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Spotlight on My Love, My Rogue

She faked her death. He now knows she’s alive. Can they survive the treacherous enemy that hunts them and gain a chance for love and happiness?

Lady Honora Radcliff was betrothed to the most sought-after man of the Season— just not the man she loved. Too much champagne and too many dances with a handsome stranger leaves her life in tatters and she finds herself married to an abusive man whose only interest is the dowry her father refuses to release. Desperate to save her life and that of her unborn child, she fakes her death and disappears.

Lord Benjamin Crewe, the Marquess of Willington, planned to enjoy the Christmastide season relaxing. Instead, he accepts a dangerous assignment from the Crown and while working it, comes face to face with the woman he always wished he had married. Only she has been thought dead for three years.

Needing answers, he pursues her at the same time a treacherous enemy of England surfaces, and the two of them become tangled in a web of danger, espionage, and deception.

Can Honora and Benjamin survive the danger in which they find themselves and gain a chance for love and happiness?

Buy Links

Amazon – https://amazon.com/Lord-Rogue-Noble-Hearts-Book-ebook/dp/B09SFFWN1P/

B&N – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-lord-my-rogue-anna-st-claire/1141004890?ean=2940160798554

Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1610262220

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/my-lord-my-rogue

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60419196-my-lord-my-rogue

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/books/my-lord-my-rogue-noble-hearts-series-book-4-by-anna-st-claire

Excerpt

Saltdean, Brighton, England

March 1815

Lady Honora Aster stood at the edge of the cliff and regarded the black void of the ocean pounding below and wondered if she could blend in anywhere, ever again, or if her life would be the endless onslaught of pain and mockery she endured today. The frothy waves beckoned her, daring her to jump and join them. The cold March winds whipped her auburn curls wildly about her face as she stood in her night rail and wrapper at the edge of the cliff, staring through the thick layer of sea mist. The smell of salt and seaweed hung heavy in the air. Wet fog soaked her night clothing as she watched the water crash onto the jagged rocks below. She felt lost and hopeless.

Her mind spun with memories of the life she had foolishly cast aside. Two months before, she had been on her way to Lady Beaumont’s event, betrothed to Adam Hunter, the Marquess of Greystone. Her disgraceful behavior that night ended her betrothal and forced her to wed another—a man she barely knew, who had waltzed into her life that night and convinced her they were meant for each other. Today, her marriage to that man was anything but what he had promised her. A shiver shook her. Shamefully, in mere months, her former betrothed would return home from the battlefields to find out she had jilted him. And for what? For the man who married her and used her. Tonight, there was only ache, cold, and loneliness.

Closing her eyes, she struggled against the memory of that fateful night.

She had been eager to attend Lady Beaumont’s event. It had been the height of the social season—and the end of life, as she had known it. With Adam off fighting against Napoleon’s armies, her social life had been limited and felt stifling.

As her parents’ carriage slowed to a stop behind the waiting line, she noticed they were already discussing how long they should stay at the ball. Her betrothal to Adam had been the match of the Season, and her parents wanted nothing to mess up the engagement. A sarcastic laugh escaped as she gave thought to it all. Her parents had wanted the engagement more than she had.

Curse her heart, but she had hoped a different lord would offer for her—one who acted as if she did not exist. To make matters worse, it had been weeks since her last letter from Adam. He was everything one could want in a suitor. She would love him, she felt sure of it.

“Honora,” her mother said as she snugged her pelisse closer, “remember you are engaged. Do not dance more than once with anyone.”

“Yes, Mama.” Her mother did not have to worry. She might not love Adam as he professed to love her, but she cared for him and fervently wished he was here tonight to show off on her arm.

However, when Lord David Aster had shown her attention, she had ignored her promises, dancing twice with him, eliciting looks and whispers. The evening had spun out of control when she foolishly allowed him to take her to the garden, knowing he wanted to kiss her. But it had gone so much further—too far. When it did, David had promised they would be happy together. She attributed her foolishness to frustration, loneliness, and too much champagne.

He had professed to love her and had been quite attentive—at first. Honora had thought she loved him, but realized now that she had only been caught up in the moment’s passion. How could she love someone so cruel? Absently, she rubbed her raw wrists. “I had everything I ever could have wanted, and like a dog with a bone, I wanted another,” she muttered wearily. David had lied.

Finally, he had admitted it was all about her dowry. He needed it. Not her. Not this baby. The problem was that her dowry was the settlement promised to Adam with their betrothal contract. The contract she had broken. And her father refused to cede to David’s demands that David be given the money. They had eloped. There had been no contract.

Slowly, she took off her shoes and tossed them over the edge, one at a time, watching them land. One landed on the sandy, rocky bottom, the second on a large, jagged rock just as a fierce wave full of foam slapped at the cliff beneath her. When the wave withdrew into the ocean, the shoe had gone with it.

Honora shifted closer to the edge and stood, her bare toes feeling the wet grass beneath them. Her toes hugged the edge. It gave a sense of control to be there. David had stripped her of her sense of worth, her own sense of being. She had run from him and he followed her, demanding she return to London. She would never return to London as his wife. Tears streamed down her cheek unchecked as she recalled their last conversation.

He had walked in behind her, yelling her name. She hated his voice.

“I have had enough of your family.”

“You are back.” It was more of a statement. She closed her wardrobe and turned to face him.

“Your father refuses to acknowledge me as your husband,” David seethed, his arms crossed.

“David, please . . .our marriage, everything, it all happened so fast.” She glanced where he was looking, curious. He was watching the gardener tending her aunt’s roses in the seaside garden behind her Brighton home.

“You have not supported my needs. I married you as I promised. I gave you my name.” His voice turned ugly, mocking, “Your Marquess would not have married you, once he returned. I did your parents a favor.”

“David, I have pleaded with Father. He refuses.” She touched her belly, unsure of how to break the news. “Why did you follow me?”

He turned from the window and glowered at her. “You are my wife—my property. And you owe me . . .” He grabbed her by the arm and threw her to the bed.

“David, stop,” she pleaded. “My aunt will hear us. Please . . . I am with child.”

