The Concealed by Sarah Kleck
Publication date: November 1st 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
“Can you be happy when what you desire most means your doom?”
Evelyn Lakewood, an orphan, is crushed after the death of her beloved sister Zara. But the nineteen-year old enrolls in Psychology at Oxford in honor of Zara.
There, Evelyn first becomes friends with vivacious Sally and seemingly charming Felix. But the encounter with Jared Calmburry, whose incredibly blue eyes immediately captivate her, fundamentally changes her life. She is instantly drawn to this mysterious stranger around whom unusual things happen and who simply disappears every time Evelyn tries to confront him about his puzzling behavior. After finding a mysterious book with a unique symbol on its leather cover in the university library, her curiosity is perked. She doesn’t know what to make of it but Jared’s best friend Colin Sullivan encourages her with cryptic hints to continue her search for evidence. When she discovers the same medieval symbol is worn by hostile professor Karen Mayflower and engraved on another faculty member’s seal ring, she realizes that an ancient secret surrounds Jared.
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Excerpt
Suddenly, a thought came to me while I was standing there
watching the two of them: if Colin was at this party . . . was he here,
too? It certainly wasn’t improbable since I usually saw Jared and Colin
together. An unfamiliar heat suddenly spread from my stomach. My hands were
moist. If Jared really was here, should I try to talk to him? After all, we
were at a party and everyone was a bit more relaxed than usual. Maybe he
wouldn’t avoid me this time. I started turning around, frantically looking for
him. Why was just the thought of Jared making me so agitated? In the hope of
calming down, I took two large sips of beer. It helped—but not much. Calm down.
He’s probably not here and you’re driving
yourself crazy for nothing.
watching the two of them: if Colin was at this party . . . was he here,
too? It certainly wasn’t improbable since I usually saw Jared and Colin
together. An unfamiliar heat suddenly spread from my stomach. My hands were
moist. If Jared really was here, should I try to talk to him? After all, we
were at a party and everyone was a bit more relaxed than usual. Maybe he
wouldn’t avoid me this time. I started turning around, frantically looking for
him. Why was just the thought of Jared making me so agitated? In the hope of
calming down, I took two large sips of beer. It helped—but not much. Calm down.
He’s probably not here and you’re driving
yourself crazy for nothing.
A second later, I felt someone staring at me. I quickly
turned around and looked straight into Madison’s angry red face. Her
hate-filled eyes were narrowed to slits. What’s her problem now? She
looked at me, then to the side. When I followed her glance, it was as if I’d
been struck by lightning. Jared! He was coming through the crowd
toward me. My heart skipped and sank to the bottom of my stomach.
turned around and looked straight into Madison’s angry red face. Her
hate-filled eyes were narrowed to slits. What’s her problem now? She
looked at me, then to the side. When I followed her glance, it was as if I’d
been struck by lightning. Jared! He was coming through the crowd
toward me. My heart skipped and sank to the bottom of my stomach.
Suddenly, I realized why Madison was so enraged. Only a few
steps separated Jared and me. I just stood there with wide eyes as if rooted to
the ground, my heart pounding in my throat, and my hands were so clammy that I could
barely hold my cup. Then, he was in front of me and looked at me with his deep blue
eyes. Hadn’t I wanted to ask him something? I couldn’t remember how to speak.
If I were to open my mouth, I’d probably only babble.
steps separated Jared and me. I just stood there with wide eyes as if rooted to
the ground, my heart pounding in my throat, and my hands were so clammy that I could
barely hold my cup. Then, he was in front of me and looked at me with his deep blue
eyes. Hadn’t I wanted to ask him something? I couldn’t remember how to speak.
If I were to open my mouth, I’d probably only babble.
“Hi,” said Jared in a gentle voice. He looked deeply into my
eyes.
eyes.
“Hi . . . ,” I said.
