Karen Aldous - The Chateau

Can young hearts ease a restless spirit?

On the shores of stunning Lake Léman, Gina Remy is celebrating her brother’s wedding when the figure of a woman appears hovering above the water, beckoning to her. Ghostly visitations do not happen to Gina – a self-confessed control freak with her own successful property business, she prides herself on being level-headed. But as she is tormented by dreams and visions, her perfect life begins to unravel, and she knows she needs to help this ghost find peace if she’s to get any of her own!

Enter Ollie Martin, an Anglo-Swiss property developer who’s sexy as hell and knows it. His arrogance annoys Gina but he’s the only one who will take her seriously.

The closer they come to understanding the quest the ghost has set for them, the closer they get to one another.

Also by Karen Aldous Contents Cover Blurb Book List Title Page Copyright Author Bio Acknowledgements Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Four Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Seven Chapter Thirty-Eight Endpages About the Publisher

The Vineyard

The Château

Karen Aldous

Copyright Copyright Author Bio Acknowledgements Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Four Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Seven Chapter Thirty-Eight Endpages About the Publisher

HQ

An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2014

Copyright © Karen Aldous 2014

Karen Aldous asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

E-book Edition © October 2014 ISBN: 9781474007818

Version date: 2018-09-19

KAREN ALDOUS

Inspired by novelists such as Jilly Cooper and Barbara Taylor Bradford many moons ago, Karen never lost her passion for writing. It always got put on the back burner though with stories and articles fuelling the Aga rather than going in the mailbox. Gaining life experience and confidence has been crucial and she feels raising her three children along with being in the property and travel industries have not only brought material for her writing but have allowed her to indulge in her favourite pastimes.

Karen currently lives on the edge of the North Downs in Kent and owns a website design business but she craves nothing other than earning a living from writing romance. Her dream!

She still gets a kick from travelling and seeking that property bargain but her husband and family – particularly her three grandchildren – along with Bertie her golden lab continue to steal her affections. There’s barely enough time to go round, she admits, but their love and support never wavers and without them and her fellow writers at The Write Place and the RNA, her aspirations may never have flourished!

Acknowledgements Contents Cover Blurb Book List Title Page Copyright Author Bio Acknowledgements Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Four Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Seven Chapter Thirty-Eight Endpages About the Publisher

A massive thank you to my lovely editor, Lucy Gilmour, Victoria Oundjian and the team at HQ Digital . Their belief and faith confirmed dreams really can come true. My huge appreciation also goes to all the amazing and dedicated book reviewers, bloggers, fellow authors and readers who do a spectacular job in helping spreading the word for authors.

Special thanks too for members of the Romantic Novelist Association and The Write Place Creative Writing School who have also provided such a wealth of advice and support. I’ve made some lovely friends at both these organisations and long may they continue!

Dedication Contents Cover Blurb Book List Title Page Copyright Author Bio Acknowledgements Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Chapter Thirty-Four Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter Thirty-Six Chapter Thirty-Seven Chapter Thirty-Eight Endpages About the Publisher

To the three most special little people who continue to inspire me…my three grandchildren, Macy, Hayden and Spencer xxx

Contents

Cover

Blurb Can young hearts ease a restless spirit? On the shores of stunning Lake Léman, Gina Remy is celebrating her brother’s wedding when the figure of a woman appears hovering above the water, beckoning to her. Ghostly visitations do not happen to Gina – a self-confessed control freak with her own successful property business, she prides herself on being level-headed. But as she is tormented by dreams and visions, her perfect life begins to unravel, and she knows she needs to help this ghost find peace if she’s to get any of her own! Enter Ollie Martin, an Anglo-Swiss property developer who’s sexy as hell and knows it. His arrogance annoys Gina but he’s the only one who will take her seriously. The closer they come to understanding the quest the ghost has set for them, the closer they get to one another.