[Emma Townsend 02] • A Touch of Scarlet

The compelling heroine of Eve Marie Mont's acclaimed novel A Breath of Eyre returns to find truth and fiction merging through the pages of Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic, The Scarlet Letter. . .Emma Townsend is back at prestigious Lockwood Prep, but her world has altered immeasurably since her tumultuous sophomore year. The best change of all: her boyfriend, Gray. And though Gray is leaving for Coast Guard training, Emma feels newly optimistic, even if the pain of her mother's long-ago death still casts a shadow.

Yet Emma isn't the only one who's changed. Her friend and roommate, Michelle, is strangely remote, and old alliances are shifting in disconcerting ways. Soon Emma's long-distance relationship with Gray is straining under the pressure, and Emma wonders if she's cracking too. How else to explain the vivid dreams of Hester Prynne she's been having since she started reading The Scarlet Letter? Or the way she's found herself waking in the woods? As her life begins to echo events in the novel, Emma will be forced to choose between virtue and love. But can she forge a new future without breaking her heart?

"Richly satisfying. . .a smart and rewarding ode to literature." --Kirkus on A Breath of Eyre (starred review)

Praise for A Breath of Eyre

"Exceptional and unique. . . A breath of fresh air for hungry readers looking for that special touch that makes a book stand out from the rest of the pack." --The New York Journal of Books

"Bronte fans should appreciate this romantic, time-slipping reimagining that addresses finding a voice in writing and in life." --Publishers Weekly

Review"Emma's adventures in literature continue in this smart, funny follow-up to A Breath of Eyre (2012) that will have readers hauling out their battered copies of The Scarlet Letter for a second look." -- Kirkus Reviews

"The perfect book for classics lovers as well as paranormal romance fans, Mont's tale incorporates the theme from The Scarlet Letter while maintaining modernity. The story is well paced, with a fantastic writing style and lifelike characters. It's a wonderful modern take on a great classic novel." -- Romantic Times Book Reviews, 4 stars