Katherine Grant's Blog, page 5
August 20, 2021
5-Star Review from Readers' Favorite!
Readers' Favorite is dedicated to quality reviews of traditional and independent presses. I am so excited to earn their 5-Star Review because all the reviewers take into consideration narrative structure, genre conventions, and overall presentation, on top of whether they liked the book or not.
Here is Michelle Stanley's full review:
The Husband Plot: A Marriage of Convenience is a historical romance by Katherine Grant. Lisbeth Dawes marries Adrian Hathorne to end gossip after being jilted at the altar. Adrian, on the other hand, needs a wife to inherit his father’s Jamaican estate. He’s aware of aristocrats, like Lord Everley, who shun him for having a mixed parentage, so he keeps a low profile to carry out his secret mission. Lisbeth is unaware of this because Adrian believes her strong liberal ideas, impulsiveness, and straightforward manner could ruin his plan. Although there is an attraction between the couple, the marriage wasn’t consummated. Adrian’s cousin, Robert, offers him romance tips, but Adrian wonders if it’s worth seducing Lisbeth because he intends to return to Jamaica without a wife.
The Husband Plot is not focused solely on romance. How frustrated Lisbeth and her sister-in-law must have felt in an era where women’s opinions on politics and other worthy social issues were restricted! Lady Gresham was another admirable and influential character as she was unafraid to speak about women’s rights. Katherine Grant’s central theme involves all aspects of colonial slavery and thriving sugar plantations in Jamaica. Her historical references are duly noted, and it’s one of the reasons I found it quite interesting to read. I’m also Jamaican and thought the author did her research well. She addressed the social and racial tensions that many persons of mixed parentage faced in that particular era. What life was like in an upper-class society that had so many formalities was also evident. As for the main characters, Lisbeth and Adrian were very likable, and I found their romance amusing and entertaining. The Husband Plot: A Marriage of Convenience is a lovely historical romance.
June 14, 2021
My Ultimate List of Marriages of Convenience Historical Romances
If you are looking for amazing marriage of convenience storylines in historical romance novels, look no further. I’ve got you covered!
This list includes all the marriage of convenience stories I’ve read in historical romances that I adore. Spoiler: it is my favorite trope, so I adore most of the marriages of convenience that I read!
For the most part, these are romance books set in Regency or Victorian England, but there are a few other settings and eras that sneak in as I read them. They are organized in no particular order.
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa DareSynopsis:
On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shyly pretty and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.
A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter … and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.
Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He’s wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters… and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
For Logan, he wants to claim Maddie’s castle so his men have somewhere they can settle. For Maddie, well, he is the actual manifestation of her dream guy. But she isn’t sure she actually agreed to the marriage, so there is some back and forth about whether the marriage will last, leading to fun angst!
Brighter Than the Sun by Julia QuinnAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.89
Synopsis:
When Charles Wycombe, the dashing and incorrigible Earl of Billington, toppled out of a tree and landed at Ellie Lyndon‘s feet, neither suspected that such an inauspicious meeting would lead to marriage. But Charles must find a bride before his thirtieth birthday or he’ll lose his fortune. And Ellie needs a husband or her father’s odious fiancée will choose one for her. And so they agree to wed, even though their match appears to have been made somewhere hotter than heaven…
Ellie never dreamed she’d marry a stranger, especially one with such a devastating combination of rakish charm and debonair wit. She tries to keep him at arm’s length, at least until she discovers the man beneath the handsome surface. But Charles can be quite persuasive—even tender—when he puts his mind to it, and Ellie finds herself slipping under his seductive spell. And as one kiss leads to another, this unlikely pair discovers that their marriage is not so inconvenient after all… and just might lead to love.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Charles is about to lose his fortune for lack of a bride (for reasons). Ellie is anxious to escape the thumb of her stepmother-to-be. They agree it will be purely a business arrangement, until Charles realizes he finds Ellie particularly attractive and she discovers husbands can be quite the charmers when they want to be.
First Comes Marriage by Mary Balogh
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.80
Synopsis:
Against the scandal and seduction of Regency England, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh introduces an extraordinary family—the fiery, sensual Huxtables. Vanessa is the second daughter, proud and daring, a young widow who has her own reason for pursuing the most eligible bachelor in London. One that has nothing to do with love. Or does it?
The arrival of Elliott Wallace, the irresistibly eligible Viscount Lyngate, has thrown the country village of Throckbridge into a tizzy. Desperate to rescue her eldest sister from a loveless union, Vanessa Huxtable Dew offers herself instead. In need of a wife, Elliott takes the audacious widow up on her unconventional proposal while he pursues an urgent mission of his own. But a strange thing happens on the way to the wedding night. Two strangers with absolutely nothing in common can’t keep their hands off each other. Now, as intrigue swirls around a past secret—one with a stunning connection to the Huxtables—Elliott and Vanessa are uncovering the glorious pleasures of the marriage bed…and discovering that when it comes to wedded bliss, love can’t be far behind.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Elliott is responsible for this new family that has inherited his neighboring estate, so he might as well marry one of the sisters. That way, he’ll have a wife, and said wife can take care of introducing the rest of the sisters to Society. As for Vanessa, well, she has already had a chance at marriage, so she doesn’t want to ask her sister Meg to sacrifice by marrying Elliott. It’s a little bit of martyrdom, except for the fact that she does find Elliott pretty attractive.
Devil’s Bride by Stephanie LaurensAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.09
Synopsis:
When Devil, the most infamous member of the Cynster family, is caught in a compromising position with plucky governess Honoria Wetherby, he astonishes the entire town by offering his hand in marriage. No one dreamed this scandalous rake would ever take a bride. And as society mamas swooned at the loss of England′s most eligible bachelor, Devil′s infamous Cynster cousins began to place wagers on the wedding date.
