Headstrong Books One and Two by Melanie Rachel - Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I'm welcoming Melanie Rachel back to the blog with her latest Austenesque novels. She's written a three part story, and the first two parts are already available with the third to follow later this month. Unlike Melanie's earlier books, this latest series, Headstrong, is a contemporary story. Let's look at the blurbs of both books, and then you can enjoy an excerpt from book one, Headstrong Book One: Improvise. Melanie has also brought a giveaway for one of you!

Book Description - Headstrong Book One: Improvise

A few months after teaming up with Major Richard Fitzwilliam to thwart a terrorist attack in Europe, USMC Staff Sergeant Elizabeth Bennet is back in the States as a civilian. Her training in cyber-security makes finding work easy, and she’s learning to fit into her new life. But there is lingering fallout both from the attack and her life before it that she's not yet prepared to face. Complicating matters is the major’s handsome cousin.

Co-owner of Darcy Acquisitions, CEO of FORGE, and guardian to his younger sister, Will Darcy is stretched to his limits. When Richard sets up an interview at FORGE for his friend Elizabeth Bennet, Will insults her instead of hiring her. In making amends, Will falls for the witty, troubled Marine with long legs and fine eyes.

Falling in love is easy, but do these two very different people have what it takes to make love last?

Book Description - Headstrong: Book Two: Adapt

The holidays are approaching, and Will Darcy has a lot to be thankful for. His cousin Richard is coming home from the Marines, his sister Georgiana is flying back from university for a visit, and he’s in love with Elizabeth Bennet.

But his well-ordered life is about to be turned on its head.

There's a prank war being waged between Elizabeth and Richard, which might be funny if he weren't constantly caught in the middle. Georgiana's hostility to Elizabeth is puzzling--how can she have it out for somebody she's never met? And just when Elizabeth is starting to trust Will with the truth about her difficult past, someone from his own reappears to cause havoc.

Strange things are happening all around, and Elizabeth seems to be in the middle of it all. Is she involved? A target? Or is she just caught in the crossfire of someone conspiring against his own family?

Excerpt from Headstrong: Book One: Improvise

Melanie has brought us an excerpt from Improvise - here is the first meeting of Elizabeth and Darcy:

* * *

After an early morning meeting on Monday, Will Darcy paused at Wanda’s desk in the outer office and handed her a stack of hard-copy backup files. She passed over a few pages held together by a paperclip.

“What’s this?” he asked, holding it up to look at it.

“Elizabeth Bennet’s résumé,” Wanda said.

Will cocked his head at her, mystified, and Wanda rolled her eyes.

“The candidate Mr. Fitzwilliam recommended for an interview.”

Will was annoyed. He’d spent the rest of the weekend irritated with Richard, who hadn’t been available to talk, and had taken out his frustration on a heavy bag in the gym. That was followed by trying and failing to get in touch with Georgiana. His trainer had worked him hard this morning, but it wasn’t enough.

He was in no mood to do his cousin a favor, particularly if that included hiring or even interviewing someone who had no corporate experience. He had tried to speak to Richard again, but his cousin wasn’t answering his phone. Will left a voicemail and several texts before he finally gave up. Well, he wasn’t about to just cave in to Richard’s demands. He didn’t tell Richard how to do his job.

*****

Elizabeth was sitting in Mr. Darcy’s office. It was all clean lines with light blue-gray walls and white trim. There was a large window overlooking midtown Manhattan that let in a good deal of natural light. There were a few paintings and a large Japanese scroll that hung directly across from the large desk. She wondered what it said. Richard would know.

Eventually, she heard voices in the outer office, where Ms. Soames, Mr. Darcy’s assistant, had her desk. Elizabeth turned toward the sound. As she quickly ran her hands down her skirt to smooth out any wrinkles, she caught her first look of him through the doorway. Whoa.

The CEO was much younger than she had expected, thirty or even a bit younger. His hair was a few shades darker than her own, cut short and neat. When he straightened, she could see he was tall, at least 6’2” if not a bit more, and fit. His jawline was strong, which she found immensely appealing. Stop it, Bennet, she told herself sternly. You’re here to interview, not get a date. She thought she might have to thank Richard, though. I guess it wouldn’t be such a punishment to work here.

Then he opened his mouth and spoke.

