“I know,
every night in the shower for the rest of my life, wondering where he was and
what he was doing. But that was you, not me. I know what I’m doing.”
Thank you so much for
having me at your wonderful site, Linda. I’d like to talk about my new romantic
suspense Lapses
of Memory, in which two romances intertwine as a mother recounts her
life-long love affair while her daughter juggles two lovers. The setting is Old
Town Alexandria, one of my home towns, where both Artful
Dodging: the Torpedo Factory Murders, and The
Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower take place as well.
In the frame story of Lapses of Memory, Sydney Bellek is narrating her life to her daughter Olivia. While Olivia labors to get her mother to cooperate, she has little time to concentrate on her own dilemma—how to choose between the rich and dashing Rémy de Beaumec, who wants to fly her around the world, and the steady, quiet, American-to-the-core, Benjamin Knox, who only wants to make her happy.
Wild Rose Press,
3/15/2017, Imprint: Champagne Rose
Contemporary romantic
suspense/Action Adventure; M/F; 2 flames
Ebook (70,560); Print:
296 pp.
Blurb
 |
| Old Town Alexandria |
It is spring in Old Town Alexandria, and Sydney Bellek is
dictating her memoir to her daughter Olivia. Every
few years from the age of five she meets her true love Elian Davies, but while
he remembers her, she doesn’t recognize him. Only after surviving wars,
revolutions, and years of separation will she realize they are meant to be, but
this time it is Elian who has lost his memory of her. Will he remember her
before she loses heart or will their new love be enough to replace the old one?
Meanwhile, her daughter Olivia has
her own dilemma—how to choose between the rich and dashing Rémy de Beaumec, who
wants to take her around the world, and the steady, quiet,
American-to-the-core, Benjamin Knox, who only wants to make her happy.
Buy Links
“Welcome, stranger.” Sydney offered her cheek.
The chiseled features of the man at the door inclined toward her with polished
grace. One perfect ringlet of ebony hair sidled down his temple. He kissed her
and drew back, his black eyes sparkling.
“You grow more beautiful every
year, Madame Davies.”
“I see you still have that silver
tongue.” His hostess gave a gentle laugh to soften the criticism. “Olivia, why
don’t we go into the drawing room? Would you like a cocktail, Rémy? Or
champagne?”
“Dessert?”
“No, thank you.”
“Coffee then?”
“Yes, please.”
When they were served, Sydney rose. “Why don’t
you two take your cups to the living room? I have some things to do to prepare
for my trip. I shall return in a few minutes.” She let them go, waiting for a
sign. Sure enough, as they passed out the door, their hands found one another
and squeezed. She sighed and headed upstairs.
****
“Must you go so soon? The evening
is still young.”
“Yes, madame.” Rémy’s hooded eyes
kept her from deciphering his state of mind.
“We’ll see you again before you
return to France ?”
He twisted to look at Olivia. The
pause lengthened. Olivia stared into his eyes, silent. “I hope so.”
When he’d gone, Sydney indicated a chair to her daughter.
“Tell me what happened.”
As if she knew there was no
escape, Olivia sat and squared her shoulders. “He asked me to go back to France with
him.”
“Ah.”
“I…I said I’d think about it.”
“Ah.”
Olivia stood and started to pace.
“I wish…”
“You wish Benjamin would show up
out of the blue, sweep you off your feet, and carry you off to…er…”
Her daughter halted. “I do?”
Jaw slack, Olivia stared at her
mother. “Say that again?”
About the Author
Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five of the
seven continents, the last thirty years were spent mostly in Washington, D.C.
as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor,
birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director, and parent. After many
years in academia, she worked for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. Department of the
Interior, in several library systems, both public and academic, and at the
Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Ms. Spencer has published ten romantic suspense novels, and
has two more in utero. She has two fabulous grown children and an incredible
granddaughter. She divides her time between the Gulf Coast of Florida and a
tiny village in Maine.
Contacts
Thanks so much for having Sydney and Olivia here today. I like to let people know there are two stories in Lapses of Memory--both romantic! M. S.
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt! All the best!
ReplyDeleteThanks--I try to have a lot of different excerpts to pique interest :). M. S.
ReplyDelete