The Storm and the Darkness (The House of Crimson and Clover Book #2)
Author: Sarah M. Cradit
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Synopsis: Ana Deschanel has made a terrible mistake. The only chance of protecting the other people involved is to flee New Orleans, the only home she has ever known, for the quiet solitude of Summer Island.
Summer Island, Maine (population 202) is
not the tranquil escape Ana imagined. The locals are distant and cold,
especially her neighbor, the reclusive veterinarian Jonathan St. Andrews. Her
only lifeline is the kind but odd caretaker Alex Whitman. Showing up at all the
right moments, he warns her she is completely unprepared for a Maine winter. As
the first winter storm approaches to whispers of an island shutdown- Ana
realizes that she may soon be cut off from the rest of the world.
After a surprising encounter with
Jonathan’s brother, Finn, Ana finds herself braving the storm to return
something to him. Unprepared for the Maine storm, she slips and falls onto the
jagged rocks along the shore. The St. Andrews brothers find her in the nick of
time, but she remains unconscious. As the storm worsens, the St. Andrews
brothers learn there are other, more sinister forces at work closer than they
ever imagined.
SNEAK PEEK
Walking up to the window, Ana counted ten
people in front of her. She sighed. Do I
really have anything better to do? She slid in line behind a tall,
dark-haired gentleman.
He turned around and she recognized him
immediately. It was Jonathan St. Andrews. Doctor
St. Andrews, as the islanders called him, otherwise known as the town
veterinarian, and the unpleasant neighbor she had been avoiding.
He looked at Ana, without any expression
or indication of his thoughts, for what was an awkward ten seconds or so. He
then turned back around without saying a word. She blinked and stared at his
back, trying to process what had happened.
Ana’s instinct was to withdraw back into
herself and go on as if nothing happened. She avoided conflict and awkwardness
at all costs, and she didn’t want it here, in public, especially. But Ana was
raised to be kind and hospitable, and the two weeks she had been on Summer
Island had been anything but kind and
hospitable. Jon’s childish behavior was at the pinnacle of this inexcusable
lack of hospitality, and it could not be borne. Emboldened, she tapped him on
the shoulder.
“Hi,” she said, her voice unsteady, “I
believe we are neighbors.”
Giving a response that sounded more like
a grunt than actual words, he continued to face forward.
The blood rushed to her face, and her
toes curled up in silent anger. Not even in New Orleans had she met someone who
was so openly rude without cause.
Ana took a deep breath and stepped in
front of him. He couldn’t hide his shock at her boldness, but he quickly
recovered himself, and tried to push past her again. “Ana Deschanel,” she said.
She thrust her hand toward him, daring him to respond.
His eyes darted to the left and the right
for a moment. Realizing there was no avoiding it, he reluctantly took her hand
and mumbled, “Jon St. Andrews.” He dropped her hand like it carried the plague.
This was the first time Ana had seen his
face in clear view, and she was surprised that he was not much older than she
was. He didn’t look anything like his younger brother, or what she had seen of
Finn from a distance. Finn was stockier of build with a raw, rugged earthy
strength that went well with his strong features and ruddy blonde hair. In
contrast, Jonathan was tall–much taller than she had realized before he turned
to face her–with hair the color of midnight that looked soft and delicate to
the touch. His face had the same softness, with only a few lines just around
his mouth, reminding her of the wings of an eagle set to flight. He had the
appearance of a man who has never seen hard days, but his eyes betrayed a much
different truth. They were the color of emeralds, but had the depth of an
entire forest. If not for the look of pure animosity on his face, she thought
he would be handsome, in a dark sort of way.
Handsome, though, was the last
description she had on her mind now that she was face to face with the
reclusive island vet.
“So you’re a veterinarian?” Ana probed.
She was enjoying his disquiet.
“Yes,” Jon said, shifting uncomfortably.
He continued to look past her as if he was waiting for someone, but no one
came. His face lit up with relief as the line moved forward.
“What do you do all day, sit in the back
and play video games?”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, I can’t imagine the veterinary
business is exactly booming on an island of 200 people,” Ana clarified with a
laugh.
Jon stared at her and blinked with a slow
deliberateness, as if trying to decide if he should bother with a response. “It
keeps me busy,” he finally replied.
“What, the video games or animal care?”
He lips formed a thin line and he gave a
short sigh of disgust. He was once again looking past her, at the line, willing
it to move faster. The conversation was obviously causing him great discomfort.
“Aye! Ana!” A voice called out behind
her, and she turned to see Alex waving and heading toward her.
“I see you’ve met our beloved
veterinarian,” Alex said enthusiastically as he joined them in the line,
clapping Jonathan on the back. Jonathan flinched and grunted, but Alex didn’t
seem to notice.
“Ya know, he is the first veterinarian
this island has had in over 200 years?” She gave a polite acknowledgement and
he added, “Aye, and his father was our only physician as’well. Family of
medical geniuses, the St. Andrews men are!”
Jon’s lips twitched again at the mention
of his father. “‘Course,” Alex continued, “E’ryone was hoping Jon would be a
doctor as’well. Ya know, Andrew St. Andrews was the best doctor in the whole
state of Maine, you best believe, and he did a lot o’things he weren’t supposed
to, like surgeries and whatnot, and right out of his own house! He did it out
of love, ya know, love for this island and the people, and oh, Jon, you were
his assistant back in those days, ya?” The question seemed rhetorical as Alex
continued to go on and on about Andrew St. Andrews and his wonderful, but
unorthodox, medical practice.
Ana watched Jon as Alex talked. His eyes
took on a darker gaze the more his father was mentioned. She still couldn’t
read him, but could sense his unease. Ana found herself actually feeling sorry
for this unpleasant man, as she watched his expression evolve from annoyance to
pain.
“Alex, I’ve been meaning to ask you,
should I be keeping the cupboard doors under the sink open at all times, or
just at night?” She was bailing Jon out, even though he had given her no reason
to. Jon’s lips twitched into what might have been a smile, and he turned back
to face the line.
As it turned out, Alex was also dining
alone, and offered to join her. She wasn’t opposed to some lighter company
after that unpleasant interaction with her neighbor, so she accepted and they
took the burgers back to her place.
She didn’t know if they were the best
burgers in Maine or not, but they were better than anything she had eaten since
she arrived.
CHARACTER BIOS
Anasofiya
Deschanel (30)- Ana is aloof, withdrawn, and considered by some even to be
cold. In reality, she lacks the ability to connect with others in any
meaningful way, with the exception of her cousin and lifelong confidante
Nicolas. After she makes a terrible mistake in New Orleans, she flees for Maine
in an attempt to protect everyone involved. For the first time in her life, she
has kept something from Nicolas, who suspects that she is not being completely
forthright about her reasons for leaving.
Nicolas
Deschanel (30)- The cocky, brash, f-bomb loving cousin of Ana. He is single,
with no intentions of changing that, instead enjoying the company of a
different woman every night. Being the son of the late and venerable Charles
Deschanel, his incomparable wealth allows him to live any lifestyle he wants.
The truth, though, is that Nicolas has never found anything interesting enough
to occupy his time. Nothing that gives his life meaning.
Jonathan St.
Andrews (32)- Jon is the oldest St. Andrews brother. He is the reclusive, and
sometimes rude, veterinarian of the small community of Summer Island. Showing
an aptitude for medicine, like his father, in his youth, he instead abandoned
it for veterinary medicine. He is very wary of Ana’s arrival on the island,
afraid he might have to interact with her as her neighbor. Truthfully, though,
Jon senses a similar darkness in Ana that scares him.
Finnegan St.
Andrews (27)- The younger St. Andrews brother, Finn is easy and carefree, the
opposite of his brother Jon. He spends his days on his boat, supplying lobster
to many of the local Maine communities. Unlike Jon, he is immediately intrigued
by Ana, whom he sees is not like the other girls he’s been with. Where Jon
seeks to push her away, Finn is eager to get to know her.
Colin “Oz”
Sullivan (30)- Kind, sensitive, thoughtful. Oz is connected through the
Deschanels both through his lifelong friendship with Nicolas, but also his
marriage to Nicolas’ younger sister, Adrienne.
Alex Whitman
(50s)- The odd, middle-aged caretaker of Ana’s home. Very little is known about
Alex’s personal life, except for the fact that his parents were brutally
murdered when he was a child. Theirs are one of several unsolved murders on
this small island.
Augustus
Deschanel (60s)- The sharp, clever businessman father of Ana. He built his
media empire out of nearly nothing, despite having the Deschanel resources at
his disposal. His wife, and Ana’s mother, Catherine, died giving birth to Ana.
Catherine was the only woman he ever felt a passion for, and his second
marriage, to a woman named Barbara, was sought for more practical reasons.
Augustus is not comfortable in expression, and so his relationship with Ana is
often strained.
DREAM CAST
Ana Deschanel-
Barbara Meier
Nicolas
Deschanel- Max Irons
Jonathan St.
Andrews- Colin O’Donaghue
Oz Sullivan- Dan
Jongebloed
Finn St.
Andrews- Chace Crawford
Where to Find the Author: Blog/Goodreads/Smashwords Author Page/Twitter/Facebook
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