Book Spotlight: A Waltz Before Midnight by Juli D. Revezzo

 

Welcome to my book spotlight of A Waltz Before Midnight, a historical romance by Juli D. Revezzo

 

When Cindaria and Mr. Spencer Moreland collide, the collision destroys a precious gift for her ailing sister. Her nasty stepmother won’t purchase another, so Cindaria has no choice. She must agree when Spencer offers to procure it for her, even if it means traveling outside London with him to meet the creator. All Spencer wants is to clear his debt to the infuriating Cindaria, and forget the horrid, no good day he had less grace than an earl’s son should have. Then maybe he can put this girl behind him and find the charming beauty who stole his heart at a recent masked society ball.

If only he had a glass slipper to prove what his heart tells him is true…

Available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVMTP3KX

 

 

Excerpt:

“There’s my coach.” Dorothea nodded to the little boy next to her. “Here, take my chair.”

Cindaria didn’t like the fake innocence of his smile so she picked her sister up again. “What did he do?”

She held up one of her dress’s ribbons. It was tied to one diagonal to it, and that one, further up and tangled in her hair. “Tied this in the queerest way.”

“Oh, how rude of him!” Try as she might, she failed to unloose her sister. “Let me put you down so I can fix this.”

“Quick, as we need to return to our ensemble.”

“Doro, I can’t carry you in that chair position all night. I’ll break my back.”

“That will never do.” A male spoke behind her. “But then, you mustn’t ruin the illusion. What a dilemma.”

Cindaria straightened and turned. A mask of ivory satin covered part of the man’s face but she noted he had a fine mustache and dark hair. Dark stubble graced his chin. Another, half-year might see him with a full beard. “Breaking the illusion, sir, is inevitable.”

“Shush.” Her sister squirmed.

“I’m not to speak. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, I understand.” The man stepped around her, and taking Dorothea’s hand, bowed to her. “Greetings, Princess.”

Cindaria battled with a particularly fussy knot. The gentleman swooped in to lend a hand. “May I offer my assistance?”

They soon set all Dorothea’s ribbons free.

“There now.” He patted Dorothea’s head. “May I see the illusion you refer to?”

“Of course.” Dorothea reached out. “Pick me up, sister.”

Cindaria did so.

“There. What do you think?” Dorothea angled her chin as if she were a princess.

“I see. You picked a fresh pumpkin for your conveyance. It’s only appropriate for Cinderella.”

Cindaria narrowed her eyes at him. “Fresh?”

“Is your pumpkin skilled in the waltz?”

“Me?”

He cocked his head to the side as he studied them. “Yes. May I claim the next dance from you, Miss Pumpkin?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

Dorothea bounced in her arms, fluffing her tulle skirt. “Of course you may, sir. She’d enjoy dancing with you.”

I would? “My ensemble isn’t conducive to dancing, sir.”

“Nevermind he just saw you dancing.” Dorothea eyed her with disdain. “He signed your dance card.”

“He did?” Dorothea offered it to her, and Cindaria angled her head to read, but couldn’t make out his handwritten name. Did it say Mould? Or Moreld? Then she glanced back to him. “Well. I can’t. You see what trouble she got into in my first dance.” Where was Winifred? Oh, there. Dancing with a short, dark-haired fellow.

Dorothea pinched her. “Set me down.”

Cindaria winced but did as she asked. “Again, I’m sorry, sir.”

“If you’re sure.” He didn’t seem inclined to leave. At any rate, Dorothea wouldn’t let the matter drop.

“Don’t be a goose, dance with the fellow!”

“But I can’t leave you.”

“Nonsense.” She wiggled in her chair. Two little girls who approached, took the chairs nearby, and greeted her. “The scamp is gone. I’ll be fine. Won’t I?”

The girls nodded.

Dorothea waved her hand to shoo her sister away. “I’m fine here. Be off.”

The fellow gave her a questioning look, and offered his hand again.

“I’d be honored, sir.” Cindaria straightened her skirt. The waist sagged, but the fellow didn’t seem to notice. Thanking God for that, she took the fellow’s hand, and followed him to the dance floor.

Everything about this ball screamed opulence, but she didn’t dwell in hope. This was only one stranger, and one dance. Not a prince to search the kingdom over wondering who might fit a mysterious glass slipper.

“You dance divinely, Miss Pumpkin.” He stepped past her. “Have we danced together before? Perhaps at Lord Kennedy’s summer fete?”

“I don’t think so, sir.” Her stepsisters had attended; but she didn’t. Dorothea had taken ill from something she’d eaten for lunch that day, and Cindaria stayed to tend to her. But you ate the same thing. Why aren’t you sick? Dorothea had wondered that between spells. Cindaria tried to fire the cook, but Steps nullified the attempt. For a while afterward, Cindaria fed a little of the girl’s food to the cat before every meal. No ill befell the creature. That was, until one of Astra’s potential suitors ran it over trying to impress her. The memory still angered Cindaria.

Maybe her constitution that day was to blame. It hadn’t happened since, after all. “I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t attend the fete.”

“Your evil stepmother locked you in the tower?”

You have the right of it.

“I suspect your faery godmother waited for a more auspicious time. The more to make you breathtaking tonight.”

Breathtaking? Me? In this costume? “You’ve mistaken me for Cinderella, sir. That would be the pretty young lady we left behind with the children.”

“No, I think Cinderella is herself one of tonight’s wallflowers.”

What to say to that? “Let me decipher you, sir, since you’ve taken your turn at me.”

His laugh thrilled her. “By all means. What do you think my story is, Miss Pumpkin?”

 

 

About the author:

Juli D. Revezzo loves fantasy and Celtic mythology and writing stories with all kinds of fantastical elements. She is the author of the Steampunk romances: The Gears, Cogs, and Puppy Dogs series, and Watchmaker’s Heart, as well as the Gaslamp romance, House of Dark Envy, and the historical romances The Camden Girls series, and Lady of the Tarot. She also authors the Antique Magic paranormal series and Celtic Stewards Chronicles series and more. She is also a member of the Independent Author Network and the Magic Appreciation Tour. To learn more about this and future releases, visit her at: https://julidrevezzo.com/

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