But Honoria wasn′t about to bend society′s demands and marry a man "just" because they′d been found together virtually unchaperoned. No, she craved adventure, and while solving the murder of a young Cynster cousin fit the bill for a while, she decided that once the crime was solved she′d go off to see the world. But the scalding heat of her unsated desire for Devil soon had Honoria craving a very different sort of excitement. Could her passion for Devil cause her to embrace the enchanting peril of a lifelong adventure of the heart?
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Devil and Honoria spend the night alone in a cottage during a storm, so it only makes sense to save Honoria’s reputation by marriage. At least, that is Devil’s excuse. For Honoria’s part, she doesn’t mind her reputation, but she does want to get to the bottom of who killed Devil’s cousin - the reason she and Devil ended up in the storm in the first place. So, like any good amateur sleuth, she accepts Devil’s hand in order to stay close by as he and his cousins investigate.
The Matrimonial Advertisement by Mimi MatthewsAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.03
Synopsis:
She Wanted Sanctuary...
Helena Reynolds will do anything to escape her life in London, even if that means traveling to a remote cliffside estate on the North Devon coast and marrying a complete stranger. But Greyfriar's Abbey isn't the sort of refuge she imagined. And ex-army captain Justin Thornhill--though he may be tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome--is anything but a romantic hero.
He Needed Redemption...
Justin has spent the last two decades making his fortune, settling scores, and suffering a prolonged period of torture in an Indian prison. Now, he needs someone to smooth the way for him with the villagers. Someone to manage his household--and warm his bed on occasion. What he needs, in short, is a wife and a matrimonial advertisement seems the perfect way to acquire one.
Their marriage was meant to be a business arrangement and nothing more. A dispassionate union free from the entanglements of love and affection. But when Helena's past threatens, will Justin's burgeoning feelings for his new bride compel him to come to her rescue? Or will dark secrets of his own force him to let her go?
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
For Justin, a wife is a status symbol that he has improved himself from the boy everyone in town knew. For Helena, a marriage in a remote, hard-to-access corner of England is precisely the escape she needs from her dangerous current situation. It is a win-win - as long as no emotions get involved, right?
A Wicked Kind of Husband by Mia VincyAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.17
Synopsis:
It was the ideal marriage of convenience...until they met
Cassandra DeWitt has seen her husband only once--on their wedding day two years earlier--and this arrangement suits her perfectly. She has no interest in the rude, badly behaved man she married only to secure her inheritance. She certainly has no interest in his ban on her going to London. Why, he'll never even know she is there.
Until he shows up in London too, and Cassandra finds herself sharing a house with the most infuriating man in England.
Joshua DeWitt has his life exactly how he wants it. He has no need of a wife disrupting everything, especially a wife intent on reforming his behavior. He certainly has no need of a wife who is intolerably amiable, insufferably reasonable ... and irresistibly kissable.
As the unlikely couple team up to battle a malicious lawsuit and launch Cassandra's wayward sister, passion flares between them. Soon the day must come for them to part ... but what if one of them wants their marriage to become real?
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Both Cassandra and Joshua agreed to their marriage because they felt it was her dying father’s wish. For Cassandra, it meant income and security for herself and her sisters. For Joshua, it meant paying tribute to his mentor. And the marriage has been convenient for years, in the sense that they don’t ever meet, but it gets harder to keep it that way when they are actually living in the same house. Cue lots of delicious sexual tension!
In the Wake of the Wind by Katherine KingsleyAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.64
Synopsis:
Enchanting Serafina endured years of exile in Wales with consoling thoughts of the golden-maned lover who was her destiny throughout time. On the eve of his wedding to a woman he doesn't know, the Earl of Aubrey meets a breathtaking fairy queen in the woods. Spellbound, he meets her again--on his wedding day.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
This marriage has been arranged since Serafina and Aiden were children. Serafina believes she is on the way to marry her fated love. Aiden believes he is being trapped into a terrible marriage to an unweddable woman. When they meet just before the wedding, Aiden falls for Serafina’s beauty, and she is horrified that he does not look at all like the man of her literal dreams. Heads up: this is an old school romance that also includes witchy time travel!
How to Love a Duke in 10 Days by Kerrigan ByrneAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.15
Synopsis:
Famed and brilliant, Lady Alexandra Lane has always known how to look out for to herself. But nobody would ever expect that she has darkness in her past—one that she pays a blackmailer to keep buried. Now, with her family nearing bankruptcy, Alexandra strikes upon a solution: Get married to one of the empire’s most wealthy eligible bachelors. Even if he does have the reputation of a devil.
Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne, is seeking revenge and the first step is securing a bride. Winning a lady’s hand is not so easy, however, for a man known as the Terror of Torcliff. Then, Alexandra enters his life like a bolt of lightning. When she proposes marriage, Piers knows that, like him, trouble haunts her footsteps. But her gentleness, sharp wit, independent nature, and incredible beauty awakens every fierce desire within him. He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe in his arms.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Piers doesn’t expect anyone to actually be attracted to him, so he is happy to marry any woman who will take him. Alexandra needs the money that comes from being a duke’s wife. That there is a palpable frisson of attraction between them only makes it that much harder to explain to her friends.
The Gilded Web by Mary BaloghAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.58
Synopsis:
From one of America’s most beloved storytellers comes a classic love story—the breathtaking tale of a man and a woman caught in a web of temptation and seduction.
