From Head to Tale: Tender Deceit

Showing posts with label Tender Deceit. Show all posts

Monday, July 7, 2014

Book Blitz: Tender Deceit by H.Y. Hanna (Excerpt and Giveaway)

Kinky Vanilla Romance is pleased to share Tender Deceit by H.Y. Hanna. Book one in the First Love series, Tender Deceit is a romantic suspense novel that is available now. You can check out my review of the book here.

Tender Deceit by H.Y. Hanna

ISBN: 978-0-9923153-6-8

Word Count: 67,000 words

Cover Artist: Kim Killion

First love. Second chance.

All they have to do is stay alive...

He looked up as she approached and she stopped short, stunned by the intensity of his green eyes.

“Leah.”

He made as if to rise and suddenly Leah panicked. Should I shake hands? Kiss him? Hug him? Quickly, she sat down at the table and waved him back down with her hand.

“Hello, Toran.”

It was hopelessly inadequate, a stupid inane greeting after all these years, but Leah didn’t know what else to say to the stranger sitting in front of her. Except for those brilliant green eyes, there was little left of the boy she used to know. The jaw had widened and hardened, roughened by a faint shadow of stubble, and the warm smile had been replaced by a steely line of a mouth that was at once forbidding and sensual. Dark, unruly hair fell over his brow and didn’t quite hide a thin scar along his left temple which Leah was sure had not been there before. His skin was more tanned than she remembered and that lean, boyish frame had filled out into broad shoulders and a hard, muscular physique that spoke more of outdoor pursuits than time in a gym. More than that, though, was the feeling of latent power and cool authority. Leah caught her breath. Toran James had grown up into a dangerously attractive man.

There was a glass in front of him filled with a pale amber liquid; and next to it, a cigar, its wreath of smoke curling lazily up to the ceiling.

Her eyes met his in accusation. “You said you would never smoke.”

“You said you would never cut your hair.”

Leah touched her head self-consciously before she could stop herself. She wondered if he was assessing her too and searching for the girl he used to know. Her hair fell in waves just past her shoulders now and she had learnt the art of eyeliner to make the most of her deep blue eyes. She wasn’t a gym bunny either, but walking everywhere in London had kept her trim. Leah saw his gaze flick appreciatively over her, lingering on her bare legs exposed by the short hem of her black dress, and she felt her pulse quicken.

“I guess people change.” Leah attempted a light smile. “It’s been over twelve years, you know.”

“I know.” He made a gesture with his hands. “I’m sorry to hear about your father, Leah.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

Silence settled over them. Leah found herself unable to look at him and was furious to realise that her heart was pounding. What was wrong with her? Anyone would think that she was still fourteen! She had thought that meeting Toran again would help to lay the ghosts of her schoolgirl infatuation to rest. Instead, Leah was dismayed to discover that her feelings for him seemed very much alive, her awareness of him even more heightened than when they were teenagers. Not that he seemed to share her turmoil, she thought, glancing at him from beneath her eyelashes. His handsome face was inscrutable, the green eyes cool and remote.

The Indian woman came over with a menu. Leah ordered the house special, a coconut mojito, while Toran ordered another whiskey. When the drinks arrived, he settled back in his chair and gave her a small smile. It was just a glimmer, but it was enough to remind her of the boy she used to know and Leah felt her shoulders relax slightly.

“So you work in London now?” He raised an eyebrow. “Tell me about your job…”

He was a good listener, as he always had been, and Leah found herself relaxing even more as she told him about her work, friends, life back in the U.K… Before she knew it, half an hour had passed and she realised that she had not learnt anything about him.

“What about you?” Leah asked. “What’s—”

A shrill beeping made her jump. He took a phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen, his face tightening. He stood up with an apologetic smile. “I’ll be right back.”

Leah looked idly around the lounge as she waited for him to return, not quite sure of the feelings churning inside her. Why did anyone look up their childhood sweetheart? To reconnect? Rediscover? Re-ignite what had once been…?

“I’m really sorry—something’s come up and I have to go.” Toran stood by the table, those green eyes once again belonging to a stranger.

Leah stood up quickly and found that he towered over her. He had always been tall, but now he was well over six feet. She stared at the front of his shirt, where the crisp cotton parted to reveal a glimpse of tanned chest. He was standing very close. She found herself unable to meet his eyes. “Um… Sure, yes, of course…”

“I’ll be in touch.”

