This shy Cinderella will go to the ballโฆbut will she end the night in the billionaireโs arms? Harlequin Presents author Clare Connelly enchants with this passionate and uplifting romance.
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Cinderellaโs Night in Venice
by Clare Connelly
Price: Ebook $3.99 USD / MMP $5.25
On sale date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 9781335403605
Blurb:
The most infuriating man sheโs ever met.
The only man sheโs ever wantedโฆ
When Ares Lykaios insists that Bea Jones accompany him to a gala, she wants to refuseโif just to put the arrogant Greek in his place. Yet Ares is as gorgeous as he is commanding, and she can hardly say no to her PR firmโs biggest client.
Bea is shy, awkwardโฆand breathtaking in a ball gown. And one kiss proves her desire matches Aresโs own. So after the opportunity arises to finish what they started in Venice, resisting becomes the ultimate test of his strict self-control!
From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.
Signed, SealedโฆSeduced
Book 1:ย Ways to Ruin a Royal Reputationย by Dani Collins
Book 2:ย Cinderellaโs Night in Veniceย by Clare Connelly
Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335403605_cinderellas-night-in-venice.htm
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781335404084
Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=9781335403605&tag=hcg-02-20
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Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/cinderellas-night-in-venice/id1532219845
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Clare_Connelly_Cinderella_s_Night_in_Venice?id=7Kb9DwAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cinderella-s-night-in-venice
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Excerpt:
โOh, my God.โ Bea stared at the fast-spreading blob of coffee with a look of sheer mortification on her dainty features. โIโm so sorry. I didnโt see you.โย
The manโat least, he looked part-man, yet he was also part-warrior, all broad shoulders, lean muscle and hard-edged faceโstared at her with surprise first, and then displeasure. โEvidently.โย
โPlease, let meโโ She cast an eye around for some- thingโanythingโshe could use to mop up the manโs shirt, which now bore the marks of her early evening energy boost. โI just made it. It must be hot. Does it hurt?โย
โIโll live.โย
She grimaced, looking around the office, but it was past six and almost everyone had left. โLet me just grabโโ She plucked a tissue from a box on a nearby desk, lifting it to his shirt and wiping furiously, all the colour draining from her face when she realised she was only making it worse. Little white caterpillars of tissue detritus were sticking to the coffee stain, damaging the obviously expensive shirt even more.ย
His fingers curled around her wrist, arresting her progress, and warmth enveloped her out of nowhere, shocking her into looking up into his face properly for the first time. At five foot ten she generally found she was almost at eye level with most men but not this guy. He stood a good few inches above her, at least six foot two, she guessed.ย
There was something familiar about him, though she was sure theyโd never met. Sheโd definitely have remembered him. His face was angular and strong, like his body, a square jaw covered in dark facial hairโnot a look that was cultivated or painstakingly trendy so much as a fast-growing five oโclock shadow. His lips were curved and bracketed on either side by a deep groove, like parentheses in his face, his cheekbones were prominent and his brows were thick and dark, framing his grey eyes in a way that turned the already spectacular specimens into works of art.ย
Her breath caught in her throat and she pulled at her hand on autopilot, a familiar instinct to deny anything approaching closeness marking her actions, her lips twisting in a silent gesture of rejection and simultaneous apology. โNaturally the London Connection will cover the dry-cleaning fees,โ she offered, her cheeks growing hot under his continued inspection.ย
He held up a hand in a gesture of silence.ย
Bea swallowed, taking a step back. โI didnโt see you.โ Quit talking, Captain Obvious, she derided. It was a tendency sheโd worked hard to curbโspeaking when nervous was a girlhood habit sheโd kicked long ago. Or thought she had.ย
โWhere is Clare?โย
โClare?โ Bea parroted with a frown, flicking a glance at her wristwatch to be sure she had the time right. Was her friend and founder of the London Connectionโa woman who was as well-regarded for her business nous as she was for being notoriously disinterested in romance and relationshipsโdating this guy? She hadnโt mentioned anything, but something had been different with Clare recently. Perhaps this explained it?ย
โClare Robertsโabout this tall, dark brown hair? Given that you work here, I imagine youโve heard of her?โย
Beaโs eyes narrowed at his tone, which was innately condescending. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell the man that not only had she heard of Clare, but theyโd gone through almost every major event in their lives, along with Amy Miller, side by side together. The three amigos, from way back.ย
โWe had a meeting and I do not appreciate having my time wasted.โย
โOh.โ She grimaced; the oversight was unprofessional and unexpected. โSheโs not here.โย
โShe must be.โ His nostrils flared as he exhaled a deep breath. โPlease go and find her.โย
โFind her?โ Bea felt like a parrot, but her senses were in overdrive.ย
โYou know, walk through the office until you dis- cover where exactly she is?โ He spoke slowly, as though Bea was having difficulty comprehending what he was saying, when his English was perfect, albeit tinged with a spicy, exotic accent that was doing funny things to her pulse points.ย
