Aloha to Jane Ashford, RIVALS OF FORTUNE, and THE IMPETUOUS HEIRESS

Reminder: I have a special giveaway for Military Appreciation Month at this link.

Two classic Regency romances from beloved bestselling author Jane Ashford

RIVALS OF FORTUNE — Joanna Rowntree thought she would die of a broken heart when her one true love married another—until not one but two fascinating newcomers appear on neighboring estates. As the roughhewn Jonathan Erland and the polished Sir Rollin Denby engage in a heated competition for her hand, Joanna realizes her heart is alive and well—but to whom will she give it?

THE IMPETUOUS HEIRESS — When spoiled Lady Alicia Alston, privileged daughter of a duke, is accidentally tossed into a ravine after a wild gallop with Ian MacClain, Earl of Cairnyllan, she expects a proposal as soon as is convenient. The stubborn Scot has other ideas. It takes a headlong journey to prevent an elopement to give Alicia and Ian a chance to clear up misunderstandings and figure out what they find so damnably passion-inducing about one another…

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Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. Her historical and contemporary romances have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Twenty-six of her new and backlist Regency romances are being published by Sourcebooks. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She is currently rather nomadic.

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Sourcebooks offers an excerpt from THE IMPERTUOUS HEIRESS ... 

Together, the two riders thundered along the path. Trees and undergrowth flashed by. They leapt another tiny ravine—first Alicia, then Cairnyllan arching up and over and landing at full gallop. Alicia’s laughter floated back as she held her lead, and the sound brought a grim smile to the earl’s ruddy face. He bent lower, but he did not close the short distance between them.

Finally, Alicia pulled up beside a massive oak, and he swung in beside her. They were both breathing quickly, and when their eyes met, both smiled. “How dare you ride that way sidesaddle?” wondered Cairnyllan. “I certainly wouldn’t want to try it.”

She laughed. “I have ridden so all my life.” Her smile turned reminiscent. “Though I used to go astride as well, when I was younger.”

He raised one eyebrow, but replied merely, “You have the finest seat I have ever seen in a woman.”

“Or a man?” she retorted. “I managed to beat you.”

“I didn’t want to founder your horse.” He sounded amused. “If I had one of my own…”

“Oh, of course.” She taunted him a little.

“And you had a good ten yards start,” he added, beginning to be nettled.

“Shall we try it again from here?” Alicia gazed into his eyes challengingly. She still felt immensely excited, and she realized now that this was not entirely due to the gallop. She had enjoyed winning the race, as she always did, but the presence of Ian MacClain had somehow intensified the sensation. Looking at him now, his ruddy hair brilliant in a shaft of sun and his blue eyes glinting, Alicia was abruptly flooded with a surge of desire. She thought of kissing him, and a thrill shivered through her.

Alicia had been kissed before, twice, in fits of great daring that she had later brushed aside, along with the gentlemen so favored. It had been an interesting experience, one that she was glad to have had but was disinclined to repeat. But watching Cairnyllan’s face, she was suddenly certain that with him it would not be the same at all.

The earl seemed to sense the change in her thoughts. He looked slightly startled at the heat in her eyes, then his own flickered and, at the same time, hardened a bit, conveying an equally intense response. They remained very still for a long moment, eyes locked, then Alicia took a shaky breath and wheeled her mare into a gallop again.

This time, Cairnyllan was right behind her. Alicia could see Whitefoot’s head in the corner of her eye, and her heart began to pound in rhythm with the hoofbeats. She found it difficult to breathe, and her mare, feeling the uncertainty in her hands, stumbled a little over a rock in the path. Alicia pulled her head up, and they recovered, but the hesitation had allowed the earl to come abreast.

Side by side, they raced, throwing brief glances at one another. Both bent low and urged their horses forward with knees and thoughts, intent on the contest between them.