Leah felt something brush her hand—she could almost have imagined it—and then he was gone. Slowly, she made her way back to her hotel, her head dizzy with thoughts she didn’t really want to acknowledge. Alone in her room, she grabbed the phone on an impulse and dialed the number.

“Hello?” Julia’s voice hadn’t changed, despite the years.

“Hi, Julia.”

“Oh my God, Leah? Is that really you?” She laughed. “I was so excited when I read on Facebook that you were coming back to Singapore. When did you arrive? Where are you staying? Hey, if you’re not doing anything tonight—”

“I arrived earlier today. Listen, Julia,” Leah said breathlessly. “I know this sounds crazy, but I’ve got to tell somebody—somebody who understands. I…I saw Toran again and he—”

“What?” Her voice was sharp. “Toran James? When? Where?”

“Tonight.” Leah was taken aback by her sharpness. “I just got back, in fact. I went to meet him for drinks. I got this message and I couldn’t believe it… But then I thought, hell, why not, and…” She trailed off as she realised that Julia wasn’t listening.

“Tonight? You saw Toran tonight? Leah, are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. I mean, he looks different—you know, all grown up—but his eyes…”

“Wait, Leah,” she cut in urgently. “That’s not possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“You couldn’t have met Toran tonight.”

“Why not?”

“Because he died in an accident yesterday.”

About the Author

H.Y. Hanna was born in Taiwan and has been a globe-trotter most of her life, from growing up in the United Arab Emirates to attending school in New Jersey, from working in the glamorous world of London advertising to emigrating Down Under.

Along the way, she somehow managed to pick up a wonderful husband, a huge, slobbery dog, two rescue cats, an assortment of cardboard boxes and a slightly dodgy "trans-atlantic" accent. After graduating from Oxford University, she tried her hand at a variety of jobs before returning to her first love: writing.

She’s the author of the Amazon bestselling children’s mystery series, Big Honey Dog Mysteries, and is now diving into the world of romantic suspense with the launch of Tender Deceit, Book 1 in the First Love Series.

You can find out more about H.Y. Hanna and her books at: http://www.hyhanna.com/ or catch her on Facebook at “H.Y. Hanna” or the Big Honey Dog Mysteries Facebook Page.

Website http://www.hyhanna.com/

Facebook http://bitly.com/hyhanna-facebook

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/H.Y.-Hanna/e/B00EWX1C08

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7232313.H_Y_Hanna

Tour Giveaway

5 free copies of the ebook
1 Amazon giftcard for $20

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tender Deceit by H.Y. Hanna: Book Review

Tender Deceit by H.Y. Hanna

ISBN: 978-0-9923153-6-8

Word Count: 67,000 words

Cover Artist: Kim Killion

First love. Second chance.

All they have to do is stay alive...

Following her father's mysterious death in Singapore, Leah leaves her life in London and returns to the island that was her childhood home - braced to confront her past. Toran James may have been the boy her fourteen-year-old heart yearned for, but the magic of stolen glances and first kisses faded with his betrayal.

The enigmatic man she meets upon her return, though, is nothing like her memory, and the past holds more secrets than she realised. Was her father's death really an accident? What was hidden in his study? And why has Toran contacted her again after all these years? Someone is out to silence Leah - and that someone might be the man she is rapidly falling in love with... again.

My Rambles

Tender Deceit is a story of first love getting a second chance. I think...

About the Romance

Through a series of interspersed flashback chapters, we find out about Leah and Toran's first relationship (preteen/teen). It is filled with all of the anticipation and angst that you'd expect with first love. When they meet up years later as adults, it's clear that the chemistry is still there. I really enjoyed the build up of romantic tension between Leah and Toran. It's charged without being explicit.

Tender Deceit ends an upbeat note, but without a clear happily ever after.

About the Suspense

As the chase to uncover the truth about her father's death kicks in, Leah ends up all over Singapore. Her challenges provide the reader with glimpses of the city-state and its culture. Singapore is almost like a character.

Can I just say that Tender Deceit makes me want to visit Singapore wearing pants with an elastic waistband? After eating all of the yummy food, I'd wander around to all of the places that the author described to work off the calories.

As the story progresses, it is appears that Leah and Toran both feel betrayed by each other (stemming from their teen split). Their trust issues help to heighten the book's suspense. I got the impression that there is more to the betrayal angle than they realize.