His eyes bore into her before he grabbed her by the wrists, twisting them roughly. “What?” he roared. “You tricked me into marrying you so I would give my name to your bastard child.” He released one wrist and backhanded her with his free arm, knocking her back onto her bed before advancing on her.

Shaking, she drew up into a protective ball, watching him through blinding tears. “That is not true. I have only just missed my courses. There has only been you. You know this is truth.”

He had moved toward her, but her words stopped him. Instead, he stood and walked to the door. “Clean up. I shall return at dinner.” With that, he opened the door and stopped. “You shall convince your aunt to support our side, tonight at dinner.” He gave her a last look and slammed the door closed behind him.

Moments later, Bridget tapped on the door before entering into the room. “Your ladyship! What has happened?” The petite maid dropped the linens she carried and rushed to the basin and wet a cloth, carrying it back to Honora.

“Bridget, I cannot take this anymore. He is so cruel. He accused me of having another’s baby.” Honora hiccupped, struggling to catch a breath. “You are the only one that knows what he does to me.”

Her maid pursed her lips and gave a tight nod. “I will see to everything as you have asked, m’lady.”

Bridget was as true a friend as any other. She had grown up with Honora in the Radcliff home. Honora trusted her above everyone, except Evie. She needed to trust that Evie would do one last favor for her. Ashamed and unwilling to hurt Adam any more than she already had, she sat at a small escritoire and withdrew a page of vellum. Quickly, she penned a note to her childhood friend. When it was complete, she sanded it and folded it. Melting her lavender candle, she dripped enough wax for her seal. Satisfied, she reached under her bed and withdrew her valise. Bridget would see the letter here, she thought, stuffing it inside the side pocket.

Honora found herself pregnant, humiliated, and all alone. She had already written to her parents, giving Bridget specific instructions on when she wanted the letters mailed. This was the only way she saw to gain her freedom. Loosening her wrapper’s tie, she pulled it free and watched the wrapper fall. It floated gently on a breeze before disappearing into the fog-laden haze below her feet. She took one last look at the white silk wrapper snagged on a branch partially down the side of the cliff. There were no other options. This was her only way out of a life she hated.

A black carriage rolled up behind her and stopped. She turned and gave a slight nod of acknowledgment to the driver. It was time to leave. Slowly, she backed away from the edge and walked toward the open carriage door her aunt’s footmen held for her. Bridget had a warm pelisse waiting. They needed to make haste before he returned.

Meet Anna St Claire

Anna St. Claire is a big believer that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. She sprinkles her stories with laughter, romance, mystery and lots of possibilities, adhering to the belief that goodness and love will win the day.

Anna is both an avid reader author of American and British historical romance. She and her husband live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their  two dogs and often, their two beautiful granddaughters, who live nearby. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, and Mimi—all life roles that Anna St. Claire relishes and feels blessed to still enjoy. And she loves her pets – dogs and cats alike, and often inserts them into her books as secondary characters.

Anna relocated from New York to the Carolinas as a child. Her mother, a retired English and History teacher, always encouraged Anna’s interest in writing, after discovering short stories she would write in her spare time.

As a child, she loved mysteries and checked out every Encyclopedia Brown story that came into the school library. Before too long, her fascination with history and reading led her to her first historical romance—Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, now a treasured, but weathered book from being read multiple times. The day she discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss,’ books, Shanna and Ashes In The Wind, Anna became hooked. She read every historical romance that came her way and dreams of writing her own historical romances took seed.

Today, her focus is primarily the Regency and Civil War eras, although Anna enjoys almost any period in American and British history.

https://www.annastclaire.com

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-st-claire

https://twitter.com/1AnnaStClaire

https://www.facebook.com/authorannastclaire

https://www.amazon.com/Anna-St-Claire/e/B078WMRHHF

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17419205

https://www.instagram.com/annastclaire_author/

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Spotlight on Lady Be Wanton

The lady wants to be good.

Lady Imogen has reformed! She’s witty, from an old Irish family, in pursuit of a fine man to marry—and she swears she’ll never indulge in her little…um…peccadilloes again!

She’s arrived in Brighton with her two sisters and her cousin for the Season—and she’ll ignore anyone who gossips about Grandpapa’s notorious odd talents—or her own tiny scandal. After all, a lady can change.

The gentleman wants revenge. 

Returning home after the wars, Lex Rowlandson, the Earl of Martindale, vows to find the cur who sold him and his father into the hell of Napoleon’s dungeons.

With a few clues to the identity of the creature who stole years from his life and caused the death of his father, Lex seeks out suspects at a Brighton ball. But he’s captured by the effervescent woman whose smiles light the dark corners of his heart.

He should not be distracted from his cause. Yet he cannot resist the lure of Imogen’s charm. When he witnesses her plight at the hands of one fellow who threatens her reputation, Lex saves it—and marries her.

Falling in love with her husband, Imogen sees that the best way to thank him for saving her is to commit the very crime she vowed never to repeat.

But can a man whose life was stolen from him love a wife whose skill is taking from others what is not hers?

Release Date: March 8 

Order now on: https://amzn.to/3Hfcm0G

First kiss excerpt

“You are a rare woman. And I applaud you.” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her lips. “Will you come see me to the door?”

His sweetness and his sorrow filled her with relief. “If you tell me when I’ll see you again.”

He tossed his head back and forth as if he considered the possibility. Then he threw her a lop-sided grin. “I will if you kiss me goodbye.”

“Now?” She feigned horror, a hand to her throat.

“The best time.”

She threw back her head to laugh. “Such bribery.”

“Larceny with good purpose. To see you laugh is worth every crime.”

She clutched the superfine of his frock coat. Such endearments lifted her to heaven. “Be careful, sir. You turn my head.”

“I mean to.” He caught her against him, mid-chuckle. His body was made of iron, rippling massive heat that zipped through her like shards of desire. “Though I never planned it. I find that you call to me. Irresistible Imogen. I want to make you laugh each day.”

“And each night, too?”

