THE STRANGER I WED Excerpt They were here to watch a football game. “I’m afraid the match has already begun, but we’ll be able to see enough to judge their sportsmanship. I know that’s not on your list, but you can learn a lot from how a man treats his teammates and adversaries,” Camille continued. “Perhaps we can pop over to the public house and watch them after, though that might be pushing things.” It wouldn’t do to have anyone recognize the duchess. Once they heard the sisters’ American accents, their disguises of plain clothes would be quite useless to hide their identities from their prospective suitors. All objectivity would be gone and they would lose their chance to observe them unaware. “Perhaps we can watch for a time,” Cora said. They rounded a corner after a row of tiny houses onto a narrow dirt lane that led to a field. It did appear the game was already in progress with roughly two dozen men on the pitch. Half wore green shirtsleeves while the other half wore yellow. Both wore trousers or pantaloons that would never be white again with all the mud, along with high socks and leather boots,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? THE DUCHESS TAKES A HUSBAND 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Camille, Dowager Duchess of Hereford, and Jacob Thorne, London rogue, come to a scandalous arrangement where he teaches her to enjoy sex and she pretends to be his fiancee. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The Duchess Takes a Husband is the fourth book in my Gilded Age Heiresses series. Camille was forced by her family to marry a much older duke in an arranged marriage that happened in the first book of the series. Spoiler alert – He died, but not after leaving her emotionally scarred. Now she’s out to discover if love is for her and finally get her happily ever after. Readers kept reaching out to me asking for her story, so I’m very happy to finally be able to give it to them. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Yes, definitely. Camille is a reformed sweet and dutiful daughter. She found out the hard way that living for others, when they don’t have your best interest at heart, is not going to work out well….

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Harper! Congrats on the release of THE LADY TEMPTS AN HEIR. What do you love about writing novels set during the Gilded Age? Thank you so much for inviting me to Fresh Fiction. I’m thrilled to be here to discuss The Lady Tempts an Heir. By far, the best thing about writing books set during the Gilded Age is the research. I love the history of the time and how accessible it is to us. There are so many primary sources such as newspaper articles, journals, and even photographs from the period that help me set the mood for my stories. A close second is the fashion. The gowns were so gorgeous and extravagant. I can easily lose a day of writing by researching what my characters would be wearing in a particular scene.   Maxwell Crenshaw has been content living in New York but must go back to England after vowing he’d never return when his father takes ill. How do you think returning to his family estate changes Maxwell’s outlook on life so far, especially after he sees Helena again?  By this point in his life, and after dealing with his parents social-climbing maneuverings…