Tag: victorian

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. 

It’s Finished – Looking for reviewers

Hello, lovely readers.
I have just completed my third historical romance novel. It is an Impossible Love trope.

If anyone is interested in being an ARC reader, here is the signup sheet.
Summary: An Unexpected Lady

She has a history to discover, and he has a mystery to unravel and a family to protect. Their love is thwarted by the sins of the past. A shy and awkward beauty unsure of her past, Charlotte Winterbrooke struggles to resist the man she is falling in love with. She will not commit to him until she finds out the truth of her birth—a scandalous truth that will destroy all chances of remaining in society and making a good marriage. Hopelessly in love with the bumbling beauty who he is sure is out to destroy his godfather’s family, Maxwell Shockley is in a losing battle to protect his loved ones and resist the beguiling temptress who he can not live without. With blackmail, scandal, and secrets surrounding them, can Charlotte and Max protect their deepening love and have a future together?
This is a fade-to-black romance with a Spice level 1.
TW: contains references to early childhood abuse.

SIGNUP SHEET

Happy Reading

What makes a relationship romantic?

Affection: Expressing affection through gestures, words, or physical touch helps maintain the romantic connection. Small acts of kindness and affectionate behaviors contribute to a loving atmosphere.
Affection is expressed in so many beautiful ways in historical novels. The casual brush against a woman’s hand, tucking wayward curl behind her ear, and gifts of flowers are very common in these novels and are fraught with meaning.

What makes a relationship romantic?

Shared Goals and Values: A romantic relationship flourishes when both partners have common goals, values, and aspirations. I love it when the two main characters are working together for a common cause. I love mysteries, and I’m a sucker for a good historical mystery where the female main character pairs up with a detective, and they work together, and sometimes against each other, to solve a crime, unravel a mystery, or save someone.

What makes a relationship romantic?

Quality Time: Spending meaningful time together strengthens the romantic bond. Whether it’s through shared activities or simple moments of togetherness, quality time fosters a deep connection.
Time spent together helps to build the romantic momentum in a novel. In historical romance, this is most easily done when the characters are thrown together during a house party. They have a legitimate reason to be around each other 24/7. During these scenes, the bonds can be formed at a very good pace, and the characters can easily be thrust into semi-intimate contact.

In my second novel, Marry Me, Duke, my main characters have a forced proximity that allows them to get to know each other well and go through their emotions while still maintaining proximity. In my first novel, A Misalliance with Love, the main characters spend much of their time away from each other, thinking about one another. Because of this, the emotional bond, perhaps, isn’t as strong. The novel ends with the promise of this bond and the chance to forge a connection.

What makes a relationship romantic?

Surprises and Thoughtfulness: Thoughtful gestures and surprises demonstrate that partners are attentive to each other’s needs and desires. It could be as simple as a heartfelt note, a surprise date, or a small gift.
This is such a sign of a true romantic, and it’s a pity that we don’t see more of it in historical romances. There’s plenty of flower giving but a few real surprises. I love it when the main male character knows that the main female character needs something or wants something very badly and makes sure that she has it, even if the gift is given anonymously. The best example of this is in ‘Sense and Sensibility’ when Marianne Dashwood receives the piano without knowing that it was sent by Colonel Brandon. That was very romantic.

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.

Image generated by AI using MidJourney

The love of the historical romance

My love for Regency romance novels – and writing them – is a tribute to the genre’s ability to provide an engaging blend of history, romance, and escapism. The elegance of the historical era, be it Regency, Victorian, or any other, coupled with strong characters and timeless love stories, creates an experience that I continue to find enchanting and enduring.

Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’ where you can enter the enchanting world of the Victorian debutant. https://amzn.to/3RVBJLD

On Valentine’s Day, Marry Me, Duke will be released to Kindle Unlimited!

Happy Reading!

Image generated using AI – Midjourney.