“Do, but give me the chance,” he murmured as he threaded his fingers up into her hair and cupped her throat. He kissed her with a bright hot promise of delight. His lips eager and searching, hard with need. And oh, such delicious madness, pressing her flesh to his.

He broke away with a start and steadied her on her feet. “Oh, Imogen, tonight, any night, I want to kiss you again.” He stepped away, his brown eyes bright, his countenance tight with control. Then he grinned. And winked at her. And spun off down the stairs.

Meet Cerise DeLand

Cerise DeLand loves to write about dashing heroes and the sassy women they adore.

But I bet you knew that!

Did you know that she’s known for her poetic elegance and accuracy of detail?

That she’s an award-winning author of more than 40 novels and was first published in 1991 by Kensington, then Pocket Books, later by St. Martin’s Press and independent presses?

That her books have been monthly selections of the Doubleday Book Club and the Mystery Guild? Right. And she’s won awards. Lots of them. Need details? Write to her. She’ll send you the list!

https://cerisedeland.com/contact/

 

by

Spotlight on A Time to Wed

On the run from the life that has let her down time and again, Jaime Abernathy escapes to Scotland – where she falls through time and into the arms of a man from centuries past.

For years, Jaime has yearned to find a place she can call home – and has been let down time and again. She finally followed her heart to Scotland, the home of her ancestors. When she falls in the woods near her ancestral family home, she awakens with a pair of strong arms wrapped around her – and is convinced that she has finally gone mad.

Son of the laird of the McDermonts, Alec is torn between avoiding his arranged marriage and keeping peace with a warring clan. Convinced treachery is on the horizon, he needs a plan – and when he finds Jaime alone in the woods, he senses a way out.

When Jaime agrees to a fake marriage, little does she know the depths of Highland clan politics she is falling into. Finding herself caught between Alec and his family, she must help keep the peace before she returns where she belongs… if only she can discover just where that is.

Series Title: To the Time of the Highlanders Book 1

Genre: Steamy Scottish Time Travel

Buy Link: https://mybook.to/ATimeToWed

Excerpt:

“How could the path just disappear?” she muttered in between gasps. 
There! From the edge, she saw the expanse of grass she had been searching for. 
As relief flooded through her, she started running again, this time unaware of where she was stepping. As she reached the place where she expected to be surrounded by lush grass, she found nothing more than a clearing in the woods.
 “Damn it!” she screamed to the trees. Why was nothing making sense?
 Jaime bent down to catch her breath, fighting back the tears of panic stinging her eyes. The light was almost gone now, but she didn’t want to stop yet. Striding fast, but not quite at a jog, Jaime moved through the woods searching for any sign of familiar surroundings. Something, anything that she had seen on the way into the forest.
 As she stepped forward, expecting to feel the soft earth beneath her feet, her body fell forward into the darkness. She shrieked in terror as she flailed her arms wildly around her. The wind rushed past her, and the sides of the dark hole began to move so quickly it looked like stars surrounding her. She fell faster and faster until her vision finally gave out and darkness overtook her.

Meet Ellie

Ellie has always loved reading, writing, and history. For many years she has written short stories, non-fiction, and has worked on her true love and passion — romance novels.

In every era there is the chance for romance, and Ellie enjoys exploring many different time periods, cultures, and geographic locations. No matter when or where, love can always prevail. She has a particular soft spot for the bad boys of history, and loves a strong heroine in her stories.

Ellie and her husband love nothing more than spending time at home with their children and Husky cross. Ellie can typically be found at the lake in the summer, pushing the stroller all year round, and, of course, with her computer in her lap or a book in hand.

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Tea with Miranda

Miss Miranda de Courtenay squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and entered the parlor of the Duchess of Haverford. This wasn’t the first time she had been introduced to Her Grace nor was this the first time she had been in the Haverford household.

Brief glimpses of memory flashed quickly across her mind. Miranda’s stupid bet with her sister Grace had almost been Miranda’s ruin at Hollystone Hall. Of course, Miranda could look back on it now and be thankful she had left the manor still a virgin. She should have never set her caps so high as to actually think she could get the Marquis of Aldridge to propose marriage to a girl of her inexperience and young years. Her bet had been destined to fail from the start.

The duchess was sitting near a window where the sunbeams seemed to float into the room. A tea trolly was near at hand. Miranda gave her best curtsey still curious as to why she had been requested to join the duchess for tea. The reason did not matter in the least. When the Duchess of Haverford summoned you, it was best that you present yourself post haste!

“Miss de Courtenay. A pleasure to see you again. Please take a seat and let me pour you a cup of tea,” the duchess said politely.

“You are too kind, Your Grace,” Miranda murmured taking the china cup and taking a sip of the tea that she hoped would calm her overly active nerves.

The duchess took her time assessing her before she spoke. “You must be wondering why I asked you to join me here today.”

Miranda’s cup rattled on the saucer before she put the tea down on a nearby table. “It has crossed my mind a time or two.”

“I am not here to discuss your past… indiscretions,” the duchess began.

“Your Grace, I—”

“There is no need for you to explain, my dear. I am only concerned that going forward you shall remain wary of putting yourself into situations that could once more be the ruin of your reputation.”

Miranda attempted not to fidget in her chair. “Your Grace is all too kind to be concerned for me. However, I assure you that with my brother and sister having me live at their estates in the country, there are have been no further opportunities to… get myself into trouble.”

The duchess’s brow rose. “Your quest for a title gentleman is well known within Society. Living in London or the country and knowing you as I do, I have no doubt that trouble shall follow you if you continue on your current course of finding yourself wed to nobility. Do not be so foolish as to put yourself in another situation as you did at Hollystone Hall.”

Miranda gulped at the horrible reminder of what Aldridge and Gren had proposed; to be a shared mistress between them. God forbid if she ever found herself in such a circumstance again.

“I assure you, Your Grace, that I have learned my lesson well,” Miranda answered quietly.

“Splendid!” the duchess declared. “Now tell me of Bath and how your family has been fairing since I have last seen them.”