For me, the story ended with a number of unanswered questions. I'll have to wait for the next book in the series for more answers. I am patting my foot with anticipation. I would definitely read future books in the series.

Read the book and let me know if you want to go to Singapore with me :-)

NOTE: This post is part of the Tender Deceit book blitz tour organized by Bewitching Book Tours. I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Excerpt

A moment later, Toran heard the door to the bathroom opening. Glancing up, he said, “Are you feeling hungry? Because I can—”

He stopped. She had come around the side of the bamboo screen and was standing there shyly, wearing nothing except the T-shirt he had given her. It was big for her, falling to mid-thigh, and barely hinted at the curves underneath, but Toran felt his mouth go dry.

“I couldn’t bear to put my clothes back on,” she said, tugging the hem of the T-shirt downwards. “I’m sorry, this isn’t very—”

“It’s… it’s fine.” Toran swallowed, hard. “You can get into bed, if you like, and cover up with the blankets.”

She walked over to the bed, pulled back the covers, and climbed in. Toran tried not to watch, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off her as she moved, the T-shirt tightening and moulding itself to her body, the hem sliding up to reveal the long length of her bare legs. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his suddenly racing heart. It was embarrassing. He was acting like a fourteen-year-old boy seeing a naked woman for the first time.

He cleared his throat. “Would you like something to eat… or drink?”

Leah shook her head. Her body was propped back against the silk cushions, slack and relaxed in a way that wasn’t quite normal. It was the flunitrazepam still in her system, thought Toran. She turned her head and looked at him and he caught his breath at something in her eyes.

“Toran… I don’t want to be alone.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here in the room.”

“Can… can you hold me?”

He swallowed again and moved slowly across the room, turning down the lights as he did so. Kicking off his shoes, he lay down on the bed next to her, putting one arm around her and drawing her close. She nestled into the crook of his arm, her head tucked under his chin. He heard her sigh. Slowly, he tried to make himself relax, to force his mind away from the thought of that soft, pliant body pressed against his.

“This feels nice.” Her voice was slightly slurred.

“Shh,” he said. “Go to sleep.”

She stirred slightly. “I’m not sleepy.” Her hand strayed across his chest and she started drawing circles with her fingertips. Even through the fabric of his shirt, Toran felt her touch like hot needles burning his skin. His muscles bunched tighter and tighter as her fingers crept across his chest.

“Stop that,” he said sharply, grabbing hold of her hand.

She giggled softly, drunkenly. “Don’t you like it?”

He tried to push her gently away, but she rolled up suddenly onto her elbows. Her eyes searched his in the dark.

“Toran… I want you to kiss me.”

He drew his breath in sharply. “Leah—”

“Like you did outside the Raffles. Like that. Hard and desperate.” Her voice was breathless.

“Leah…” Toran felt as if he couldn’t breathe. “I don’t think—”

She put a hesitant hand on his chest. “Don’t… don’t you want me?”

With a groan, Toran pulled her into his arms and brought his lips crushing down on hers. He kissed her hungrily, urgently, and she responded with a passion that surprised him. Her arms crept around his neck, pulling him closer to her, and she arched her body against his, moving it in a way that made him groan even more.

Somehow, his shirt had come off and then his trousers and he shuddered as Leah slid her hands across the skin of his bare back, her nails digging in slightly. The blankets had been pushed down and Leah’s T-shirt had ridden up her hips, exposing her long legs. Toran slid his hand downwards, skimming over her thigh, revelling in the silken feel of her skin. Then he found the hem of her T-shirt and slid his hand underneath, caressing the curve of her waist as his fingers travelled slowly upwards. His thumb brushed the soft curve of her breast and she gasped. Leah whimpered softly and arched even closer.

The sound penetrated the haze in Toran’s head. He stiffened. No, no, not this way. He broke the kiss, took a deep breath and pulled back, gently pushing Leah away from him.

“Toran…?”

“I’m sorry, Leah, but we can’t… This is wrong.”

She stiffened against him. “Don’t you want me?” she said again, in a small voice.

He let out a shaky breath. “God, yes, Leah. More than you’ll ever know. But not like this. I can’t… I’d be taking advantage of you. You’ve still got the flunitrazepam in your system. One of its common side-effects is that it lowers inhibitions. You’re not yourself at the moment.”

About the Author