Alicia was certain she was pulling ahead again when the widest ravine they had yet encountered loomed before them. It was at least six feet to the other side, she estimated, perhaps more. She could take it, of course, but…reluctantly, she started to ease the mare back from her headlong gallop, to prepare for the jump. Then she saw that Cairnyllan was making no such prudent move. He was going to attempt it flat out. She let her hand drop again, then quickly changed her mind. She couldn’t be sure of making the jump unless she slowed. And neither could he, she thought irritably. He seemed to have forgotten his worries over her horse.

Cairnyllan pulled ahead, and Whitefoot launched out over the ravine. Alicia caught one glimpse as he seemed to falter, then she herself was flying up and landing on the opposite side. Her mare stumbled slightly, then they were galloping along the path again.

After a moment, when the earl did not come up with her, Alicia turned. She saw Whitefoot some yards behind, his bridle dragging, slightly favoring his left forefoot. At once, she wheeled and raced back to the ravine.

Cairnyllan was in it. He had just picked himself up, in fact, and was brushing at the sleeve of his riding coat. Luckily, he had landed in a spot free of thorns, but he would have to push through a great clump of blackberry to get out.

“Are you all right?” called Alicia.

“Yes.” His tone was curt, and he sounded angry.

“Good,” Alicia snapped, and turned back to reassure the shaken animal. After a few moments an angry exclamation came from the ravine, and Alicia looked again at the earl.

Despite stern self-admonition, she began to laugh. He looked so funny standing there scowling, his head not even reaching the level of the path.

“Very amusing, I’ve no doubt,” said MacClain, the Scottish burr of his R’s intensified. “Suppose you give me a hand up.”

Alicia stifled her laughter and surveyed the situation. It would not be easy getting him out. The ravine was small but very steep. She would have to dismount. Sliding to the ground, she searched for a branch but found nothing. There were no large trees nearby. Finally, she crouched above him and extended her riding crop for him to grasp. It was not the most stable position, but the earl seemed likely to explode if she did not do something quickly, and she felt sympathy as well as amusement at his plight. How she would hate to be in it!

Cairnyllan grabbed the end of the riding crop and started to climb, but, in his impatience he pulled far too hard, and in the next instant, Alicia had tumbled forward into his arms and both of them were on the floor of the ravine in a heap.

Aloha to Jane Ashford, FIRST SEASON, and BRIDE TO BE

Two classic Regency romances by beloved bestselling author Jane Ashford celebrate the adventures of a London Season.  This duet is available October 6 from Sourcebooks.

FIRST SEASON

Widowed Lady Anabel Wyndham was married right out of the schoolroom and has never before experienced the delights of a London Season. She’s dazzled by the attention of the fascinating Sir Charles Norbury, a man whose touch seems to melt her very soul, but a notorious rake. She’s drawn to handsome friend-of-the-family Christopher Hanford and the comfort and serenity he offers. But how does one choose between two such charming suitors? Anabel is finding that love is so much more dangerous the second time around.

BRIDE TO BE

Emily Crane is the toast of the ton—and she couldn’t find it more tedious. Until she encounters the darkly sensual stranger whose life she once saved and the London Season becomes infinitely more exciting. Recently returned from the wilds of South America, Lord Richard Sheldon has only contempt for tiresome London chits, but he finds himself stunningly intrigued by the dauntless Emily Crane. When the two become embroiled in a budding scandal and are forced into an engagement, they discover a passion more dangerous than any killer…

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Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. Her historical and contemporary romances have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Twenty-six of her new and backlist Regency romances are being published by Sourcebooks. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She is currently rather nomadic.

janeashford.com

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Sourcebooks is offering a special giveaway at this link .... and an excerpt from FIRST SEASON:

“There you are,” said someone from the hall below. “They said you had gone upstairs.”

Anabel looked down to find Sir Charles Norbury gazing up at her. A tingling shock ran through her body, and the candle trembled a little, dripping wax.

“You have missed the first waltz,” he added, meeting her at the bottom of the staircase and taking the candlestick from her hand. He snuffed the flame between forefinger and thumb and set it aside. “And I came early especially to engage you for it.”

“I wanted to look in on the children.” As always, his presence overwhelmed her. He seemed to tower over her, yet his pale green eyes felt close and compelling. She found it hard to breathe.