Miranda began filling in the duchess on the mundane matters of living in the country. Before long, her audience with the Duchess of Haverford was at an end. Somehow, Miranda had survived the meeting. She couldn’t leave fast enough and for once, looked forward to returning home to the boring routine her life had become.

Did you think you knew Miranda de Courtney? Jude’s review of Before I Found You

I’m so pleased Sherry Ewing has finally given Miranda her match in Before I Found You. Miranda made her first appearance in A Kiss for Charity, in which her older sister was the heroine. With her determination to garner herself a title, and her foolhardy boldness in picking my Marquis of Aldridge as a target, she certainly attracted my attention. The lesson she received from Aldridge and his brother Gren didn’t take. In The Earl Takes a Wife, she is up to her old tricks. This time, her machinations trap her brother and her best friend into a forced marriage.

How was Sherry going to make her a sympathetic character, so that we readers wanted her to succeed? The answer is given in Before I Found You. All I can say is that Jasper at first seems better than she deserves. But he sees her as she is, and she becomes the woman he thinks her. A beautiful love story, and one I strongly recommend.

Before I Found You

Miss Miranda de Courtenay has only one goal in life: to find a rich husband who can change her status from Miss to My Lady. But when a handsome stranger crosses her path at a Valentine’s Day ball, her obsession with titles dims. Might love be enough?

Captain Jasper Rousseau has no plans to become infatuated during a chance encounter at a ball. He has a new ship to run, passengers to book, and cargo to deliver. But one look into a young lady’s beautiful hazel eyes, and he becomes lost. Does love at first sight really exist?

Their paths continue to cross until they are both stranded in Fenwick on Sea. Their growing connection is hard to dismiss, despite Miranda’s childish quest for a title at all cost. But what if the cost includes love?

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/4XDrva

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Spotlight on The Bachelor Betrayal

He wants justice
Underestimating Marcus Black is the last thing his enemies ever do. After all, the respected Earl of Westwood is a deadly threat… when her Majesty needs him to be. And his only goal is to avenge his brother’s murder. Which would be much easier if the viciously-skilled Lady Kaitlyn Montrose wouldn’t swoop in, knee him in the bollocks, and then run off with his only lead…

She wants revenge
Kat is determined to avenge her beloved uncle’s murder and nothing will stop her. Especially not the devastatingly handsome, and equally lethal Marcus Black. The fact that he’s after the same target is a complication she hadn’t planned on.  And as much as she enjoys taunting him, she has a job to do—one that doesn’t include sparring with the infuriating man at every turn. Except Kat has a new plan… one that Marcus will just hate.

Now they’ll have to work together… if they don’t kill each other first
Individually, Marcus and Kat are deadly. If they worked together, they could be unstoppable. But when attraction gets in the way of vengeance, it’s more than hearts on the line. And only one person can win…

THE BACHELOR BETRAYAL by Maddison Michaels

Release Date: 14 February 2022

Buy Link: www.books2read.com/TheBachelorBetrayal

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Indoctrinated into a world of dashing rogues and feisty heroines when she was a teenager and picked up her first ever historical romance, Maddison Michaels has been a prolific reader and writer of historical romance ever since. She is the bestselling author of six books, including THE DEVILISH DUKE which won the 2019 RWA Australia Historical Romantic Book of the Year.

Writing historical romance is Maddison’s way of time traveling back to Victorian London to experience a cornucopia of intrigue, romance and adventure all from the comfort of her living room! She also loves incorporating her previous 16 years experience as a police officer into the mystery and suspense elements of her books.  She lives in Sydney, Australia with her own handsome hero, beautiful daughter and fur baby, and she always starts her day with a cup of liquid gold…coffee – just quietly, she’s addicted to the stuff!

Maddison absolutely loves to hear from her readers and you can find her at http://www.maddisonmichaels.com/ or on most social media platforms!

 

Author Links:

Website: http://maddisonmichaels.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaddisonMichaelsAuthor/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mmichaelsauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddisonmichaelsauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17367583.Maddison_Michaels

Amazon Author Page : https://www.amazon.com/Maddison-Michaels/e/B079LXRLQ7

Bookbub:     https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maddison-michaels

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Spotlight on How to Get Away with Marriage/i>

 

The most wanted rogue in London…

Hugh Cavendish—mischievous rogue extraordinaire—has been declared one of the season’s most eligible bachelors. The new title does not sit well with him…nor does the news that a former flame has announced her intent to “catch” him before the season is through.

Determined to buy himself a temporary reprieve, Hugh conscripts a simple school miss into playing the role of his fiancée. What a lark!

This was not the kind of solution she had in mind…

Beatrice “Triss” Weston is a simple, practical young woman, who does not believe in putting up with nonsensical games—like the one proposed by this smooth-talking rogue. No respectable young lady would agree to such a bizarre offer, but desperate times call for desperate measures. As Beatrice is forced to give up her position as a teacher, accepting employ as part of Hugh’s sham becomes her only option.

Courting more than scandal…

But as Triss’s complicated past catches up with her, their ruse becomes a more shocking adventure than either of them could ever have anticipated. As Hugh’s faux fiancée’s secrets come to light, he faces a momentous decision: accept Triss for who she truly is or allow the woman he has fallen in love with to walk out of his life forever.

Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/How-Get-Away-Marriage-Engagement-ebook/dp/B09DXJPSSZ/

EXCERPT

“Pay her no mind, Triss,” Polly said, nudging her.

“Hmm?” Triss said, not turning.

The young woman Hugh was speaking with was not at all what she had expected.

Edith Carr was stunning. Certainly not a woman whose appearance could have ever served as a hinderance to marriage.

Why, even from across the park, Triss felt as if there was no comparison between Miss Carr and any other woman in London.

Miss Carr was hard to look at. Impossibly hard to look away from.

Hugh seemed entranced by her. He had not turned around since walking over. He had even kissed her hand. Taken it, palm up, pressed his lips to it, bowed over it. Triss had never seen a man kiss an unmarried woman’s hand before—yet Edith had presented it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Perhaps he had always greeted her so—with a tender kiss of lips.

She shivered.

Edith was looking at her—quite covertly. One might think she was not looking at all, but Triss was quite sure she was.

