Book Title: THE LILY OF LUDGATE HILL Character Name: Lady Anne Deveril How would you describe your family or your childhood? I had an idyllic childhood, spent mostly in the country with my (very much in love) parents, the Earl and Countess of Arundell. My father gave me a beautiful stallion named Saffron when I was a girl, and I’ve been riding ever since. What was your greatest talent? I love riding, and I flatter myself that I’m an excellent horsewoman. I’m known throughout London for my skill in the sidesaddle. Significant other? I suppose I must say it’s Mr. Felix Hartford. We were briefly engaged seven years ago. It ended badly. He’s been a thorn in my side ever since. Biggest challenge in relationships? What lady can consider a relationship with a gentleman she can’t trust – or forgive? Where do you live? Presently in Grosvenor Square, London, but our residence is of a limited duration. We’re about to be evicted by my odious cousin, the new Earl of Arundell. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Mama has mentioned something about removing to Ludgate Hill. Do you have any enemies? Who would dare oppose…
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 Mimi Matthews! Writes: I write USA Today bestselling, award-winning proper Victorian romances, rich with history, emotional passion, and lush period detail. I’m known for my vivid settings, strong characterization, and attention to social issues of the day. I’m also known for writing about regular people—lawyers, tailors, clergyman, parish orphans, and other untitled heroes and heroines. Though my stories are closed-door (i.e. no sex on the page), they’re charged with sexual tension, where even the brush of a skirt against a trouser leg or the touch of an ungloved hand can turn the temperature up several degrees. This is especially evident in my latest Victorian romance, THE SIREN OF SUSSEX, in which bluestocking equestrienne Evelyn Maltravers and habit-maker Ahmad Malik spend countless erotic-tension-filled hours together as he fits her clothes. About: Raised on the California coast, I grew up reading books, riding horses, and shopping way too much for pretty clothes. After earning an undergraduate degree in English, I went on to law school where I obtained my Juris…
1–What is the title of your latest release? JOHN EYRE: A TALE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOW 2–What is it about? JOHN EYRE is my dual timeline, partially epistolary, partially gender-reversed, supernatural Victorian gothic retelling of Charlotte Bronte’s JANE EYRE (and one other Victorian classic I can’t reveal without spoiling the story). It’s about strength, allyship, the struggle between light and darkness, and the battle with real-life monsters. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book? I loved being able to incorporate all of my favorite Victorian gothic trappings. There’s atmosphere and creepiness galore. 4–How did your heroine surprise you? Bertha Mason Rochester may well be the strongest heroine I’ve ever written. Not because she started out strong, but because, in a deeply horrifying situation, she finds a level of strength she didn’t know herself capable of. By the end of the story, she’s become a formidable opponent. Truly a force to be reckoned with. 5–Why will readers love your hero? He’s thoughtful and compassionate, and he knows how to listen. He doesn’t start out as an ally—a man willing to risk his reputation to help a woman—but by the end of the novel, he understands what it means…
My new historical romance, FAIR AS A STAR, is the first book in my Victorian Romantics series. Set during the summer of 1864, it features a handsome and compassionate clergyman hero and a courageous heroine who just happens to be betrothed to his brother. After a year-long stay in Paris, Beryl Burnham has returned home to the idyllic village of Shepton Worthy ready to resume the life she left behind. Betrothed to the wealthy Sir Henry Rivenhall, she has no reason to be unhappy–or so people keep reminding her. But Beryl’s life isn’t as perfect as everyone believes. . . F is for Family. Something Beryl values more than anything. A is for Alliance. The upcoming marriage of Beryl and Sir Henry Rivenhall. I is for Impetuous. Beryl’s younger sister Winnifred is driven more by emotion than good sense. R is for Romance. Sometimes it happens where you least expect it. * A is for Attraction. Mark Rivenhall has been besotted with Beryl for as long as he can remember. S is for Sisterhood. The bond that Beryl shares with Winnifred. * A is for Affinity. Mark and Beryl have always been friends. * S is for Supportive. Mark gives…
The Fresh Fiction Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup continues with Mimi Matthews! We hope you’ll enjoy this sweet treat. . . *** Neville Cross is one of the four Victorian orphans of my Parish Orphans of Devon series. He suffered a traumatic brain injury in his youth that impacts his speech, his ability to recall words, and also causes him to occasionally lose time. He’s a gentle giant of a man who generally prefers the company of animals to people. Enter Clara Hartwright, a lady’s companion and aspiring academic who has recently rescued an elderly dog. She’s come to stay for the winter, and at once enlists Neville’s help with her problematic pug. Soon, the two of them are bonding over their mutual love of animals. They’re also sharing several cups of tea. During a cold winter, nothing goes better with hot tea than freshly baked molasses cookies. You can dip them and then let them dissolve on your tongue. As an added bonus, baking molasses cookies makes your entire house smell fantastic. The following recipe is one I’ve used often. Note: For a better dipping experience, I generally skip the part where you roll the cookies in sugar before baking…