Historical romance – DEE HARPER LEWIS

A Sudden Fortune

After a short break, I’ve started tackling my fifth novel, ‘A Sudden Fortune’.

Abandoned in her youth, Claire Hastings has inherited a fortune from a guardian who rescued her from a convent. The riches are hers with one caveat – she must share the fortune with the impoverished Marquess of Kingston.

Of course, the new-found wealth is more of a burden than a blessing for a girl who has been a social pariah all her life. When the aristocratic family that abandoned her appears to claim the fortune, Claire’s troubles begin. A half-brother, step-brother, father, and a dowager Countess insinuate themselves into her life, and she discovers her origins and the reasons why she had been placed in a convent at an early age.

Nelson Ridley had been holding his impoverished family together – just barely. With a mother, sister, and four nieces and nephews to support, he remains on the outskirts of society, earning a living writing stories for several popular periodicals.

The Ridley household, with their unexpected fortune, find themselves thrown into the whirl of the Season, and Nelson is suddenly one of the most eligible bachelors in London.

None of the beautiful, wealthy debutantes tempt him. His heart is captured by the friendless, socially awkward woman whose inheritance has changed their lives. They become fast friends, and each yearns for more. . .

Inciting Incidents

In a writer’s forum not long ago, an author said that their approach to writing is simply creating ‘what if’ scenarios.

I suddenly realized thatI have exactly the same approach.

For my first book, I wondered – what if your hopes and dreams are completely scuttled because of an incident beyond your control? How do you get back on course? Or do you just give up?

For my second book, I wondered – what if you overhear a conversation that gives you an opportunity to change the course of your life? What happens if you seize the moment?

For the third book, I wondered – what if you walk into a room and see someone who could be your identical twin? It turns everything you knew about yourself into everything you didn’t know about yourself.

For the fourth book, I wondered – what if a family member’s reckless, narcissistic behavior changes the future you carefully planned for yourself? Do you make the difficult decision to cut ties with your family?

My next book will be – what if you suddenly inherit a fortune and discover tragedy and a deep, unsavory past?

There are so many possibilities with ‘what if’ scenarios, and it is so much fun to create an inciting incident.

A Rogue’s Progress

An enemies-to-lovers Victorian romance.

She’s a debutante searching for a husband. He’s a gambler chasing redemption. When their worlds collide over a family inheritance, sparks fly, secrets unravel, and desires ignite. In a game of love, luck, and betrayal, who will come out on top—and at what cost?

After six long years of schooling, Eleanor Bucknell is more than ready to enjoy a London Season and a chance for flirtation, love, and marriage. There’s just one problem—her impulsive and greedy brother has gambled away the family properties and is bent on arranging a prosperous marriage for her. With her plans thwarted at every turn, Ellie determines to make her own way in life, all the while plagued by thoughts of the rakish son of an earl who now owns the Bucknell property.

Casper Whittaker is a gambler and a rogue who feels no remorse when relieving fools of their property at the gaming tables. Besides, he is on a mission to redeem himself in the eyes of his father for his role in the tragic event that took his older brother’s life. Winning the Bucknell properties was the chance he needed to make a new life for himself—even though the plight of the feisty young debutante tugs at his heartstrings.

Ellie never expected her greatest adversary to be the one man who could steal her heart. When a fiery clash of wills ignites between her and Casper, their undeniable attraction becomes impossible to ignore. But with her brother’s devious schemes threatening to tear them apart, will love be enough to overcome the odds?

This is a closed-door, sweet romance.

My Take on Romance and Intimacy

Physical and emotional intimacy plays a significant role in a romantic relationship. This involves not only the physical aspects but also the sharing of personal thoughts, fears, and dreams.

I choose to write ‘closed-door’ romances, preferring to concentrate on the emotional buildup between the main characters.

Nothing against spicy novels, but sometimes I find the constant emphasis on the physical takes away from the story and can make the emotional intimacy unbelievable.

Which do you prefer? The physical, or the emotional?

How did you come up with your idea for a novel?

A reader asked me this and it made me realize that most of my ideas come from something that resonates with me on a personal level.

I love writing historical romances, and the inspiration for my most recent novel, Marry Me, Duke, came from experience. No, sadly, I did not marry a duke. I was a caregiver for a few years and decided that one of my main characters should be a caregiver.

It turned into a semi-mystery with a bold debutant caring for a handsome duke. She was bossy and controlling but well-meaning and falling in love.

Most of my ideas come to me while thinking of hobbies or situations a Victorian heroine can find herself in, and it is easier to craft a character I can personally relate to.

