Book Tour: Ellie Gray - Beauty and the Recluse



(Resenha em Português - role a tela para baixo)




Contemporary Romance
Date Published: February 12, 2016


Following the recent death of her father, and in need of both a job and somewhere to live, Kiya takes a housekeeping job on the spur of the moment. She soon finds herself living in a beautiful but neglected mansion, working for a strange and reclusive man.
St. John is a man scarred by the past, both physically and emotionally, and is determined to live out his life alone. They are two very different people, drawn to each other almost against their will, but can Kiya convince St. John that he is not the monster he believes himself to be?
EXCERPT



Eventually the taxi pulled up outside an impressive set of wrought iron gates, through which could be seen a sweeping driveway disappearing into thick foliage. Only a couple of miles from the village she had visited yesterday, the grounds were obviously large, although nothing could be seen of the house by virtue of the high stone wall surrounding the property.
‘Will you be all right here, love?’ enquired the taxi driver, placing her suitcases on the ground beside her.
‘Yes, this is fine, thank you.’ Kiya paid the rather considerable fare, wincing slightly at the expense, and watched as he drove away down the narrow lane. She turned back to the huge gates, wondering how on earth she was supposed to get in, then noticed the electronic box set into the wall at one side. Moving closer, she pressed the button hesitantly.
‘Yes?’ Despite the crackle of static, the deep voice managed to convey irritation.
‘Hi, it’s Kiya Williams, I…’
With a click, the intercom abruptly switched off and the gates swung slowly open. Kiya stared down the driveway in exasperation; during the limited conversation she had had with the man, she had not yet managed to complete a single sentence. Realising that the gates were beginning to close again, she snatched up her suitcases and hurried through.
Kiya followed the curving driveway with more than a fair amount of trepidation, the less than reassuring words of the two shopkeepers she had met yesterday flying around her head. She came to an abrupt halt when the house came into view, her breath quite taken away. It was a beautiful, rambling, ivy-covered mansion – the kind that, as a young girl, she had dreamt of owning. She walked towards the house, noting as she got closer that although the circular lawn in front had been mown recently, the flowerbeds were overgrown and choked with weeds. Looking more critically at the house, she noticed that the whole building had a slightly forlorn air of neglect, as if it were empty.
Just as Kiya lifted her hand to knock on the enormous double front door, she saw the envelope taped to one side of the brass doorknocker; her name scrawled on it in large, bold handwriting. Opening the envelope, she took out a letter and a set of keys.
Miss Williams,
Please find enclosed a set of house keys for your convenience. We did not discuss remuneration on the telephone yesterday, but I have made enquiries regarding the current rate of pay and trust that monthly payment will be satisfactory. As this is to be your home as well as your place of employment, you may have free access to all rooms, excluding my bedroom (first floor, last door on the left) and my study, which is the second room to the right of the hall. I expressly ask that you do not disturb me here. A bed has been made up for you in the first room on your left at the top of the stairs, however you are free to choose any room you wish. The only other proviso I have is that you do not use the kitchen between the hours of 7am-8am, 1pm-2pm, and 6pm-7pm, when I shall prepare my own meals.
Welcome.
St. John O’Neill

Kiya read the note in disbelief. Don’t use the kitchen between certain hours? She had thought the two women in the shop were exaggerating when they’d told her he was strange, but now she was beginning to wonder.

PURCHASE LINKS

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 REVIEW
Having lost her father in the battle against cancer, Kiya Williams finds herself all alone in the world, without work, without a home. She candidate to the post of housekeeper in the home of a reclusive man, which everyone in town thought he was strange.
Following the recommendation of the owner of the house, she didn't go to the rooms where he stays most of the time. She has the whole house to fix and clean, and truly, the house was in bad shape.
Until one day, forgetting about the time when she could go to the kitchen, finally Kiya met her boss, Mr. St. John O'Neill.
St John was a writer who went through a car accident and had the heartbreak when he was abandoned by his girlfriend that he saved,  she couldn't bear to look at the scar he had on his face.
Five years later, he found himself a lonely man.
With the arrival of Kiya, St John realizes how alone he was, and like his house began to come to life, he himself saw that he still had the chance to live and be happy.
But would Kiya accept him with that ugly scar on his face?