“It is a country dance now, unfortunately. Mayn’t we wait outside here for the next and hope?” He smiled and reached for her hand to lead her across to a small empty anteroom.

Anabel knew she should say no, but her voice seemed to have died, and she went with him silently and allowed him to escort her to a sofa and sit beside her, his arm thrown along its back.

“You look exquisite tonight,” he said softly. “The loveliest woman at the ball.”

This outrageous compliment revived her. “What a plumper. There are dozens of prettier ones.”

“No.”

“Flatterer.” She smiled, but when she met his eyes, they were very serious.

“No,” he said again. “To me you are the most beautiful.” He held her gaze for a moment, then slowly bent forward and took possession of her lips, his arm tightening around her shoulders.

Anabel’s slight trembling increased, and her mind dissolved in confusion. She should pull away, part of it cried; this was terribly fast, and someone might come in at any moment. But another part urged her on, fascinated by Sir Charles’ attractions and filled with curiosity.

His kiss was very expert, and nothing at all like her deceased husband’s, Anabel’s only standard of comparison. His lips seemed to draw all strength out of her, leaving her limp and pliant, yet she felt disconnected from the expected sensual pleasure. He knew how to draw response from her body, clearly, but her heart and mind remained in turmoil.

Norbury, on the contrary, was in the grip of feelings stronger than any he had ever experienced, and for him the kiss confirmed a decision. This was the woman he wanted. Never had his passions been suffused with such emotion. Beyond thinking, he moved his free hand to Anabel’s knee and slid it upward caressingly, savoring the curve of her waist under the thin satin dress and cupping his fingers around her breast. She drew her breath in sharply.

A scuff of footsteps in the hall, followed by a scrap of conversation and a laugh, jerked Anabel upright. She pulled away from him only just in time to avoid being caught by two couples coming into the room. But it was obvious in the way that the newcomers stopped, smiled, and apologized that their appearance gave them away. Anabel rose and hurried from the room, Norbury behind her. Her cheeks were flaming, and she felt that she could not possibly face the crowd in the ballroom.

Aloha to Jane Ashford and A RADICAL ARRANGEMENT

A classic Regency romance from beloved author Jane Ashford!

Brash and Handsome

Sir Justin Keighley is all wrong for a proper young lady like Margaret Mayfield. Everyone knows he is shocking in his opinions, arrogant in his manner, and completely without respect for the common decencies of civilized society. Margaret absolutely will not marry him—no matter what her parents say.

Beautiful and Shy

Margaret was everything Sir Justin detested in a woman—timid, sheltered, and obedient to a fault. It’s not until she runs away from him that he finds he must give chase. Margaret is discovering she can be bold and rebellious—intrepid enough to do what she must, and more exciting than Justin ever imagined possible. She’s the last woman he would have expected to lead them both into uncharted territory…

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Jane Ashford, a retired teacher and editor, is now a beloved author of historical and contemporary romances. She has been published in various parts of the world, including Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, Spain, and of course the U.S. Jane is also a two-time RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award nominee. Born in Ohio, Jane now divides her time between Boston and Los Angeles.

Sourcebooks is hosting a giveaway at this link ... and offers an excerpt from A RADICAL ARRANGEMENT:

Sir Justin Keighley stood in the doorway, looking them over with a slight, satirical curve of his lips. He wore, like the other gentlemen, conventional evening dress, but this superficial similarity was their only common ground. Ralph Mayfìeld, Philip Manningham, the squire, and John Twitchel were none of them unattractive men or negligible personalities. Each, in his own sphere, had a certain dignity and authority, and all had the confidence that respect engendered. Yet somehow, the moment he entered the room and before he spoke a word, Justin Keighley eclipsed them. It was not charm. Indeed, the newcomer did not look at all pleasant or ingratiating. And it was not mere social position. Keighley held an ancient baronetcy and a substantial fortune, but any of twenty men his hosts were accustomed to meeting ranked above him. Ralph Mayfield could not have said why he felt subdued as he came forward to greet his final guest.

