Excerpt # 1 from Better Deeds than Words
"I already have a few. I'm fine."
She tossed three more tomato wedges on his salad plate."Lycopene. It's good for the prostate," she said.
Daniel rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Prostate cancer," Patty said to me in a hushed voice. "That's what got Bradford—my husband. Never ate a tomato in his life. I'm convinced that's what did him in. Although I read an article recently about the importance of regular ejaculations as well. Not that Bradford had a problem with that."
I bit my lip to stifle a laugh. Daniel stared at her in stunned silence.
"You are having your oil changed regularly, I hope?" she asked him.
What the hell? Penny had said Patty was a corker, but nothing had prepared me for this! She was awesome! I blinkedback tears as I tried not to burst into laughter. Daniel, on the other hand, was choking on a mouthful of roast beef. I clappedhim on the back and handed him his water glass.
He gulped some and cleared his throat. "Jesus, Patty. That's a rather personal question."
"It's uptight people who impede the distribution of important information. Don't you think, Aubrey?"
"Oh, I couldn't agree more," I said, casting a meaningful glance at Daniel who narrowed his eyes at me.
He turned back to his grandmother. "Are you implying I'm uptight?"
"Implying? No, no, I was stating it as a fact. I happen to believe you need to extricate that rather long pole from—well, there's no need to discuss the sordid details at the table," she said.
Daniel put down his fork and looked back and forth between the two of us. "Huh," he said, miffed. "Okay then. Allow me to put your mind at rest. My oil is being changed fairly regularly. There. Satisfied?"
He picked up his fork and forcefully stabbed a carrot. I hoped his comment wasn’t intended as an admission that we were involved in an intimate relationship. Patty quirked aneyebrow at me and I held up my hands as if to say, “Don't look at me.” She surveyed Daniel expectantly and he cleared his throat.
"Unfortunately, I'm decidedly, um, self-employed, at the moment," he said.
Excerpt # 2 from Better Deeds than Words
"Now what’s that smile about?" Daniel aske
"I was just thinking about how much I love your forearms."
"You do?"
"Uh huh. They're very furry."
He chuckled. "No one's ever told me that before. Why am I picturing cavemen?"
I smiled and turned around. He leaned against me, pushing my lower back into the counter.
"I happen to find it very masculine," I assured him, swirling my fingers in the hairs peeping out of the top of his T-shirt. "I like this too, though," I murmured, dropping soft kisses along the expanse of smooth skin between the stubble on his throat and his chest hairs.
"So do I," he said, claiming my lips and kissing me deeply, his tongue working its magic as it moved against mine, turningme into a puddle of goo.
I tried to talk between kisses. "We probably shouldn't do this right now—"
"Aubrey, Patty’s snoring. It's nice not to be outside or in my car, don't you think? Throw me a bone." He kissed me again, moaning quietly against my lips.
"I'll give you a bone, all right,” I teased.
“Too late. I think you already did,” he said, smirking as he took in my superior smile.
“Not exactly a newsflash.”
“What, and you’re completely unaffected?”
“Did I say that?”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Typical country weather down south?”
I moved in close to his ear. “Typical English country weather.”
Excerpt # 3 from Better Deeds than Words
"Thank you, Daniel."
"For what?"
"For bringing me here. It means a lot that you would sharethis with me. This place is obviously close to your heart."
He pushed my hood back gently.
"You know you're making quite a home for yourself in my heart too, right?"
I swallowed thickly. Speechless again. I lowered my eyes, but he tilted my face up, kissing me tenderly, his tongue slipping warmly between my lips.
"Your nose is cold," I said as he pulled away.
"Your tongue is hot," he whispered.
I leaned into him, eager for more. He pressed his lips against mine, his hands caressing my face.
"I meant what I said a minute ago," he said. "You're all I think about. Sometimes I feel like I've known you forever, and other times you do or say something that reminds me how much I still have to learn. I wish we had more time together."
"I know what you mean." I snuggled into his neck as he held me close.
“‘I have no precious time at all to spend, nor services to do, till you require,’” he whispered. “‘Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you.'"
"You wrote that sonnet out for me a few days before Mary’s memorial service,” I reminded him.
"It’s a favorite.”
"The sonnets aren’t my specialty, unfortunately."
"You'd better brush up, Miss Price. I happen to know of an assignment that’ll
"Jeez, here we go. On with the TA hat." I sighed.
He laughed. "Oh, come on, I've avoided shop-talk all evening. I've been good, haven't I?"
"I'd say you've been very good." I raised an eyebrow.
"And you, my lovely, are incorrigible," he said, kissing me with an intensity that made my heart
gallop.
