Today's Wednesday Wonders features
Sophia's Leap-Year Courtship
by Kristin Holt
About Sophia's
Leap-Year Courtship:
Union Pacific Station Agent Chadwick Hughes has everything
in a state of readiness to welcome his mail order bride…everything but the
bride. The woman he’s corresponded with for a year didn’t change her mind or
miss her train in Omaha—she never existed. Chadwick’s mortified to discover
he’s been swindled by a fraudulent matrimonial agency in Chicago. He needs a
lawyer if he’ll ever recover a dime of the fortune he spent on worthless
membership fees and the nonexistent bride’s transportation west.
Sophia Sorensen, Attorney at Law, is a spinster on the edge
of propriety. The good people of Wyoming Territory are open to a lot of things,
including Lady’s Privilege during Leap Years, but some aren’t fond of her
day-to-day behavior. Why, the woman rides her bicycle hither and yon, showing
her petticoat ruffle and ankles. She might be the least ladylike specimen
beneath Wyoming skies, but it’s entertaining to watch her court the U.P.
Station Agent, Chadwick Hughes, the most-eligible bachelor in the county.
Excerpt:
She
leaned near. Immediately, her intentions were clear.
Sophia sought a kiss.
Her attention slipped to his mouth,
lingered. The anticipation of her mouth upon his made his breath catch, his
lungs constrict. Lightheaded, he blinked, tried to slow his breathing.
She brought those heavily lashed eyes up to
meet his. Seeking permission?
Why did she think she needed to ask?
Yes! The answer was always yes—though he
shouldn’t.
If roles were truly reversed, leap-year
style, didn’t
that mean he was obligated to receive her kiss only if he believed their
courtship would end in marriage? Kisses, he believed, were special. A wordless
promise.
Her warm breath caressed his lip, scented
of coffee and almond. Craving, sharp and sweet. He wanted her kiss.
Closer, closer still. Captivating.
His pulse leapt. He shouldn’t, but he couldn’t think
of anything sweeter than falling in love with Sophia.
Sophia’s lips, rose-petal smooth, touched his.
She held perfectly still for the space of one heartbeat, then two.
A soft purr made its way from her throat
and tugged him under.
Wonderful.
The
intimacy felt so right, so good. She broke the kiss. He followed when she would
have retreated, sought another, and another.
So good. So good, it scared the life out of him. How could he fight this?
This connection, this ease, the sheer perfection, the attraction that drew him,
a flying insect to firelight. This, this
was precisely what he’d
wanted when he’d contacted Amour Marital Bureau and proposed marriage, in
writing, to Lina. But Sophia brought so much more than he’d ever dared imagine.
He
kissed her this time, with intent. His hands found her cheeks, the softness of
her hair satin between his fingers. Something inside him loosened for the sheer
joy of having her in his arms, in his home, in his life.
Five kisses became ten. He lost count.
Better yet, he lost himself in her scent and her warmth and acceptance.
She eased back, and he let her go.
How would he make this work? “Unchartered territory.
I’ve run off the end of the track.”
“Of
course this is unchartered territory.” Sophia’s voice was husky. She dragged
her little thumb over his lower lip, sending tingles all the way to his toes.
“Because there’s never been an us before.” She blinked, held her breath, looked him
squarely in the eye. “Don’t misunderstand me, Chadwick. Just so you know, I’m
courting you. Well and truly courting you. I’m claiming my Leap-Year Privilege
in every sense of the word. I have just over one month to win you.”
He ought to be terrorized.
Instead, agreement swelled, choking him
with something so close to love. He wanted this woman…and she’d just said,
plain as day, that she wanted him.
How had that miracle come about?
“This
is where you respond,” she said after a long moment when all he could do was
smile. “Something along the lines of, ‘I’m honored,’ or, ‘I’m sure my father
would be pleased, were he here to ask permission of.’” She chuckled, and he
heard the nervous undertones.
He couldn’t reject her.
Not now. Not after those kisses and the
vibrancy in his life these past weeks. When had he ever felt more alive? More
whole?
He loved
leap year.
“Thank
you, Miss Sorensen. I’m honored. I’m the luckiest fellow in all of Wyoming
Territory.”
Book Review for Sophia’s Leap Year Courtship:
This
delightful western romance dealt with two issues of the day. First, Sophia had
trained to become a lawyer at a time when society frowned on women entering
professions they considered appropriate only for men. She had read for the law
with her uncle, then struggled against and overcome those who would have kept
her from being admitted to the bar. She moved to Wyoming, a state Still, once
she set up her business, there was the issue of being seen as a competent
professional and getting clients so she could earn a living before her savings
ran out.
The
second issue dealt with fraudulent mail order bride agencies. Such schemes—advertising
to connect couples for a fee, but having nothing come of the agreement after
the money was collected from the groom. It was a prevalent scam of the era.
It
was this issue that brought Sophia and Chadwick, a Union Pacific Station Agent,
together. As she helped him with his legal issue, they discovered each had
traits that complemented each other in ways that each could be themselves. Then
mutual friends encouraged Sophia to take advantage of a tradition widely practiced
back east in the 1800’s during leap years. It was acceptable for women to turn
the tables and pursue a romance with men of their choice. Not only did others
in the community benefit from their efforts, it was fun to read how Sophia
courted Chadwick.
This
book is well-written, a delight to read and had a satisfying ending. Those who
love historical western romance set in the Victorian era will love it.
You may purchase Sophie's Leap Year Courtship by CLICKING HERE.
About Kristin Holt
USA Today Bestselling Author
I write
frequent articles (or view recent posts
easily on my Home Page, scroll down) about the nineteenth
century American West–every subject of possible interest to readers, amateur historians, authors…as all of these tidbits surfaced while researching
for my books. I also blog monthly at Sweet Romance Reads,
Sweet Americana Sweethearts,
and Romancing the Genres.
I love to hear from readers! Please drop me a note. Or find me on Facebook.
Thank you, Robyn, for hosting SOPHIA'S LEAP-YEAR COURTSHIP on your blog today. Your kind review makes me smile--and is so very welcome. Thanks!
ReplyDelete~ Kristin