*****

“This isn’t a charity,” Will announced loudly, exasperated. He pulled out his phone and checked his calendar. Yes, there was the interview. It must be new. Wanda’s eyes widened, and she shook her head, but he didn’t want to argue. He was still angry with his cousin and let it all come pouring out. “I don’t have time to interview Richard’s ex-Marine girlfriends or cast-offs or whatever, when they have no qualifications and nowhere else to go.”

“Mr. Darcy,” Wanda hissed. She had an expression of annoyed disbelief on her face, and he finally suspected he was in trouble. With an almost exaggerated slowness, she lifted her eyebrows tilted her head slightly in the direction of his office. Shit. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them and turning to face the music.

There, in the entry to the inner office, was—he checked the résumé again—Elizabeth Bennet. She was tall, standing approximately six feet in her two-inch black heels. A thin black belt around her dark green business suit gathered the folds of the suit jacket, accentuating her trim waist. Her chestnut-colored hair was pinned back neatly, leaving the length of it to hang down her back. One strand fell defiantly across her shoulder where the end curled into a lazy ‘C.’  Her pencil skirt was hemmed just at her knees, revealing lean, toned, shapely legs. Athletic and lithe, he thought. All she needed was a suitable hat and she’d have been the very model of a 1940s movie star, minus the garish red lipstick and overly painted face. He blinked before reason reasserted itself. Probably broke and dumb as a rock. Her piercing green eyes were bright with . . . what? Anger? No, that wasn’t it.

“Nothing personal, Ms. Bennet,” Darcy said firmly. His voice was not apologetic, and he struggled to appear impassive in preparation for the outburst of emotion he expected. “It’s just that we don’t offer interviews based entirely upon recommendations from people who are not employed here.”

To his surprise, she seemed entirely unfazed by his comments. In fact, she appeared to be appraising him, her eyes taking him in. If he was reading her expression correctly, her assessment had found him wanting.

*****

Elizabeth was incredibly irritated. This guy is Richard’s cousin?

“I appreciate your honesty, Mr. Darcy,” she said as soon as she could compose herself. I am going to kill Richard. Bought a suit, took the train. I didn’t even want this job.  She arched an eyebrow and spoke, placing a delicate emphasis on certain words. “I would have preferred, however, to be treated as a professional and have you say so to me rather than Ms. Soames.” She returned to the chair to retrieve her computer bag. Too bad he’s an ass, she thought. All those good looks wasted.

As she left his office, she stopped and stared straight into his eyes. “I told Richard I wasn’t comfortable with this. I’m not used to being offered things based on who I know, but he insisted the company needed someone with my programming and cyber-security background, and I suppose he thought my security clearances might prove useful.” She tucked her phone into a holster located on her waist but hidden by the jacket. When she looked up, she noticed her name on the lone document he was holding. It was her résumé.  “Don’t worry. I’ll just tell Richard it wasn’t a good fit.”
She walked up to him and deftly removed her résumé from his hands. “But understand this, Mr. Darcy,” she said, acid in her tone, “I am nobody’s cast-off.”

Elizabeth thanked Ms. Soames, smiled at her, and took three steps toward the door. Mr. Darcy hadn’t moved, so when she turned her head, she was speaking to his right ear. “Oh, just one more thing. There may be inactive or retired Marines, but there are no ex-Marines. Once a Marine, always a Marine.” She offered an icy smile. “Good day, Mr. Darcy.”

Author Bio

Melanie Rachel is a university professor and long time Jane Austen fan. She was born in Southern California, but has lived in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, and Arizona, where she now resides with her family and their freakishly athletic Jack Russell terrier. 

You can connect with Melanie via her Facebook page or website.


Buy Links

The first and second books in this series are available to buy now, both in paperback and ebook. They are also available for Kindle Unlimited.

Headstrong Book One: Improvise - Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf

Headstrong Book Two: Adapt - Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Add to Goodreads shelf

Giveaway Time!

Melanie Rachel is kindly offering a giveaway to accompany this post. The winner can receive their choice of book one or book two from this series in ebook, or in a choice of ebook/paperback if they are US-based. To enter, please leave a comment on this blog post by the end of the day on Sunday 8 December.

I love to read your comments, but a few blog visitors have reported difficulties in commenting while using the Safari browser. If you are unable to comment, please try using another web browser, such as Google Chrome, or please contact me and I will add your comment for you :)

* * *

If you don’t want to miss any of my future posts, please subscribe:

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

If you'd like to be friends on Goodreads then please invite me - just say that you visit my blog when it asks why you'd like to be friends with me.