Please join me in congratulating Nora Ryell on the publication of her debut historical novel, Distant Hills! I had the pleasure of helping Nora design the cover of this adventurous tale of a woman wrongly convicted of murder and her fight to take back her life. Here's the book description:
Distant Hills is the first in a series of historical novels featuring brainy and feisty women. The novel begins in England in 1734. My heroine, Kate Hardy longs for adventure and escape from the small town she lives in. She thinks her life is dull but she is unaware that malign forces are at work to destroy her life.
Convicted of a murder she did not commit, she is exiled to the exotic island of Jamaica as a prisoner. She believes her life is over, but it is just about to begin. She is rescued from her plight by Marcus Huntley, Earl of Cairnmore. A friend has written to him with the unwanted plea to protect Kate, and at first, Marcus sees this as a burden, but then an audacious idea strikes him that Kate may be the solution to a problem of his own. Marcus makes an outrageous proposal – a marriage of convenience in exchange for his assistance to help prove Kate’s innocence.
What begins as a business arrangement quickly develops into a powerful attraction, but before her life can be complete, Kate must bury the past in order to look to the future. Then an unexpected visitor from England brings amazing news which sends Kate back to England and puts her in great jeopardy. For even though she is now more determined than ever to find a killer and clear her name, the killer is equally determined to remain in the shadows and will do anything to stop Kate.
Distant Hills reminds me of the romances I read and loved while growing up. I enjoyed Harlequin romances by Violet Winspear, Anne Hampson and Margaret Way. Another favourite author was the Australian writer Lucy Walker and I also read everything D.E. Stevenson wrote. I hope you will enjoy this novel in the same way.
Distant Hills is available now in ebook and print editions on Amazon. Visit Nora's website to read an excerpt!
Need a cover designer?
Email me anytime to chat about your project!
jennyq@historicaleditorial.com