All she wanted was to escape the hot, crowded London ballroom. But moments after stepping into the bitterly cold night, she is seized by a pair of strong hands and spirited away. Fully expecting to be ravished, sheltered Alexandra Purnell instead finds herself at the mercy of the man who saved her from certain scandal. Edmund, Earl of Amberley, is bold and sensual, tempting Alexandra to be reckless for the first time in her life. But as passion ignites, Edmund’s offer of marriage takes Alexandra completely by surprise. Now a woman who craves her freedom above all else is about to discover how far one man will go to protect and possess the woman he loves.…
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
For Alexandra, marriage is not only convenient but necessary, because word around town is that she was ruined that night she was kidnapped. For Edmund, the marriage is essential to repair the honor of his family.
Accidentally Compromising the Duke by Stacy ReidAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.99
Synopsis:
England, 1817. Miss Adeline Hays is out of options. Determined to escape marriage to a repugnant earl, Adeline plans to deliberately allow herself to be caught in a compromising position at a house party with the much kinder man she’d hoped to marry. Instead, Adeline accidentally enters the wrong chamber and tumbles into the bed of the mad duke.
Edmond Rochester, the duke of Wolverton, is seeking a wife to care for his two daughters. A young lady of sensibilities, accomplishment, and most importantly, one who he is not attracted to—a complete opposite of the bewitching beauty who traps him into marriage. But despite the lust he feels for his new duchess, Edmond is resolved to never allow them intimacy, refusing to ever again suffer the tormenting loss of a loved one.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Adeline wants a marriage, so she makes it convenient by stumbling into a bedroom. Except it is not the man she expected it to be. So suddenly it becomes convenient in order to save her reputation but not so much her self-respect. Meanwhile, Edmond finds it convenient to have a replacement mother for his young children. Too bad he doesn’t want to be attracted to his wife!
Fair as a Star by Mimi MatthewsAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.17
Synopsis:
A Secret Burden…
After a mysterious sojourn in Paris, Beryl Burnham has returned home to the 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.
A Longstanding Love…
As village curate, Mark Rivenhall is known for his compassionate understanding. When his older brother’s intended needs a shoulder to lean on, Mark’s more than willing to provide one. There’s no danger of losing his heart. He already lost that to Beryl a long time ago.
During an idyllic Victorian summer, friends and family gather in anticipation of Beryl and Sir Henry’s wedding. But in her darkest moment, it’s Mark who comes to Beryl’s aid. Can he help her without revealing his feelings—or betraying his brother?
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Ok, this one is a different take: Beryl is about to enter into a marriage of convenience that we as the readers can see would be TERRIBLE! Obviously, she should be marrying her fiance’s brother instead! I’m including it in this list because it is a fun twist on the trope.
Tempest by Beverly JenkinsAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.19
Synopsis:
What kind of mail-order bride greets her intended with a bullet instead of a kiss? One like Regan Carmichael—an independent spirit equally at home in denims and dresses. Shooting Dr. Colton Lee in the shoulder is an honest error, but soon Regan wonders if her entire plan to marry a man she’s never met is a mistake. Colton, who buried his heart along with his first wife, insists he only wants someone to care for his daughter. Yet Regan is drawn to the unmistakable desire in his gaze.
Regan’s far from the docile bride Colton was expecting. Still, few women would brave the wilds of Wyoming Territory for an uncertain future with a widower and his child. The thought of having a bold, forthright woman like Regan in his life—and in his arms—begins to inspire a new dream. And despite his family’s disapproval and an unseen enemy, he’ll risk all to make this match a real union of body and soul.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Jumping to the American Old West, you’ve got a classic trope: the mail order bride! For Regan, the convenience is an adventure. She doesn’t necessarily want to fall in love with her husband, but she does want to start her own life, and that’s what marriage means. Meanwhile, Colton is looking for what all widowers need: a replacement mother for his daughter.
About a Rogue by Caroline LindenAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.90
Synopsis:
It’s no love match…
Bianca Tate is horrified when her sister Cathy is obliged to accept an offer of marriage from Maximilian St. James, notorious rake. Defiantly she helps Cathy elope with her true love, and takes her sister’s place at the altar.
It’s not even the match that was made…
Perched on the lowest branch of his family tree, Max has relied on charm and cunning to survive. But an unexpected stroke of luck gives him an outside chance at a dukedom—and which Tate sister he weds hardly seems to matter.
But could it be the perfect match?
Married or not, Bianca is determined to protect her family’s prosperous ceramics business, even when Max shows an affinity for it—not to mention a dangerous ability to intrigue and tempt Bianca herself. And when Max realizes how beautiful and intelligent and desirable Bianca is, he’ll have to prove he’s no rogue, but the passionately devoted husband she craves…
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
For Max, marriage to a Tate - any Tate sister - gives him lifelong access to the Tate business. He wants the purpose, cachet, and income that being a business owner offers. Meanwhile, for Bianca, the only convenient thing about the marriage is allowing her sister to run away and not marry Max.
The Work of Art by Mimi MatthewsAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.12
Synopsis:
An Uncommon Beauty...
Hidden away in rural Devonshire, Phyllida Satterthwaite has always been considered more odd than beautiful. But in London, her oddity has made her a sensation. Far worse, it's caught the eye of the sinister Duke of Moreland--a notorious art collector obsessed with acquiring one-of-a-kind treasures. To escape the duke's clutches, she's going to need a little help.
An Unlikely Hero...
Captain Arthur Heywood's days of heroism are long past. Grievously injured in the Peninsular War, he can no longer walk unaided, let alone shoot a pistol. What use can he possibly be to a damsel in distress? He has nothing left to offer except his good name.
Can a marriage of convenience save Philly from the vengeful duke? Or will life with Arthur put her--and her heart--in more danger than ever?
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
For Philly, marriage to Arthur is an escape from marriage to the terrible duke who would treat her as a possession. For Arthur, well, the goal is the same: save Phyllida from a dangerous fate. For those of us who don’t like a lot of angst, this marriage of convenience is a balm to the soul because they don’t waste too much time before confessing to one another that they are actually pretty psyched to have ended up together.
