1–What is the title of your latest release? TEMPTING THE VICAR 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A tenacious vixen, a vicar in disguise, a tangled web of seduction and lies. TEMPTING THE VICAR is a Regency romance about an unconventional miss who falls for a countryside clergyman forced by mishap to pose as his worldly twin. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? London always provides a glittering backdrop for romance, but especially during the Regency. The English countryside also has a lot of appeal, however, so I decided to use both settings! 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! I’m sure we’d be best friends and get into all sorts of trouble together, so it’s probably a good thing Olivia only exists in Times New Roman font. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Loyal, altruistic, tender 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? While researching London’s social clubs, I learned the Duke of Wellington was once refused entry into Almack’s because he was wearing the wrong kind of pants. Those Almack’s matrons certainly were strict about enforcing the dress code! I also learned how…

1–What is the title of your latest release? A MOST UNUSUAL DUKE 2–What is it about? Arthur Humphries, Duke of Osborn, made a vow he would never marry; Beatrice, the widowed Marchioness of Castleton, vowed never to wed again, having been married to a feral lupine Shifter. Threats to the wellbeing of both ensure they carry out George’s plan, but as they work together to put Arthur’s home place back to rights, will they be able to resist their growing attraction? (Nope.) Touchstone tropes are grumpy/frosty (my own spin on grumpy/sunshine) and found family.  3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I am crazy about home renovation shows and the chance to write about a fixer-upper was so much fun. Given the time period, though, there is neither shiplap nor subway tile. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  Beatrice has a bawdy sense of humor, aided and abetted by her sister-in-law Charlotte. She is slightly naive and doesn’t always get the saucy jokes Charlotte and her husband Ben make, but they make Beatrice want to laugh out loud — which, as a refined lady, she struggles against! 5–Why will readers love your hero?  Arthur is a big,…

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Kristin Vayden! Writes: First in a sweet and sparkling Regency romance series. About: I write the glitzy, gossipy, and dramatic regency romance genre! My newest release, FORTUNE FAVORS THE DUKE, is a sweet romance with forbidden love and friends-to-lovers themes! You’ll love the strong independence of Catherine—loosely based on Catherine the Great of Russia—and Quin, her late fiancé’s brother (no scandal there*winks*) who is a duke, of course. Writing is too much fun!  I love my job, especially since I write from home, which means I get to chase all five of my kids around—sometimes literally, can anyone relate? Of course, my hubby tag teams with me, so that’s usually when I get to write! He’s one in a million. Plus, I can write from my patio and watch my mama and baby goats frolic around on our little hobby farm in Washington State. Not to mention, I can walk to a winery for wine tasting and a billion coffee shops are nearby, what’s not to love? What…

Discomfort was the first thing Sebastian became aware of, his mouth parched and his head pounding. He ignored both, struggling to recall what had happened. Mercier—the ring of fire— Lord Fine. Sebastian’s eyes flew open and he sat up. Or tried to. He swore as metal bit into his wrists. His arms were stretched up and out to either side, cuffed to—he craned his neck with difficulty, following the line of his right arm—cuffed to— Bedposts? Tall mahogany bedposts, exquisitely carved, and above them stretched a deep green canopy, embroidered with gold. His head rested on something soft, and the fabric against his cheek was like silk. A twitch of his legs confirmed they were free, and there was no bite of lead against his skin. So someone with significant money had cuffed him to a bed, but they hadn’t taken his magic into account— “Finally awake, are you?” Sebastian turned his head to the left, toward the sound of Lord Fine’s voice. The viscount was only a few feet away, sitting in a chair of dark wood and green velvet. He had removed his jacket, his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows above bandaged forearms, and on his lap…

A MISTLEOTE KISS by Eloisa James It was humiliating to admit, even to herself, but Cressie knew precisely when they had met, at least, as adults. It was her debut ball, and her cousin had walked over to her and said, “Here, Cuz, dance with Elias; he’ll be a marquess someday so he’s good to practice conversation that’s not about that infernal Revelry.” She had looked up into the eyes of the most beautiful man in the ballroom and managed a wavering smile. Elias hadn’t said more than a few words to her and ignored her the rest of the evening. “Other than passing encounters as children, we met when I debuted,” Cressie said now. “Years before that,” Elias said impatiently. “In that case, I have no idea what you are referring to,” she said, managing to make it sound as if she was uninterested. “You were five years old,” he said, rather surprisingly. He took a long stride and caught her right hand. “Show me the last structure? I already missed the other grottoes. I don’t want to miss anything of this one.” Cressie didn’t roll her eyes, but it was a near thing. “Right.” She tugged her hand…