Romance with a dash of Beauty and the Beast.
A reclusive, bitter and moody writer; a gentle and hardworking girl who charms everyone around her; and the possibility of a romance with a happy ending.
4 stars.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Ellie is an author of contemporary romance who also enjoys writing YA fiction. She is a proud member of the Romantic Novelist Association and lives in the beautiful East Riding of Yorkshire with her partner, David, two children, two cats and a chinchilla.
Currently working full-time in the public sector and studying for a Masters Degree, Ellie hopes one day to achieve her ambition of being able to write full time.

Contact Information


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(Resenha em Português)

Sinopse >> Após a morte de seu pai, e na necessidade de  um emprego e um lugar para viver, Kiya aceita um trabalho de arrumadeira no calor do momento. Ela logo encontra-se vivendo numa bela mas negligenciada mansão, trabalhando para um homem estranho e recluso.
St. John é um homem marcado pelo passado, tanto física como emocionalmente, e está determinado a viver a sua vida sozinho. Eles são duas pessoas muito diferentes, talhados um para o outro quase contra a sua vontade, mas pode Kiya convencer St. John que ele não é o monstro que ele acredita ser?

Resenha >> 

No estilo A Bela e a Fera, este romance contemporâneo traz a história de duas pessoas cujas vidas sofreram reveses do destino, e cada um reagiu da forma que podia.
Kiya havia perdido a mãe para o câncer e anos depois seu pai teve a mesma doença. Sozinha no mundo, ela precisava sobreviver. Sem dinheiro para continuar estudando e sem casa para morar - tivera que vender para pagar as despesas do enterro -, ela viu o anúncio de arrumadeira no quadro de anúncios de uma loja.
Apesar dos avisos das duas mulheres do estabelecimento, dizendo que o dono da tal casa era estranho e recluso, ela decidiu que não tinha muita escolha.
Telefonou oferecendo-se ao cargo e mesmo sem ter experiência ou recomendação, foi aceita.
Ao chegar lá no dia seguinte, viu que tratava-se de uma mansão belíssima, mas que precisava de cuidados.
O estranho foi não encontrar o seu novo patrão, mas um bilhete com as informações e as chaves da casa. Os dois não se encontrariam. Suas refeições seriam feitas em horários diversos e ela sequer poderia ir em determinados cômodos onde ele passava a maior parte do tempo.

Nos dias que se seguiram Kiya fez exatamente o mandado e pôs-se a arrumar a bela casa. Ela demorou uma semana para terminar apenas um dos andares.
Até que um dia, distraída, ela entrou na cozinha no horário não permitido e encontrou-se com St. John...

St. John era um escritor que sofrera um acidente de carro há cinco anos. Estava com a namorada, Corinne, e mesmo depois de, na hora do acidente, ter dado um jeito de protegê-la mais do que a si mesmo, ao acordar dias depois no hospital com uma cicatriz enorme no rosto, descobriu que sua amada não o amava o suficiente para estar ao seu lado.
Desgostoso, ele trancou-se na mansão, recebendo apenas seu amigo e agente, Dominic Matthews. Até mesmo as compras ele fazia por telefone e eram entregues sem que qualquer pessoa o visse.
Já estava há algum tempo à procura de uma arrumadeira quando finalmente Kiya apareceu.

Depois do primeiro susto dela - ele era um homem bem alto, com os cabelos nos ombros e uma barba que ainda assim não escondia a grande cicatriz -, a forma dela tratá-lo o surpreendeu.
Aos poucos eles vão se vendo mais vezes.
Havia alguns dias em que ele ainda se trancava, evitava-a, mas Kiya parecia ter toda a paciência do mundo.

Dominic começa a perceber o interesse de St. John pela jovem e, por isso mesmo, gostava de provocá-lo indo conversar com Kiya ou chamando-a para sair.

A amizade de Kiya e St John cresce. Ela descobre sobre o grupo de apoio a pessoas com cicatrizes que ele havia criado há dois anos; ajuda-o a promover uma tarde beneficente para o grupo e até o acompanha na festa black-tie de uma amiga. E é nessa noite que os segredos começam a ressurgir, em especial aqueles que se referiam a Corinne.

Kiya já sabia que estava apaixonada por St. John, mas ela não teria qualquer chance com ele com o retorno da exuberante Corinne.
Será que Kiya conseguiria fazê-lo entender que a cicatriz não o definia? E conseguiria St John vencer seus medos e entregar-se novamente ao amor?

Uma história interessante e fofa. O ritmo é um pouco rápido em alguns trechos. Não é hot. Sem cliffhanger.
Uma leitura agradável.
4 estrelas.

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