Dark Heart

by Beth Poppet

A simple, unassuming existence was all he had, and all he ever desired. His intention was to live each day in a succession of contended sameness, until time or he expired. Though a bachelor fisherman, Liam was not lonely, nor was he seeking adventure, but the sea would bring him both excitement and intrusion in the form of a creature only spoken of in legend.

A creature whose presence casts a foreboding shadow on the quiet life he intends.

-x-

The sea is her playground, and men merely toys. All she has known of them is weakness and disaster; lesser beings to prey upon at whim. They easily succumb to her song and her form, for there are no defences in the realm of men to thwart one such as she. When a dark-hearted pirate decides she is the prey, Rivanna must question the very nature of her existence, and the impossibility of him; a man who can withstand her alluring enchantments.

For she is a siren, a seaborn, a survivor.

-x-

His duty is bound to his prince, his heart to his home. For Captain Ashford of the Gondolene Navy, the path has always been clear, his actions irreproachable. When the rescue of a foreign princess raises risks and misgivings by the spades, he must reassess where his heart truly lies, and how strong his sense of duty is when weighed against the stirrings of his desire.

Duty and heart are both put to the test when he discovers his charge is not quite what she seems.

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2018

About the author

Mrs Poppet was born and raised in the California valley, though her delight in English tea, literature, and rainfall lead some to believe otherwise. Immensely grateful for modern comforts and communication, her heart is still captured by the romance of bygone eras, and will rarely scribble anything that isn't primarily a love story.

Her writing proclivities tend toward fairy tale retellings and Jane Austen fan-works, each genre seemingly writing themselves when the inspiration strikes. Mrs Poppet is not affiliated with any Jane Austen fan groups but attempts to do her utmost in preserving the historical and cultural integrity of the characters she takes liberties with.

She currently resides in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, facing the daily challenges of raising no less than three young lads with her veteran husband, and finding the magic in ordinary things. By the Grace of God she remains a Christian of the Tulip variety, and gives all glory to Him for her artistic inspiration. Praise also is due to her dearest friend and editor, Miss Catherine Miller, without whom not a single scribbling of Mrs Poppet's would be properly finished for publication.