"The Best Part of Love" by Amy D'Orazio Blog Tour ~ Vignette & Giveaway!

Hello Fellow Readers, Happy NEW YEAR!

I am delighted to welcome Amy D'Orazio author of "The Best Part of Love", for my first blog post of the year!

Welcome Amy, it is a pleasure to have you here. I have enjoyed following the blog tour thus far, each blog stop has only increased my interest further and had my kindle screaming "read me" every time I glanced in its direction!!. Especially when you read vignettes, like the one you are kindly sharing with us today!

Book Blurb:

Avoiding the truth does not change the truth

When Fitzwilliam Darcy meets Miss Elizabeth Bennet he has no idea that she — that indeed, the entire town of Meryton — harbors a secret. Miss Elizabeth, a simply country girl from a humble estate, manages to capture first his fascination and then his heart without him ever knowing the truth of her past.

When she meets Darcy, Elizabeth had spent the two years prior hiding from the men who killed her beloved first husband. Feeling herself destroyed by love, Elizabeth has no intention of loving again, certainly not with the haughty man who could do nothing but offend her in Hertfordshire.

In London, Elizabeth surprises herself by finding in Darcy a friend; even greater is her surprise to find herself gradually coming to love him and even accepting an offer of marriage from him. Newly married, they are just beginning to settle into their happily ever after when a condemned man on his way to the gallows divulges a shattering truth, a secret that contradicts everything Elizabeth thought she knew about the tragic circumstances of her first marriage. Against the advice of everyone who loves her, including Darcy, Elizabeth begins to ask questions. But will what they learn destroy them both?

Vignette ~

“We meet again, Lady Courtenay.” Mr. Darcy bowed. “May I have the honour of—”

“Joining me?” Elizabeth gave him a sidelong glance. “I could not dare refuse you, sir.”

He drew back. “I beg your pardon?”

Elizabeth repressed her grin wondering if it was cruel of her to enjoy teasing him so, particularly when, ofttimes, he seemed rather bewildered by what to make of it. 

“Only think, Mr. Darcy, all these many lanes, the acres and acres of park land… and yet somehow we have managed to meet one another each of these three days past. Extraordinary, is it not?”

Mr. Darcy stood silent and still with one hand resting comfortably on his walking stick and the other by his side. He would have been the picture of sedateness, but his ears betrayed him, turning a delightful shade of mortified crimson. 

“How can one account for such a concurrence of whims and undertakings? There are only two explanations I could contrive.”

He spoke carefully. “I should be delighted to know them, I am sure.”

“If one of us had hoped to avoid the other, then I must presume it is all the perverseness of mischance which keeps throwing us in each other’s way. But I am not trying to avoid you. I do hope you are not trying to avoid me?”

Mr. Darcy, who seemed to have perceived the light humour in her tone, conceded a faint smile to her. “Of course not.”

“Then I must attribute these unlikely meetings to fate. In either case, I should not dare to disoblige whatever forces keep contriving to unite us.”

“It is excessively unwise to disoblige mystical forces.” After a moment’s hesitation, Mr. Darcy added, “Perhaps, to be perfectly obliging, you should take my arm.”

“Of course,” she agreed. They set off into the feeble but burgeoning warmth of the spring morning, the weather an apt metaphor for the strange feeling Elizabeth found within her heart. His society was not unwelcome, she realised. A surprise, for in truth, Elizabeth prized the solitude of her rambles as much as she prized the ramble itself. But here, at Rosings — well, she rather liked having him along. Indeed, she almost would say she preferred it. 

With that understanding came a bit of guilt for how she had teased him. He had clearly expended some effort in learning her planned course — she had varied it over these last three days and yet somehow he found her every time. She should not tease him for it. 

“Shall we have some conversation, my lady?” He had noticed her reverie. 

“We shall — but first I must beg your pardon.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

She smiled up at him. “I fear my teasing might imply distaste for our present arrangement.”

He stared straight ahead. “I do hope you would tell me if I was intruding on your pleasure.”“No.” She squeezed his arm, making him look at her. “Truly, no. I am glad you are with me.”

She watched, with odd delight as his ears again told his secrets. “You are always welcome to join me, Mr. Darcy.”

Lightly, he said, “I pray you speak in earnest, Madam, for I do find a great deal of enjoyment in these outings.”

“Then it is settled,” she said. “For whatever forces have begun this — be it fate or the perverseness of mischance — we shall continue it on our own inclinations.”

Thank you for sharing Amy! Was not that, a lovely little scene? Wouldn't you like to read what inspired it? Amy D'Orazio is kindly giving readers the opportunity to win one of eight copies! I would also like to thank Janet at More Agreeably Engaged for helping to bring this blog tour to fruition.

Terms and Conditions:

Readers may enter the drawing by tweeting once a day and daily commenting on a blog post that has a giveaway attached for the tour. Entrants should provide the name of the blog where they commented (which will be verified).

Tweet and comment once daily to earn extra entries. 

Each winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter. Paperback or ebook format will be randomly selected for each winner as well. 

**NOTE: Paperback copies are available for continental US winners! Ebook copies are available for all winners, including international winners! If more international winners are randomly chosen than the 4 allotted ebooks, then that will decrease the number of paperbacks. 8 books will be given away to 8 different winners.**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule:

  
  6 Jan My Jane Austen Book Club; Guest Post, Excerpt, Giveaway

  7 Jan Just Jane 1813; Review

  8 Jan Babblings of a Bookworm; Vignette, Giveaway

  9 Jan Every Savage Can Dance; Guest Post, Excerpt, Giveaway

10 Jan Tomorrow is Another Day; Review

11 Jan Savvy Verse & Wit; Character Interview, Giveaway

12 Jan Half Agony, Half Hope; Review

13 Jan Austenesque Reviews; Vignette, Giveaway

14 Jan Darcyholic Diversions; Author Interview, Giveaway

15 Jan Delighted Reader; Review

16 Jan From Pemberley to Milton; Review  

17 Jan A Covent Garden Gilflurt’s Guide to Life; Guest Post   

18 Jan Obsessed with Mr. Darcy; Review

19 Jan My Kids Led Me Back to Pride & Prejudice; Vignette, Giveaway  

20 Jan Diary of an Eccentric; Review

21 Jan More Agreeably Engaged; Vignette, Giveaway

Author Bio:

Amy D’Orazio is a former breast cancer researcher and current stay at home mom who is addicted to Austen and Starbucks in about equal measures. While she adores Mr. Darcy, she is married to Mr. Bingley and their Pemberley is in Pittsburgh PA.

She has two daughters who are devoted to sports which require long practices and began writing her own stories as a way to pass the time she spent sitting in the lobbies of various gyms and studios. She is a firm believer that all stories should have long looks, stolen kisses and happily ever afters. Like her favorite heroine, she dearly loves a laugh and considers herself an excellent walker. 

Where you can find Amy

Website     

Goodreads Author Page  

Facebook: Amy D’Orazio

Twitter  

Instagram: amydorazio

Pinterest    

As always, I delight in hearing your thoughts!