Miss Carr’s expression was radiantly happy—as if Hugh was brought her great pleasure by his arrival before her. Yet as she looked over his head, across the green lawn at Triss, there was ice in her eyes.

Triss felt quite sure the young woman hated her. Hated her without even knowing her.

“Triss,” Polly said, more sharply. “Ignore her. You’re giving her exactly what she wants.”

Triss forced herself to look away.

“She is clever,” Polly said, sounding disgusted. “Sending her lapdog over here to fetch Hugh. Of course, Hart would do whatever she told him to. He’s been in love with her himself for so long that she hardly sees him as a man at all.”

“Pragmatic type, Hart,” Reggie said, thoughtfully, speaking up for one of the first times that afternoon.

Triss and Polly looked at him quizzically.

“He knows she won’t look twice at him, but he can’t bear not to be near her,” Reggie explained. “Not a lapdog. More of a dog with a bone. He’ll never let go of Edith until he knows he well and truly has lost every chance.” He nodded towards Hugh. “Perhaps his luck is turning now that Hugh is out of the picture.”

“Perhaps,” Polly said, giving Reggie a considering look. “You sound as if you sympathize.”

“Oh, I do,” Reggie assured her. “With Hart? Of course. He knows what he wants, and he won’t give up the dream of it. Even after years of… well…”

“Being abused and ignored?” Polly suggested, with a wry smile.

Reggie nodded.

Polly was nudging Triss. “Oh, look.”

But before Triss turned back in Hugh’s direction, she caught a wistful expression on Reggie’s face.

It was there one moment, then gone the next, but she was fairly sure she knew what it meant.

Triss looked out to where the young queen stood over Hugh and with a shock saw he was looking at her and not Edith. When he caught her eye, he smiled wider and waved a hand.

After a moment of hesitation, she returned the smile and the gesture.

Beside her, Polly crowed. “Oh, good for Hugh. Now he’s done it. Edith shan’t have liked that one bit. Oh, just look at her face.”

Polly frowned, then added, “But Triss, this reminds me of one thing. We must take you shopping. Tomorrow. To my modiste. Coincidentally, she is the same one Edith used to frequent. We must see about getting you more… well, stylish clothes. So that you feel more comfortable. More confident. Please, remember Edith has nothing you do not. Absolutely nothing. So, spare her no mind.”

It was a lie, but Triss appreciated the words nonetheless.

In fact, however, Triss had a great many things Edith did not—but none of them were particularly worth having.

All were things which could undo her.

Things which would make it infinitely evident that Triss Weston could never inhabit the same world as a diamond of a girl like Miss Edith Carr.

She turned away and did not permit herself to look at Hugh with Edith again.

Meet Fenna Edgewood

Fenna Edgewood is an award-winning retired academic turned high-school English teacher turned author who writes swoon-worthy humorous stories of love, family, and adventure. In other words, the most important things in life! Fenna has lived and traveled across North America. After six years in the Arctic, she now resides on the Canadian Prairies with her husband and two tiny tots (who are adorable but generally terrible research assistants). For a FREE book from Fenna, sign up for her newsletter: https://fennaedgewood.com/newsletter/

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Tea with the Earl of Clarion

[Editor’s note: By 1818, when this scene takes place, Eleanor–last seen in my books as the widowed Duchess of Haverford–has married James and become the Duchess of Winshire]

The Earl of Clarion didn’t have to wait long. The Duchess of Winshire’s current assistant went to notify Her Grace that he had arrived. He had been greeted by a butler dressed as fine as a royal duke, and just as pompous as one, at the entrance to the cavernous Winshire House and handed to a footman who conducted him to the duchess’s apartments. The assistant, one of the succession of Grenford relatives to serve in the role, greeted him cheerfully. She followed other young women related to the duchess’s first husband, most of whom found themselves advantageous marriages while in Her Grace’s service. Care for family was one of the things David admired about the woman—one of the things they had in common.

He bowed to his hostess, formally, only mildly curious as to why he had been summoned. He’d known her since he was a boy, though she had been the Duchess of Haverford, then. His father had a sycophantic friend of Haverford, one of many hangers on in the man’s orbit, puffed up with his own consequence and eager to feed off the duke’s. David had always admired the duchess, however.

They chatted about family, a daughter at last for her second son, Jonathan, whose wife had presented a trio of sons, his sister Madelyn’s recent marriage and the successes of his half-brother Sir Robert Benson. She surprised him then. “I understand another heir has turned up on your doorstep,” she said.

The woman’s intelligence network far surpassed Wellington’s. “You are correct that another young woman has come to my attention. Fanny Hancock is not an heir, alas, but we are trying to do our best for her.”

Ducal eyebrows rose. “Not an heir? I understand she came with, to put this delicately, the family butter stamp.”

David’s father left a scandalous will. He left bequests to a long list of bastards and little to his two legitimate children. All of London knew it. Worse, most of them shared striking red hair, green eyes, and good looks. Fanny was no exception. He had no doubt she was his previously unknown half-sister.

“She was not mentioned in the will. Her claim on the Clarion estate is moral not legal.”

“Well done of you!” The duchess’s warm approval meant the world to Clarion. He’d had little enough of it from his parents. “Bring her to visit sometime.”

“If we can get her to London, I will try. She’s a determined young woman with a mind of her own.” He smiled ruefully. “She wishes to be an author of romance. My steward is attempting to locate suitable lodging for her—a cottage with an office of her own, she has declared, is all she needs.”

“Ah, the very effective Eli Benson. I have no doubt he will succeed.”

David sipped his tea and waited. The duchess appeared to be gathering words. He didn’t have to wait long.

“What do you make of the situation up north? What we hear makes us uneasy,” she said. He hadn’t expected that.

“Well it should, Your Grace. The industrial cities seethe with unrest. The talk is of suffrage—which should be addressed, but carefully in due time—but the underlying issues are economic. Wages have been cut. Again. When a man can’t feed his family, he’s easy prey for the radicals. Liverpool and the cabinet alternately ignore the problem and threaten heavy handed oppression. They—” David looked up and saw her nodding. She knew it all. Of course, she did.

