Must forbidden love end in heartbreak? Kayla Sinclair knows she's in big trouble when she almost bankrupts herself to buy a life-size portrait of a mysterious eighteenth century man at an auction. Jago Kerswell, inn-keeper and smuggler, knows there is danger in those stolen moments with Lady Eliza Marcombe, but he'll take any risk to be with her. Over two centuries separate Kayla and Jago, but, when Kayla's jealous fiance presents her with an ultimatum, and Jago and Eliza's affair is tragically discovered, their lives become inextricably linked thanks to a gypsy's spell. Kayla finds herself on a quest that could heal the past, but what she cannot foresee is the danger in her own future. Will Kayla find heartache or happiness? AUTHOR: Christina Courtenay lives in London and Herefordshire and is married with two children. Although born in England she has a Swedish mother and was brought up in Sweden. In her teens, the family moved to Japan where she had the opportunity to travel extensively in the Far East. Christina is vice chairman of the Romantic Novelists' Association. She won the Elizabeth Goudge Trophy for a historical short story in 2001 and the Katie Fforde Bursary for a promising new writer in 2006. In 2011, Christina's first novel 'Trade Winds' (September 2010) was short listed for The Romantic Novelists' Association's Award for Best Historical Fiction. Her second novel, 'The Scarlet Kimono', won the Big Red Reads Best Historical Fiction Award. In 2012, 'Highland Storms' won the Best Historical Romantic Novel of the year award (RoNA).
Industry Reviews
"A richly woven tapestry of dark secrets, dangerous temptation and everlasting love..
"The Secret Kiss of Darkness" is a phenomenal tale of old ghosts, treacherous magic and love lost and found that I found absolutely impossible to put down. It is no coincidence that Christina Courtenay keeps winning prizes for her novels she is an outstanding storyteller with an extraordinary gift for bringing any period in history to vivid and colorful life and creating a world full of passion, danger and excitement that sweeps readers along and keeps them enthralled from beginning to end!
"In The Secret Kiss of Darkness," readers are treated to two powerful, compelling and poignant love stories that are deliciously spiced with nail-biting intrigue, terrifying suspense and heart-pounding passion. Kayla and Eliza are two wonderfully diverse heroines whose strength, courage and dignity will endear them to readers and Jago and Wesley are absolutely wonderful heroes no woman will be able to resist!
A fantastic time-slip novel that continues to cement Christina Courtenay s position as one of the most exciting writers of romantic fiction writing today, "The Secret Kiss of Darkness" is another first-rate read readers will not want to miss! "