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Historical Intrigue

Regency novels and shows are often set against the backdrop of historical events, which add a layer of intrigue and authenticity. From political unrest to major societal changes, these stories give us a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of the time. There can be a captivating blend of history and fiction that enhances the overall narrative.

Some of my favorite tropes include romance during the Napoleonic wars, and most recently, I am enthralled by Victorian Era social changes for women. The Married Woman’s Property Act was a game changer that gave women the right to their own property. This makes a huge difference between Regency and Victorian Romances.

In the books I write, which are Victorian, I plan to continue giving women their own property. I confess I always despised the helplessness of Regency women and how everything was taken from them. They were always at the mercy of the men around them. Though I love the time period, this grates on the nerves. Setting novels in the Victorian era eliminates this default helplessness to a degree and I enjoy reading and writing these novels because of it.

Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’ – my novels, on Amazon. The women are strong and fight for what they want.

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Slow burn in Romance novels

At the core of Regency romance lies a timeless love story. Whether it’s the tension between headstrong heroines and brooding heroes or the delicate dance of courtship, the genre weaves tales of passion and love that resonate across generations. The slow burn of romance builds anticipation, keeping me eagerly turning the pages or glued to the screen.

But I also enjoy how the genre has adapted to modern times, and in a sense, current Historical Romances are far more realistic than classical novels. There is sex – and lots of it – often before marriage. And I do believe that that is more realistic than the old-fashioned view that everyone had the discipline to wait until the vows were said, and no one had uncontrollable urges.

My novels are closed-door (sex is implied and not explicit) simply because I love writing about characters more than action. I love the tension and slow build and then a hint of passion.

In my recent novel, Marry Me, Duke, there is a scene (spoiler alert) where the main character, Ginny, is in a marriage that has not yet been consummated. She is chomping at the bit and her husband Hugh has his reasons for holding back.

She is very attracted to her husband and is baffled by his reticence. In one scene, she gives Hugh a massage, and it leaves her wanting and unsatisfied. I confess I loved writing that scene. I could feel her frustration – and his as well. I think I would have liked the scene much less if it had been explicit, and I hope I left readers wanting more.

Oh, how I love a slow burn.

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A Passion for Regency Romance

In the realm of literature and television, the allure of Regency romance has captured the hearts of so many, myself included. This genre, set in the early 19th century, holds an irresistible charm that transcends time. I have always had a love for history and an addiction to romance novels from an early age.

With the most popular time period being Regency, thanks to authors like Georgette Heyer and television shows like Brigerton, lovers of history and romance can immerse themselves in the Elegance and Etiquette of a bygone era.

The Regency era is synonymous with refined manners, elaborate balls, and intricate social codes of conduct. How did they master all of that? The current fascination with this time period is such that one can find many YouTube videos on how to dress in the style and exhaustive details about how people lived, what they ate, how they worked, courted, married, gave birth, and raised their children.

But back to the novels – my favorite form of escape. Regency and Victorian novels and shows transport me to a world where every gesture and word is laden with meaning: how one holds a fan to which flowers are given to a lady. Perhaps the allure is simply because it is a world that is so foreign to anything I have ever known. And the extraordinary has always held a fascination for me.

It is no wonder that is my preferred genre in my writing. A Misalliance with Love, Marry Me, Duke, and my work in progress, An Unexpected Lady, are all Victorian-era novels, and I look forward to starting a Regency series soon.

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A writer’s corner: Productivity

An author in the Reddit writers group posed the question: “When do you feel the most inspired or productive in your writing?”
They went on to ask is it morning? Afternoon? And they asked if we ever dream about our characters and get up to write more.

I had a good laugh out loud at that. I would love to dream about my characters. I used to dream about work all the time. Why can I not have a lovely nocturnal fantasy about the ever-fascinating characters I want to create?

The truth is, I am most productive two times during the day.
I am very productive early in the morning with a clear head and no distractions when my mind has not yet been cluttered with the minutia of daily life.

But many times, I’m super creative when I’m just about to fall asleep. From a very early age, that has been a time filled with fantasy. I have a long habit of creating other worlds in my mind as a way to erase the clutter and dream.

The more complex and detailed these ‘nocturnal daydreams’ are, the faster I will fall asleep. Now that I am writing regularly, this is a time when I grab my dictaphone and start rattling off dialogue or descriptions. To produce the best work, I can’t have anything else in my head. I immerse myself in the mindset of the characters, and that happens best when there are no distractions.

Sir Gaylord-A Misalliance with Love

“It was a dangerous game. One that required reckless confidence and one he was bound to lose sooner or later. He must have chosen his victims carefully not to have found himself up against an enraged husband before now. Well, he made a grave mistake choosing Rosie as his next victim.”

Excerpt From: Dee Harper Lewis.-A Misalliance with Love.

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