“And you, David? You are an influential member of the ruling party. I’ve read the speeches you give. Have you any interest in the cabinet? Danbury would have you for Home Secretary. He’s an important ally.”

Now she had startled him. “We’ve spoken…” he said tentatively.

“I presume he’s urged you to become more socially active. The way into office has as much to do with the ballroom as the halls of parliament, as you well know. You have to swallow the nonsense if you want the power.”

His heart sank. He heard it before, and he loathed it. “I’ll give it some thought, Your Grace.”

He took his leave moments later. She caught him off guard just as he reached the door. “One more thing, David. A political hostess is what you need most. You must think about remarrying.”

He suppressed his groan until the door closed behind him.

About the Series The Ashmead Heirs

When the old Earl of Clarion leaves a will with bequests for all his children, legitimate and not, listing each and their mothers by name, he complicated the lives of many in the village of Ashmead.

One sleepy village

One scandalous will

Four tormented heirs

One grew up believing he was the innkeeper’s son. He’s The Wayward Son.

One was left nothing even though she was a legitimate one. She’s The Defiant Daughter

One was left out entirely. She’s the Forgotten Daughter.

One should have inherited it all. Instead he got a bankrupted estate and an empty title. He’s The Upright Son.

 David is The Upright Son. His story comes out in May. Fanny Hancock’s story is The Forgotten Daughter, out just now.

About the Book, The Forgotten Daughter

Frances Hancock always knew she was a bastard. She didn’t know her father was an earl until her mother died. The information came just in time. She and her mother’s younger children were about to be homeless. She needs help. Fast. What she wants is a hero.

Eli Benson, the Earl of Clarion’s steward, took great pride in cleaning up the mess left behind by the old earl’s will. When a dainty but ferocious young woman with the earl’s hair and eyes comes demanding help, his heart sinks. She isn’t in the will. She was forgotten entirely. And the estate is just getting its finances back in order. But he knows a moral obligation when he sees one. He may not be her idea of a hero, but people count on him to fix things. He’s good at it. Falling in love with her will only complicate things.

Eli will solve her problems or die trying. You should never underestimate a quiet hero.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PGSYJ3Q/

Help Caroline promote this book and be entered to win a prize package.

About the Author

Award winning author Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.

Website:   http://www.carolinewarfield.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caroline.warfield.1422/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/

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Book Page: https://www.carolinewarfield.com/bookshelf/the-forgotten-daughter/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/

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Spotlight on A Christmas Code

The Code Breakers, Book 2

All that stands between Viscount James Ashworth and a much-anticipated quiet retirement is one simple assignment: protect the Prince Regent at a holiday house party.

But there’s one thing this seasoned spy didn’t count on–his childhood friend, Lady Gwyneth Beaumont, who has blossomed into an enticing, passionate hellion.

Gwyneth herself has a secret mission of her own: prove she’s worthy of joining the Code Breakers and win the heart of the hard-headed viscount she’s loved since they were children. Yet when her spying uncovers a secret so shocking the enemy would kill for it, she’s thrown head-first into a dangerous world of intrigue, deceit, and treachery.

With Ash by her side, Gwyneth is unstoppable. Soon the notorious rake realizes that the woman he’d always considered off-limits is his perfect match, this Christmas and forever after–if only they can survive long enough for that mistletoe kiss.

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Code-Breakers-Book-ebook/dp/B00PG9DGQK

BN – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-christmas-code-jacki-delecki/1120724392?ean=2940150472648

Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-christmas-code/id939617054

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-christmas-code

Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jacki_Delecki_A_Christmas_Code?id=rPpoBQAAQBAJ

Books2Read – https://books2read.com/u/mqRd24

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23621265-a-christmas-code

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-christmas-code-by-jacki-delecki

Excerpt

Hot and breathless from performing the newly imported French dance steps of the Quadrille, Gwyneth paused during the break in the music. She fanned her heated cheeks repeatedly attempting to cool herself. Lord Henley glanced down at her. His lips were tight; his eyes beaded with need. She had seem the same look on the faces of many men, but never on the face of the only man who mattered.

She wanted to see the same burning desire and possessiveness in the eyes of her childhood infatuation like she knew blazed in her eyes when she looked at the impossible but dazzling Viscount Ashworth.

The gentleman, newly arrived, had barely glanced at her despite the new gown made especially to entice the hard-headed rake. Her friend and dress designer, Miss Amelia Bonnington, obsessed with the simplicity of Greek togas, had crisscrossed sky blue silk across Gwyneth’s ample chest with a revealing décolletage. The back of the gown was draped in the same manner with a revealing “V.” It was simple design, but sensual in the way the fabric clung to her body.

She felt enticing and hopeful that tonight Ash would finally throw off all the restraints. She had felt his eyes on her back, knowing he watched her as she gaily danced the intricate pattern she had just learned from her French dance master.

Lord Henley offered his arm as the quadrille ended. “May I take you to the refreshment table for a glass of punch? This new French dance is very demanding.”

“Thank you. I’m not thirsty. Can you please take me to my dear friend, Miss Bonnington?”

Lord Henley’s eyes clouded with emotion. Gwyneth couldn’t refuse the dance, but she needed to escape the gentleman before he embarrassed himself. She wanted to spare the gentleman the pain of rejection. After her five marriage proposals this season, she had become somewhat of an expert in recognizing the signs of imminent declaration.

Lord Henley escorted Gwyneth to Amelia, who also had finished dancing and now stood alone.

“Thank you, sir for the dance.” Gwyneth did a brief curtsy.

Lord Henley bowed. “It was my pleasure.” He hesitated, then sharply nodded his head. She didn’t want to be unkind, but there was no reason to pretend interest and encourage hope when there was none.

They watched Lord Henley circle to the other side of the room.

Amelia hid her face behind her fan. Her bright eyes dancing in merriment. “Another stricken gentleman.”

“I believe he was about to ask if he could call on my brother tomorrow. I think I did an excellent job of extricating myself before the gentleman declared his feelings.”

