Review - - Devil in Spring

Devil in Spring
By Lisa Kleypas
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 21, 2017
Reviewed by PJ

An eccentric wallflower  . . .

Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she’s ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.

A cynical rake  . . .

After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn’t be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He’ll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil’s own bargain.

A perilous plot  . . .

After succumbing to Gabriel’s skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. But soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavors have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy—and only her husband can keep her safe. As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realize their devil’s bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven . . .

Lisa Kleypas's Devil in Winter, book 3 in her Wallflowers series, is one of my favorite Kleypas novels, telling the story of one of my all-time favorite couples, Evie and Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent.  It's understandable then that when I began reading Devil in Spring, the story of Evie and Sebastian's son Gabriel and another wallflower, Lady Pandora Ravenel, my expectations would be high. By the end of the first chapter, I was certain those expectations would not only be met but far exceeded. 

Gabriel, the current Lord St. Vincent didn't fall far from the family tree, inheriting his mother's kindness and strong sense of responsibility along with his father's charm and golden good looks. His path most likely never would have crossed with Pandora's had he not come to her rescue when she becomes entangled in the furniture in the hilarious opening chapter of this story. His honor compels him to do the right thing but it isn't long before he's intrigued by this unusual young woman who is his intended. However, she's so far removed from the society wife he had envisioned she may as well be from another universe. Then there's the dark secret he carries that makes it impossible for him to believe they could ever be truly happy together. I fell in love with Gabriel right along with Pandora. I loved that he was attentive and caring enough to discover hidden facets of Pandora that even her own family hadn't guessed. He was everything I had hoped he would be and, as a bonus, I was thrilled that we got to see him interact with his close-knit family. 

Pandora is that rare creature who has zero interest in a London Season and marriage. A brilliant young woman who was raised far from society by negligent parents, her life is focused on becoming a successful, independent businesswoman producing the games she creates and intends to sell at her brother-in-law's store. She's not about to hand control of her business and the money she earns over to a husband, even one who seems to see and appreciate her for who she really is. She's a breath of fresh air and an absolute delight but also unpolished, outspoken, clumsy (though there's a hidden medical reason for that), quirky, with a tendency to make up amusing words (swirladingles, anyone?), and easily distracted (I sense that in today's world she would be classified as ADHD). I found her funny, smart, vulnerable, determined, and endearing. Here's a small example of what makes Pandora such a delight, taken from her journal entries during a train journey to spend time getting to know Gabriel and his family:

Journey to Heron's Point

OR

The Impending Matrimonial Doom of Lady Pandora Ravenel

Facts and Observations

#1 If people think you're dishonored, it's no different from actually having been dishonored, except you still don't know anything.

#2 When you've been ruined, there are only two options: death or marriage

#3 Since I am gravely healthy, the first option isn't likely. 

#4 On the other hand, ritual self-sacrifice in Iceland cannot be ruled out.

I adored this story. There's no other way to put it. It made me laugh, made me sigh, and kept me smiling throughout. It's vintage Kleypas, filled with the swoon-worthy, heart-tugging romance, witty banter, humor, and emotion that made me fall in love with her historical romances years ago. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, highlighting more passages that I wanted to remember in the first two chapters than I usually do in full novels. It's a keeper that I will undoubtedly be re-reading time and again and would have been a Top Dish review if not for one issue. The last quarter or so of the book introduces a suspense plot that was a bit jarring in its disconnect from the rest of the book; not enough to take me out of the story completely but enough to make me stop and wonder about the shift. I was so in love with these characters and their journey to love by that point that I was willing to go wherever Kleypas took them but it did disrupt the flow of the story for me enough to scale my rating back from a Top Dish to a 5-Star review. Still, Devil in Spring is a wonderful book that I highly recommend. It's earned a spot on my Best of 2017 book list as well as a place of honor on my All-Time Favorite Comfort Reads keeper shelf. I'm looking forward to more books in this series and am hoping that Gabriel's widowed sister, Phoebe is in line for a story of her own. More page time for Evie and Sebastian would, of course, be much appreciated! 

Do you ever make up words? 

What's the last book that made it to your keeper shelf?

Do you enjoy second generation stories?

Have you read Devil in Spring yet? How about Devil in Winter? What did you think?

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment before 11:00PM EST, March 12, 2017 will receive a signed print copy of Devil in Spring. U.S. and Canadian addresses only.

Lisa Kleypas Announces a New Devil!

Rarely have romance readers rallied around a redeemed bad boy as they have with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent, the hero of the third book in Lisa Kleypas' Wallflowers series, Devil in Winter. Sebastian, Evie and their love story regularly rank near the top of readers' all-time favorites. Many times over the years, I've wondered about these two. Where are they? How many children did they have? Are they happy? I missed them! Well, guess what? THEY'RE BACK!!!!!!

That's right, dear readers. Yesterday, Lisa Kleypas released a video announcing the lead characters of her 2017 novel, Devil in Spring (the hero is Evie and Sebastian's son!) and shared a teaser scene starring our very own Sebastian and Evie! Watch the video announcement below...

...then click here to read the teaser excerpt from Devil in Spring.

I know. I know. We have to wait a whole year for this story. It's not fair, right? Except!  Kleypas has another bright and shiny, brand new book all ready for release on May 31st and it's a winner!