The squire’s wife might have enlightened him. As she had told a friend at a Bath assembly two years ago, “Justin Keighley is a vastly attractive man, my dear. And not just to women. All the young men ape him, my son among them. I don’t know just how it is, but he has a great influence without appearing to seek it in the least. Indeed, sometimes I think he dislikes the idea. But it goes on. It’s something in his manner. No doubt you’ve noticed it yourself. He makes you look at him.” Mrs. Camden had been embarrassed by this speech, but it was quite true. And Keighley’s attraction was the more mysterious because he was not conventionally handsome. Though tall and well made, with broad shoulders and a good leg, his features were rough—a jutting nose and heavy black brows that nearly obscured expressive hazel eyes. And he took no care with his dress, a rarity in an elegant age. His coats were made so that he could shrug himself into them without help; his collars did not even approach his jaw; and he had once been observed in White’s with a distinct thumb mark on his Hessian boots, giving one of the dandy set what he described as “a shuddering palpitation.”

But these sartorial eccentricities were outweighed by Sir Justin’s political influence and sagacity. He was an intimate of the Prince Regent and Lord Holland, and important in the Whig Party. These facts did not explain his fascination for a great number of people, chiefly women, who hadn’t the slightest interest in politics, but they amply justified the Mayfìelds’ attention and suppressed antipathy.

“Good evening,” Keighley said to Mr. Mayfield in a deep, resonant voice. “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting.”

“Not at all, not at all. Come in. You know everyone, I think.”

Sir Justin bowed his head with a sardonic smile. He always met precisely the same people at his yearly dinner with the Mayfields, presumably those they were certain he could not “corrupt” with his aberrant opinions, and he always felt the same infuriated boredom. For the fiftieth time he wondered why he came. There was no hope of amusement or chance of advantage here. The Mayfields and their friends were just the sort of smug, resolutely conventional people he despised. They held to the views their fathers had bequeathed them and attacked all others. If one tried to make them change even a fraction, they shook their heads and muttered of treason.

He looked around the room. The only addition this year was the Mayfìelds’ daughter. He had forgotten her name, but he remembered that she had come out last season. She looked as one would have expected: a pallid, simpering creature. Keighley shrugged. Politics forced him to endure fools occasionally. The Prince would want to know the climate of opinion here in Devon. He supposed he could get through this evening as he had previous ones, through a combination of stoicism and bitter inner laughter.

Margaret watched him with awed apprehension as he settled beside Mrs. Camden and began to chat with her about London. She had never actually spoken to Sir Justin; her mother had seen to that. But she had heard him talked of so many times that she felt she knew what he would say in response to a wide variety of remarks. It would always be shocking. She gazed at him in an effort to understand how any man could be so utterly depraved in thought and action, almost expecting his rugged face to contort in a grimace of malevolence and his chiseled lips to emit some horrifying revelation.

Suddenly Sir Justin looked up and met her eyes from across the room. He seemed at first startled to find her staring, then his mocking smile appeared again, and he raised one black brow, holding her gaze. Embarrassed, Margaret tried to look away, but something in his hazel eyes prevented it. A spark glinted there, and she felt a kind of tremor along her nerves. It was utterly unfamiliar and unsettling, like a violent thrill of feeling. How could a stranger affect her so? This must be fear, she thought; I am afraid of him. She began to tremble, but still she could not turn her head away. He seemed to understand her reaction and, amused, to prolong the contact on purpose.

Finally Keighley laughed and bent to answer some question of Mrs. Camden’s. Margaret jerked back in her chair and clasped her shaking hands so tightly that the knuckles whitened. He was a dreadful man. She would not speak to him, and if she ever saw him again, she would run away.

Aloha to Jane Ashford and MARRIED TO A PERFECT STRANGER

Time and distance have changed them both…

Quiet and obliging, Mary Fleming and John Bexley marry to please their families and John immediately leaves on a two-year diplomatic mission. Now John is back, and everything they thought they knew about each other was wrong…

It’s disconcerting, irritating—and somehow all very exciting…

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Today we are pleased to have a cozy chat with John and Mary Bexley, the protagonists from Jane Ashford’s Married to a Perfect Stranger (March 2015). From February 23rd through March 20th the Bexleys will be answering questions about their relationship at each stop in their tour!