“Lord Henley is quite a catch. He’s heir to a vast fortune. His interest can’t be limited only to your dowry.”

“Thank you. I’m glad it isn’t only money that makes me attractive.” Gwyneth liked to believe it was her wit, her sparkling eyes, but she knew her position as sister to an earl and heiress to a hefty inheritance gave her a definite cache with the gentleman. And it was just like Amelia to joke about her wealth.

“Your following of swains has nothing to do with your luscious figure, your dramatic looks, or your amiable personality. It is my unique skill as designer has brought all these gentleman to swoon at your feet.” Amelia snickered which set off Gwyneth to laugh.

Tears were running down Gwyneth’s cheeks. “You do know how to level a woman’s confidence.”

The comment drove both to louder laughter.

Ash had turned to gaze at Gwyneth. His bright eyes lightening before he smiled at her.

Lost in the merriment, she smiled back before she realized she had resolved not to appear as a puppy, waiting at his feet for a pat on the head. She could hide her feelings as well as he did. Forbidden by some unwritten gentleman’s code, Ash, considered her off limits. She wasn’t sure if it was the age difference of eight years, his rakish past, or her position as his best friend’s younger sister.

He still kept her at a distance, maintaining she was a mere youngster and they were simply childhood friends. She had spent the entire season trying to convince him otherwise, but she was tiring of the game. It was time to look to her future.

Meet Jacki Delecki

Jacki Delecki is a USA TODAY Best Selling author whose stories are filled with heart-pounding adventure, danger, intrigue, and romance.

Her books have consistently received rave reviews, and AN INNER FIRE was chosen as an Editor’s Selection by USA Today. Currently, she has three series: the contemporary romantic suspense Impossible Mission, featuring Delta Force operatives; Grayce Walters, contemporary romantic suspense following a Seattle animal acupuncturist with a nose for crime; and the Code Breakers, Regency suspense set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. Delecki’s stories reflect her lifelong love affair with the arts and history. When not writing, she volunteers for Seattle’s Ballet and Opera Companies, and leads children’s tours of Pike Street Market.

Visit JackiDelecki.com to learn more about Jacki and her books. Follow her on FB at facebook.com/JDelecki/ and on Twitter at twitter.com/jackidelecki. You can also sign up for her newsletter at subscribepage.com/y2u4r9_copy

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Spotlight on Once Upon a Haunted Heart in Upon a Midnight Dreary

When doors creak and ghostly whispers can be heard throughout the halls, this stunning collection of haunted Historical Romance novellas is sure to leave you breathless with ethereal, romantic tales…

Welcome to UPON A MIDNIGHT DREARY anthology!

Many of your favorite Historical Romance authors have come together for a collection of never-before published stories inspired by true, legendary hauntings of the British Isles. These tales will give you a chill, a thrill, and have you reading them over and over. From the moors of Devon to the ballrooms of Regency London, and far north into the Scottish Highlands, these stories will bring you wistful dreams of legendary and haunting romance. You’ve never before experienced a collection like this by some of the very best authors in Historical Romance.

Authors in this anthology include:

Kathryn Le Veque
Caroline Lee
Chasity Bowlin
Hildie McQueen
Maggie Andersen
Mary Lancaster
Meara Platt
Violetta Rand
Alexa Aston
Anna Markland
Aubrey Wynne
Elizabeth Ellen Carter
Elizabeth Johns
Elizabeth Keysian
Emily E K Murdoch
Emily Royal
Heather McCollum
Anna St. Claire
Lynne Connolly
Maeve Greyson
Whitney Blake

Light your candle, lock your doors, and settle down to this smashing collection of darkly-tinged romantic stories with unforgettable heroes and magnificent ladies. Romance has never been so daring… or so haunting!

And if you hear a knock on your door… don’t answer it unless you are prepared to welcome a wandering wraith in a tattered wedding gown…

Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Upon-Midnight-Dreary-Halloween-Anthology-ebook/dp/B08XF2JKQ2/?tag=annastclaire-20

BN – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/upon-a-midnight-dreary-kathryn-le-veque/1138891603?ean=2940165410666

Apple Books – https://books.apple.com/us/book/upon-a-midnight-dreary-a-halloween-anthology/id1555350770

https://books.apple.com/us/book/upon-a-midnight-dreary-a-halloween-anthology/id1555350770

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/upon-a-midnight-dreary-a-halloween-anthology

Excerpt from Anna St. Claire’s contribution

Once Upon a Haunted Heart

Surrey, England

19 October 1813

The woman’s scream pierced the air as the pain of her child’s entrance into the world wracked her body.

“Please . . . I pray . . . something for the pain . . .”

“Is there something we can do to help?” begged her aunt.

The midwife tutted, shaking her head. “I am sorry, my dear.” The older woman picked up the small vial found next to the bed and held it to the light. “What ’ave ye done, my child? Who told ye to drink this? They do not use it when a pregnancy has gone to term.”

“The earl’s physician said it would ensure an easier delivery,” Melinda huffed in pain.

“The earl’s physician gave you this?” Her aunt’s eyes rounded in horror.

“No, he wrote it on paper and arranged it with the chemist . . .” her words fell off as realization of what she had done hit her and she feared for her child.

Melinda lay writhing in pain while the midwife took charge. She could not believe her stupidity. Her betrothed had promised to return after seeing his father. However, he had never returned. Nothing made sense. Daniel had seemed excited at the prospect of having a child. He had promised to wed her. He said he loved her.

Once the pregnancy had begun to show, her presence had caused speculation and her father risked losing customers. He had moved her to his sister-in-law’s home several towns away from her own, certain no one would recognize her or connect her to their family business.

The last months of the pregnancy had been difficult. Desperation had driven her to the earl’s door. She had explained her circumstances to her betrothed’s father and pleaded for a place to stay until he returned for her; his father had ridiculed her.

“He is not your betrothed,” the earl mocked her. “And there will be no wedding. Rather than wed you, he left on a trip.”

“Where did he go? Please tell me,” she begged.

