IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY by NELL E.S. DOUGLAS

Synopsis:

 

“In the Land of Milk and Honey is a modern day Pride and Prejudice, with a dark twist.”

When Gabrielle “Bree” Valentine awoke in a hospital bed with a newborn baby, she centered herself and rebuilt. Bree didn’t think about her mental breakdown, lost memories, or the features of a stranger emerging daily in the face of the son she is raising alone. Five years later, on a weekend in the Hamptons, a chance encounter with a man unlike any other jars her—bone deep. Daniel Hawthorne Baird II, wealthy, dangerous, British aristocrat, gravitates to Bree like caviar on crostini. In his relentless obsession with Bree, their lives entwine despite Bree’s resistance. With the unconditional support of friends she calls ‘family’, Bree confronts the most difficult questions of her life. Unearthing the painful mysteries behind who fathered her child, who the real Daniel Baird is, and the irrepressible desire driving her towards a man destined to be the end of them both.

My Review:

 

What a fascinating story! A mystery wrapped up in a romance wrapped up in a thriller.

“I was thinking I could lock the doors and hide you here, making you come into eternity, never to be seen by the world again. By no one, Gabrielle. I do not know how much longer I can pull softly.”

I enjoyed this very different book by a new-to-me author. The story is quite unique: Gabrielle has a 5 year old son but she has no memory of being pregnant or who the father might be. The mysterious Daniel Baird, who seems to enter her life quite suddenly, might or might not be the father. But Bree has no way of knowing for sure.

What she does know is that this powerful and aloof man works his way into her life and into her very close circle of life-long friends. She thought her life was well-ordered and perfect until Daniel appears. She owns her own design firm and lives happily in New York City.

“Twenty-five years. Twenty-five years of order and control. Discipline, responsibility; planned out and risk free. Except for the months I can’t remember, this describes my life.”

But Daniel brings back unsettling memories. Is he Tristan’s father? This book is at turns sexy, poignant, thrilling and funny. The author has an incredible talent for story-telling and I would love to read what she comes up with next.

“Although I’d never to my knowledge met Daniel Baird before this weekend in my life, I recognized that smile completely, wholly, and with every fiber of my being. It was the face of my son.”

This is a long and juicy read, and the cast of supporting characters could have each had their own novella! They are all fiercely protective of Bree and Tristan and I honestly did not know whether to not Daniel had good intentions towards this woman and her young son.

“You really don’t remember me, do you?” Daniel whispered into my ear. I spun, mouth agape, and we practically touched noses.

The last part of the book gives the reader insight into what really happened to Bree all those years ago. This book rambled a bit in some parts and could use a healthy does of editing but the story and the characters kept be reading well into the night. ‘In the Land of Milk of Honey’ is a refreshing breath of fresh air in the romance genre and for you ardent fans of ‘Twilight’, this story began its life as a fan fiction. But it stands on its own as a enthralling and sexy romance with a mystery at its core.

“You have given me a pass yet, still, I am here. I wrap my hands around a vulnerable stem that doesn’t bend to me, of singular purpose. Still on my aim. I come always to you.”

About the Author:

 

Nell E. S. Douglas has possessed a deep, abiding love for written words since childhood. The transition from reader, to writer, was a natural one. Her first stories, penned on the lined pages of class notebooks, were inspired by her mother’s poetry and epic tales of travel, and a professorial inquisitiveness inherited from her father. Following college in Florida, Nell exited the world of pure imagination, and entered the one of business, successfully establishing a career in sales, and developing a cup-a-day habit (of coffee). Today, Nell writes everything from story ideas to essays during the spaces in-between domestic goddessing, and contributing as a managing partner to a thriving small business. Nell resides in Florida, with her husband and their children, passing on the traditions of her mother, and sinking her feet in the sand whenever possible.
Her favorite books are Pride and Prejudice, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Her favorite movies are Gladiator, anything by Scorcese, The Time Traveller’s Wife, and Bridesmaids.

Author links:
http://nelldouglas.com
https://twitter.com/NellESDouglas
https://www.instagram.com/nellesdouglas