Juli D. Revezzo, author of the Lost Slipper Society series and more

Here’s the next snippet from my newly-released historical romance novel, LETTERS TO ELLIE (The Lost Slipper Society, book two):

Eloise drooped. “Does it matter if he doesn’t love me enough to write?”

“I’m sure that’s not it.” Sarah patted her shoulder. “Perhaps Lord Bondry wants to surprise you, and come on Valentine’s Day.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think, my friend?”

“You think he wishes to propose on Valentine’s Day?” Irene placed her hand on her heart. “He’s a true romantic, Eloise. You’re so lucky.”

She sighed and tucked the letter into her skirt pocket. Don’t forget to write him back before you go to bed. “I am.”

**

Stephen still hadn’t yet answered. So Eloise wrote him another letter on New Year’s Day, and the next week and the next for the entire month.

February 1892:

Stephen,

Is all well? When are you coming to town? Mother is

already making plans for the Season. Come soon, and help me fend for my life—well, my future, at any rate. I can’t save the first dance for you if you’re not here.

Eloise.

Sarah was right; he may just be planning to arrive any day.

The front door opened and Eloise put down her pen.

Was that Klondike? Or one of her family? The mail should be here by now, so she hoped for the former and exited her room to stand at the top of the stairs for a moment. A flutter of navy blue coat disappeared into the parlor.

Down the stairs in a flash, Eloise found her father’s valet handing a bundle of letters to her mother. She stood at the window, tall, with her dark hair unblemished with gray, a tiny bow holding the end of her braid. She brushed one loose tendril away from her blue eyes with an elegant hand.

With hope in her heart, Eloise gained her mother’s side. “Anything for me, Mama?”

Tall, debonair Klondike bowed to her as she passed, said, “Good morning, miss,” and exited.

Her mother flipped through the envelopes. “There’s one here from Miss Jensen on Bond Street.”

“Anything else?” Eloise pocketed the letter.

“Let me see.” Her mother shuffled another few aside. “No, nothing dear.”

“Oh.” She drooped and stepped away. “Thank you, Mother.”

Tears prickled her eyes as she returned to her room. When will Stephen write?

Eloise grew ever more worried about Stephen. Spring turned to summer, turned to autumn. Still no letter from Stephen arrived. Had he forgotten her? Eloise wrote another letter, and received no answer. Still she wrote to him on into the winter, each one, trying to phrase them normally. She didn’t want to sound desperate.

Christmas approached. Eloise found in it no joy, even though she attended parties and visited friends every day. In Sarah’s parlor, usually a pleasant earth-toned room, the servants draped silver and gold ornaments everywhere. “Surely he would send some note now.” “He’d better,” Sarah said, “or I’ll thump him, myself.”

Will Sarah get a chance to thump him, or will the Baron make good? You’ll have to read Letters to Ellie to find out!

The synopsis is as follows:

London debutant Eloise fell in love with a foreign baron who returned to Luxembourg far too soon. Unfortunately, her heart is broken when their correspondence suddenly breaks off.
After a lowly maid, Ellie, begins receiving love letters from the Luxembourg baron, she doesn’t know what to think. She is so distracted by the possibilities, she cannot see a dear neighbor’s heartfelt devotion.
When the misdirected letters are discovered at long last, will either Ellie or Eloise find happiness–or has fate dealt them both a cruel blow?

Letters to Ellie is now available at the links below:

Or get the paperback at Barnes and Noble, if you prefer.

If you enjoy it, this is just the second book in the series. You might also like book one, A Waltz Before Midnight. Find both of them here.