Robin & Marian
(Adventurous Romantics #2)
By Stephanie Fowers
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 352 Pages
August 11th 2019
Robin King lives up to the legendary name of Robin Hood more than he should—a bigshot billionaire and successor of King enterprises, a Prince of Mischief and a rogue who steals hearts ... and maybe even a few kisses. He never thought he’d follow the storyline so closely, until the day he gets in trouble with the law and pays the price—all for protecting his younger sister Scarlett.
Taken in by an Outlaw
Marian is a hard-hitting reporter … or would be if the New England Chronicle would stop assigning her puff pieces. Now she has the chance to prove herself, but it could prove her undoing—since the story of a lifetime might just be Robin King, a ruthless scoundrel, who she swore would never break her heart again.
Making New England Olde again
Together, they must overcome their differences to save their hometown from thieves and corruption. And they’d better do it before someone gets killed. As danger lurks closer, legend becomes life, and Robin’s feelings for Marian deepen as he struggles with sharing the secrets that could clear his name and ruin his sister.
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Excerpt
The door ripped open and she came face to face with Robin. Same laughing eyes, same devilish look under hawk-like brows. His dirty-brown hair had curled up in a stylish mess. He’d come straight from her memories—though older and more dashing, like he’d stepped through the glossy covers of those gossip magazines she despised. He was tall and strong, with broad shoulders and an athletic build—a modern day Robin Hood in black t-shirt and faded jeans. And she hated it!
His almond-shaped eyes turned appreciative when he saw her. “Are you new?”
Clearly he hadn’t recognized her. It wasn’t too surprising really—she’d hidden in the back room when the “infamous playboy” had come to visit his sister when they’d been roommates, but before she could explain, he was approaching her. “If it’s all the same to you, Mrs. Koch can’t know what we’re up to.” Marian recognized the name of their housekeeper. Clearly Robin was up to no good if he was hiding his latest mischief from her—never mind that he owned the place now. “I’m so sorry to mix you up in this,” he said, “but we need help cleaning this up.”
And then his hands were on hers. Was this how he treated his staff? Wait. The thought gave her pause. He thought she was the help? Scarlett had compared her to a little French maid. How galling. She was so caught up in her angry thoughts that she’d allowed him to pull her into the entertainment room where she saw the remains of a poker game. Smashed plates and glasses had tumbled from an immense—and broken—china cabinet.
“It’s not as bad as it looks…” Robin’s hand dropped from hers as he attempted to clean up the mess. He looked up at her under heavy lashes. “Honestly, if I’d known how pretty you were, I’d have smashed these sooner.”
She gasped as he winked at her. Robin! Was this really a case of mistaken identity or was he teasing her? “I have half a mind to get Mrs. Koch myself,” she threatened.
He smirked at that. “If you could find a broom first…”
So she could crack it over his head? Not knowing what to do, Marian caught sight of Scarlett’s fiancé. The ends of Alan’s auburn hair fell over a soulful eye as he stared down at a record he had saved from the mess. He’d recognize Marian if he saw her, but he was too caught up in reading the record label. It was a vintage Louis Armstrong vinyl. He turned it over in his sensitive hands.
“Robin, your stepmother is going to kill you,” a deeper voice boomed. “That’s her prized Russian collection.” Turning, Marian saw a giant of a man. She’d know John anywhere, even a decade later. His skin was rich brown, the color of the earth after a storm; his head was buzzed—his facial hair was different from when they were kids, of course—but he’d towered over them back then and now was no different. He was one of those who’d earned his nickname in Robin’s merry band, although no one could get away with calling him “Little John” to his face.
“My nephew is trying to teach me how to make a bull’s eye!” a young voice piped up.
Marian caught sight of a smaller boy of about five years of age. He had a bow in his hand. His small finger pointed to an ugly painting against the wall with several arrows shot through it. They’d been using this room for target practice? How little they thought of the furniture… or of money.
