*~Around the World with Kathleen Bittner Roth~*

Title: Portrait of a Forbidden Lady

Author: Kathleen Bittner Roth

Series Name: Those Magnificent Malverns #2

Blurb:
      
England, 1859

Lady Georgiana Cressington is living a nightmare. Coerced by her father into returning to her childhood home, the young window becomes a pawn in another of his heartless games. Her return to Summerfield Hall reunites her with the man she once loved before their hearts were shattered by a devastating betrayal.

Sir Robert Garreck, an artist knighted by the queen, lives in a mansion near the family estate Georgiana’s father won in a crooked card game. Rob sets out to regain Summerfield Hall to keep Georgiana’s son from inheriting Rob’s rightful home. However, when he and Georgiana are thrown together, he craves the forbidden lady he never stopped loving. Facing danger and a long-hidden truth, Georgiana and Rob try to claim the powerful love they once had.

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N
Kobo
iTunes
Entangled
Goodreads

 Excerpt:
“You look especially lovely today.” His deep voice flowed over her like a caress. “I’ve a mind to kiss you again.”
Oh, dear, he’d read her mind. Her cheeks heated. “Don’t tell me you are going to stand in the middle of Charingham and flirt outrageously whilst everyone in the village looks on.”   
He stood straight and tall, his hands clasped behind his back. While his eyes danced with merriment, there was no mistaking the fire banked in them as, once again, he openly studied her every movement. He leaned to her ear, his words a sensuous whisper. “Madam, I do not consider my frank confession to be an exercise in flirting, but if it will get me that kiss, then I shall commence with the task at once.”
“You are outrageous.”
“Indeed, and I thank you for noticing.”

 TOP TEN THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT CROATIA

1.    Beautiful Opatija, Croatia, where I lived for four years, was built up as a spa town in the 1800’s by Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, for his lovely wife, Empress Elizabeth. Grand, baroque-style villas painted bright Italian colors line the town’s streets and dot miles and miles of dazzling coastline. The area is breathtaking with emerald green mountains that slope gently down to meet the pristine waters of the Adriatic, and where rosemary and lavender grow so profusely, the cities landscape the towns and fill the air with their fragrance.

While residing there, I had to have knee surgery followed by three weeks of rehabilitation. My physical therapy took place in a lovely villa situated on a hill overlooking the sea. This elaborate spa-hospital had been built in the 1800s for Franz Joseph. It has an indoor Olympic size swimming pool filled with salt water piped in from the sea. Being massaged while gazing out a floor-to-ceiling window at the sea view provided me with some wonderful memories long after the pain disappeared.

2.    The Adriatic along the coast of Croatia is considered the cleanest body of salt water in the world (because of the action of the tides, the opposite shore which is Italy, is not so clean). Unlike the Mediterranean, the Adriatic is relatively calm, and with very little wave action. The country has over four thousand kilometers of coastline, counting its many beautiful islands. The water is so crystal clear there are places where it appears as though you could touch the bottom of the sea using only your fingertips when in fact, the depth might be thirty feet!

3.    All of Croatia once belonged to the wealthy Venetians. The streets of Rovijn in Northern Croatia are still lined with Roman Marble while a stone Venetian lion overlooks the town square. When we traveled around the countryside, we would often stumble upon old churches and public buildings that were still standing from that era. We happened upon one building in a small village along the coast that contained a twelfth century church. Inside, we found significant markings exclusive to the Knights Templar. Sacred codes painted on the heavy wooden beams on the ceiling indicated the building was a “temple safe house” for the knights. 

4.    The most popular Croatian Tourist destination is Dubrovnik, located at the far end of the country. However, if you’re ever inclined to visit this beautiful country, do not miss the northern area. All along the Adriatic, the mountains reach the sea. Where they are emerald green up north, in Dubrovnik, the brown hills are completely void of trees. Centuries ago, the Venetians had a mighty Navy, their ships constructed of wood. In order to keep the northern mountainous coastline a stunning emerald green, they traveled down to Dubrovnik, where they cut down the trees from the mountain to build their ships. With no roots to hold the soil in place, the silt ran into the sea, and the hills have been bare ever since.

5.    Something the Croatians won’t waste any time telling an American is that the limestone columns decorating the White House came from the island of Brač in 1824.

6.    There is a Roman Coliseum along the sea in Pula that still serves as a concert venue. I saw the group Il Divo perform there in 2008. Their final song, Amazing Grace, accompanied by bagpipes while the fog rolled in, was one of the most spectacular memories of my four years living in Croatia. Legend has it the Romans wanted to take apart the Coliseum stone by stone and ship it back to Italy, but they ran out of time.

 
7.    Plitvice Lakes (pronounced Plit vit see) is a hauntingly mystical area that is purposely not promoted much in the U.S. because the Croatians don’t want it overrun with tourists and ruined.

8.    If you were to walk into even the smallest grocery store in Croatia, you would find a curious variety of olive oils. Olive trees grow well here, and Croatians are very fussy about their olive oils. Each area of the country touts its own brand as being the best. I never thought I would become an olive oil highbrow, but after living in Croatia and being around the fussy Croatians, I’ve ended up being rather particular about my olive oil (if it’s any good measure of the healthy eating there, between the fresh sea food, pesticide-free fruits and veggies, and the lean grilled lamb and pork, my bad cholesterol dropped while my good cholesterol increased). The small town of Tar enjoys a microclimate that is perfect for producing fine tasting olives. To this day, the Vatican gets its olive oil from Tar.

9.    While France is famous for its expensive truffles and shouts it to the world, Croatia has its own secret stash of subterranean fungi. These truffles are far less expensive, yet taste the same. Step into any restaurant in any little village and you will find pasta with gorgonzola cream sauce and truffles on the menu.

10.    Genius inventor, physicist, engineer and futurist Nikolai Tesla (July 1856 – January 1943) was born in Smiljan, Croatia, when it was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He lived for a time in Opatija not far from where I lived, and also in Karlovac, a town near Opatija where we used to frequent a Croatian restaurant that served typical Croatian food of grilled meats, sheep cheeses, grilled vegetables, and fresh fish caught that day. 

Author Bio:

Kathleen Bittner Roth creates passionate stories featuring characters faced with difficult choices, and who are forced to draw on their strength of spirit to overcome adversity and find unending love.

Her own fairy tale wedding in a Scottish castle led her to her current residence in Budapest, Hungary, considered one of Europe’s most romantic cities. However, she still keeps one boot firmly in Texas and the other in her home state of Minnesota.

A member of Romance Writers of America, she was a 2012 Golden Heart finalist.

Author Links:

Website: http://kathleenbittnerroth.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/K_BittnerRoth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kathleen.bittnerroth.author/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/KaylieNewell
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bittnerroth/
Newsletter: http://kaylienewell.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=6f33e8187be45f4a3ed95b464&id=79826eed7a#_=_