Blurb
Some people are destined to meet.
It sure feels that way when Sri Lankan tour guide Sepalika meets Daniel. The mysterious tourist from Ireland steals his way into her heart and makes her question everything her life is built upon. Instant attraction turns to love – but does he feel the same? And what about the secret she’s hiding from him?
It sure feels that way when Sri Lankan tour guide Sepalika meets Daniel. The mysterious tourist from Ireland steals his way into her heart and makes her question everything her life is built upon. Instant attraction turns to love – but does he feel the same? And what about the secret she’s hiding from him?
Follow the two on their quest for a happy ending amid the beauty and
wonders of the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka.
Excerpt 1
“Follow me over there for a second.”
They walked to a corner of the garden, and Sepalika could see Daniel react the way she had expected it. He lifted his head and took a deep breath. She smiled to herself and felt a thrill rush through her.
“Can you smell that?”
He nodded with wide eyes. “It’s such an intoxicating scent, so…I don’t know, intense and sweet, mysterious and confident.”
Now her eyes widened, and a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine.
“This is my namesake,” she said, and her voice was hardly more than a whisper.”
He turned to stare at her then back at the flower-laden tree exuding such potent magic.
“May I introduce you to the redolent sepalika flower, commonly called night jasmine or coral jasmine, and sometimes confused with Queen of the Night. This tree’s flowers bloom only after dark, enchanting throughout the night. Shortly after dawn they’ll start wilting, and by morning you’ll have a patch of earth decked out in fallen, faded flowers.”
Daniel walked over to the tree as if in trance. He plucked one of the small white flowers and inhaled its powerful but not overpowering scent.
“They’re not just beautiful,” she continued. “People believe they’ll help you sleep soundly and dream sweetly. They are dried and stuffed into pillows for that purpose. Experts in native medicine claim it can help children with constipation.”
“Fascinating,” he murmured and walked back to her, stopping right in front of her so she had to crane her neck to peer into his deep, now surprisingly dark eyes.
“You know, this flower isn’t always praised for its beauty. Some people aren’t too fond of it because it looks bare and barren, common and even sort of forlorn during daytime. They dub it the ‘tree of sorrow’, but every night the fragrant flowers cause even the most sorrowful people to smile and appreciate.”
“There’s a whole story and lesson lingering there,” Daniel said, whispering too. “Looks like they’re much more than fragrant…just like you’re much more than what meets the eye.”
He leaned in and lifted his hand as if he wanted to stick the flower into her hair.
They walked to a corner of the garden, and Sepalika could see Daniel react the way she had expected it. He lifted his head and took a deep breath. She smiled to herself and felt a thrill rush through her.
“Can you smell that?”
He nodded with wide eyes. “It’s such an intoxicating scent, so…I don’t know, intense and sweet, mysterious and confident.”
Now her eyes widened, and a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine.
“This is my namesake,” she said, and her voice was hardly more than a whisper.”
He turned to stare at her then back at the flower-laden tree exuding such potent magic.
“May I introduce you to the redolent sepalika flower, commonly called night jasmine or coral jasmine, and sometimes confused with Queen of the Night. This tree’s flowers bloom only after dark, enchanting throughout the night. Shortly after dawn they’ll start wilting, and by morning you’ll have a patch of earth decked out in fallen, faded flowers.”
Daniel walked over to the tree as if in trance. He plucked one of the small white flowers and inhaled its powerful but not overpowering scent.
“They’re not just beautiful,” she continued. “People believe they’ll help you sleep soundly and dream sweetly. They are dried and stuffed into pillows for that purpose. Experts in native medicine claim it can help children with constipation.”
“Fascinating,” he murmured and walked back to her, stopping right in front of her so she had to crane her neck to peer into his deep, now surprisingly dark eyes.
“You know, this flower isn’t always praised for its beauty. Some people aren’t too fond of it because it looks bare and barren, common and even sort of forlorn during daytime. They dub it the ‘tree of sorrow’, but every night the fragrant flowers cause even the most sorrowful people to smile and appreciate.”
“There’s a whole story and lesson lingering there,” Daniel said, whispering too. “Looks like they’re much more than fragrant…just like you’re much more than what meets the eye.”
He leaned in and lifted his hand as if he wanted to stick the flower into her hair.
GIVEAWAY
I’D LIKE TO ASK READERS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIO TO WIN AN
E-BOOK COPY OF “SAVED IN SRI LANKA”: WHAT DO YOU ASSOCIATE WITH SRI LANKA?
COMMENT BELOW TO ANSWER. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
GOOD LUCK! GIVEAWAY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL MARCH 19, 2015.
Author
Bio
Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write,
she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and
returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into
her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has
made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds –
something that influences her writing. Her trademark is writing sweet, yet
deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead
of merely falling in lust.
What she loves most about being an author is
the chance to create new worlds and send her protagonists on a journey full of
ups and downs that will leave them changed. She draws inspiration from everyone
and everything in life. Besides being a romance novelist, she works as a
self-employed German web content writer, as a translator, and as a faithful
servant to all the cats, dogs, fish and birds in her home. When she’s not
writing, she’s reading or thinking about writing.
https://twitter.com/Author_Devika
Having always loved to read and
write, Devika Fernando made her dream come true in 2014 when she became a self-published
novelist. The Amazon bestselling author has published several eBooks in the
genres contemporary romance, paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Her
German and Sri Lankan roots influence her writing.
7 comments:
Thanks for having me over, Kathleen, I appreciate it. :-)
It used to be just cinnamon and Ceylon tea, but now that I keep a close eye on Devika's posts it's way more :D The most beautiful thing that I found out about Sri Lanka is that they have a wonderful Elephant Orphanage!
Tea was the first thing that came to mind.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
The beach. I love the beautiful beaches of the world
Being a tea lover, Sri Lanka attracts me for its tea and also the mysteries from the Ramayan era that this island holds! :)
nj_kinny@yahoo.co.in
-Nikita @Njkinny's World of Books & Stuff
I've always associated fine linens, spices and teas. Geographically I would say it's a Sandy arid area with nice beaches. Thanks for the opportunityđź’– dachshundlady@comcast.net
Loveely post
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