Spotlight Tour: Wildwood Spring by Allison Merritt
Wildwood Spring
by
Allison Merritt
Blurb:
When they face their fears, they'll
find the path to love.
No one goes to Wildwood Manor—a
hulking stone house on a hill outside town. Legend has it crazy old
man Wildwood owes his life to the magical water of the spring at the
back of the property. Celia Landry needs that water to save her
mother, and she'll brave anything to get it.
Turner Wildwood, the son of the house's
eccentric builder, is growing as reclusive as his father. When Celia
turns up at his door, he's drawn by her beauty and bravery. Wary of
strangers, he doesn't reveal his identity, but agrees to her request.
When she returns to Wildwood in wake of personal tragedy, he's
waiting there with a stunning change in his heart. He knows he should
tell her the truth, but he doesn't want to ruin their budding
friendship.
Celia's curiosity leads her to part of
the frightening answers hidden behind Wildwood's doors, but her own
troubled past may lead Turner into danger neither of them suspected.
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Excerpt:
"Would you like to dance?"
Mischief sparkled in his blue eyes. "This is one of my favorite
songs. Despite my almost solitary upbringing, dance was part of my
education."
She felt heat scorch her cheeks. "Not
part of mine, I'm afraid."
"I'll teach you." He faced
her, putting one hand on her waist and taking her hand in his. "Do
the opposite of what I do. I'll count."
He counted in fours, moving in time
with the music. Celia stumbled, but after a few moments, she caught
on. Turner led her around the room as they spun in circles. She
laughed, forgetting her worries. It wasn't a ball and they were both
in their nightclothes, but it was as elegant a dance as she could
hope for.
Turner grinned as he pulled her a
little closer. Their bodies came together, fitting perfectly. He
dropped her hand, wrapping both arms around her waist. They stopped
moving, standing in the shadow of the mastodon. Dark blond hair fell
over his forehead, but it didn't hide the desire on his face.
"Turner?"
"Yes, Celia."
Her name was a delicate breath of air,
and he clung to her as though afraid she was a dream. She was too
wide awake to believe that. Her senses seemed sharper than ever. He
smelled of the lemony soap Mrs. Southard used for washing the sheets
and the coffee he'd had at supper. Even in the muted firelight, she
saw him clearly, his golden hair bright as sunbeams, his blue eyes
the color of the sky after a storm.
She'd never been a romantic, knowing
all too well she'd either be a spinster or a housewife too busy with
chores and children to consider stolen kisses. She'd never imagined a
man would want to show her stars, or dance with her around the
skeleton of an ancient beast. These were moments she could cherish
forever, think of when her world came back into focus.
It all had to end.
He lifted his hand to her face, pushing
a strand of hair over her ear. "You look upset."
"I'm grateful." She forced
the words out. "It's not every day I get escorted around a
ballroom."
"You mean it might never happen
again." He looked somber. "You'll return to the kind of
life you led before we met. One where you're often hungry, alone, and
overworked."
She glanced away, hating the truth of
his words. "It isn't that bad."
"Somehow I don't believe you."
He wouldn't, not after the way she'd
reacted to everything he'd shown her in his life. They were from
different places and he could never understand how she'd lived
before. She couldn't explain it without risking his pity.
"You could always stay. I'll find
something for you to do in the manor. Official book reader. In the
evenings you could recount all my favorites and the new ones I don't
have time for."
His breath stirred the hair near her
ear, tickling her skin.
"I think I prefer the title of
cookie sampler. Who wouldn't want to sit in Finny's kitchen all day
tasting the items he draws out of the oven." She pressed her
cheek against his velvet lapel and closed her eyes. "You should
have taken me back to town when you found me at the spring."
"I couldn't do that." There
was the slightest hitch in his voice, as though the idea caused him
pain.
"I'll be ruined for life outside
of Wildwood."
"Good. Then you'll have to come
back."
5 Historical Facts About Eureka
Springs, Arkansas
1. Carrie Nation's home, originally
from Medicine Lodge, Kansas, is in Eureka Springs. There's a spring
across the street named for her. Adamant about putting an end to
drinking and sinning, Carrie was known for breaking up saloons with a
hatchet. However, she opened her home to widows and orphans as a
boardinghouse, charging much less other boardinghouses.
2. The first white “settler” to the
area was Dr. Alvah Jackson, who used water from a spring to cure his
son's eye ailment in 1856. During the Civil War, he ran a cave
hospital for wounded combatants of the Battle of Pea Ridge. The
hospital became known as Rock House and eventually served as a
saloon. After the war, he began promoting the healing qualities of
the water and made money selling “Dr. Jackson's Eye Water”.
3. By 1881, just three years after
being declared an official town in Arkansas, the population boomed
from about 1,000 to 10,000 people. It was the 4th largest
city in Arkansas.
4. The two original streets in Eureka
were Main (often called Mud because it was next to a spring) and
Spring. Over the years, need for improvements forced the city to
build these streets up higher, forcing business owners to move high
as well. This left the original buildings “underground”. You can
go on guided tours through these tunnels and learn more about
Eureka's history.
5. During censuses taking in Eureka
Springs in the 19th century, many women listed themselves
as “laundresses”. In 1880 an ordinance was passed to protect the
springs from people washing clothes in them to keep the water
pure—mostly for the healing properties.
Author bio:
A love of reading turned Allison
Merritt into an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy
romances, often combining the sub-genres. She graduated college with
a B.A. in mass communications that's gathering dust after it was
determined that she's better at writing fluff than hard news.
She lives in a small town in the Ozark
Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she's not writing or
reading, she hikes in national parks and conservation areas.
Social media:
Thanks so much for having me, Ann!
ReplyDeleteYou are so welcome!
DeleteLove your facts--and I learned something new today!
ReplyDeleteAlso, loved your excerpt. I'm a huge fan of yours.
It's a really fascinating place. You'd love it. The Old World feel of it makes it seem like you step back in time. Thanks for coming by, Brenda!
DeleteThis sounds amazing!!!!
ReplyDelete