This is my runaway bride story and I’ve always wanted to write one. Although it’s a book I’ve wanted to write for a long time you have to wait until you come up with the right plot. In many such plots the bride is a somewhat selfish being who leaves some unfortunate male languishing in the church because she hasn’t got the guts to tell him that the wedding is off. Well, I wanted a bride with a proper reason to take to her heels and a bridegroom we didn’t mind being abandoned at the altar.

Ruy Valiente is a banker leading a double life and a male with many deep family secrets. Suzy is a publican’s daughter on the brink of marrying a man she doesn’t love. The chemistry between my main characters is hotter than hot. Will Ruy abandon his icy control to keep Suzy forever? Will he ever tell her the truth and trust her to believe in him?

And will Suzy accept his colourful past?

UPDATE (April 2021): Suzy and Ruy’s story will be called “The Ring The Spaniard Gave Her“.

Excerpts From the Book

She’s a firecracker

‘She’s a firecracker,’ a male voice commented next to him. ‘A beauty.’

‘Who is she?’ Ruy didn’t know whether or not she was a beauty because her entire performance had taken place in shadow; as if she were part of the backdrop and not the centre of the show, which would definitely be wishful thinking on her part if that had been the intention, he reflected with wry amusement, considering that she was the most eye-catching sight he had enjoyed in a very long time.

‘Suzy Madderton, publican’s daughter, well and truly off the market if you’re interested.’

‘I wasn’t,’ Ruy asserted, unusual colour slashing his high cheekbones because he was shamed by the throb at his groin in a place where children were present, even though in the darkness nobody could have seen or noticed his condition.

‘Heard she’s getting hitched soon and to a golden oldie, not a young chap like yourself…know what I mean,’ the older man imparted. ‘Local businessman, owns half the village…a crying shame her ending up with him!’

Tears of regret

Suzy curled up in a tight ball in her bed, burning tears of regret forcing a passage from beneath her eyelids. Had she realised six months ago just how difficult it would be to marry a man she didn’t love and whom she wasn’t remotely attracted to? No, back then, she’d had no real idea of what she was signing up for and now it was too late. She felt trapped but she had agreed to be trapped. Either she told her father the truth and they ended up homeless and broke or she married Percy. Percy, who was suddenly getting rough with her, which frightened her more than she wanted to admit.