To Seduce a Sinner by Elizabeth HoytAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.89
Synopsis:
Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale, has a problem: he needs to marry and produce an heir to the title. All Jasper wants is to find a lady who will put up with him long enough to wed so he can retreat to his life of debauchery—a life that keeps the haunting memories of his past at bay. Knowing that Jasper is under pressure to marry, Melisande Fleming grasps her fate with both hands and volunteers to wed him. Although Jasper is initially only interested in producing an heir, he soon becomes entranced by his wife—prim and proper by day, wanton by night—and vows to learn her secrets.
Melisande, however, is determined to keep her husband at a distance. She has loved and lost before, and will do anything to keep him from learning her terrible weakness: She's secretly been in love with him for years. But to her chagrin, her husband pursues her, wooing her as if she were a paramour, not his lady wife. As Melisande and Jasper embark on a passionate game of cat and mouse, secrets from the past begin to resurface ... threatening to tear them asunder.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
After being jilted by two women in a year, Jasper is rather desperate to have a wife, so he finds marriage to Melissande convenient simply because it is a sure thing. As for Melissande, she claims that it is convenient because she wants the status of being a married lady and to no longer live with her brother as a spinster. What she doesn’t admit is that she has been quietly in love with Jasper for years.
The Husband Plot by Katherine Grant (me)Average Goodreads Rating: 3.89
Synopsis:
What could go wrong when you marry a perfect stranger?
Lisbeth Dawes would rather not end up a spinster. After her first fiance leaves her at the altar, she agrees to marry Adrian Hathorne sight-unseen. She doesn’t expect much from her new husband, since he plans to leave for Jamaica within the year, but she does hope for friendship and freedom to pursue her own interests.
Adrian Hathorne wants to be above reproach. He doesn’t indulge in any of the usual gentlemanly pursuits, nor does he chase after any women. When his father writes from Jamaica with instructions to marry as soon as possible, he does as asked. It is only after the wedding that he realizes he doesn’t really know how to be a husband - especially not to a bluestocking wife with so many of her own ideas.
Divorce is not an option - which means Lisbeth and Adrian need to find common ground before their marriage of convenience goes up in smoke. Just when they have discovered they don’t disagree with each other over everything, another letter arrives from Jamaica with news neither of them expected. News that will test every aspect of their fledgling marriage.
Why the Marriage is Convenient:
Lisbeth wants the independence of being a married lady. In particular, a married lady whose husband will live on the other side of the Atlantic for most of their marriage. For Adrian, marriage to Lisbeth is the final step in building status as an elite Englishman in hopes of being approved to be treated legally as a White man under Jamaican law. Neither of them expect the marriage to include any emotions, but that’s just silly of them, isn’t it?
May 26, 2021
The Ideal Countess Named a Finalist in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
I am so excited to share that The Ideal Countess was named one of the five Romance category finalists in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
What are the Next Generation Indie Book Awards?The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest International awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. In its fifteenth year of operation, the Next Generation Indie Book Awards was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books in over 70 different categories, for the year, and is presented by Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group in cooperation with Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency.
The Romance CategoryI feel so honored that The Ideal Countess made it all the way to the finals in the Romance category, especially when you consider the romance market is one of the most saturated categories in independent publishing. I can’t wait to read my fellow finalists’ and the winner’s titles!
WinnerA Lady's Revenge, by Edie Cay
FinalistsA Family Affair, by Rob Loveless
After Kilimanjaro, by Gayle Woodson
Alaska Spark (Blazing Hearts Wildfire Series Book 1), by LoLo Paige
The Ideal Countess, by Katherine Grant
When the Wind Chimes, by Mary Ting
Thank you so much to the judges at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards!
The awards are rolling out the virtual red carpet on Facebook Live to celebrate! I may or may not be putting on a formal dress and pouring champagne. Join in at their Facebook page on Friday June 25th at 7:00 pm EST/4:00 pm PST!
April 22, 2021
My Ultimate List of Historical Romances about Dukes
#CountYourDukes has been going around Instagram, where historical romance readers count the novels they own with “duke” in the title. I don’t have enough paperbacks to participate in the picture challenge, but the challenge has inspired me to cultivate a list of all the historical romance books I have read or written starring a duke as the hero. So without further ado, here are my Regency, Victorian, and other historical eras about dukes (or about-to-be dukes):
This list will be updated every time I read an amazing historical romance about a duke!
THE ALPHA DUKEIn which the duke knows how much power he has and is happy to lord it over people (but he absolutely will not fall in love, thank you very much).
Accidentally Compromising a Duke by Stacy ReidAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.01
A debutante wants to trick a man into marriage, but she accidentally goes into the wrong bedroom and ends up marrying a famously cold duke.
The Secret Pearl by Mary BaloghAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.90
A duke hires a prostitute one night, only to feel so guilty about it that he hires her as a governess to “save” her from sex work. When she shows up, they have very complicated feelings towards each other.
Devil’s Bride by Stephanie LaurensAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.09
A duke and a maiden pass a stormy night alone with his dying cousin in a hunting shed. The duke insists they marry; the maiden would rather not. But she stays to solve the mystery, and of course, she ends up falling in love as well.
Surrender to the Devil by Lorraine HeathFranny is very happy as bookkeeper for London’s premier gambling hell, but the duke, Sterling, is determined to lure her into being his mistress. They play cat and mouse until he finally listens to her (and until she decides she wants to enthusiastically consent).