Complete this sentence: I knew I had found the love of my life when she/he ______.

Mary: Wanted to punch Fordyce for being rude to me. But didn’t do so.

John: Ignored the spilled peas and shattered tarts and re-introduced herself to me.

Mary: You did not know so soon!

John: Oh, I think I did.

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. Her romances have been published all over the world. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

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Jane offers an excerpt from MARRIED TO A PERFECT STRANGER: 

John Bexley reined in his hired horse on a slight rise and gazed down at the red brick manor, somnolent under the August sun. Eager as he was to get to London, he’d felt he must detour west into Somerset to fetch Mary. Her family’s decision to put her under the care of a great-aunt while he was away just showed he was right to fear that such a shy, quiet girl couldn’t arrange a journey on her own. And now that he was here, the sight of this place soothed him; it looked the very essence of English country comfort and peace.

John’s knock was answered by an aged butler. He gave his name, stepped in, and inhaled the familiar scents of beeswax polish and potpourri. The place reminded him of his own home farther north. Golden light pooled on the wooden floor and gleamed on the stair rail. In the rooms on either side of the entry, the furnishings were classic and inviting. Mary had certainly had a beautiful and serene spot in which to wait for him. “Mary’s husband,” he added when it seemed as if the old man didn’t know what to do with him. “I believe I am expected.”

“Yes, si…”

A filthy, hysterical chicken shot through the rear door of the dining parlor on his left, skidded in a turn around the table, and raced past him, neck extended, screeching, flapping its mottled wings. A little boy slathered with mud came racing after it, careened off the doorjamb, and staggered across the entryway, leaving streaks and globs of dirt in his wake. The old butler stiffened in horror.

The bird hopped across a flowered sofa in the front parlor, stitching it with muddy tracks, circled the delicate carpet, and looped back toward John. The boy in pursuit slipped, fell, jumped up, and turned to follow. He flapped muddy hands at the fowl in an inept attempt to trap it.

What seemed like a herd of adults jostled into the dining parlor, then surged forward. “Arthur!” snapped a young woman, her voice crackling with authority.

“It isn’t my fault,” the boy shouted over the wild squawking. “I pulled her from the mire. Fox was after her. I never shot her or nothing.”

As the crazed chicken surged past him, John bent, reached, and snatched hold of its legs. When he straightened, he held the muddy bird upside down, at arm’s length, well away from his clothing. It flapped and protested; flakes of dirt dropped to the floor.

“Good!” said the managing female, striding from the dining room into the hall. “Take it from him, Alice, and put it outside at once.”

The middle-aged maid jumped to obey like a subaltern responding to a commanding general. The butler relaxed. The boy stood to attention. “It wasn’t me, I swear,” he repeated. “I rescued ’er. I killed three rats as well. Would have been four, but I…”

“Very well, Arthur,” the woman replied. “Go now and get cleaned up.”

The boy finally noticed the mud sliding from his clothes to the polished floor. His face shifted from defensive to horrified, and he slunk out. In the same moment, John realized that the woman with a voice like a sergeant major was his meek little sparrow of a wife.

Best of 2014 - Historical Romance

Here are my favorite historicals I read in 2014 ...

Jane Ashford's THE BRIDE INSISTS (link)

Jayne Fresina's ONCE UPON A KISS (link)

Lillian Marek's LADY ELINOR'S WICKED ADVENTURES (link)

Mia Marlowe's A RAKE BY ANY OTHER NAME (link)

Darlene Marshall's THE PIRATE'S SECRET BABY (link)

Catherine Lloyd's DEATH COMES TO THE VILLAGE (link) and DEATH COME TO LONDON (link).  

