One overprotective father. Eight, curvaceous, beautiful sisters all raised to be modest, proper young ladies.
Kept secluded for years, invisible to society, the Harrington sisters were raised to keep their voluptuous forms hidden least they end up scandal plagued and fodder for the gossips. The sisters are happy but chafe against their gilded cage.
But after their father’s death, the lives of the Harrington sisters will change forever. He leaves them each a note, a quest to be completed, one that will take them out of their comfortable, if isolated lives, to experience the world. One that must be completed or they will not receive their inheritance.
On the surface, the tasks are simple. Paint a duke. Start a charity. Live humbly. Retrieve a family heirloom. Every task is different, but their father’s last wish for all of them remains the same; live boldly, love recklessly, and never again hide the curves of your lives—or your bodies.
The Harrington sisters will embark on their own journey to find passion, possibly scandal, invite defeat and…love.
I present to you The Busty Bodice Club, a shared world revolving around the voluptuous Harrington sisters written by some of your favorite historical romance authors; Eliana Piers, Cathy Maxwell, Tracy Sumner, Anabelle Anders, Robyn DeHart, Janna MacGregor and yours truly, Kathleen Ayers.
The Busty Bodice Club begins with the prequel, CURVES FOR THE RIVAL DUKEcurrently available in serialized form through each author’s newsletter. You don’t want to miss this free novella or your introduction to the Harringtons and join us for the first release in the series CURVES FOR THE GRUMPY DUKE by Eliana Piers.
So why did I decide to be part of The Busty Bodice Club?
Honestly, you couldn’t keep me away! This series checks all the boxes for me as both a writer and a reader.
Fabulous co-authors who I’m not-so-secretly fangirling.
Part of the fun in writing a collaborative series like The Busty Bodice Club is getting to meet and work with fellow authors. I remain fascinated by the way each of us approaches writing. Our processes vary, some plot out every scene, others write by the seat of their pants, but the end goal is the same, a cleverly spun tale with an HEA. Working with these ladies was like taking a masterclass in writing. I’ve learned so much.
A fantastic concept thanks to Eliana Piers.
Who can resist a tale of seven sisters who must complete a task to retrieve their inheritance? Or a series named The Busty Bodice Club?
Family
Nearly every series I’ve ever written takes place within a family unit because I adore the dynamics between siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. There is something unique in family stories because so many of the interactions are grounded in love and loyalty. The Harrington sisters are special with their shared physical appearance and are united in completing their tasks. Also…I always wanted a sister (I have two brothers) so on a personal level it’s fun to experience the sister dynamic through writing The Busty Bodice Club.
Body Positivity
Our Harrington sisters are not willowy, delicate creatures. These ladies have curves in a time when fashion dictated a slim, straight silhouette with an empire waist. Necklines were created for a smaller bosom. The Harrington sisters would have been singled out for being full-figured.
Most of the romance novels I grew up on, rarely (if ever) featured a larger heroine. Even now, a more voluptuous FMC is the exception. One of the reasons I instantly said yes to The Busty Bodice Club is my refusal to believe everyone in the Regency era was running about attempting to resemble a consumption victim (the height of fashion at the time). The abundance of scones and trifles leads me to believe there were far more Penelope Featherington’s (apologies, I couldn’t resist the Bridgerton reference) floating around the ton than we think.
Learn to Love Yourself
As someone who has fought against her body shape her entire life, I am finally at peace, but it took some time getting there. Society in general puts a lot of emphasis on weight, making size, especially for women, a determination of self-worth. Which is silly when you think about it. How do wide hips and a larger bosom define intellect, for example. Not everyone is meant to be a size four (and if you are that’s great too), but your value as a human being has nothing to do with the dimensions of your bustline.
As the Harrington sisters learn to embrace who they are on their journey to fulfill their father’s last wish, this is a lesson they will all be taught. Each task is designed to push them out into the world, to find independence, passion and ultimately love.
I was drawn to this series, and I hope you will be too. Every tale is different and wonderful, just like the Harrington sisters. My entry CURVES FOR THE SCANDALOUS DUKEreleases May 19th.
Until then,live boldly, love recklessly, and never again hide your curves!
Kathleen
About Kathleen Ayers
Award winning author Kathleen Ayers has been reading historical romance since she was a teenager after picking up a copy of Sweet Savage Love. She wrote romance on and off for years while working in media sales and raising her son. Writing romance had always been a dream and after the success of The Beautiful Barringtons, she decided to pursue writing full-time in 2020…just in time for Covid. She’s the recipient of several awards including The Carolyn. When Kathleen isn’t working on steamy romance, she’s playing in the pool with her writing partner (a lab mix named Reyka), enjoying wine and a good charcuterie board or traveling with her husband.
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