The Husband Trap by Tracy Anne WarrenAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.87
Violet is the shy twin in glasses. Her sister is the one marrying dreamy Adrian. Until Jeanette decides the morning of the wedding she doesn't want to go through with it, so they pull the ultimate switch, and Violet marries him instead. Everything is great - except her husband has no idea he married the wrong sister.
How to Love a Duke in 10 Days by Kerrigan ByrneAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.16
Alexandra is a successful archaeologist who really has no need of men at all. She shows up to her friend’s wedding ready to save her from a sticky situation, only to be drawn inexplicably to the groom. Obviously, the solution is to marry him herself, saving her friend.
One Dance with a Duke by Tessa DareAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.86
Spencer doesn’t neglect duty, which is why he always shows up and dances a single set at balls during the season. He has never been distracted by his partner until Lady Amelia D’Orsay claims his dance - and makes some demands. An uneven friendship blossoms between them until it becomes something more.
Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart by Sarah MacLeanAverage Goodreads Rating: 4.02
The Duke of Disdain has absolutely zero interest in anyone with a whiff of scandal coming near his family, so he is pretty ticked off to find scandal-in-waiting Juliana Fiori hiding in his carriage one night. They embark on a two-week companionship that shakes both their worlds.
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie DunmoreAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.99
Sebastian Devereaux is a politically savvy duke who wields his power happily. Annabelle Archer is determined to turn that power towards the suffragette movement. An enemies-to-lovers escapade ensues.
FREE SHORT STORYMillie is a very happily unmarried spinster. But when Josiah Beauford shows up to lease her loom, she finds her happiness sorely tested. The question changes from if to when she will give in to her desire. Grab this free, 10,000-word story now!
READ THE SPINSTERTHE DUKE IN DENIALIn which the duke doesn’t really want to face up to his responsibilities, either because of trauma or because he is being a man-child.
The Duke and I by Julia QuinnAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.88
We all know this one! Simon hates his father so much that he has been avoiding all ducal responsibilities, but when he compromises his best friend’s sister, they have to marry. Complications ensue.
The Duke who Didn’t by Courtney Milan
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.96
Jeremy has a secret: he is the duke who has neglected the town of Wedgeford so long they joke about it. He is also in love with Chloe, and he is afraid she will judge him. Too bad she is so busy with her to-do list she doesn’t notice he is trying to marry her.
Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee GhurkeAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.91
The Duke of Tremore is passionate about archaeology, and Daphne is the best archaeologist archivist he can find. He doesn’t realize she has the biggest crush ever on him. Then he *sees her without glasses* and can’t keep his hands off her, under the guise of *teaching her to be a woman*. Along the way, they both learn more about themselves.
Duke of My Heart by Kelly Bowen
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.89
Max wasn’t supposed to become the duke, so he is very happy to continue running his shipping line rather than take over his duties. The only problem is that his sister disappears the night of her coming-out (with a naked man in her bed). He doesn’t have any choice but to trust Ivory to make this scandal disappear - and find his sister - no matter how much he is distracted by her beauty.
The Other Duke by Jess MichaelsAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.79
Serafina really didn’t want to marry her fiance, the duke, so she is pretty happy when he drops dead. Except his successor lays claim to the marriage contract. A reluctant, handsome, womanizing successor. She is determined not to fall in love, even if she does have to marry the duke, but he has other ideas.
THE DO-GOOD DUKEThat rare, progressive duke who wants to use his power to change the world. Most of these are cinnamon roll beta heroes!
Unveiled by Courtney MilanAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.86
Ash has seized the dukedom from his long-lost relatives after the previous duke committed bigamy. He has no qualms, until he falls in love with the duke’s daughter - who hates him.
Would I Lie to the Duke? By Eva LeighAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.85
Noel realizes how ridiculous it is to be a duke. Since he can’t do anything about the attention he receives, he tries to use it for good by making responsible investments and treating people kindly. When he meets Jess, he thinks he has finally met a woman who sees beneath his title - and who is even more interested in business than he is.
The Duchess Wager by me!Average Goodreads Rating: 4.26
Fitz doesn’t believe in marrying simply because one has fallen in love. So he takes a wager that he won’t marry his next sweetheart. And then he meets Margot, who isn’t interested in marrying him in the first place.
The Duchess War by Courtney MilanAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.83
Minerva Lane is a strategist, and her goal is to stay invisible as she fights for labor reform. But then the Duke of Clermont comes to town. Somehow, he notices everything she does. And he’s interested in her. And her activities. And she can’t bring herself to reject him the way she should, even though there is no future whatsoever for them.
April 6, 2021
11 Enemies to Lovers in Historical Romance Novels
Is there anything better than the sexual tension between a couple that starts out as enemies and ends up as lovers?
These twelve historical romance novels all build their angst around that premise. The hero and heroine start out with a deep resentment towards each other, which of course is only masking a relentless attraction. If that is your favorite historical romance trope, check these books out NOW!
Scandal Wears Satin by Loretta ChaseThe enemies and lovers: Sophy and HarryThe plot: Sophy runs an ambitious modiste’s shop. Her business model is to sneak into society balls and print the hot gossip along with descriptions of dresses made by her shop. However, some of those dresses have been involved in scandal, meaning business is drying up. And Harry is only getting in the way. But when his sister goes missing, they must work together to find her.
Born to be Wilde by Eloisa JamesThe enemies and lovers: Lavinia and ParthThe plot: Lavinia is in desperate need of money, so she goes to work trying to find a husband who will take her. When she proposes to her old childhood nemesis Parth, he laughs in her face. Then he follows her around London, upset that she is considering marrying someone else. As they learn more about each other, they realize why they have so much animosity, and it turns into something else entirely.