Cathy Maxwell rings in three books on this year's list from the Brides of Wishmore Series:

THE BRIDE SAYS NO (link)

THE BRIDE SAYS MAYBE (link)

THE GROOM SAYS YES (link)

Can you recommend a favorite historical from 2014?  One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, January 3, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 4.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Weekly Winners

Aloha!  I am a winner - I won Kandy Shepard's THE SUMMER THEY NEVER FORGOT and Tracy Brogan's HOLD ON MY HEART.  Reviews to come ...

We have winners at SOS Aloha!

Máire Claremont and THE DARK AFFAIR
- Terri wins a signed copy from Máire.

Kate McKinley's By Invitation Series

- Catslady wins the bound edition from Forever Romance

Jane Ashford's THE BRIDE INSISTS

- Diane wins a print copy from Sourcebooks

Passionate, Enticing, and Reckless Blog Tour

- Jane wins these books from Forever Romance

Elizabeth Michels' DESPERATELY SEEKING SUZANNA

- LSU wins a print copy from me

Winners - please claim your prizes by sending your mailing address to sos.aloha@yahoo.com.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Jane Ashford and THE BRIDE INSISTS

Earlier this week, Cornwall celebrated St. Piran's Day.   St. Piran is the patron saint of Cornwall and the tin miners who make a living in this remote corner of England.   Oh, Cornwall!  It is a treasure in Southwest England ... and the setting for Jane Ashford's newest release, THE BRIDE INSISTS.  Jane joins me for a cozy chat ....

Kim:  From your bio, you have traveled widely in Britain and Europe - can you share a memorable sight, smell and sound from your travels.

Jane:  Walking in the west of Ireland, we stumbled on a path that led to an ancient circle of mossy stones. Trees bent over them, with bushes behind. The place felt hushed and secret. The sight, and the silence, were profound and felt like such a gift. 

A wonderful scent I recall came floating across a park in Oxford, England, near one of the colleges. It was rainy (‘cause, England), and the damp air intensified the flowery smell. I think it was lemon verbena, but I’m not sure. I do know it was lovely.

Kim:  Also from your bio, you discovered Georgette Heyer in Junior High School. If you could cast yourself as a "background character" from a Georgette Heyer novel, tell us about the character and which novel!

Jane:  I love this question. Hmmm, so many to pick from. I think I’ll choose Kitty’s companion Miss Fishguard from Cotillion. She’s amusingly dotty, but she also uses her wits and finds a future for herself when things look bleak.

Kim:  How do you create the names for your characters, especially those with titles? 

Jane: Okay, I should have a clever system. But as far as I am aware, I just pull them out of the air.

Kim:  Tell us about THE BRIDE INSISTS - what inspired it?

Jane:  It was that Regency phrase we’ve all probably read, “the marriage mart.” I got curious. What if I took it sort of literally? What if a woman set out to “buy” a husband? What would her circumstance be? And how would that go? The story developed out of those questions.

THE BRIDE INSISTS BY JANE ASHFORD – IN STORES MARCH 2014

She Thinks She's Bought a Compliant Husband

Although Clare Greenough has inherited an unexpected fortune, her money is in the hands of a trustee until she marries—everyone knows a woman is incapable of managing funds. What she needs is an easygoing husband, right away...

They're Both in for a Shock

She makes a deal with impetuous young James Boleigh, seventh baron Trehearth: they will marry, Clare will get control of her money, and Jamie will get the funds he desperately needs to restore his lands. To stave off ruin, Jamie agrees, believing Clare will soon become a proper, submissive wife. But to expect a serene, passionless marriage was only their first mistake...
Praise for The Bride Insists

“Perfectly delightful Regency romance... Remarkably executed.” —Publishers Weekly

“Ashford captures the reader’s interest with her keen knowledge of the era and her deft writing…a charming plot and just the right amount of sensuality.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

“…a marvelously engaging marriage of convenience tale, and Ashford's richly nuanced, realistically complex characters and impeccably crafted historical setting are bound to resonate with fans of Mary Balogh.” – Booklist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was captivated by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight was part of what led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. She has written historical and contemporary romances, and her books have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Spain, as well as the U.S. Jane has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews. Born in Ohio, she now lives in LA. For more information, please visit janeashford.com.

