Like Feisty Irish Heroines?
Imagine this scenario: a young woman moves
to a new town to work for a family. She is on her own and has to adjust to her
employer’s rules while adapting to life in a new environment. After she arrives,
she discovers the job isn’t exactly what she thought it would be and realizes
she has gotten herself into a troubling situation. All seems lost until she
meets a handsome young man…
This premise could be the basis of any
number of romances: a Victorian-era story about a governess moving to a remote
estate, a contemporary tale about a physical therapist or a teacher relocating
across the country, or, in the case of my historical romance, Dangerous
Indenture, an Irish indentured servant leaving everything behind to start
a new life.
Dangerous Indenture is set in Pennsylvania Colony and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense. Right from the start, readers (and the heroine, Shauna) are warned about Stewart
House: “It’s got more haunts than the Tower of London.”
When I wrote the book, I wanted to evoke a
sense of danger and mystery around every corner. This wasn’t going to be a
typical romance with the hero and heroine from different classes falling in
love and having a forbidden affair. Nope.
The romance is almost a sub-plot of the
book, and when the story begins, finding love is the last thing on Shauna’s
mind. She’s more concerned about doing a good job than getting involved with
Ashton (even if he is handsome).
I liked creating the incredibly
dysfunctional members of the Stewart family. They all have secrets and
practically have dual personalities. Joshua (the patriarch) is a big bear of a
man who comes across as gruff and insensitive, yet at times can be caring.
Colin (Joshua’s son) appears to be a respectable married businessman, but
underneath his proper exterior lurks a dark and dangerous manipulator (among
other things).
Colin’s beleaguered wife, Minerva, is
mentally unstable and trapped in a terrible marriage. Readers and the other
characters in the story aren’t sure if she’s truly mad or not. And she might be
a murderess…
Our hero, Ashton Bailey, is flawed and has
a lot of problems to overcome. For starters, he’s the black sheep of the family
and has been sent home in disgrace. He drinks too much, womanizes too much, and
has nearly given up on life. He’s a failure in his father’s eyes and wants to
redeem himself, but isn’t sure how. Ashton knows Stewart House is a terrible
place and vows to protect Shauna while she’s working there.
This cast of characters and their
interactions (fighting, name-calling, secrets, and lies) carry the plot. Everyone
has an agenda, and readers learn that not everyone is telling the truth… or is
exactly what they seem. Ashton wants to become respectable, Colin wants him disowned,
Minerva wants Shauna gone, Shauna wants to stay out of trouble, and Joshua just
wants some peace.
Writing the twists and turns of the
mystery was a lot of fun. When the new servant, Lila, goes missing in the
middle of the night, Shauna is convinced someone in the house killed her. But
who? Shauna is a clever amateur sleuth, and when she starts to solve the
mystery, she realizes she’s in danger.
I won’t give away any secrets. See if you
can solve the mystery along with Shauna. Here’s the book summary and links:
Ashton needs to redeem himself in his father’s eyes and earn the respect he has always longed for. Meeting Shauna turns his life around, and he sets out to win her heart. Torn between propriety and passion, Shauna struggles against her growing attraction to Ashton as long as she can.
But amidst their flirting, something dark stirs. Shauna soon discovers why no other servants wanted to work for the strange Stewart family.
Stewart House has an unsavory reputation: a previous servant died there under mysterious circumstances. When another servant goes missing in the middle of the night, Shauna is convinced that a member of the family is responsible.
Shauna’s investigation leads her close to the truth, and yet, she’s not sure who she can trust. Events take a deadly turn when she confronts the murderer and discovers the mystery of the Stewart family.
Will Shauna be rescued before time runs out, or will she meet with the same fate as the other servants?
Order your copy here:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3JyROP
Read some excellent reviews
here: https://www.kelliwilkins.com/dangerous-indenture
Happy Reading,
Kelli A. Wilkins
Her latest release, For Love’s Sake, an epic
historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.
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