutal style of fighting. I thought this tourney was in honor of the king’s marriage. Why the excessive violence?”
Elena could have answered. Her father had warned her about Sir Nicholas Luttrell. Although relatively unknown in Warwickshire, his sordid family history wasn’t. The man lived beyond the law. And now that he was part of the new House of Tudor, uniting the Yorkists and Lancastrians, he made his own decrees. Yet, this newly appointed Earl of Dunster, still lived in obscurity. No one outside the royal family had seen him in years, until today. And even then, he’d been helmeted while on the field.
A trumpet blast interrupted Elena’s thoughts. It also silenced the crowd. Everyone watched as the next competitors prepared to enter the field.
Elena eyed her brother’s friend, Jacob, the third squire who was assigned to James. He would manage the armor and was ready with the lances. She wouldn’t be needed until later, affording her time to watch the match from the sidelines.
She laughed nervously as James struggled to tame his wind-blown mane before covering it with his helmet. Now fully dressed, he took the lance from Jacob. With all the ceremonial decorum completed, the knights’ restless mounts were released.
Elena squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of what was to come. But the sounds of snapping lances and snorting warhorses forced them open again. Damn her curiosity.
Where to find it…
VIOLETTA RAND: A Splash of Romance 
This book is as lovely as the cover. A good read. Congratulations Marisa.
Thanks for the congratulations. It’s nice to have finally arrived!