FANGIRL REVIEW
***SPOILER ALERT***
I cannot begin to express how much I had been waiting to read Better Deeds than Words by the lovely Georgina Guthrie. From the moment I read the first book in the Words series, The Weight of Words--upon Sylvain Reynard's recommendation--I waited, and waited, for 5 1/2 long months for the next installment. I might have attempted to coax Georgina (GG) on Twitter into accidentally publishing so I could finally gobble up her beautiful words. But, alas, it wasn't in her power to do so. To say I was overjoyed when I found out I was to receive an ARC is a severe understatement. The Gods had answered my prayers! Well, GG did through the SubClub Bookclub, but all the same.
Better Deeds than Words continues the oh, so sweet, yet forbidden romance between Daniel and Aubrey. Why is it forbidden? Think Gabriel's Inferno by none other than Sylvain Reynard: Gabriel and Julianne. This story isn't between a professor and student, but similar. Daniel is Aubrey's dashing TA in a Studies in Shakespeare class at the University of Toronto. Daniel's position of authority and his past make it difficult for them to pursue a romantic relationship. As their feelings toward one another grow, they must find ways to curtail their desires.
There are six weeks left in the semester and Daniel and Aubrey must tread carefully. So when an unfortunate missing glove incident exposes their secret to David Grant, Daniel's father, Aubrey promises to remain incommunicado with his son for the remainder of the semester. I know what you're thinking: What? How? Really? Rest assured. When situations conspire to keep two lovers apart, they get very creative. From funny, flirtatious e-mails (Oh, the e-mails!) to mixed CDs, Daniel and Aubrey will continue to embark on the relationship they're determined to let flourish, David Grant and rules be damned.
There are 5 reasons why Better Deeds than Words is a must-read:
1 - Forbidden romance. Who doesn't like to read about a love affair that keeps you on your toes? This story will have you asking: Will they get caught? What will happen if they do? Is that girl out to get them? Should they have done that there? ;-)
2 - Sweet and funny banter. This book is laden with it, and it will slay you.
Please refer to Excerpt #1.
Oil changes will never mean the same to me. Nor will self-employment. And English country weather.
Then there's more:
"Well, the blushing and stuttering, not to mention the drool--"
"Fuck off."
"You are the most fucktacular kisser."
Their terms of endermeant will melt your heart.
"Are you warm enough, my lovely?"
"Daniel--"
"Yes, poppet?"
I turned into a puddle every single time he called her poppet. There's no simple baby here. And Aubrey calls him sailor. I don't recall exactly how this came about but it's a very sexy nickname, don't you think? Need a visual?
Meet Justice Joslin, AKA GG's Daniel, AKA sailor. She's really very fond of him. Can you blame her? I must have counted at least three times Daniel's whiskers are referred to in the first few pages, and all I could think of was the guy above. o.0
My favorite quotes in the book belong to reason number 2. Ready?
"More waiting." I sighed dramatically. "Always with the waiting."
"It's very character building," he assured me.
"My character is going to be enormous by the end of the semester," I said dryly.
"Then it'll be right up there with my cold water bill," he countered with a cheeky grin.
3 - Impeccable writing. This has become synonymous with Georgina Guthrie to me since The Weight of Words. Her characters are very well developed. Each paragraph is elegantly described and the story transitions flawlessly from one page to another. You never have to think that a phrase or paragraph could have been written better. There's something about Canadian writers. I'm super excited to read more of her work!
4 - Shakespeare references. They are everywhere. Daniel and Aubrey's shared love of Shakespeare has made the Bard one of the book's central characters. Like the first book, this one begins each chapter with a Shakespeare quote that foretells what is to happen. Even if you are not a Shakespeare aficionado, you will appreciate the thought and effort GG has put into linking one of his plays or quotes to a particular situation in the story.
5 - Daniel Grant. Need I say more? Okay, perhaps a few things about our beloved sailor. I'm not sure how Aubrey remains in a solid form throughout the book because, like I said, poppet-->puddle. He's sweet, thoughtful, caring, charming, ROMANTIC, and SEXY as all hell. His vulnerability will tug at your heart, and his wit will have you googley-eyed. There's something about a guy who can recite sonnets by heart (even if you don't know what he's talking about, LOL). Should we have another look at sailor? Yes!
What? Too much clothing? Well, read Better Deeds than Words and you can imagine sailor in all his naked glory. There are SEX SCENES!!! Chaste kisses from the first book have long sailed (hehe). You won't want to put out the fire once it starts. Daniel and Aubrey make up for lost time, people! Maybe this should have been reason number 6, but we'll just call it a tantalizing post script.
Sensuality Rating: HOT
Overall Rating: 5 STARS
***Click on the books' links to purchase the books in the Words series.***
Embedded Spotify playlist:
https://embed.spotify.com/?
