This first book in a new paranormal series by Donna Lea Simpson is a national bestseller!

"By mixing a classic gothic with paranormal overtones Simpson has a winner. This impossible-to-put-down romance belongs alongside Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney and Daphne du Maurier. Here is a pure classic plotline with just the right touch of the ominous, the perfect amount of suspense and plenty of sexual tension to keep you reading late into the night and finish satiated." SENSUAL -- Romantic Times - 4½ Stars!!

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Product Description

The wait for a new take on werewolf romances is over.

It is said that werewolves roam the woods around Wolfram Castle--but Elizabeth Stanwycke, newly arrived tutor to the Count's niece, is not a child to be frightened by bedtime stories. Of more pressing concern is her attraction to the mysterious Count.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #839617 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Set in 1795, the atmospheric first book in Simpson's new paranormal romance series serves up gothic suspense and explicit sex among denizens of a German castle. One moonlit evening, as Englishwoman Elizabeth Stanwycke approaches Wolfram Castle, home of the sullen girl whom she's been hired to tutor, Elizabeth sees a nude blond woman run across the highway, pursued into the snowy woods by a hooded horseman. Her efforts to help are stymied by her companion and mentor, Frau Katrina Liebner, who warns against questioning the many secrets at the castle, which include insanity, mysterious deaths and rumor of werewolves. Desperate for work because of a scandal in her background, Elizabeth assumes her duties without complaint but is unable to restrain her curiosity. Soon she's entangled with the intimidating master of the house, Nikolas von Wolfram. Simpson (Absentee Heart) peoples the castle with distinctive characters, though at times they act carelessly or foolishly (e.g., the hero fails to tie up a murderer before leaving him alone) in order to keep tension high. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Leaving a blemished reputation behind in England, Elizabeth travels to Germany to take a post as governess in Wolfram Castle. Her bold nature and insatiable curiosity have led to her downfall, and she's determined not to repeat her mistakes. However, it's soon evident that disturbing emotional torrents run deep in the Wolfram family, and whispers of magic and werewolves make her vow to temper her curiosity difficult, while the way the enigmatic lord of the castle challenges her spirit and quickens her pulse makes controlling her audacious streak impossible. Simpson's latest is a treat for lovers of gothic romance and a welcome offering for readers looking for European adventures beyond the British Isles. There's a natural progression here from the traditional gothic of eerie occurrences with rational explanations to a true paranormal twist, and Simpson keeps the sultry sensuality at a strong simmer. Nina Davis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Simpson...keeps the reader turning pages. -- Romance Reader

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Customer Reviews

Elizabeth Finds Love Amidst Werewolf Madness in 18th Century Germany
I very much enjoyed AWAITING THE MOON, a gothic paranormal romance by Donna Lea Simpson. This was the first book I've read by the author, and I was impressed by her characterization and plotting, as well as her easy-to-read writing style. The gist of the story is that young Elizabeth leaves her homeland of England, reputation in tatters, to become a tutor to a young countess in Germany in the year 1795. Once there, she discovers herself insatiably attracted to Count Nikolas von Wolfram, the head of a troubled family and a man of many secrets.

Elizabeth was a delightful heroine in that she was both self-conscious, yet courageous, with both a strong backbone and sharp intelligence. Plus, her forward nature and natural curiosity are both her biggest strengths and greatest weaknesses, as she well knows. She is not a character who needs a man to do everything for her, nor is she the type of heroine who stupidly stumbles into trouble every five seconds, needing saving. I liked reading about her, and I liked how she dealt with her feelings for Nikolas and his family.

Nikolas was also a good hero. He was dark and brooding, but he wasn't a jerk-off and the secrets he kept were good secrets, nothing to make me roll my eyes about. I also liked the way he handled Elizabeth in that he was straightforward (except for his secrets, of course) and respectful. He was also a very creative bed partner, and I thought the love scenes in this book much more sexy and refreshing than the same-ol', same-ol' you read about in other romances.