A Delicate Deception by Cat SebastianThe enemies and lovers: Amelia and SydneyThe plot: The enemies-to-lovers aesthetic here is more Darcy and Elizabeth than sworn enemies from birth. When Sydney interrupts Amelia’s daily walks, she is irritated and picks arguments with him. But then he proves himself good company, and she is more than willing to get to know him.
The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie LinThe enemies and lovers: Ling Suyin and Li TaoThe plot: Ling Suyin lives a quiet life as the former courtesan of the empire. Until the famous warrior Li Tao kidnaps her to his castle. She is sure he plans to kill her, while Li Tao is more focused on figuring out who anonymously warned him she was in danger. In close quarters, they learn more about each other and get physical.
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa DareThe enemies and lovers: Maddie and LoganThe plot: Years ago, Maddie’s family tried to force her into a Season, so she invented an imaginary Scottish soldier as her fiance. She even wrote letters to him. Now she is an independent woman living in a castle in Scotland, having “killed off” her fiance. Except he shows up, kilt and all, to claim their marriage. At first, neither trusts the other. Maddie is convinced he is using her, while Logan can’t forgive her for casting him off. They do marry, however, and in that close proximity, their suspicion turns into a much more entertaining emotion.
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A Convenient Fiction by Mimi MatthewsThe enemies and lovers: Laura and AlexThe plot: Alex is on his way to woo an heiress when he spots Laura drowning in a pond. Except she isn’t drowning; she was happily submerged underwater. Thus, their relationship begins with a whole lot of resentment, which only deepens when it turns out that Alex is wooing Laura’s best friend. However, they just can’t help being drawn to each other. Note: this is a closed door romance!
Mischief by Amanda QuickThe enemies and lovers: Imogen and MatthiasThe plot: Imogen summons Matthias to help her plot revenge on her friend’s death, by way of antiquities. As an expert in Zamarian treasures, Matthias thinks Imogen is pretty crazy, and he is threatened by her own expertise in the culture. He agrees to help because he owes her uncle, but he does so grudgingly. Until somehow, that grudge turns into very fiery lust…
A Dangerous Kind of Lady by Mia VincyThe enemies and lovers: Arabella and GuyThe plot: Their parents have been planning for them to marry since they were young. As a result, they have always hated each other. Once his father dies,Guy ends the engagement, thinking he is doing them both a favor. But Arabella’s parents have given her an ultimatum: marry or get thrown out to the streets. Backed into a corner, she agrees to marry the one man most likely to drive Guy crazy. And that is just the beginning of the games between these two childhood nemeses.
An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa ColeThe enemies and lovers: Malcolm and ElleThe plot: Talk about enemies. Malcolm - in disguise - shows up as a Confederate soldier, in the Southern house where Elle - in disguise - serves as a mute slave. In truth, they are both fighting for the Union, but Elle still doesn’t trust Malcolm. Still, they work together to gather key intelligence, and they can’t deny their growing attraction as they do so.
Duke of My Heart by Kelly BowenThe enemies and lovers: Ivory and MaxThe plot: Ivory solves scandals. When she is called to the duke’s house to solve the scandal of an earl being found dead - stark naked - in the duke’s little sister’s bed, Ivory figures it is a night like any other. But then the duke shows up and insists she stop her work. From there, Ivory and Max are at each other’s throats, each fighting to solve the problem themselves. When they finally start working together, they realize there is a lot to admire about each other.
About a Rogue by Caroline LindenThe enemies and lovers: Max and BiancaThe plot: Max is determined to marry into a successful business family, and he decides the Tate family pottery will do. The eldest daughter agrees to marry him, but on the wedding day, she disappears - and the Tate father offers his younger daughter, Bianca, instead. Max and Bianca both agree because they want control of the business. While Max keeps an open mind, Bianca hates him and all he stands for, no matter that he is kind and supportive and oh, so handsome.
March 19, 2021
The Husband Plot is now available!
Launch days are my favorite days because now everyone can read the book I have been working so hard to write and promote!
The last installment of The Countess Chronicles, The Husband Plot is now available at your favorite book retailer!
This is my favorite book so far, and that’s not just because it is the most recent project I have worked on. Ever since I introduced Lisbeth in The Ideal Countess, I knew her book would be special, and once I started building Adrian’s character, he sparked a special chemistry with the story. I hope that everyone who reads it agrees!
To celebrate the release of The Husband Plot, I have been reflecting on some of the books and TV shows that influenced me while I was writing it. As far as historical romance goes, Adrian’s name (subconsciously) came straight from Courtney Milan’s After the Wedding - once I realized that, I tried out a few alternatives, but Adrian had already taken up too much space in my mind to change his name. I also thought about Julia Quinn’s The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever while writing a specific bookstore scene. You’ll know what I mean when you get there!
I also watch a lot of television, so it is inevitable that those shows influence my writing, too. The most obvious is Married at First Sight, which is a reality TV show about strangers who get married the moment they meet after being matched by “relationship experts.” I started watching it after starting the first draft of The Husband Plot and realizing I was writing a married at first sight premise. (In a similar vein, I have watched Love is Blind on Netflix multiple times and I cannot wait for the next season.)
Perhaps less obviously, I also count The Office as one of my TV influences. Yes, it is a modern comedy show rather than...anything...to do with historical romance. However, as a megafan, I’ve been listening to The Office Ladies podcast, and they talk about a theory that 90% of each episode could be comedy by 10% needed to speak to the characters’ emotions, whether that was moving along the Jim-Pam storyline or revealing some of Michael’s vulnerabilities. I know that my favorite historical romances are romance plus something else - mystery, comedy, or social commentary. So I tried to use this 90-10 rule in The Husband Plot as I investigated Adrian and Lisbeth’s relationships with slavery.
I am curious to hear from readers whether they pick up on any of these influences as they read - and let me know if you have recommendations for what I should watch next!