Old feelings of inadequacy were stealing through her, making her stomach swirl with a very familiar sense of unease. She tried to banish it, forcing a tight smile to her face. โClare was called away on urgent business,โ Bea explained, a pinprick of worry at her friendโs inexplicable and urgent departure pulling at her. โIs there anything I can help you with, Mr…?โ She let her question hover in the air, allowing him time to offer a name.ย
His brows knitted together, and every cell in his body exuded impatience. โYou must be mistaken. This meeting has been scheduled for weeks. I flew in this after- noon for this specific purpose.โย
Beaโs eyes opened wide. If that was true, then theyโd bungled somethingโbadlyโand that ran contrary to every instinct she possessed. โOh.โย
โYes,โ he clipped, crossing his arms over his chest and glaringโthere was really no other way to describe his expressionโat her across the space. The air between them seemed to grow thick with a tension that made Bea feel as though she was continually cresting over the high point of a roller coaster. She dug the finger- nails of one hand into her palm, forcing her expression to remain neutral with effort.ย
โAs I said, something urgent came up, otherwise I know Clare wouldnโt have left you in the lurch.โ She waved a hand in the direction of Clareโs office, the lights off, door closed. โIf you give me a moment, I can try to get in contact with her, or log into her calendar and see ifโโย
He scowled fiercely. โThis is completely unacceptable.โย
Bea hesitated, unprepared for this manโs obvious frustration. When he was cross, like this, his accent grew thicker, more mysterious and honeyed.ย
โI do not have time to be messed around, nor to accept excuses from some secretary or cleaner or what- ever the hell you are. Iโve worked with Clare a long time, but this isโโย
Bea felt as though she were drowning. Sheโd only been with the London Connection for a few months but she knew what this company meant to her friends. Not to mention what it meant to her! This PR firm was important to all of them and, whoever this man was, she didnโt want to have a disgruntled client on her hands.ย
โYes, very disappointing,โ Bea inserted, belatedly remembering that while she was relatively new to the firm she was also the head of the legal department, having been recruited across from her senior partner role in a top tier City firm. She wasnโt accustomed to being spoken to as if she were the dirt on someoneโs shoe. Modulating her voice to project an air of calm authority, she met his eyes straight on, her spine jolting at the clarity of their steel-grey pigment. They were like pewter; she wasnโt sure sheโd ever seen anything like it before. โUnfortunately, standing here firing scorn and derision at me isnโt going to achieve very much, is it?โย
His shock was unmistakable. His eyes widened, flashing with an emotion she couldnโt register, and then his jaw moved as though he was grinding his teeth together.ย
โI am notโโย
She expelled a soft breath as she cut in. โYes, you were, but thatโs okay. I understand youโre disappointed. And I am truly sorry that youโve flown to London fromโโย
He said nothing.ย
She waved a hand through the air. โWherever, only to find Clare not here.โ She turned, moving towards her friendโs office. โYou mentioned that youโve worked with Clare for a long time, so obviously youโre aware how unusual this is. I hope youโre able to overlook this rare mistake.โย
โI am not generally in the habit of forgiving mis- takes, rare or not.โย
A shiver ran down her spine at the steel in his words. She didnโt doubt for a second that he meant what he said. There was an air of implacability about the man that sheโd felt from the minute heโd arrived.ย
Bea had, at first, thought his accent was Italian, but as he spoke more, her appraisal changed. She was almost certain he was from Greeceโone of her favourite places in the world. Sheโd spent a summer there during her degree, and had fallen in love with the sun, the water, the history and, most of all, the anonymity. When she travelled abroad, no one knew Bea as Beatrice Jones, daughter of Rock Legend Ronnie Jones and Supermodel Alice Jones.ย
โThen I hope youโll make an exception just this once,โ she implored as she flicked Clareโs screen to life, typing in her friendโs password quickly. โPlease, have a seat.โย
Heartfelt or thrilling, passionate or upliftingโour romances have it all. Visit TryHarlequin.com to sample FREE books from among 12 different series. Itโs just a taste of the new books published each monthโevery story a journey guaranteed to leave you with That Harlequin Feeling.
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Author Info:
Clare Connelly grew up in a small country town in Australia. Surrounded by rainforests, and rickety old timber houses, magic was thick in the air, and stories and storytelling were a huge part of her childhood.ย
From early on in life, Clare realised her favourite books were romance stories, and read voraciously. Anything from Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, to Mills & Boon and (more recently) the 50 Shades trilogy, Clare is a romance devotee.ย
She first turned her hand to penning a novel at fifteen (if memory serves, it was something about a glamorous fashion model who fell foul of a high-end designer. Sparks flew, clothes flew faster, and love was born.)ย
โIn 2016, Clare Connelly accepted a book deal with Harlequin and now fulfils a life-long dream by writing romance that sets your soul on fire for the brand that the world trusts with its heart.
Website: https://clareconnelly.co.uk
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1160213.Clare_Connelly
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clarewriteslove/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/clarewriteslove
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clarewriteslove/
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