Hour of the Rose
Draycott Abbey Novel, No. 1  
By Christina Skye

    Christina Skye brings readers an ageless, cloak-and-dagger romance set in a haunted Abbey surrounded by places adeptly named Lyons Leap and the Witch’s Pool.

   Adrian, the brooding eighth viscount of Draycott, and Gideon, his sleek gray cat, haunt Draycott Abbey. For centuries the two have materialized on the Abbey’s parapets to watch over its residents and surrounding country side. Draycott is a magical place. Its past is mystically connected to its present, and those meant to be there are destined to find their way. On this night Adrian senses fear and experiences the vision of a woman not of this world.

   Nicolas, the twelfth viscount of Draycott ends up in London with his pregnant wife. Draycott is left in the adept hands of Michael (Mikhail) Burke, a life-long neighbor and friend. Nicolas and Michael’s relationship is shaky and their true past secretive.

   Kelly Hamilton is an archeologist with a psychic gift – a gift Washington is interested in using. Despite her feelings about England and a desire not to return, Kelly finds herself at Draycott and face to intimate face with Michael. Little do the two know they are both secretly looking for the same thing or that a ghost and a cat are interested in everything they do.

   Skye blends the present with the past without missing a beat. The lead characters, Michael and Kelly, are destined for each other. The development of their relationship is complex and passionate and their story is part of a larger picture. The star of this multifaceted Draycott series is the brooding ghost Adrian, who reminds me of TV’s “Angel.”