Order your copy of The Husband Plot today at your favorite retailer! Click here for more information.
March 18, 2021
St. Patrick's Day and Representation
I don't drink alcohol, so St. Patrick's Day has never meant a day of big events for me. It is simply the day that I get to think about what it means to be Irish. While all of my Irish ancestors came to North America before 1900, our pride runs strong, and my family knows what villages and counties heralded our great-great-great grandparents. In Massachusetts, some of my Devlin ancestors belonged to the Fenian Brotherhood and plotted to hold Canada hostage for Ireland's freedom (their plan almost worked). We love being Irish.
Still, I can't quite articulate why St. Patrick's Day brings me such joy. Other than that it is the day I feel that part of my identity is represented and celebrated. As someone who is very normative as well as blond-haired and blue-eyed, I have never had to search hard for representation on screen or in books. I listen to people explain that it adds to their struggle to not be represented, and I try to understand it emotionally as well as rationally. Yesterday, I reflected on how happy I was to be wearing green, and I realized that was the joy at this little slice of myself being represented. And it made me wish everyone felt that way, every day.
I also know that celebrating the Irish culture once a day doesn't do it justice. I don't actually know much about Ireland beyond the stereotypes, even though I have visited three times. As I try to diversify my writing to include characters who are not the same characters who have been represented for centuries, I struggle with the balance between being inclusive and being superficial. Yesterday was my chance to reflect on my personal experience of seeing a part of my identity expressed - and I can also imagine how frustrating it is to Irish people when we Americans stake our generations-old claim on their culture. I hope that this is my entre to understanding more empathetically as we all move towards a more inclusive world.
February 19, 2021
On Whether I Should Have Written the Husband Plot
When mapping out the Countess Chronicles, I focused on the heroines. One question that drives me to write historical romance is: how did people realistically fight for change? Any twenty-first century reader of Regency romance knows that the heroines are in a gilded cage, but how do the heroines come to know that, and how do they fight against that?
I started with Alice, who is new to the real world and has to learn a few lessons about how women are actually viewed in The Ideal Countess. In The Duchess Wager, Margot is more aware but hasn’t yet reckoned with the fact that she has power and can take control of her life. Ever since Lisbeth showed up in Chapter Six of The Ideal Countess, I knew she was going to be the heroine who started off a feminist, so then I had to figure out: what does she do about it, and does she look beyond her own struggles to help others?
The other question was: who will be her love interest?
I worried a lot about this. I tried to imagine many different types of heroes. I didn’t have a good answer.
Simultaneously, I had a growing awareness that Regency romance has an inclusivity problem. The genre by and large focuses on the upper crust of the British Empire, which was the wealthiest nation in the world at the time. This is entertaining (a lot like how we love reality TV shows about the super-rich), but it also repeats harmful social structures without investigating why. For example, there are very few stories about Jewish people in Regency Romance, nor people from any of Britain’s colonies. Even Irish or Polish or German characters rarely appear.
As a White woman with a healthy heaping of British in my DNA, I didn’t notice this at first. However, once I saw it, I saw it. Saying that the upper class wouldn’t run into people who weren’t very White and very British is like saying I wouldn’t run into an immigrant in New York City today. London was the center of a global empire. Ships arrived into multiple English ports every day with sailors, businessmen, and politicians who were managing that empire. Of course there were people of different races, religions, and cultures mixing in London society.
(This problem is not simply ignorance or even laziness. As I outlined in this blog post, there are organizations that actively work against allowing conversations around inclusivity. If that isn’t evidence enough, visit any Facebook or Twitter thread about whether Bridgerton casting is “historically accurate”, and you’ll see the deep racism that pervades even the historical romance community.)
I do not want to contribute to this problem. So, while still mulling over who should be Lisbeth’s love interest, I started digging into who would show up in London, so that I could diversify my cast of characters. I came across two influential books. Staying Power: The History of Black People in Britain is both a sweeping history and full of individual biographies across multiple eras. Children of Uncertain Fortune: Mixed-Race Jamaicans in Britain and the Atlantic Family, 1733-1833 investigates the development of racism, the shifting definitions of family, and how children of White planters and free or enslaved Black women in Jamaica navigated dual identities.
Somewhere in that research, Adrian appeared in my imagination. A hero who has spent his life on two sides of the Atlantic, with dual claims on his identity, and with a very terrible family legacy.
He and Lisbeth make a great pair. But even though he popped into my imagination, I am not sure I have the right to write his story. Yes, writers must be able to write about characters outside their own experience, and yes, there is an argument to be made that all characters in historical romance are outside my experience. However, there is a rule out there that I really like: you can and should write about marginalized characters, but if you don’t identify with them, you shouldn’t write about their marginalization.
That was my intention when I started writing Adrian. I was going to address race and move on. However, the more I researched his backstory, the more it felt crucial to his story. He is the son of a White plantation owner, which means he stands to inherit a plantation of slaves. How could that be his backstory without addressing what that means to him?
So, I wrote the plot the way it required. I followed the workshop book, Writing the Other, to do my best to do it thoughtfully and to avoid character and narrative stereotypes. I hired a sensitivity reader to double-check my work in addition to multiple beta readers.
But still, I broke a good rule. I am pretty much as White as can be. I don’t know what it is like to be marginalized today and read about someone like Adrian. I don’t know that writing his story will add to the conversation in a healthy manner. Even as I release the book, I worry that I shouldn’t.
However, I do know that Regency romance has a problem of excluding people who are not White from our narratives. I also know that the romance world feeds itself: the more books there are of a certain type, the more readers want them, and so it turns into a convention. There are some interracial historical romances out there already, but there aren’t nearly enough of them. So, I may not be the best person to write about Adrian - or a character similar to Adrian - but I hope that I am turning the problem in the right direction. Let’s stop saying there is no room for Adrian as a historically-accurate hero: let the complaint be that I shouldn’t be writing him, and give money to the people who should be.
Ultimately, writing is an act of empathy, and every time I write characters outside my personal experience, I can empathize that much more with people in my real life. That was my philosophy writing Adrian, and with all this said, I am very proud of The Husband Plot. I think it is my best book yet, from the characters to the writing to the narrative structure. All I can hope is that with each book I am a better writer and a better person, so I look forward to feedback that will help me learn.
February 12, 2021
What makes a story romantic?
The publishing industry has pretty well defined the romance genre to include only stories where the love story is central to the plot and where there is a happy ending (either a happily ever after or a happily for now). On top of that, there are a lot of conventions and tropes that make romance novels feel familiar, like switching point-of-view characters every chapter or keeping the lovers on the page as much as possible.
But beyond conventions, what is it about romance novels that make them so romantic?
There are three main elements that do it for me:
Steadily increasing tension. From early on in a romance novel, the two love interests meet and have some sort of reaction (even if they start out as enemies). They have strong ideas about each other, and so they spend a lot of time thinking about what they want and not getting it. That sets the reader up for a lot of satisfaction once the characters finally get to fall in love.
The reader has direct access to the characters’ emotions. Whether the book is in third or first person, we the readers are hooked into each love interest’s head. We see exactly what they’re thinking and feeling. That makes it so easy to fall in love with the characters ourselves. After all, haven’t you ever wished you could read your partner’s mind?
Both characters have to be satisfied by the end. Unlike in real life, where relationships can end up unbalanced, for a romance novel to be a romance novel, both characters have to find satisfaction in order to earn that happy ending. I mean this both euphemistically and literally. Since romance novels are traditionally a female art form (in terms of both writers and consumers), it is one space where you see female sexuality prioritized. It is also where you see female protagonists with strong minds and big goals that work out for them. The best part is that the love interests have to serve each other. Seeing couples support each other is super romantic.
So what do you think? What makes romance novels so romantic for you?
5 Love Triangles in Historical Romance Novels
I am a product of my times, which means I was indoctrinated on love triangle teams. Team Edward or Team Jacob? Team Dean or Team Jess? Team Michael or Team Rafael? Love triangles that pull the heroine between the solid guy and the bad guy were kind of a mainstay of media in my teens (and all you need to know about me is I will always be Team Good Guy).
When I started reading romance novels, I expected there to be a lot of love triangles. I was surprised that it is signaled so early on to the reader who the end-goal couple was. I actually am very grateful for that, because in love triangle stories, the heroine almost never ends up with the guy I’m rooting for. (Most recently, I have become very ardently #TeamYoungStringer from the TV Sanditon adaptation.)
That said, there are historical romance novels out there that give you the same angst of a traditional love triangle. In most of these, the hero loves another woman. Check out the list here:
The Husband Trap by Tracy Anne WarrenAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.87The Parent Trap, but make it romance.
Violet is the shy twin in glasses. Her sister is the one marrying dreamy Adrian. Except Jeanette decides the morning of the wedding she doesn't want to go through with it, so they pull the ultimate switch, and Violet marries him instead. Everything is great - except her husband has no idea he married the wrong sister.
This love triangle is a little subtle because Adrian doesn’t even realize he is part of it, but most of Violet’s narration is angst about whether he likes her for her or not. If you love unrequited anxiety (and can tolerate anticipated awkwardness), you’ll love it.
Bedding Lord Ned by Sally MacKenzieAverage Goodreads rating: 3.61Fans of unrequited love, unite. This love triangle is between two childhood friends and a dead wife. Ellie has loved Ned since forever, but he married her friend, and even now 4 years a widower, he has yet to notice Ellie. Most of her narration is spent wishing he would notice her while his is spent being an idiot. That said, it is a humorous novel with crazy animal-related hijinx, so if this is your cup of tea, you will love it.
A Convenient Fiction by Mimi MatthewsAverage Goodreads rating: 4.29The love triangle here is between Alex, Laura, and the woman Alex thinks she should marry for her money. This book opens with an arresting opening scene: Laura is happily submerged in a pond when Alex "saves" her. She is angry; he is scared. It has the magical charm of Anne of Green Gables. From there, the plot unfurls in the summery English countryside. Alex is there to court Laura's best friend. Laura is suspicious, but distracted by her own worries. Alex is distracted by Laura. It was interesting to be centered in a hero who is essentially selfish, without seeing him as an alpha-hole. Laura, meanwhile, is enchanting and self-sufficient. I pretty much devoured this book! (Be aware that it is closed-door romance.)
The Gilded Web by Mary BaloghAverage Goodreads Rating: 3.58
Are you ready for a crazy love triangle? The heroine is kidnapped by one brother, rescued by another, proposed to by both, denies them both, accepts one, and the other keeps badgering her to marry him instead. Of all the books on the list, this one kept me guessing to the end. I definitely rooted for the hero (he is the nice guy, after all), even though he was sort of in love with another woman at the beginning, but the heroine seemed much more into his brother at times. I’m going to be honest: this book wasn’t for me. However, I’ve seen a lot of reviews that love it, so if you like a traditional regency romance and an out-there plot, check it out!
The Ideal Countess by Katherine Grant (me!)Average Goodreads Rating: 4.43
I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I did exorcise some of my devils while writing the love triangle in The Ideal Countess. See, I always root for the nice guy in love triangles, and he almost always ends up friendzoned. So I wrote a love triangle where even addicts to bad guys would root for the nice guy. And it worked - overwhelmingly, I hear how much everyone loves Hugh, and how dumb Alice is for even entertaining the duke.