The earl would not say. She had heard a rumor he had gone to fight with Wellington but could gain no confirmation.

“He made no mention of being betrothed,” scoffed the earl, staring down at her softly rounded belly.

“Please, my lord. ’Tis your son’s baby. I am carrying Daniel’s baby . . .” The door slammed shut. “. . . and I have no place to stay,” she finished, tears streaming down her face.

Several months later, she had received a visit from a man claiming to be the earl’s physician. He claimed the earl had sent him, saying the earl had reconsidered helping her and sent her funds for the comfort of her and her baby, but requested she never seeks him out again. It had been a substantial amount of money—two hundred pounds. The physician had arranged for the vial, assuring her he had secured it to gain her comfort in her pregnancy, and instructed her to take it when the pain started.

She had never shown it to anyone. When she started cramping, she tried the medicine. Almost immediately, the cramping had worsened, and the pain had grown to such an intensity, it was as if the baby was ripping itself from her womb. Her aunt had summoned the midwife and sent word to her brother-in-law.

Too late, she realized the intent of the doctor’s visit—if he had even been a physician. Melinda had allowed the earl’s offer of money to cloud her judgment, and as a result, both lives—hers and her baby’s—were threatened.

A pain like no other rent her body as the child’s head finally showed itself and the lusty wails of her daughter drowned out Melinda’s cry. Why did you leave us, Daniel? There was a strange comfort about her as her daughter emerged, and she would have sworn she could see Daniel’s face gazing down at the baby. “Daniel . . . you are here,” she cried, puzzled that his brown eyes spoke of heartbreak.

Weak but needing to touch the child, Melinda held out her arms, comforted when her aunt placed her daughter to her chest to suckle. Her body felt depleted and worn, quickly losing its strength. She could barely take a breath without effort. I am dying. But why is Daniel here? Her body shook, and the bleeding intensified.

“The bleeding is getting worse. Someone, please, help my niece,” her aunt cried, putting cold cloths on her niece’s head and frantically pushing her hair from her face.

“There is no hope for ’er,” the midwife whispered in a choked voice. “I fear the girl ’as taken too much of the vial to stop it.”

“Danielle . . . her name . . . is Danielle,” Melinda rasped. Please, Aunt, please see she is cared for properly.”

“I will do my best, sweet niece,” her aunt sobbed, brokenly.

“I love you, Danielle. I shall always be near,” Melinda breathed, before kissing her daughter’s forehead and handing the child to her aunt. Conflicting emotions washed over her—joy, pain, and anger. Daniel’s specter beckoned her against the milieu of her daughter’s wails.

She struggled to fill her lungs once more. “May the earl know no peace, and there be no further union in his line until they acknowledge my daughter,” Melinda intoned as her life faded.

 

Meet Anna St Claire

Anna St. Claire is a big believer that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. She sprinkles her stories with laughter, romance, mystery and lots of possibilities, adhering to the belief that goodness and love will win the day.

Anna is both an avid reader author of American and British historical romance. She and her husband live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their  two dogs and often, their two beautiful granddaughters, who live nearby. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, and Mimi—all life roles that Anna St. Claire relishes and feels blessed to still enjoy. And she loves her pets – dogs and cats alike, and often inserts them into her books as secondary characters.

Anna relocated from New York to the Carolinas as a child. Her mother, a retired English and History teacher, always encouraged Anna’s interest in writing, after discovering short stories she would write in her spare time.

As a child, she loved mysteries and checked out every Encyclopedia Brown story that came into the school library. Before too long, her fascination with history and reading led her to her first historical romance—Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, now a treasured, but weathered book from being read multiple times. The day she discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss,’ books, Shanna and Ashes In The Wind, Anna became hooked. She read every historical romance that came her way and dreams of writing her own historical romances took seed.

Today, her focus is primarily the Regency and Civil War eras, although Anna enjoys almost any period in American and British history. She would love to connect with any of her readers on her website – www.annastclaire.com, through email—annastclaireauthor@gmail.com, Instagram – annastclaire_author, BookBub – www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-st-claire,Twitter – @1AnnaStClaire, Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorannastclaire/ or on Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Anna-St-Claire/e/B078WMRHHF?ref=.

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Spotlight on Defiant Daughter

The Ashmead Heirs

When the old Earl of Clarion leaves a will with bequests for all his children, legitimate and not, listing each and their mothers by name, he complicated the lives of many in the village of Ashmead.

One sleepy village

One scandalous will

Four tormented heirs

The Defiant Daughter — Buy now! Only 99c until release on 21st October

Madelyn assumed marriage as an old man’s ornament would be better than life with her abusive parents. She was wrong.

Now the widowed Duchess of Glenmoor, she wrestles with ugly memories and cultivates a simple life. She is content. At least, she was until her half-brother returned to Ashmead bringing a friend with knowing eyes and coal black hair to capture her thoughts.

Colonel Brynn Morgan’s days as an engineer in his father’s coal mines in Wales are long behind him. With peace come at last and Napoleon gone, he makes a life for himself analyzing the reports about military and naval facilities worldwide for a shadowy government department. What income he has is committed elsewhere. He has nothing to offer a wife, much less a dowager duchess.

More lies between the duchess and the man she wants than money and class. They have personal demons to slay.

PREORDER LINK: https://bit.ly/TheDefiantDaughter

Giveaway

To celebrate the launch, Caroline will give a copy of any of her books to one randomly selected person who comments. They can choose from the books found here:

Bookshelf

Meet Caroline Warfield

Award winning author Caroline Warfield has been many things: traveler, librarian, poet, raiser of children, bird watcher, Internet and Web services manager, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer, genealogist—even a nun. She reckons she is on at least her third act, happily working in an office surrounded by windows where she lets her characters lead her to adventures in England and the far-flung corners of the British Empire. She nudges them to explore the riskiest territory of all, the human heart.

Visit Caroline’s Website and Blog               Meet Caroline on Facebook                          Follow Caroline on Twitter                            Email Caroline directly                                  Subscribe to Caroline’s newsletter            Amazon Author

Good Reads                                                       Bluestocking Belles                                         BookBub