Title: The Handmaid (Unexpected Circumstances, #1)
Author: Shay Savage
Publication Date: May 31st 2016 by Shay Savage, LLC
Plot: In a bold political move, Sir Branford claims a handmaid as his bride instead of the expected princess in an attempt to spark a war. Poor Alexandra knows little of how to behave as the wife of a future king and knows nothing of the man who is suddenly her husband.
Alexandra knows she is being used as a pawn and must do her best to avoid scheming noblewomen and the scorned princess, accept her position as her husband ascends to the throne, and overcome her fears of the man with whom she now shares a bed.
Sir Branford is determined to have it all – the kingdom, a wife of his choosing, and the revenge he seeks for the death of his father. He doesn’t expect the naïve handmaid to become more important than he ever could have foreseen.
Alexandra knows she is being used as a pawn and must do her best to avoid scheming noblewomen and the scorned princess, accept her position as her husband ascends to the throne, and overcome her fears of the man with whom she now shares a bed.
Sir Branford is determined to have it all – the kingdom, a wife of his choosing, and the revenge he seeks for the death of his father. He doesn’t expect the naïve handmaid to become more important than he ever could have foreseen.
☆✮ My Review ✮☆
Argh! I already want bk2!! The Handmaid had me on pins and needles with intrigue and sexual tension. Lord Branford seems like a kind and considerate prince-- well, aside from his notorious past of womanizing-- he seems to be changing and evolving with his interactions with Alexandra. You can see that there are many faucets and more than meets the eye when it comes to him and his motives which include choosing a neighboring kingdom's handmaiden over the princess as his choice of bride.
But with political upheavals and social caste discords in the mix, it looks like there's going to be definite resistance, scandals, and devious scams of deceit to come.
Just hope these two budding lovers will be able to stand testament to that and FINALLY get down to the down and dirty! Hehe.
Bring on THE SEDUCTION!
My Rating:
♥♥♥♥
☆✮ Excerpt ✮☆
Sir Branford led me back to the table where he quickly finished a glass of wine before pulling me back to the dance floor with him. We stayed on the dance floor for some time, occasionally switching partners. When another man danced with me, I felt unsteady, and once I nearly stumbled. I managed to get through the evening without falling to the floor in my white dress and found myself relieved when Sir Branford took my hand again and informed me it was time for the last dance.
“You’ve held up well, my wife,” he said softly before twirling me one last time in a slow circle under his arm. The minstrels stopped playing, and the crowd cheered for us again. Branford smiled and waved, perfectly at ease as the center of attention, while I blushed and hoped I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Many of the wedding guests came to us again, offering their congratulations and wishing us well. Branford seemed to know each one by name and spoke eloquently to them all while I tried not to cower behind him.
“The reception was beautiful,” yet another lord commented to Sir Branford.
“I think it was splendid,” Sir Branford replied, “especially when you consider my eagerness to wed.”
The lord laughed and walked away.
“As splendid as it has been,” Sir Branford said, turning toward me, “I am tired of celebrating with the populace. I think I would rather take you back to my chambers alone so we can complete our union.”
He tilted his head slightly, and his gaze burned intensely into mine. He raised his eyebrows, and his half smile returned though I did not find it as joyous and carefree as it has appeared before. Now it displayed something more primal, something…hungry.
My heart raced, and I found it difficult to take a deep breath. I had been so overwhelmed by the wedding itself and the idea of marrying someone I did not know, I hadn’t even considered the expectations he would have of the wedding night.
Unlike the Princess Whitney, I was a virgin. My first kiss had occurred not four hours ago, right after Sir Branford slipped the ring on my finger. I knew what I was supposed to do. At least, I thought I did. Accounts of the act of marital relations were varied depending on who told the story though most seemed to agree it was for the benefit of the husband and for the creation of his heirs, not for pleasure of the wife. If she were lucky, he would not hurt her much, and it would be over quickly. A brand new panic permeated my head.
☆✮ About the Author ✮☆
Always looking for a storyline and characters who fall outside the norm, Shay Savage’s tales have a habit of evoking some extreme emotions from fans. She prides herself on plots that are unpredictable and loves to hear it when a story doesn’t take the path assumed by her readers. With a strong interest in psychology, Shay loves to delve into the dark recesses of her character’s brains–and there is definitely some darkness to be found! Though the journey is often bumpy, if you can hang on long enough you won’t regret the ride. You may not always like the characters or the things they do, but you'll certainly understand them.
Shay Savage lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. She’s an avid soccer fan, loves vacationing near the ocean, enjoys science fiction in all forms, and absolutely adores all of the encouragement she has received from those who have enjoyed her work.
☆✮ Giveaway! ✮☆
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☆✮ Buy Links ✮☆
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Book #2 PRE-ORDER LINKS ($0.99!) Release 6/14/2016
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