Germany as a setting was a great choice, too, for this was the first romance I ever read that had Germans in the lead and dealt with German issues and culture. I loved it.

That said, there were a few negatives about the book, but nothing major. One, the author's phrasing and diction were awkward at times, and I wondered if it was so formal because she was trying for a gothic effect. Also, there are a lot of characters in this book, and I found myself trying to remember who was who at a couple points. Oh well.

Regardless, I enjoyed the book immensely and read it in one setting, refusing to go to bed until I'd finished it. The storyline was intriguing and mysterious, and the supernatural part kicked in just when I started to wonder if I had tricked myself into thinking - just like Elizabeth - that there were logical (and not paranormal) reasons why things were happening the way they were.

I highly recommend this book. By the way, it has a sequel called AWAITING THE NIGHT. Also, if you are interested in other gothic paranormals, GENTLE FROM THE NIGHT and THE WOLF OF HASKELL HALL are also nice reads.

A new remarkable author!
This book was a bit of a slow starter for me and I almost gave up. Wow am I glad I stuck it out through all the thick gothic
plot and character development! The romance was subtly, lovingly and erotically handled with such delicate sensuality--I'm definitely putting this book in my keeper stack. Seldom are characters in romance genre given such time to develop a complex, loving and erotic relationship and written in manner that allows an authentic building of feelings. Then the paranormal aspects are sprinkled over this deep sensual relationship just towards the end. I stayed up until 2 am to revel in this deeply romantic novel and reflecting on it the next day kept my energy up. Take a chance on this one!

Sensual Gothic Paranormal
All I can say is that if the first line of the book doesn't hook you, "I'VE HEARD that werewolves roam the woods of Germany," Elizabeth Stanwycke said, peering out of the carriage window into the dark wintry woods, the snow on the ground gleaming in the moonlight." Then you're obviously not a fan of paranormals and should definitely stop there, as the rest of this luscious well-written novel is a rare treat for werewolf paranormal genre lovers.

Elizabeth had made the heart wrenching decision to leave England after her scandalous affair had been exposed and the man she'd loved and given her innocence to turned into a cad. It wasn't as if being the poor relation and acting as governess for spoiled cosseted children was such a wonderful life, but at least it was familiar. Now in a strange land and barely speaking German, Elizabeth's introduction as she approached Wolfram Castle was to see a naked woman running across the frozen ground with a man on horseback pursuing her. Instinctively Elizabeth attempted to follow and help the woman but was hauled back into the carriage by the coachman under orders from her companion and mentor, Frau Katrina Liebner who warned that she must never go into the Wolfram forests alone at night. This was only the first of many warnings and directives she would face when introduced to the eclectic group of inhabitants at the castle, but it would be the master of the house, Nikolas von Wolfram who would prove to be the most enigmatic. Handsome beyond belief, his very presence raised not only the hairs along Elizabeth's back but melted the heart that had been frozen by a cruel betrayal.

*** Oh my, a return to the gothic romances I cut my reading teeth on! Only this one had the added bonus of giving a delicious paranormal twist and fabulous sensuality that was a pure delight. I thought the heroine a very brave and resourceful young woman who was ready to bend over backwards in trying to gather the good will of her recalcitrant young charge. Nikolas was the typical brooding dark and mysterious master of his domain, both frightening yet giving the aura of dark temptation to our intrepid heroine. Suffice it to say, that both leads were fashioned very well for one another and perfectly matched. A healthy abundance of secondary characters added even more depth to the story giving the reader a tremendous amount of choice as to who the villain in the story was. Historical aspects including the setting of Germany and the uneasy relations between France, Germany, Russia, and England added even more zest to robust the plot. The high level of sensuality was a boost in keeping the pace racing along as well as this reviewers blood pressure. With a definite feel of the old fashioned gothics but with a highly charged level of sensuality and a wonderful taste of the paranormal this is sure to please most fans of the genre.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization