Coquina Hard by Lorain O’Neil
We were all taught that thirteen colonies united against the British in the American Revolution—nothing is ever mentioned of the fourteenth colony, the one that went loyalist, fought against the Revolution, and paid a devastating price: Florida.
Coquina Hard opens amidst the true story of the British military crushing the rebellion of thousands of Catholics who’d been tricked into slavery by a British aristocrat, Dr. Turnbull, sailed to Florida, and forced to build a town (New Smyrna, which exists to this day).
One of those enslaved is orphan Toria Brighton who escapes and falls in love with a handsome Georgia patriot who gives her the chance of returning home. Instead, Toria chooses to return to New Smyrna to lead survivors to freedom in St. Augustine (the daring escape is true and well documented historically) while the American Revolution explodes around her.
Find more from this author on:
About the author:
Lorain O’Neil is the author of Coquina Hard [Historical Fiction Standalone], Alien Advantage [Humorous Adventure Standalone], The Dangerous Path of Loving Jaesha [Very Dark Erotic Humorous Standalone Thriller], Angelique Rising [Humorous Standalone Dark Thriller], A Kiss From Moët [Humorous Paranormal Standalone Romance], The Liar Charms [Humorous Standalone Thriller], and co-author of Bedmonsters are Cool [Humorous Standalone Fantasy], all available on Amazon.
What inspired you to write your book?
Shogun by James Clavell
Here is a short sample from the book:
PROLOGUE
August, 1768
“Kill me first,” her disbelieving mind shrieked as she rammed her mortally thin body between the barrels. “Don’t let the Italians touch me.”
Forni had already raped two Minorcan girls, declared himself Captain-General over the settlement and seized a schooner to flee Florida. Three hundred of Forni’s rioters now roared toward her, smashing storehouses, plundering rum casks, murdering overseers. She heard one overseer die trying vainly to ward off the rioters’ blows, dying in the sand as the Greeks stabbed him in the groin, chopping off his nose and fingers.
Her name was Toria Brighton and she was a member of the largest single migration ever to come to America, surviving a wretched Atlantic crossing only to be crushed by starvation in the new Florida settlement.
“Help me, God,” she hissed, every fiber of her bursting in terror. “Save me.”
The frenzied mob careened onto the great coquina wharf of New Smyrna, directly to the barrels Toria cowered behind.
New Smyrna itself was more than a hundred thousand acres of Florida swampland and pine barrens, owned by one Dr. Andrew J. Turnbull and his aristocratic partners. Rushing to settle Florida, the British Crown had rashly granted huge tracts of land to British speculators but on one invidious condition: the land had to be peopled within three years. Failure resulted in complete forfeiture.
A man smashed a barrel, exposing her. I’m dead now, she told herself as mind-numbing horror engulfed her. Hands seized her, but not the drunken Greeks or Italians, but sixteen-year old Levy the Jew, from Minorca.
“Levy!” she tried to scream above the roar of the mob. For just an instant, the bellowing of the men and the wails of the captured women already forced onto the schooner distracted the rioters.
“GET ABOARD!” Forni exploded in Italian from the deck of the Balmer. “We’ve got to make tide, you dung-eating bastards!” Forni was ursine, his dark skin stretched tightly over a gaunt frame. He knew, as all New Smyrna’s survivors knew, they’d been tricked into slavery at New Smyrna and nothing but death awaited them there.
“Freedom!” a crazed Greek howled from shore. In chaos, a hundred rioters overwhelmed the Balmer’s gangplank and joined the hundreds of men already on board. Levy the Jew went with them, clutching Toria tightly. Aboard, he placed her on the deck where the abducted women already dragged on board cringed in a group, crying.
“They’ve tied up overseers below,” a panicked woman whispered in Catalan, the language of Minorca. “They’re going to starve them, say it’ll teach them what it feels like.” In the months the colonists had been at New Smyrna each had received only a quart of corn a day. Hominy was ladled out and men were forced to publicly whip their wives for trying to steal bread for their starving children.
Forni continued thundering orders at the mob, the Greeks not understanding Italian, the Italians too drunk to care.
We’ve wasted too much time, Forni snarled in boiling fury, too much time! Three days to convince the Greeks to come, never able to convince those idiot Minorcans. But now we have Turnbull’s ship, we’ll make Havana, and leave those stinking Minorcans to die here in the pissing swamps!
The wind in the harbor was against them and they missed the tide.
“A pox on this place for eternity!” Forni raved. “Now we have to wait for the next filthy tide to get us over that devil’s sandbar!” And out of Mosquitto Inlet forever. “Turnbull might be warned by then!”
“Ha!” a drunken voice answered. “What can Turnbull do against hundreds of us?”
Forni paid the fool no attention. Have they heard of our revolt in St. Augustine? he asked himself for the hundredth time. He scanned the north horizon uncontrollably, searching for the mast of a ship, any ship. They can’t get here in time he prayed. But three days, three days has been too long! Three days to organize the men, kill the overseers, provision the boat, wait for the tide. That foul sandbar! I’d be gone from Florida forever but for that damn bar blocking the harbor!
Forni sailed the Balmer southward, following the waterway close to the beach, waiting for the high tide to lift the ship up over the bar and out to sea. To Havana. To freedom.
“Maybe the British in St. Augustine will come,” Toria cried out, unable to accept her fate.
“How could they know what’s happened? And if they did come what would they do? Blast us out of the water!”
She turned and saw Levy the Jew behind her. He slipped a piece of bread into her hand and walked away, looking at the north horizon.
All eyes riveted on the north horizon. And the tide. The tide was rising.
“We’re going to make it!” Forni gasped.
The Balmer turned and warped easterly from the lagoon, toward the sea. They were within a cable’s length of the bar when they saw the first British packet bearing down on them from the north. Then they saw the sloop that accompanied her.
Forni cursed wildly at the two British vessels patiently waiting for him on the other side of the sandbar.
“The East Florida and the Juno!” he screamed furiously, uselessly. “Fitted with carriage guns and swivels!” And deckfulls of troops.
The rioters and prisoners hushed, all wondering in sickening horror whether Forni would fight or surrender. From the north the East Florida began crossing the bar toward them. The Juno waited outside with grim efficiency.
The Balmer was blockaded.
“We’ve got to get out of here!” a berserk voice shouted as thirty-five of the rioters’ leadership hurled themselves overboard onto a small boat.
The East Florida fired one cannon ball at the Balmer intentionally missing. Panic exploded on deck and two Greek gun crews grabbed swivels to fire back.
“NO! NO!” Forni screamed insanely, his black eyes flaming. The Greeks paid him no mind and fired one round each at the East Florida.
It was enough.
The recoil of the weapons caused the stolen schooner to run aground backward onto the bar.
“I’m hung,” Forni muttered in madness as he watched his escaping friends in the rowboat disappear southward and the Juno glide off after them.
The Balmer struck, and when the rising tide lifted her off the bar the East Florida forced her back up the harbor. The women and children were freed and seventy-five of the three hundred rioters were taken prisoners by the British.
Toria ran from the boat to the tiny palmetto hut that was her home. She was nine years old and amazed to still be alive.
Related products
-
Box Set: Shades of Pleasure (Five book bundle) by Tawny taylor
Dominant billionaires. Secrets and blackmail. Fantasies come true. Shades of Pleasure brings you five books from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Tawny Taylor. This decadent five book bundle of novellas contains: What He Wants, At His Mercy, Pleasing Him, Ties that Bind and Enslaved by Sin–a total of over 90,000 words. If purchased separately, these books would cost over $12.00.
What He Wants (My Alpha Billionaire, 1)
Billionaire Shane Trant is used to getting what he wants. What he can’t buy, he takes. When he sees Bristol Deatrich, he knows he wants her. But there’s a problem. Only complete possession of her mind and body will satisfy him…
At His Mercy
Sometimes freedom can only be gained through captivity…
Elena Caine has secrets. The kind that could devastate her life if they’re revealed. And now a selfish bastard is dragging the skeletons out of her closet. She’s being blackmailed. There’s no way out–but to turn to the man Elena trusts least, the quietly seductive Dom Kyler Pierce.
Pleasing Him
Britt Olsen is shocked when the man who bought her house, the gorgeous Andre Cruz-Romero, shows up at her front door a week after closing. Now Britt has her chance to get to know the enigmatic man who has inspired a fantasy or two, or more. But she is both shocked and thrilled to learn about Andre’s extreme erotic tastes…
Ties that Bind
Illusion. A word shaded with nuance, making the men who practice it–the masters–enigmas. Particularly when they magically materialize from the shadows of a woman’s past.
It’s been fifteen years. No longer the tormented young men Blair knew and loved so long ago, Damon and Trey still know how to touch her heart, how to draw out her secrets, and how to bring her to the edge of ecstasy. Blair has two weeks to unravel the ties that have bound the three of them together. Two weeks to solve the mysteries veiled by her seductive masters’ illusions. And two weeks to surrender to the smoldering desires burning in her body as she submits to their darkest demands.
Some ties can never be severed.
Enslaved by Sin
Over two hundred years ago, the Master of Sin welcomed guests to Castle Greh, inviting them to taste decadent carnal pleasures every night. Now, some claimed the castle was haunted by the dark prince and his many lovers. She was about to learn the truth…
-
Coffee Break by Hayet Brach
A girl putting herself on display. An unexpected guest. A couple overwhelmed by desire. Three new tales of love and lust – enticing, enthralling, and exciting.
Includes the stories ‘Coffee Break’, ‘The Guest’ and ‘Something In The Water’.
-
The problem of getting Rich Quik … part one by S M Mala
When you’re single and in need of hot love, both emotionally and physically, you think your options are limited. It’s just one glimmer of hope that could turn it all around, even if it involves falling back into bed with the trickiest bastard of them all, Richard Hayden-Quik, a man with a reputation of being a stud muffin on Viagra.
It was only six years before Lily spotted Richard, a successful film director, her aim to get Rich Quik – seduced by his looks, charm and the size of his wallet. Even her best friend Dominic knows it won’t be easy especially as Richard’s super bitch PA, Rosana, will do anything to stop Lily getting to her boss.
But she knows he’s a tricky bastard with a checkered past, a long term lover and a best friend who hates her guts. The road to her one true love is littered with female bodies and she’s not sure if she’s a match for a man who thinks monogamy is a type of wood. And she is the last one to realize he has an ulterior motive for being with her.
Lily hopes she can get Richard though life’s sudden shocks, twist and turns have the greatest possibility of making her literally lose everything she loves… all due to the problem of getting Rich Quik.
-
Billionaire Romance Boxed Set (9 Book Bundle) by Julia Kent, Krista Lakes, Adriana Hunter, Aubrey Rose, Artemis Hunt, Liliana Rhodes, Melanie Marchande, Starla Cole, Cerys du Lys
99 cents for a limited time!
From powerful businessmen to dominating bachelors who won’t take no for an answer, this exclusive Billionaire Romance boxed set includes some of the hottest stories ever published by popular romance authors!
Download 9 scorching hot tales of seduction featuring wealthy men from all walks of life. These irresistible bad boys will take you on a wild ride that will leave you breathless!
This boxed set collection features stories from popular authors including: USA Today & NY Times Bestsellers Julia Kent, Aubrey Rose, Adriana Hunter, and Artemis Hunt, Top 100 Kindle bestsellers Krista Lakes and Melanie Marchande, and Bestselling Authors Starla Cole, Cerys du Lys, and Liliana Rhodes!
HER FIRST BILLIONAIRE by Julia Kent
Caught between two men- literally- who turned out to be roommates and secret billionaires, Laura makes a startling discovery about her own capacity for passion.
THE WOMAN OF THE BILLIONAIRE’S DREAMS by Krista Lakes
Tracy has been stepped on all her life, but when a car accident leaves her with the ability to enter other people’s dreams, an opportunity arises. Will Tracy be able to break out of her shell in order to seduce billionaire Paul Hayes?
SHATTERED by Adriana Hunter
Curvy Katherine is tired of the daily grind. She craves something new… something exciting. There is one thing that she does look forward to every day- the meetings with her ruggedly handsome billionaire boss, Matt Donaldson. Known for his impossibly good looks and unbelievable wealth, he’s loved by many and hated by many more. Katherine never thought Matt noticed her until he comes to her rescue. That sets the pace for a dangerous game of complete submission.
ME, CINDERELLA? by Aubrey Rose
One kind deed can change your life forever…
Brynn has spent her life trying to forget her desires, and Eliot’s deep wounds have taken nearly a decade to heal. After so much hurt, will either of them be able to open their hearts again?
THE PRETEND BOYFRIEND by Artemis Hunt
Samantha is clumsy and totally in need of a new boyfriend by this weekend. Her younger sister is getting engaged. Enter Brian Morton. He is gorgeous, rich, snarky, and utterly promiscuous. He was also the bully who made Sam’s middle school life a living hell. A series of bizarre events results in Brian losing a bet. His punishment? To be Sam’s slave for the weekend… and do anything she wants.
NO REGRETS by Liliana Rhodes
Life hasn’t been perfect for plus sized Deborah. Working in a department store isn’t great, but it has its perks and she meets one in the form of a man she calls “Mr. Sexy”. William King isn’t just any man though, he’s an ultra-private billionaire heir. When Will’s mysterious past puts the two lovers in danger, will the truth bring them closer together or finally tear them apart?
I MARRIED A BILLIONAIRE by Melanie Marchande
Maddy has given up on marriage- and men. But when her rich (and sexy) boss Daniel Thorne proposes an arrangement of convenience that would allow him to stay in the country, and Maddy to never work another day in her life, she might get more than she bargained for. By the end of their sham relationship, Maddy finds herself wondering if the money will be enough to repair the cost of a broken heart. But Mr. Thorne may have a secret in store…
THE EXHIBITIONIST by Starla Cole
Erik, a BDSM master Syria met at a bondage exhibition, offers her an opportunity to join his life of beauty, wealth and power as his personal escort and exhibitionist. But on Christmas Eve, Syria will have to choose between a life of luxury sans love, and the Santa stripper who just may hold her heart.
THE BILLIONAIRE’S ULTIMATUM by Cerys du Lys
Falling in love wasn’t part of Jessika’s job description. Nor was being asked by billionaire CEO Asher Landseer to become an egg donor and surrogate for his infertile wife. All Jessika wants to do is help, but is she setting herself up for heartbreak in the process?
-
Christmas Blend by Evie Lester @evielester2
A cup of smooth, rich coffee and the joy Christmas—what could be better?
Beth Ross finally pulled her life together, opening a coffee shop in the small Minnesota town where her special Christmas blends have become a local sensation. For Beth, the holidays promise to be a season of fulfillment.
But when handsome, mysterious Chad Parker walks into her shop to place an order on the day after Thanksgiving her carefully constructed world begins to unravel.
The chemistry between them is impossible to deny. But they each have more baggage than Santa’s sleigh and an out-of-control business rivalry that could stop any budding romance in its tracks.
I am a reader of romances and chick lit who decided to try my hand at it. This is my first effort.
With the holidays coming and all the seasonal beverages appearing in the local coffee shops at this time of year, I always begin to get in the holiday mood. I love coffee. And I love a pumpkin spice latte. And, of course, I love Christmas. So I decided to write a short, sweet romance inspired by this special feeling at this special time of year.
-
What Do Lesbians Do In Bed? 21 Sapphic Stories by Giselle Renarde
Have you ever wondered what lesbians do when they get together? Is it all fingers and scissors and lips between legs, or is there WAY more to the slippery story of lesbian sex?
In this hot new anthology, enjoy twenty-one explicit tales of lesbian love. From shoe fetish to opera gloves, sex in public to quiet winter mornings, from a taste of taboo to strap-on DP to extremes that shan’t be mentioned here to full-on Sapphic bukakke, even connoisseurs of fine girl-on-girl action are likely to discover a new idea or two in this sexy new collection.
Whether you can appreciate this book’s title ironically or you’re authentically curious about what girls who love girls do in bed (or in parked cars or at the office or in a church basement or in a restaurant bathroom), grab a copy today and get in on the nitty-gritty secrets of lesbian sex.
Giselle Renarde’s erotic fiction has appeared in over 100 anthologies, including prestigious collections like Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Lesbian Romance, Best Women’s Erotica, Girl Fever, and the Lambda Award-winning collection Wild Girls, Wild Nights.
-
Boxed Set: My Alpha Billionaire, A New Adult romance by Tawny Taylor
For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, a sexy New Adult boxed set by USA Today Bestselling author Tawny Taylor.
A USA Today Bestselling Book!
An Amazon Kindle Top 10 Bestseller!
A Barnes and Noble Top 20 Bestseller!
An Amazon Top 10 HOT NEW RELEASE (Erotica)!
An Amazon #1 Bestseller (Coming of Age and New Adult & College)!
AT LAST, YOU CAN BUY ALL FOUR BOOKS AT ONCE AT THIS SPECIAL SALE PRICE. AN $8.99 VALUE!
This ebook contains:
Book 1: What He Wants
Book 2: What He Demands
Book 3: What He Craves
Book 4: What He Needs
Billionaire Shane Trant is used to getting what he wants. What he can’t buy, he takes. When he sees Bristol Deatrich for the first time in over ten years, he knows he wants her. But there’s a problem. Only complete possession of her mind and body will satisfy him. He’s not sure the sweet little Bristol is ready for his brand of extreme carnal play.
But that’s not going to stop him from trying. After all, he learned a long time ago, nobody wins if they don’t take risks. If this risk pays off, they’ll both win.
-
Close Up and Personal by JS Taylor
Actress and director. The stage is set for passion…
Drama-school graduate Isabella Green wants to be a script-writer. But when she meets famous director James Berkeley, she’s tempted into the glamorous world of acting.
Behind the camera, the mysterious Berkeley commands discipline at all times. But Isabella soon discovers his dominant male tendencies also extend into the dressing room.
Suddenly Isabella is discovering a side of herself she never knew existed. But she is also learning more about the alluring James Berkeley. Is his desperate past something she can help heal? Or will the flames of passion consume them both when the cameras start rolling?
Lights, camera, action…
Close Up and Personal strips down to zero dollars over Christmas – 24th-28th December – get yours free!
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.