A Story of Vengeance, Forgiveness, and Love
Considered
useless by his cold-hearted father, Nico Foscari, eldest son of one of the
founding families in Venice,
hides his pain behind gambling, drinking and womanizing.
After
her husband’s untimely demise, Marietta Gatti returns to her hometown of Venice in hopes of
starting a new life and finding the happiness that was missing in her forced
marriage.
When
Fate throws them together, friendship begins to grow into love until Marietta learns a Foscari
family secret that may have cost her father his life. Now, she must choose
between vengeance, forgiveness, and love.
Elizabeth
McKenna’s latest novel takes you back to eighteenth century Carnival, where
lovers meet discreetly, and masks make everyone equal.
Elizabeth
McKenna works as a full-time technical writer/editor for a large software
company. Though her love of books reaches back to her childhood, she had never
read romance novels until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest
bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits
it was the first love scene). She had always wanted to write fiction, so she
combined her love of history, romance and a happy ending to write her debut
novel Cera's Place. Her short story, The Gypsy Casts a Spell, is available for
free on her website http://elizabethmckenna.com/. She hopes you will enjoy her
latest novel, Venice
in the Moonlight, as much as others have enjoyed her previous works.
Elizabeth lives
in Wisconsin with her understanding husband,
two beautiful daughters, and sassy Labrador.
When she isn't writing, working, or being a mom, she's sleeping.
Stalk Elizabeth McKenna
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Nico shrugged in the French wingback chair they had placed
by the fireplace for his portrait. He looked regal in a black silk suit trimmed
in gold and a waistcoat of burgundy and gold leaf-patterned brocade. It seemed
Raul had excellent taste in men’s fashions.
Marietta rolled her eyes before she settled in a chair
behind the easel. “Please keep still while I draw.”
“May I talk?”
“I’d rather you didn’t.” Looking at him was going to be
enough distraction. She didn’t need to listen to him also.
He ignored her request. “I have to ask—why Palladino?”
Marietta blew out an exasperated breath. “I can’t sketch you
properly if you talk.”
“You could have chosen any man at the Consul’s villa.
Casanova himself expressed interest in you, yet you leave with that pig.”
“It’s not what you think.” She compared her drawing to Nico
and frowned. His shoulders were no longer in the same position.
“You didn’t have to suffer the man’s dismal lovemaking. What
were you thinking?”
“We did not make love,” she replied through clenched teeth.
He continued as if not hearing her. “You’re the first woman
in years that he didn’t have to pay, though he would never admit to his need
for courtesans. I just don’t understand how you could find him appealing.”
“We did not make love.” She practically shouted it this
time. “I’m not attracted to Palladino or any other man for that matter.”
This silenced him, gratefully, but only for a few moments.
“Well, in that case, I know of a few courtesans that can accommodate you. I am
told they are quite beautiful and skilled.”
Marietta threw down her charcoal and marched over to him.
She grabbed his shoulders and repositioned him. “That is not what I meant and
you know it.”
He smiled up at her innocently. “I didn’t mean to offend
you, but you have refused my charms, so what should I think?”
She glared at him for her own benefit, knowing it would have
no effect on the man. “You need to stop talking and moving.”
When he didn’t respond, she said, “That’s better.”
He lasted almost fifteen minutes. “So, what kind of man are
you attracted to? Perhaps, I could suggest a few potential lovers.”
“How about one who has fewer conquests than fingers and
toes? Or one that values honesty and fidelity over all else? Do you know any
like that?”
From the thoughtful look on his face, he took this as an
earnest question. “I’m afraid a man like that will be hard to find in Venice,
especially this time of year.”
“Well, then, I guess I’ll have to go without.”
“How depressing. What will you do for amusement if you don’t
take a lover?”
Marietta rubbed at her temples and decided she deserved more
than the coins she’d already been paid. “There’s more to life than pleasuring
oneself.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Signore, really.” She placed her stub of charcoal on
the easel’s tray and rolled the stiffness from her neck and shoulders. “That is
all for today. I have another appointment.” It was a lie, but she felt the need
to rest and the bed in the corner was tempting her tired body.
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