by Luis, Maria
“Oh, my God,” Isla whispers. “Oh, my God.”
I ring Damien without thought, and he picks up immediately. I hear him panting as though he’s running.
“Tell me Clarke got her out,” I bark into the phone, the first thing I say. “Tell me you’ve heard from—”
“She’s stuck inside, Saxon. The entire palace is on fucking fire and she’s stuck inside.”
My ass hits the edge of the sofa as I stumble backward, my eyes rooted to the morose image of stampeding feet on the television and the abject screams filling the quiet space of my safehouse, and the knowledge that whoever did this had it planned.
I see nothing but flames, feel nothing but horror, and hear my hoarse voice rasp only one thing:
“Long live the queen.”
To be continued…
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Sound of Madness (Book 2 of the Broken Crown Trilogy) is coming on July 30th. Damien will meet his match, and life as the Priests know it will shatter forever. You can pre-order by tapping here.
Need to talk all things Road To Fire? Come find the Spoiler Group on Facebook or join Book Boyfriends Anonymous, my personal reader group!
And before you go! Are you not ready to leave the Broken Crown world just yet? I’ve written a short story prequel about the first Godwin who saved Prince Robert, back in the Second Boer War. More shocking twists await you! Start reading it here!
What To Read Next
Did you love the Broken Crown world? Do you want more murder and mayhem and steaminess? Then you don’t want to miss my Blood Duet, which features an anti-hero (who is the hot cop of our dreams) and the unabashed heroine who will bring him to his knees.
Download Sworn (Book 1) in the Blood Duet for Free with Kindle Unlimited.
Dear Fabulous Reader
Hi there! I so hope you enjoyed Road To Fire, and if you are new to my books, welcome to the family!
In the back of all my books, I love to include a Dear Fabulous Reader section that talks about which locations from the book can be visited in real life or what sparked my inspiration for a particular plot point. (I like to think of it as the Extras on DVD’s, LOL).
As always, we’ll hit it up bullet-point style—enjoy!
You might be wondering: “Where in the world did you come up with this series, Maria?” Four words: AMC’s Turn: Washington’s Spies. To say that I’m obsessed with the show is a grave understatement—I’ve watched all four seasons at least three times through. But in watching it, I began to think, what if Britain hadn’t lost the war? What if America never became what it is today? After some heavy pondering, I realized it might be difficult to suspend one’s disbelief of a modern-day America still fighting for its freedom. England, however, was the perfect landscape for such a series. I never once looked back—although I did consider writing an Author Disclaimer, which would have only said, “Queen Elizabeth II was not harmed in the making of this book.”
In my pre-author life, I was a medieval historian. Pretty much, I’m that nerd who thinks translating Old English is fun—Mr. Luis regularly questions my “fun” meter, to which I tell him that he doesn’t know what he’s missing. Though I specialize in 14th century London gender norms and crime, Road To Fire feels like my—admittedly dark—love letter to England. In fiction, most alternate universes imply a made-up country; for the Broken Crown books, I wanted to cement a fabricated political landscape within the concrete reality of the UK. With some adjustments, of course!
This means that many of the locations that I referenced in Road To Fire can be visited. In no specific order, here are some of the lesser known places:
Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland. The first time I visited, I fell in love with these ruins. They are regal, utterly picturesque. When deciding upon a name for the Godwin’s spy ring, I wanted a place where they might return, year after year, through the generations. Holyrood felt like the perfect fit.
Christ Church Spitalfields in London, England. While living in York, I visited London multiple times—on one visit, I took a Jack the Ripper tour, which brought us right onto Fournier Street. Darkness blanketed the city street, and then there was Christ Church’s steeple, lit up like a beacon in the otherwise starless night. It was eerie and beautiful, and five years later, it’s remained a visual I still picture clearly. In picking a location for The Bell & Hand, I could think of no better place than that bustling corner of London.
Speaking of The Bell & Hand, you can visit such a pub, but you’d be on the entirely wrong continent! Actually named The Bell In Hand, this tavern can be found in my native Boston, Massachusetts. Opened in 1795 by Jimmy Wilson, Wilson was known for talking . . . a lot. As the town crier (i.e., an officer of the court who made public announcements), any information you wished to know, Wilson probably knew it. Following the Revolutionary War, he opened The Bell In Hand, and was more than willing to talk shop with anyone who entered his tavern. When creating the Priest brothers’ pub, I thought it would be fun to pay a little homage to one of Boston’s oldest alehouses.
