Keeping Katerina (The Victorians Book 1) by Simone Beaudelaire

The 1840s: a time of increasing social awareness, particularly for progressive cotton mill owner Adrian Bennett and his son Christopher. One social issue Christopher has never considered is violence against women. A Robert Browning poem and a chance encounter with Katerina Valentino change everything. Katerina fears for her life because of her father's violent behavior. When Christopher is entranced by the delicate, dark-haired beauty, he decides to rescue her - by marrying her. But Katerina's years of abuse have left her physically and emotionally scarred, threatening the newlyweds' happiness. Is Christopher's tender affection enough to help heal Katerina's broken spirit? Praise from readers: ★★★★★ - "I love historical romances, and Keeping Katerina is one of the best I have ever read. Not only was the story line engaging, but it held an air of originality that is sorely lacking in most publications today." ★★★★★ - "Very well written, with a great theme and well developed characters." ★★★★★ - "This book was wonderful. Well written and finished nicely. The author addresses a serious issue in a way that allows you to respect the heroine... Lovely." ★★★★★ - "This book dealt with a subject that has been ignored in any other book I have read. I loved it, and look forward to many more stories by this author. " ★★★★★ - "In a short few pages, I was hooked." This is a steamy romance and includes graphic sex scenes.