*A paranormal romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast*
Title: Blossom and the Beast
Series: The Alder Tales
Author: R.S. McCoy
Genre: Fairy-tale Re-Tellings
Release Date: 31st May 2016
BLURB from Goodreads
Blossom Frane is only weeks away from her transformation. On her eighteenth birthday, she’ll find out her future branch of society and her totem, the animal form she’ll be able to take at will for the rest of her life. Like her brothers, she’s expected to be a brown bear of the religious branch known as Terra.
In the Alderwood forests, Blossom’s bear blood is a valuable asset. Any day now, a rival clan leader will step forward and offer her father a hefty bounty in exchange for her hand in marriage. Blossom can do nothing more than sit back and wait to be traded to the highest bidder.
Determined to spend her last weeks exploring the Alderwood, Blossom sneaks away and manages to find Kaide Landel, a rising political star of the Pyro branch. Known for his violence and disregard for the religious teachings of the Terra branch, he’s all wrong for the bear clan’s prized daughter. But when the politician uses his wealth and influence to secure her hand, Blossom has no choice but to leave her family and marry him—if she lives that long.
In the Alderwood forests, Blossom’s bear blood is a valuable asset. Any day now, a rival clan leader will step forward and offer her father a hefty bounty in exchange for her hand in marriage. Blossom can do nothing more than sit back and wait to be traded to the highest bidder.
Determined to spend her last weeks exploring the Alderwood, Blossom sneaks away and manages to find Kaide Landel, a rising political star of the Pyro branch. Known for his violence and disregard for the religious teachings of the Terra branch, he’s all wrong for the bear clan’s prized daughter. But when the politician uses his wealth and influence to secure her hand, Blossom has no choice but to leave her family and marry him—if she lives that long.
Amazon UK
EXCERPT
"What happened?" Hale's bear senses had
triggered before she descended within twenty steps of the ground.
"Just a scratch. Nothing to be concerned
about." Blossom twisted her injured hand away, but Hale
was too fast.
An angry huff escaped his nostrils. The tendons in his
neck flexed, distorting the forest-green bear
tattoo below his ear. "Da's gonna have both our
heads."
"I'll tell him it was my fault," she argued.
And it was, in fact, her fault. Not that anyone would
believe her. As the baby of the family, no one would let
her take the blame for anything, even when it was earned.
She was sick to death of always being treated like a
child. She was seventeen for Alder Mother's
sake. In a matter of days she’d earn her totem and her
position within their branch.
But for today, Hale knew, as well as she did, that things
wouldn't change. Charged with keeping her
safe, Hale would earn their father's anger for Blossom’s
wound. Like a scene in her well-worn book, it played out the same every time.
Da would tell Hale to keep an eye on Blossom. Blossom would get bored and
decide to go see or do something else. Hale would get in trouble and Blossom
would get off without so much as a cross look from Da.
Blossom had no doubt Hale tired of her antics. But what
was she supposed to do? Pretend like this
green prison was enough? She wasn't like them. Deep in
her bones, Blossom knew she didn't belong in the forest.
As if to prove her point, Hale stepped back—one, two,
then three steps—far enough away to avoid
hurting her. Blossom, too, took a half-step back and
waited for his transition to pass.
Hale's arms erupted with thick hair so dark and unlike
his light-hazel eyes. His body expanded,
muscles over muscles, filling in the space around his
slender figure. His legs lengthened, as did his arms, and his hands became paws
tipped with sharp claws. His round face and kind features elongated into a snout,
complete with conical, predatory teeth.
Blossom grimaced. It wasn't fair that every single member
of her clan had a totem—everyone but
her—it was gloriously unfair.
Hale collapsed to his front paws and let out a low growl.
Where her brother had stood only seconds
before, now stood his totem, the animal representation of
him—a brown bear. In his human form, Hale was tall and wiry, the smallest of
their clan with the exception of Blossom herself. In his bear form, he was the
largest. Da said it was because Hale was meant to lead them one day.
One day after Da was given to the Alder Mother’s
grove.
Until then, he was the youngest son of the clan leader,
and the one in charge of keeping Blossom out
of trouble. Blossom promised herself, as she had
countless times before, that she would end these
excursions. They only served to discredit Hale, and
someday he'd need the full respect of the clan.
Bear-Hale lowered his body to the ground, pressing his
belly to the cool soil.
Blossom shook her head. She didn’t need a ride. She
refused. It was another reminder she didn’t
have her own totem. Bear-Hale growled again. He lowered
his eyes to hers and looked at her with those deep, black pools.
It was a good thing he was her favorite brother.
TEASERS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel McCoy is a Texan living in New Jersey. Between binge watching MTV reality shows and baking gluten free treats, she writes paranormal fantasy and science fiction novels. She is the self-published author of the Sparks Saga trilogy as well as numerous short stories, some of which now reside in anthologies. Back when she lived in the real world, Rachel earned a degree in marine biology, which contributed to her die-hard love of manta rays.
To connect with RS McCoy (or swap recipes),
visit her on her website (www.rsmccoyauthor.com)
or check out her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRSMcCoy).
You can also join her newsletter to receive release updates, free stories, and bonus extras (http://eepurl.com/YItp1).
Thank you! <3 <3 <3
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