The Au Pair and the Beast

About the Book:

Title: The Au Pair and the Beast
Author: Aurora Russell
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: Veronica’s new job comes with a darling little boy, a Gothic castle and…a beast?

When recently laid-off Francophile Veronica Carson is recommended for an au pair job by the elegant leader of her French conversation group, she isn’t sure what to expect—but a Gothic castle deep in the wilds of Maine is certainly not it. Still, she’s drawn in by her joyful little charge, Jean-Philippe, and even more drawn to his brooding father.

Ruthlessly successful businessman Alain Reynard has loved before and has no wish to repeat the painful experience. The tragedy of his recent past is still fresh in his mind, and he wants nothing to do with his son’s lovely new au pair. Despite his best efforts, though, he can’t seem to get her off his mind.

A passionate romance begins to blossom but is put to the test when painful reminders of Alain’s past return. As ugly rumors swirl, the truths of the past and the present collide. Veronica must decide if Alain really is a beast and, if so, whether she can love him enough to break through the dark memories and secrets that tether him to what once was.

Read and Excerpt

Alain’s look was inscrutable as he spoke to her. “I’m sorry. We’ve really continued to keep a totally French household, so Jean-Philippe hasn’t felt like things have changed much from one home to another, but…there are certain inconsistencies between us and American societal norms.”

Veronica shook her head, feeling bad that this was becoming such a big thing, when really, it was a very normal part of daily French life. It was certainly of no consequence to Alain, so why should it be to her? “Not a problem. I, ah…don’t mind.” She felt her cheeks burn hotter as she realized how that had sounded, so she hastened to explain. “I mean, I got used to being kissed when I was studying in Paris.”

Alain raised one dark eyebrow. He didn’t smile, but his eyes were amused. “Indeed?”

“Not…like that. It’s just that all my friends—older men, younger men, everyone—kissed me,” she stammered. “Women too, of course.”

Now Alain’s lips twitched, and Veronica realized she’d made it even worse.

She took a step closer. “I, ah…just go ahead,” she said, sticking her face forward and closing her eyes. Her heart pounded a deep tattoo in her chest.

She expected a quick, businesslike press of his cheek to each of hers, with an air kiss, but instead she felt his large, warm hands on her shoulders as he slowly kissed one hot cheek, then the other. His lips were incongruously soft. Before he stepped back, he said quietly, “I don’t mind, either.”

TOP 5 Reasons Maine is the Perfect Setting for A Gothic Romance

Hi! First of all, thank you very much for having me as a guest here on The Obsessed Reader! My name is Aurora Russell and I write contemporary romance, usually with at least a hint (or more than a hint!) of mystery. My inspiration for my latest novel, The Au Pair and the Beast, was the idea of a contemporary twist on a class Gothic romance, mixed with a beauty and the beast theme. It’s set mostly along the Maine coast, so I thought it would be fun to list the top 5 reasons why Maine is the perfect setting for a Gothic romance!

Reason 1 ~ It’s HUGE! Well, for New England, anyway. I live in New England, and regularly travel from state to state in a couple of hours or less. However, Maine is bigger than all of the other New England states combined. Even more than its size, though, it’s much less sparsely-populated. Lots more room for long, melancholy walks…unbroken stretches of wilderness. It’s like The Moors of the Northeast.

Reason 2 ~ It has a rich history. Again, I’m speaking as an American here…I know that lots of structures in Europe and elsewhere are older than most of what we have here. However, in the United States, Maine has some of the oldest structures and cities around. All of New England has delightfully aged and sometimes decrepit structures that are hundreds of years old, but in Maine, they seem particularly Gothic because of the smaller amount of people around (see Number 1, above).

Reason 3 ~ The Atlantic Ocean and rocky cliffs. The importance of these naturally Gothic features cannot be understated – the landscape along the coast is simply breathtaking. The first time I stood on the top of a cliff in Maine, on a cold, overcast day, and watched the wind whip the waves so that they were covered in whitecaps – then I felt the cold sea spray touch my cheeks, traces of the waves after jetting hundreds of feet into the air as the churning, dark-green-gray water slammed against the craggy rocks – I was hooked. Like Alain and Veronica, the main characters in The Au Pair and the Beast, I don’t think I will ever get enough of that view. Dark, forbidding, exquisite…and perfect for a Gothic romance.

Reason 4 ~ It’s cold (and sometimes spooky). Okay, obviously, Maine is not cold year-round. In fact, it can get uncomfortably hot and humid in the summer. But it’s often cool, especially at night, and it is regularly colder than the rest of New England. As a transplant from the upper-Midwest, it reminds me of home, especially in the Winter. With all of the cold ocean water, sometimes you get to see heavy fog and mist…deliciously Gothic!

Reason 5 ~ Stephen King. So, I know that Stephen King is a horror writer, but he is also a proud Mainer…and from what I’ve seen, Maine loves him right back. It is almost comical how many times I have been at a restaurant or store in Maine and had the server or proprietor tell me about the recent time that Stephen King stopped in. Also, if the King of Horror chooses to not only live but build a cool estate somewhere, it has to be wonderfully, undeniably dark and moody, right? Who am I to argue with that?

If you’d like to check out The Au Pair and the Beast for yourself:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | First for Romance

About the Author!

Aurora is originally from the frozen tundra of the upper-Midwest (ok, not frozen all the time!) but now loves living in New England with her real-life hero/husband, two wonderfully silly sons, and one of the most extraordinary cats she has ever had the pleasure to meet. But she still goes back to the Midwest to visit, just never in January. She doesn’t remember a time that she didn’t love to read, and has been writing stories since she learned how to hold a pencil. She has always liked the romantic scenes best in every book, story, and movie, so one day she decided to try her hand at writing her own romantic fiction, which changed her life in all the best ways. Find out more about Aurora, upcoming releases, and news at https://aurorarussellauthor.wordpress.com/