Beyond the Sunrise

Dear Reader,

 

Beyond the Sunrise
, first published in 1992, is very special to me. I had already written almost thirty Regency romances, character-driven comedies of manners, all set in England. I was comfortable in the genre. But then I had an idea for something a bit different, something that would involve the Napoleonic Wars. I had been doing research into the Peninsular Wars in Spain and Portugal, and I was hooked.

The story is set in the same era as most of my others, and it begins in England when the hero and heroine first meet as young teenagers and enjoy a sweet romance before they are forced apart—she is the daughter of an exiled French count while he is the illegitimate son of an earl. But the story then moves to Portugal a number of years later. Robert Blake is now a tough, seasoned captain of an infantry regiment and an occasional spy under direct orders from the future Duke of Wellington. Joana da Fonte (formerly Jeanne Morisette) is the widow of a Portuguese nobleman and also a spy—something for which her French background makes her a prime candidate.

The story involves spying, intrigue, revenge, and betrayal, and it is the most action-packed of my books. I absolutely loved writing it, even though it took me well outside my comfort zone. It is character-driven and tells a passionate love story, just as all my books do, but it is a great deal more than just that, and I am delighted to see it being published again so many years later.

I do hope you will enjoy reading it in this lovely new edition, whether it be for the first time or as a reread from many years ago.

Mary Balogh

Beyond the Sunrise

“Thoroughly enjoyable.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Janelle Taylor

“Balogh's . . . epic love story is a winner . . . absorbing reading right up until the end.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“High intrigue, daring exploits, a passionate love affair, what more could you want in a romance? Balogh gives us a humdinger of a tale set during the Napoleonic Wars. Great fun. Highly recommended.”

—
Manderley Magazine

“
Beyond the Sunrise
is an utterly absorbing, powerful tale of a love that was once doomed and yet blooms again amidst the intrigue and ordeal of war. With infinite care and deft plotting, Ms. Balogh spins an intricate tale with the skill of a master weaver. She draws you into the era by evoking the aura of the war and the passionate emotions of her characters. If you have never read another book by Mary Balogh, then
Beyond the Sunrise
will be your introduction to a writer of remarkable talents.”

—
RT Reviews

Longing

“Balogh capture[s] the allure of the land and the culture of the proud people of Wales . . . a very different sort of historical romance. Ms. Balogh's writing has a very lyrical quality to it, which draws out the feelings of yearning so that the reader can palpably sense them . . . pretty powerful.”

—
The Hope Chest Reviews

“A particular favorite of mine.”

—
The Romance Reader

FURTHER PRAISE FOR AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR MARY BALOGH

“Once you start a Mary Balogh book, you won't be able to stop reading.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips

“Mary Balogh has the gift of making a relationship seem utterly real and utterly compelling.”

—Mary Jo Putney

“Winning, witty, and engaging . . . fulfilled all of my romantic fantasies.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Teresa Medeiros

“Mary Balogh just keeps getting better and better . . . interesting characters and great stories to tell . . . well worth your time.”

—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Mary Balogh is a superb author whose narrative voice comments on the characters and events of her novel in an ironic tone reminiscent of Jane Austen.”

—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Mary Balogh reaches deep and touches the heart.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Joan Johnston

“A writer whose books belong on every romance shelf.”

—RT Reviews

THE SURVIVORS' CLUB SERIES

The Proposal

The Arrangement

The Escape

Only Enchanting

THE HUXTABLE SERIES

First Comes Marriage

Then Comes Seduction

At Last Comes Love

Seducing an Angel

A Secret Affair

THE SIMPLY SERIES

Simply Unforgettable

Simply Love

Simply Magic

Simply Perfect

THE BEDWYN SAGA

Slightly Married

Slightly Wicked

Slightly Scandalous

Slightly Tempted

Slightly Sinful

Slightly Dangerous

THE BEDWYN PREQUELS

One Night for Love

A Summer to Remember

THE MISTRESS TRILOGY

More Than a Mistress

No Man's Mistress

The Secret Mistress

THE WEB SERIES

The Gilded Web

Web of Love

The Devil's Web

CLASSICS

The Ideal Wife

The Secret Pearl

A Precious Jewel

A Christmas Promise

Dark Angel/
Lord Carew's Bride

The Famous Heroine/
The Plumed Bonnet

A Christmas Bride/
Christmas Beau

The Temporary Wife/
A Promise of Spring

A Counterfeit Betrothal/
The Notorious Rake

Irresistible

A Matter of Class

Under the Mistletoe

Longing

Signet Eclipse

Published by the Penguin Group

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A Penguin Random House Company

Published by Signet Eclipse, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC. Previously published in an Onyx edition.

First Signet Eclipse Printing, February 2015

Copyright © Mary Balogh, 1992

Map copyright © Meighan Cavanaugh, 2014

Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

SIGNET ECLIPSE and logo are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

LIBRARY
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CATALOGING
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UBLICATION
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Balogh, Mary.

Beyond the sunrise/Mary Balogh.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-698-15611-1

1. First loves—Fiction. 2. Man-woman relationships—Fiction.

I. Title.

PR6052.A465B49 2015

823'.914—dc23 2014035061

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NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.