27 Jan Heidi Gallacher Rebecca’s Choice The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFiction #RebeccasChoice #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub

Featured Author: Heidi Gallacher

It’s my pleasure to feature Heidi Gallacher as part of The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held between January 25th – February 5th, 2021. Heidi Gallacher is the author of the historical fiction novel, Rebecca’s Choice, which was independently released on October 30th, 2020 (211 pages).

Below are highlights of Rebecca’s Choice,  Heidi Gallacher’s biography, and an excerpt from her book. 

Praise for Rebecca’s Choice

Rebecca’s Choice was awarded 5 stars and is a Recommended Read by The Coffee Pot Book Club. The book was awarded a Bronze Medal for Debut Novel 2020 by The Coffee Pot Book Club.

“This is a story that is utterly beguiling from the opening sentence to the very last full stop.”- Author Mary Anne Yarde

“The historical details are so skillfully woven in that the reader steps with ease into the late 19th century.” – Author Liz Harris

Highlights of Rebecca’s Choice

Rebecca’s Choice

by Heidi Gallacher

‘Can Rebecca find the love and passion she craves within a Victorian world that seems to be conspiring against her?’

It is 1887 and Queen Victoria is on the throne. Businessman and meteorologist Geoffrey de Roussier is passionate about his weather station and railways, yet little of his passion seems to filter through to his shy, naïve young wife, Rebecca. 

Following his tragic demise, Rebecca discovers that Geoffrey’s railroad investments have failed, leaving her penniless. As the past threatens to engulf her, Rebecca realises she has to make a choice. Gwilym Llewellyn, Geoffrey’s trusted friend and advisor, has an emotional debt to repay to Geoffrey and meets Rebecca to offer her a solution. Meanwhile, Rebecca has found passion in another direction … 

One man will save her from destitution, the other will offer her the love and excitement that she aches for. Whom will she choose?  

This book has a beautiful setting in Cardiff, South Wales. If you like a good mix of an evocative depiction of the Victorian era and a modern-thinking heroine then Rebecca’s Choice is the novel for you. 

This is Heidi Gallacher’s debut novel, a compelling historical Victorian romance. Pick up ‘Rebecca’s Choice’ today to lose yourself in this wonderful story! 

Buy Links:

Amazon UK • Amazon US

Author Bio: Heidi Gallacher

Heidi Gallacher was born in London in the Sixties. She grew up in Cardiff and Swansea, South Wales. She jumped at the chance to move to Paris in her twenties to learn a new language and culture. Following the arrival of her first son, she moved to sunny Switzerland where she has lived ever since. She completed her Masters in Creative Writing in 2018 and her first short story Changing Places was published in September of that year. Rebecca’s Choice is her first novel.

When not writing, Heidi writes and performs music, swims in Lake Zürich, and fundraises for a school in Tanzania. 

Social Media Links:

Twitter • Instagram • Facebook • Goodreads

Excerpt from Rebecca’s Choice

… I take the spiral staircase up to the turret room. It is peaceful; I lie on the bed for a while. I shudder as I relive in my mind the strange meeting with Dafydd. Closing my eyes, I relish the feeling of the warm sunlight caressing my eyelids. 

When I have regained my composure, I get up from the bed and smooth over the covers. Taking up the pail, I scatter the rose petals over the white linen counterpane and decorate the pillows until the bed looks exquisite and the flowery, sensual aroma fills the room. I place the bottle of Pineau on a small marble-topped table next to the bed.

I wander to the window and gaze out over the rooftops to where the sea lies gleaming, framing the far edge of the city like a thin, silver ribbon. There are dark bunches of thunderclouds far into the distance, rolling in over the sea. I pray that the inclement weather will not disturb us here to-night, for I wish to be able to throw back the curtains for Geoffrey and reveal to him the stars.

~

Much later, I leave the anteroom and walk over to the bed in our austere bedroom. I am wearing the silken lingerie that Geoffrey bought for me on our honeymoon in Jersey – oh, how long ago, how far away those days seem, now. My lingerie is hidden beneath a pretty dressing robe that I acquired from a little dress shop near the bottom of Rumney-hill.

The mattress feels solid beneath me as I sit, quite unlike the soft, feathery confection that adorns the bed where I shall be leading my husband. I nibble at a nail. 

The light is fading fast in the bedroom; a soft rain brushes against the window. I hope that Geoffrey will be finished with his bedtime ablutions soon enough. 

I flinch as the door that leads from his dressing room creaks ajar, then I watch his shadowy figure approaching the bed. ‘Geoffrey. I—’

‘Rebecca. What are you doing, pray, sitting here in the dark? Gracious, I nearly fell over you.’

‘I am sorry. I…I want you to come with me. There is something I should like to show you.’

He sits, heavily, next to me on the bed. ‘Rebecca, my dear. I beg your pardon, but it is too late to play silly games. I should really like to sleep.’

‘But—’

He raises his voice a smidgen. ‘Have you forgotten? I hosted a meeting here to-day in Tredelerch, and I am tired. Some of us have not been so lucky as to spend our time picnicking and playing outside with the children.’

I swallow hard. I place my hand over his and squeeze it. ‘Come with me, Geoffrey. Please.’

He snorts and gets to his feet, pushing my hand aside. ‘Very well. Let’s go and see what this is all about. And then I shall be able to come back here and have myself some sleep.’

I can feel my heartbeat, fervent and racing, as I light a small candle and lead him out of the room. I am relieved that the wall candles are still burning in their sconces as we creep along the wide corridor towards the landing. When we reach it, I gasp as I catch sight of the huge paintings. The dark portraits and landscapes appear eerie in the quivering light.

Geoffrey thrusts a hand through his tousled hair and turns to regard me. ‘Where to now, Rebecca? Where on earth are you taking me on this foolish wild goose chase of yours?’

I beckon him across the landing to where the steps lead up from the kitchen. We follow the wall around until we reach the bottom of the spiral staircase. 

I begin to mount the curving stairs. ‘Please come up here, Geoffrey. I promise you it will be…’ 

I hear an anguished moan and turn around. 

‘No…no… I cannot go up there. I cannot… I promised myself.’ He falls to his knees, wailing.

‘But, Geoffrey, what is the matter? It is beautiful up here. The bed is ready for us, we could be happy together, and…and…’ I untie the belt of my silken robe and let it fall to the floor. I stand above him and loosen my long hair so it cascades down over my undergarments. 

In the flickering glow of the candles, Geoffrey looks up at me. I can see pain contorting his eyes. Even in the dim light I can see that he is wringing his hands. I know he is not seeing me at all, then.

‘I cannot go up any further,’ he repeats. ‘The turret was where I used to meet with Angharad. I swore to myself I would never, ever visit it again after she left me. I…I am so terribly sorry…’

My husband turns and stumbles away from me. From far away up the stairwell comes the crash of thunder and a drumming of swollen rain. As Geoffrey disappears, I bend down to retrieve my robe, draped unruly over the curving steps.

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