I donโt just write and read historical romance, Iโm a
passionate defender of the subgenre. Although trappings of the past can be fun (Candlelight!
Carriages! Architectural grandeur! Bodices and bustles!), what intrigues me most about
writing historcials is the very thing most often criticizedโthat the society was stuffy,
restricted, and in dire need of change.
For instance, in nineteenth-century England, married
women, by law, were not separate entities from their husbands. Men controlled the money, the
legal system, and access to education. In such a world, love itselfโpowerful, unpredictable,
capable of smashing social and economic barriers, and, ultimately, bringing those โin
commandโ to their kneesโwas a radical threat to the social order. Women who chose to flout
norms faced very real economic/social consequences, yet history sparkles with them. Armed
with wit, intelligence, and creativity, they forged their own way.
Iโm inspired by the unconventional women who took charge
of their destinies despite the forces stacked against them. Lady Clarissa Laithe, heroine of my
latest book, Heartโs Desire, undergoes a transformation and becomes such a lady. As the
story begins, she is someone who has done what she was told and fulfilled the expectations
around her, but a confrontation with an aristocratic bully shatters whatโs left of that mold and
she decides that she is going to be the only force in charge of her life.
Moultonbury had framed his request for a smile as if it
were but a trifle. The old Clarissa would have immediately obeyed.
The old Clarissa almost always smiled.
She smiled to encourage. Smiled to placate. Smiled to
please. Her smile had been a shield, more than a sign of true pleasure.
And how terribly petty was Moultonbury to make a
weapon of something so innocent, useful, conciliatory, and voluntary as a smile?
She made her decision. If she did not wish to smile, she
would not.
Not for Moultonbury.
Not for anyone.
Insulted by Clarissaโs audacity, Moultonbury attempts to
goad his friends into ruining Clarissaโs reputation. Lord Markham, however, steps in to โsaveโ
her honorโnot realizing she has embraced independence and has no desire to be saved.
Markham is experienced, heโs handsome, heโs totally at ease with his body and, soon,
Markham has Lady Clarissa wondering what it would be like to take charge in the bedroom the
same way sheโs taken charge of her life.
โI want to become a woman of experience.โ Again, she
placed her hand on his chest. His pulse beat against her fingers making all of this more real.
More exciting. โWhat better man could I choose to lift my ignorance than Hearts?โ
He hummed with uncertainty. โRayne would kill me if I
bedded you.โ
Rayne? โRayne doesnโt have to know.โ
She spidered her fingers upward beneath his cravat. She
loosened the knot, just as sheโd been wanting to do all night long.
He made a funny, strangled sound.
She stilled. โDo you object?โ
He sent her a look she could not decipher. โWhat is
happening?โ
โSeduction.โ She glanced through her lashes. โI intend to
bed you, not the other way around.โ
His eyes turned drowsy. โIโฆIโve never seen this side of
you.โ
โNeither have Iโฆand I like this side of me.โ She lowered
her voice. โI think you do, too.โ
If, like me, you love stories about women discovering their
power, I think youโll enjoy Heartโs Desire. Happy reading!
Lords of Chance Book 2
Lady Clarissa has decided to live life on her terms. After the end of a
ten-year betrothal, she wants nothing to do with marriage or the men
of the ton. Least of all her friendโs brother, the very charming Lord
Markham, or Hearts, as many ladies call the oh-so-handsome earl.
Markham pursues relationships with no ties that bind. Acting the rake
leaves everyone satisfied...until he overhears a wager that could lead to
Clarissaโs ruin. He canโt help but step in and claim sheโs his intended
bride.
Clarissa is appalled. She did not need to be saved. Reluctantly, she
agrees to the fake courtship, if only to experience what the rakish
Markham can offer. But when lust becomes love, Clarissa must make up
her own terms and bet it all on Hearts.
Each book in the Lords of Chance series is STANDALONE:
* Scandal in Spades
* Heartโs Desire
Romance Historical [Entangled: Scandalous,
On Sale: May 13, 2019, e-Book, ISBN: 9781097207534 / ]
Wendy LaCapra has been reading romance since she sneaked into the adult section at the
library and discovered Victoria Holt & Jane Aiken Hodge. From that point on, she
dreamed of creating fictional worlds with as much richness, intrigue and passion as she found
within those books. Her stories have placed in several contests, including the a 2012 Golden
Heartยฎ. She lives in NYC with her husband and loves to hear from readers.
Hi Wendy! I met you at HRR last year! Maybe I will see you at the book signing at RWA this year. It's a train ride away! The book sounds great & I love the cover!
(Sharlene Wegner 1:41pm May 22, 2019)
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