To purchase The Bride Insists:

Amazon
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Chapters/Indigo

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I posted my five star reivew of THE BRIDE INSISTS on Goodreads (link).  Sourcebooks is giving away a print copy of THE BRIDE INSISTS to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about Cornwall - what do you know about it?

2.  This giveaway is open to readers in the US and Canada.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, March 15, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, March 16.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Restormel Castle,
former stronghold of the Duke of Cornwall

Special Sourcebooks Giveaway - Aloha to Jane Ashford and THE BRIDE INSISTS

 

 On this day in 1559, Elizabeth I was crowned Queen of England in Westminster Abbey.   She was never a bride and became known as the Virgin Queen.   Her successor, 218 years later, led a more scandalous life.  Yet Prinny remains a charismatic figure in a beloved era of historical romance - The Regency Period.

One of the beloved authors of Regency Romance, Jane Ashford, joins us today to chat about the Regency Romance in advance of her new release, THE BRIDE INSISTS, available March 4 from Sourcebooks.   Welcome, Jane!

Some of my Favorite Things about the Regency Period

Prinny! The Prince Regent was a royal like no other – extravagant, petulant, charming, pathetic, artistic, unreliable. His outrageous behavior made its mark on society as a whole.

The language. Wit was highly valued. People wrote letters and kept diaries. The slang was colorful and diverse. All this makes for lively narration.

The manners. There was less swashbuckling than the eighteenth century perhaps. But a certain freedom and eccentricity were accepted. The more restrictive Victorian mores hadn’t taken hold. Society could be fun!

The clothes. The styles were far more free and easy than the elaborate toilettes of the previous generation or Victorian bustles and corsets to come. I find the empire waists and puffed sleeves very appealing. And so easily slipped out of!

The rules. Restrictive laws, particularly for women, create many opportunities for romantic complications.

The science. The Regency was pre-industrial, yet right on the cusp of gaslight and many other innovations. Explorers were visiting new parts of the world. Lots of material here for interesting plots.

The women. Regency females were reading more (those pesky novels) and starting to receive more education. They were writing books themselves (Austen!) in what Nathaniel Hawthorne called “a damned mob of scribbling women.” Many fascinating characters to be found among them.

The romance. This was the heyday of the Romantic Period in English literature. Byron, Shelley, Walter Scott, Wordsworth and Coleridge spoke of the romance of nature and love. Marriage began to be seen as a place for passion and fulfillment as well as legal status. So many love stories to tell!

Mahalo, Jane, for being my guest today.  Indeed, we look forward to reading your love stories!    Three of Jane’s beloved backlist titles are now back in print! Look for MAN OF HONOUR, THE THREE GRACES, and THE MARRIAGE WAGER in stores now!

For a chance to enter to win a prize package of all three of these wonderful backlist titles, leave us a comment below—tell us your favorite thing about the regency time period, or leave a question for Jane. Open to US and Canada only.   Comments are open through Saturday, January 18, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Sunday, January 19.  

Jane Ashford also has a BRAND NEW book coming out in March 2014: THE BRIDE INSISTS: 

Sparks fly in this sexy, fast-paced Regency romance by acclaimed, bestselling author Jane Ashford

When governess Clare Greenough learns she’s inherited a fortune, the good news comes with a catch: it will be held by her cousin until Clare can find a husband. To stave off ruin, Jamie Boleigh, the seventh Baron of Trehearth, agrees to marry Clare under the condition that she controls the money, a provision he hopes to overturn. Their passionate relationship becomes a battle of wills. When the cousin tricks Jamie into betraying his wife, he’ll have to prove the truth or lose her forever.

To Preorder The Bride Insists:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-a-Million
Chapters/Indigo
IndieBound
iBooks
Sourcebooks
Discover a New Love

Join me on March 3 for my review of THE BRIDE INSISTS!  

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

To learn more about Jane and her books, check out her website at janeashford.com.

The Bride insisted on a Hawaiian wedding!