Читать книгу Bought for Revenge - Sarah Mallory - Страница 3

‘Feisty’ is a word that is often applied to heroines these days. A quick look at the online dictionary gives us these two definitions: (a) having or showing exuberance and strong determination, and (b) being touchy and aggressive.

I wanted my heroine to be neither of the above. I envisaged Annabelle as a very ordinary lady, well brought up by a loving father, and with a sweet, caring nature that makes her a favourite with everyone. The danger is that such a heroine might well be (oh, heavens, dare I say it?) a little boring.

However, we all know that adversity can bring out unexpected traits in people, and Annabelle is challenged by a great deal of adversity when she meets Lucas. He is an ex-soldier who for the past fifteen years has thought of nothing but revenge upon the man he thinks has wronged him. He sees Annabelle as a weapon he can use against her father, but he soon discovers that she has a core of steel beneath that soft exterior.

This whole story came about because of two places I pass regularly. One is a turning called Burnt Acres Lane and the second is a ruined ancient house. At one time it was a substantial manor house, but has been abandoned and partially burned down, so that now only the stone walls and a few roof timbers remain. Whenever I pass this sad old ruin I long to rebuild it, but since that is not possible for me I have done the next best thing and turned it into a story! So was born Morwood Manor, a house struck by tragedy—but, hopefully, if my hero and heroine can overcome their differences, Morwood can once more become a lovely family home.

Happy reading!