Princes Without Castles…. By Grace Burrowes
At the beginning of Daniel’s True Desire, our hero, Daniel Banks, has little to his name besides the clothes on his back, his trusty steed (this IS a Grace Burrowes romance), and a genuine religious vocation. He’s feeling like a colossal failure as a vicar, his pride is in tatters, and part of him would really rather fade into obscurity doing missionary work in some handy jungle or wilderness.
Daniel would also be content to live at the manse that awaits him in his next rural parish, though the Haddondale vicarage has the creeping damp and bats hibernating in its closets. By proclamation of the Haddonfield ladies, Daniel must instead bide with the aristocratic family who holds the living rather than avail himself a residential penance he’s done nothing to earn.
The Earl of Bellefonte, head of the Haddonfield family, capitulates to the ladies’ decision, and thus Daniel, a man without a fixed address, ends up biding among considerable creature comforts.
This is a problem, for even as Daniel is enjoying fresh pots of tea, warm fires, and excellent food, he’s also succumbing to the pleasure of Lady Kirsten Haddonfield’s company. Lack of a castle bothered Daniel little, but lack of friendship, of shelter for his heart, that was becoming perilous.
Kirsten has long been wandering in lonely wilderness of her own, her heartaches kept hidden from her family, despite all the good cheer and kind intentions of her siblings. Increasingly, Kirsten’s own family doesn’t know her, doesn’t see who she is on the inside, and thus sharing a roof with people who love her has become just that, rather than sharing a home.
Daniel fashions a home for Kirsten’s heart, with acceptance, trust, kindness, and humor. She reciprocates those gifts, and adds loyalty, steadfastness, dreams, and honesty. Pretty soon, they’ve invited some troublesome small boys—Daniel’s scholars (using the term very loosely)—to join them, and before long, true love has plighted its troth on a solid foundation.
Though still without a fixed address. Trouble comes calling of course, storms threaten to tear the roof off this castle of love, but Daniel and Kirsten are determined to keep each other safe, and to guard their treasures—not their possessions. By the end of the book, Daniel and Kirsten live in the house that love built, welcoming orphans and outcasts of all description, and even a few weary wanderers of the four-legged variety.
As a vicar, Daniel is unlikely to ever truly own his own home, much less a castle, but with Kirsten, he shares a vast estate of nonmaterial riches, and best of all he has a solid marriage, and a home for his heart. Who needs a castle, when he can instead share a happily ever after with his own true love?
***
BOOK OBSESSED CHICKS REVIEW
Up until a few months ago, Vicar Daniel Banks, along with
his difficult wife Olivia, had been raising his nephew as his son. His sister
Letty was poorly used when she was younger, leaving her pregnant and without
options at the time, but her recent marriage has given her the opportunity of
reclaiming her son, if only letting it be known publicly that little Danny is
her nephew, not her son. Around the time Daniel sends Danny to his beloved
sister, Olivia, decides she needs to be away from her husband and ventures to
visit family, or so she tells Daniel.
Daniel becomes the new Vicar at Haddonfield, but with
reservations as to his vocation. Daily he fears his estranged wife will expose
the lie of Danny being his son and ruin his life as well as Letty’s who has
finally found the love of her life, who accepts her without reservation. When
Kirsten Haddonfield walks into his vision, Daniel is taken for a loop. Their
attraction is obvious, but his situation is impossible.
Kirsten has been hurt more than once in her outings in
London society. Now her sister Della will be making her debut and Kirsten
dreads appearing at outings where she will undoubtedly come into contact with
those who have hurt her. Meeting Daniel has given Kirsten something to look
forward to. There is no pretense in their banter. They are completely at ease
in conversation, but Daniel still has his secrets that could come back to
bite. Even with a large and loving
family, Kirsten would seek the solitude of a simpler life, and her yearning for
Daniel will cause upheaval in droves.
Daniel’s True Desire by Grace Burrowes is a wonderful story.
Though the romance is light, the emotion has depth with the struggles both
Daniel and Kirsten face. Daniel is such a good man with the intelligence and fortitude
to overcome the troubles tossed his way. Kirsten is a bright and shining beacon
who sees the good in everyone. She is confident and alluring and enjoys
confusing Daniel. The colorful cast of
characters adds to the fray and when all is said and done, life will change for
all, for the better.
Book Information
Title: Daniel’s True Desire
Author: Grace Burrowes
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Summary
An honorable life
Daniel Banks is a man of the cloth whose vocation is the last comfort he has left-and even his churchman's collar is beginning to feel like a noose. At the urging of family, Daniel attempts to start his life over as vicar in the sleepy Kentish town of Haddondale, family seat to the earls of Bellefonte.
Challenged by passion
Lady Kirsten Haddonfield has resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood. Then the handsome new village vicar, Reverend Daniel Banks, becomes a guest of the Haddonfield family while the vicarage is being renovated, and Kirsten finds herself rethinking her position. Lady Kirsten does not know that Daniel's past is about to cast a shadow on love's future.
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Author Biography
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes' bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish and Lady Eve's Indiscretion. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.
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About THUNDER ROLLS: Episode 8 of the Rising Storm Series
Secrets, Sex and Scandals …
Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.
In the season finale …
As Hannah Grossman grapples with the very real possibility that she is dating one Johnson brother while secretly in love with another, the entire town prepares for Founders Day. The building tempest threatens not just Hannah’s relationship with Tucker and Tate, but everyone in Storm as dire revelations threaten to tear the town apart.
About Dee Davis:
Bestselling author Dee Davis has a masters degree in public administration. Prior to writing, she served as the director of two associations, wrote award winning PSAs, did television and radio commercials, starred in the Seven Year Itch, taught college classes, and lobbied both the Texas Legislature and the US Congress.
Her highly acclaimed first novel, Everything In Its Time, was published in July 2000. Since then, among others, she’s won the Booksellers Best, Golden Leaf, Texas Gold and Prism awards, and been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Holt and two RT Reviewers Choice Awards.
Recently she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York Romance Writers and has also been nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award for romantic suspense from Romantic Times. In addition, she is Hall of Fame member of the New Jersey Romance Writers and was awarded an Odyssey Medal from Hendrix College.
To date, she has written over twenty-five romantic suspense, time travel, and women’s fiction novels and novellas. Among her latest books you’ll find her A-Tac, Liar’s Game, and Last Chance series.
She’s lived in Austria and traveled in Europe extensively. And although she now resides in an 1802 farmhouse in Connecticut, she still calls Texas home.
Visit Dee Davis’ website.