The Octagon at Queen Mary University of London. It was fate, I think, that I had Peter attend Queen Mary because of its close proximity to their Stepney flat. When creating the scene where Saxon rushes to save Isla, I paused for some online research. I didn’t want to fabricate a building, but I would if necessary. And then . . . Well, then I stumbled across The Octagon. I’m almost positive that I gasped. The galleries, the beautiful architecture, the busts of Shakespeare and Byron and all the others. It was the perfect setting, and so I dug right in.
The Palace, otherwise known as Ightham Mote in Kent, England. For the sake of full transparency, the first time I ever saw Ightham Mote, my history-loving heart SWOONED. Its history (roughly 700-years-old!); its architecture (a stunning blend of Medieval and Tudor); the moat. I mean, the moat. Can it get any better than that? Ightham Mote is on the National Trust list, which means you can visit on your next trip to England.
And, on a randomly fun note, many of the character names in this book were taken from real streets in York, England! I couldn’t resist adding in a few. Were you to wander the medieval city, you would stumble across Bootham (I used to live one an adjacent block), Coney, and Goodramgate—named after Viking King Guthram of the ninth century.
As always, there are many more (like Æthelred the Unready or, of course, Buckingham Palace) but here is just a sampling! If you’re thinking . . . that seems rather fascinating and I want to know more, you are always so welcome to reach out! Pretty much, nothing makes me happier =)
Much love,
Maria
Acknowledgments
Saxon and Isla have been in my head for so long that to know that they’re out in the world is beyond thrilling! But this book wouldn’t be what it is without some of my favorite people.
Najla—girl, your talent, your vision. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening to me ramble about what I wanted—while simultaneously making no sense whatsoever, LOL—and making it happen. Working with you is such a joy!
Wander & Andrey—I don’t know what I would do without the two of you! Thank you for bringing my vision for the photography to life.
Kathy—I won’t lie: I broke into tears when I read your first feedback email. Having this story within me for so long, not knowing if it was good or just good in my head . . . you gave me the confidence to know Saxon and Isla were as badass as I thought they were. Fourteen books, three years. I couldn’t do this author gig without you.
Brenda—thank you for reading my books early, for giving me your thoughts, and for being a rock I desperately need while navigating this author world. But, truly, just thank you for being you.
Viper—no book of mine can enter the world without your eyes on it! It’s because of you I now think about generations—ahem, Maria, when were they born??—and I always giggle when I come across something that you’ve given me feedback on. You are the best!
Ratula—without your excitement for the prologue, n
early two years ago, I don’t know if I would have had the conviction to keep writing Road To Fire. Thank you for believing in me, for being my friend, for being the cheerleader I need when you push me to give my characters everything. I adore you.
Dawn and Tandy—y’all are the reason my books sparkle as they do! Thank you for kicking the pesky typos off the island, and for being the awesome people that y’all are.
Dani—thank you for helping me to reach my dreams and for being a steady hand of support when I need it. You are the best partner-in-crime!
To my besties/family/awesome-sauce friends Tina, Sam, Jami, Amie, Jen, Jessica, Stephanie, and to all my girls in 30 Days to 60k, Indie AF, and Beach Retreat, I would absolutely be lost without you.
To my VIPers and to my family in BBA, just know that your excitement over the Broken Crown books is more than I could have ever hoped for. This series is not my norm and yet you rallied behind me and made me smile each and every time I revealed something new. You are the best family a girl could ask for, and I would be so much lonelier in this journey if you weren’t along for the ride.
And, lastly, to you Dear Reader, for picking up Road To Fire and giving me a chance. Thank you for allowing me to live my dream, and I can’t wait to bring you Damien’s story.
Much love,
Maria
Also by Maria Luis
NOLA Heart
Say You’ll Be Mine
Take A Chance On Me
Dare You To Love Me
Tempt Me With Forever
Blades Hockey
Power Play
Sin Bin
Hat Trick
Body Check
Blood Duet
Sworn
Defied
Put A Ring On It
Hold Me Today
Kiss Me Tonight
Love Me Tomorrow
Broken Crown Trilogy
Road To Fire
Sound of Madness (coming soon)
ANK (coming soon-title to be revealed)
Freebies (available at www.marialuis.org)
Breathless (a Love Serial, #1)
Undeniable (a Love Serial, #2)
The First Fix
About the Author
Maria Luis is the author of sexy contemporary romances.
Historian by day and romance novelist by night, Maria lives in New Orleans, and loves bringing the city's cultural flair into her books. When Maria isn't frantically typing with coffee in hand, she can be found binging on reality TV, going on adventures with her other half and two pups, or plotting her next flirty romance.
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