I wrote a romance starring a quirky bookseller named Claire who adores historical romance. Namely, Regency romances featuring dukes. In the story, you’ll see that she is even a member of a club called the Triple Ds, which stands for the Dashing Duke Diehards. They meet the third Thursday of every month to see their chairwoman read a spicy scene with a real-life male romance cover model. It’s a hoot and everyone has a great time. Anyway, I digress. That was just one of the many cute and funny moments in my debut romance, HOW TO SURVIVE A MODERN-DAY FAIRY TALE, which came out on November 30th. Claire’s love of historical romance is one of the few things she and I have in common. I began my life-long love affair with romance after picking up a medieval romance by Elizabeth Lowell when I was thirteen years-old. Since then, I’ve read hundreds, but I’ve been particularly smitten with stories about dukes. So in keeping with this Duke-ish theme, here are Claire’s top 5 favorite historical romances starring Dukes: THE BEAST OF BESWICK by Amalie Howard Blurb: Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick, spends his days smashing porcelain, antagonizing his…

In the stable, Liam kicked the stall door, startling a few horses with his outburst. Their disgruntled whinnies and snorts had him apologizing to the beasts he’d upset. It wasn’t that he’d expected anything but another rejection; however, his heart was still reeling with disappointment and loss. He’d dreamed of a life with Evelyn Stewart as his wife. But, as it was with the dreams he’d had as a lad, it wasn’t to be. He often wondered what he’d done to be punished so. And from the time he’d heard the stories of God’s wrath he’d tried to atone for whatever sin he still paid for. Being a warrior piled on the debt with the lives he’d taken, but he hoped killing to protect his clan was redeemed in some way. “What did I do?” Liam’s question was for God, but he spoke it to the white mare that had come to stare at him accusingly over her stall door. She didn’t have an answer. Instead, she lifted her head a few times and snorted before pulling back inside to leave him alone once more. Alone. It seemed he’d been alone all his life. He had snippets of memories from…

2:00 pm, Monday River Thames “’Tis good to be on a boat again,” Fiona said as the Sea Rover glided along, “even though ‘tis nae like a loch.” “That is an understatement,” Lorelei answered, trying not to sound sarcastic. Loch Awe, where Strae Castle was located, was crystal clear and carried the fresh scents of forested woods and heather. The river was grey and murky and smelled awful. Hopefully, this sailing adventure would not last that long now that Erik hadn’t accompanied them. “Combien de temps avant qu’ils ne le découvrent?” the boatswain asked the first mate. “J’espère pas avant que nous soyons en mer.” He shrugged. “Je ne veux pas les attacher.” “What are they saying?” Fiona asked. Lorelei frowned, not sure she heard correctly. She’d taken two years of French while Papa was still alive, but hadn’t had much cause to use it. “Oui. C’est une bonne dizaine de jours à Tripoli.” “Avec de bons vents.” The boatswain laughed. “Nous obtiendrons beaucoup d’argent pour eux.” Those last words chilled her. She gave Fiona a look that she hoped her friend would understand before she turned to the first mate at the helm. She prayed her voice wouldn’t shake….

1–What is the title of your latest release? A WINTER’S EARL 2–What is it about? Really short answer: One exiled earl, one sexy poet, one hell of a past relationship to work through. Short answer: It’s a loose riff on Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, a second-chance m/m Regency romance set at Christmas with buckets of longing, angst, sexy fencing, a secret baby, found family and a brief but memorable appearance from a bear. Longer answer: it’s about making a future that both acknowledges and draws a line under the past, about confronting the demons that have haunted you for years – and about how really, deep down, you never forget your first true love. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  I love writing about snowy weather and remote places. Sherborne’s castle in Cumbria is basically at the end of the world, surrounded by bleak, dramatic landscapes and beset by bad weather. Nothing to do but light the fires, look out at the darkness and work through all those lingering romantic feelings… 4–How did Sherborne surprise you?  Sherborne was quite a complex character to write. Without getting too spoilery, there’s an unthinking nobility that guides some of…

RULES FOR HEIRESSES is the second romance novel in my Daring Dukes series with Sourcebooks Casablanca, and it features a biracial hero who is trying to find his place, along with a fearless and very stubborn heroine who tends to leap before she looks (and gets into a boatload of trouble because of it). I’ve literally been told that I’ve done that my entire life. Lol. Sometimes, it pays to pause and think before acting, and I love that both my heroine and the hero meet the people who help them grow and really appreciate who they are. This novel is set in 1864 and spans from Antigua in the Caribbean (I am a Caribbean born West Indian author, so fist bump!) to the glittering ballrooms of London. My hero, Courtland Chase who was chased away by his family, is determined to make a life for himself outside of England. When my heroine, Ravenna Huntley, crashes into his hotel, while pretending to be a man and on the run from her own obligations, two old friends come face to face…and lip to lip. Obviously, they have to marry because, gasp, they have been seen in flagrante delicto, and while they’re…