“This is my Uncle Midge,” Robin introduced the child. “Also my godchild.” Yes, Marian remembered hearing about him. The young boy clearly looked up to Robin; he was a miniature of him, actually, with freckles, almond-shaped eyes, and a pointed chin. Robin’s grandfather had remarried a much younger woman, and Midge was the result of their union… before she’d run off with an artist. Come to think of it, was this one of the man’s ugly paintings Scarlett had talked about? She peered at it, but the torn flaps obscured the signature.
Robin ruffled the boy’s hair. “He was not supposed to actually let the arrow go. So there’s that.”
“And who would be the one who gave him the arrow, pray tell?” The final member of Alan’s bachelor party drew forward with dark, sullen looks. He was clean-shaven with black, heavy brows, and his hair was tied up in a hipster topknot. He wore a suit jacket with matching pants and a casual knit shirt. It took Marian a little longer to name him, but then she felt a wave of recognition run through her at his British accent. “But sure,” he said in his haughty tone, “blame the child.”
Ah yes, this was Robin’s cousin, Guy. He’d grown up in England with his mother. She had refused to play along with what she dubbed Richard’s “childish obsession,” and in so doing, unknowingly named him after one of Robin Hood’s greatest villains. It was a source of great teasing amongst his cousins. Just like the others, Marian hadn’t seen him for years.
Yet when he saw her, he hurried to pick up her hand and kiss it. His brown eyes were full of meaning. “What are you doing here with us vile men, Marian? Isn’t Scarlett’s party interesting enough for you?”
Finally, someone hadn’t seen her as the servant. She felt a smile tug at her lips. Guy’s British charm had always been hard to resist. When they’d been younger, her parents had teased the two that they’d arrange their marriage. She was ashamed to admit that that kind of talk had ended after Guy’s parents had lost their fortunes in poor investments.
Looking over at Robin, she shrugged. “Robin always did try to get me into trouble.” She cast him what she hoped was a teasing glance. “Just like old times.” Robin’s shoulders stiffened as he turned to actually look at her. His beautiful hazel eyes took her all in. Marian felt too amused to be angry. His astonished expression made everything worth it.
“Marian?” Robin stretched to his feet to retrieve her hand from Guy. “Why didn’t you say anything?” His gaze swept over her again, including that hateful apron. “My own little Maid Marian?”
Other Books in the Series
In the Pursuit of Eden
(Adventurous Romantics #1)
By Stephanie Fowers
Adult Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 390 Pages
April 1st 2019
Everyone wants to find Eden’s Paradise. Except Ivy.
Ivy is a city girl through and through. So when she follows her twin brother into the forests of the Uintas to make a documentary about looking for a treasure that’s plagued her family for generations, she’s a little out of her element. It's the same treasure that ended her father's life. Add to that her run-ins with the dashing, but infuriating Aiden Hunter. The Southern hottie has rescued her so many times that it’s getting embarrassing. Of course, she’d be more grateful if she didn’t suspect him of putting her in danger in the first place—a danger that keeps growing the closer they get to the truth.
Forced to be allies, the two are thrown into each other’s paths, and she realizes that she has more in common with him than she thought. While Ivy searches for clues in the journal of a wayward saloon girl, Eden, to discover a life that mirrors her own, Hunter fights the demons in a past that seems tangled up in hers. His secrets are hers. The only way to get at the truth is to find an uneasy truce… and maybe something more because Hunter may not be the enemy. In fact, he may be the one who needs rescuing. Now, Ivy has to figure out who she wants by her side, and what she’s willing to give up for love.
After all, Paradise was never meant to be found alone.
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About the Author
Stephanie Fowers loves bringing stories to life, and depending on her latest madcap ideas will do it through written word, song, and/ or film. She absolutely adores Bollywood and bonnet movies; i.e., Jane Austen. Presently, she lives in Salt Lake where she's living the life of the starving artist.