Instead of saying something else, he just stared at me. It
felt as if he was looking into my soul. As if he knew all my secrets from a
single glance. Everything I had ever done, thought, or felt. It was thrilling
and frightening at the same time. I wished he would say something. Anything to
relax the situation a little. But Jared looked at me unperturbed. And despite
the uncomfortable feeling he caused inside me, I could not turn away.
felt as if he was looking into my soul. As if he knew all my secrets from a
single glance. Everything I had ever done, thought, or felt. It was thrilling
and frightening at the same time. I wished he would say something. Anything to
relax the situation a little. But Jared looked at me unperturbed. And despite
the uncomfortable feeling he caused inside me, I could not turn away.
His intense, captivating look made me believe I would be lost
in the depth of those blue eyes. Only my last ounce of reason kept me from throwing
my arms around his neck and begging him to be with me forever.
in the depth of those blue eyes. Only my last ounce of reason kept me from throwing
my arms around his neck and begging him to be with me forever.
“Are you happy, Evelyn?” The melodic sound of his voice caught
me completely unprepared. I needed a moment to regain my balance. Couldn’t he
just say something normal? Something that didn’t pull the
rug out from underneath me? Something banal like everyone else says?
me completely unprepared. I needed a moment to regain my balance. Couldn’t he
just say something normal? Something that didn’t pull the
rug out from underneath me? Something banal like everyone else says?
Was I happy? Why did he ask me that? Could I ever be happy
after all that had happened in my life? Had I ever been happy?
after all that had happened in my life? Had I ever been happy?
“Are you happy?” It burst out of me before
I’d even completed the thought.
I’d even completed the thought.
“No,” he said without looking away. “Can you be happy when
what you desire most will bring you to your doom?” Unspeakable sadness
resonated in his voice and caused me to shiver all over. Although I didn’t have
the slightest idea what Jared was talking about, I somehow felt . . .
struck. As if his question had something to do with me.
what you desire most will bring you to your doom?” Unspeakable sadness
resonated in his voice and caused me to shiver all over. Although I didn’t have
the slightest idea what Jared was talking about, I somehow felt . . .
struck. As if his question had something to do with me.
“Probably not,” I said. Jared narrowed his eyes in
concentration. It was apparent that he was suffering. I didn’t know why, but I
suddenly had the urge to comfort him. Without thinking or even being aware of what
I was doing, I extended my hand and took hold of his. It was firm and warm. An
intense tingle pervaded my entire body from the tips of my toes to the ends of
my hair and only allowed me to breathe in bursts. My heart lost its rhythm and
hammered wildly in my chest. He stared at me with wide eyes. Jared obviously
needed a moment to collect himself, just as I did. Then his look became clear.
He narrowed his eyes again and furrowed his brow.
concentration. It was apparent that he was suffering. I didn’t know why, but I
suddenly had the urge to comfort him. Without thinking or even being aware of what
I was doing, I extended my hand and took hold of his. It was firm and warm. An
intense tingle pervaded my entire body from the tips of my toes to the ends of
my hair and only allowed me to breathe in bursts. My heart lost its rhythm and
hammered wildly in my chest. He stared at me with wide eyes. Jared obviously
needed a moment to collect himself, just as I did. Then his look became clear.
He narrowed his eyes again and furrowed his brow.
“I’m sorry,” he said, withdrew his hand from mine, turned,
and disappeared through the crowd.
and disappeared through the crowd.
AUTHOR BIO:
Sarah Kleck, born in 1984, studied Education, Psychology and Sociology at the University of Augsburg.
Currently, she’s working as a human resources officer and lives with her husband and a newborn in Germany near Lake Constance.
“The Concealed” is her first novel
Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
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Sounds good 🙂 Thanks for the chance !
I enjoyed the excerpt, thank you.
Thanks for the introduction to Concealed. Looks good!
Love the excerpt! Makes me wanna read this book right now! Thanks for the chance <3
Sounds great. Thank you for the chance!