Marrying Winterborne tells the highly anticipated story of Rhys Winterborne: coarse, self-made, Welsh, department store magnate and shy, sheltered, too-good-for-his-touch, Lady Helen Ravenel. These two are so, so good together! Both are so much more than they appear on the surface and their journey to love is classic Kleypas in all the very best ways. 

Marrying Winterborne is one of the best books I've read this year. It's one of the best books I've read in many years. Not only have Rhys and Helen secured places among my favorite Kleypas couples but they are high on my list of all-time favorite couples by all authors. Mark your calendars for May 31st. This is one book you won't want to miss!

Are you as excited about the return of Evie and Sebastian as I am? 

What other beloved romance couples would you like to see in a new book?


I've been cleaning again and have a package of books for one lucky reader who leaves a comment on today's post. (U.S. only) 

RWA Does Disney: A Look Back...And Ahead

With Susan Elizabeth Phillips at the Dolphin Resort - 2010

As we gear up for next month's RWA national conference at the Swan and Dolphin Resort in Disney World, I thought I'd take a look back at the first Disney conference and ahead to this year's which is only four weeks away. 

The 2010 RWA National Conference was supposed to be held in Nashville, Tennessee. I was excited about exploring a city I'd only driven through before but torrential rains that led to catastrophic flooding had the folks at RWA scrambling to make a last minute change (the conference hotel was under water). They came through like champs and soon readers and authors were heading south to Orlando, Florida and the home of Mickey Mouse and his many friends. 

Tessa Dare: Literacy Autographing 2010

After rapidly selling all copies of her debut book, Goddess of the Hunt at her first Literacy Autographing in 2009, Tessa Dare turned that "sold out" frown upside down with a RITA® nomination in 2010. 










Several RITA nominations, and wins, later, Dare kicks off her fifth series August 22 with the publication of The Duchess Deal and she's once again a RITA finalist, this time for Do You Want to Start a Scandal, one of my favorite books of 2016. (read my Top Dish review)

Eloisa James:Literacy Autographing 2010

Eloisa James sure looks excited and with good reason. Those are two awesome EJ books she's holding! Have you read her newest, Seven Minutes in Heaven? Janga and I chatted about it in our February 2017 Just Between Us feature. Eloisa has a new series beginning this fall with the October 31 release of Wilde in Love, which features one of my all-time favorite covers and step-backs!

Step-back (inside cover) of Wilde in Love

Catching up with the lovely Emily March/Geralyn Dawson at the Harlequin party...which was fabulous! Are you reading Emily's Eternity Springs series? Stop by June 30 when Janga and I chat about the newest Eternity Springs novel, A Stardance Summer in a Just Between Us feature. 












Chatting with one of my favorite authors, Monica McCarty. She's been an autobuy for me since the publication of her debut book. 

I've loved McCarty's highlander heroes but I'm looking forward to meeting her Navy SEALs in her upcoming (present day) Lost Platoon series. It all begins with the September 5 publication of book one: Going Dark. 

The Avon party was held at the Living Seas Aquarium in Epcot. What a beautiful venue! Enjoying the party are Jeanne Adams, Terri Garey and Sarah MacLean. 









Are you as excited for The Day of the Duchess, the third book in MacLean's Scandal and Scoundrel series as I am? It publishes in two days! 

















Here I am with my favorite Brit, Anna Sugden. 

Have you checked out Anna's hockey hunks yet? A Perfect Strategy was released in February. 

You may think Anna Campbell and I spend a lot of time hugging and laughing at conferences. You'd be right! I'll miss her at next month's conference but she's back in Australia after three months jaunting around England, Scotland, and Belgium. Check out her gorgeous photos at her Facebook page.

Don't forget to also check out Anna's newest Dashing Widows novella, Catching Captain Nash. It releases June 30! 

Besides being one of my all-time favorite authors, Lisa Kleypas is also one of the sweetest, most genuine people I have ever met. And gorgeous. The woman is gorgeous.  

Are you reading Lisa's new Ravenels historical romance series? The third book, Devil in Spring released in February and the hero is the son of fan-favorite hero, Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent from Kleypas' Wallflowers series. You can read my review here. 

Debbie Mazzuca captured my attention with her debut book, Lord of the Isles, a paranormal historical romance. After meeting her in person, I was even more captivated by the sweet, genuine person she is. 

Now writing as Debbie Mason, she's become one of my go-to authors for heartwarming contemporary romance featuring humor and emotion. Her next book, Primrose Lane releases June 27 and it's another winner in her Harmony Harbor series. 

2010

Anytime I get to see Julie Anne Long in person is a cause for celebration. I adored Long's historical Pennyroyal Green series and am head over heels for her new Hellcat Canyon contemporary romances. She won the RITA last year for the tenth book in her Pennyroyal Green series,
It Started with a Scandal. (Top Dish review) She's a RITA finalist again this year for her first Hellcat Canyon book, Hot in Hellcat Canyon. (Top Dish review)  

Book three in Long's Hellcat Canyon series, Dirty Dancing at Devil's Leap, will be out August 29. I've had it on pre-order since January 11. Yes, I love her writing that much. :) 

Roxanne St. Claire 2010

I'm a long-time fan of Roxanne St. Claire's books. I discovered her during her romantic suspense, Bullet Catchers years then followed her into her Barefoot Bay contemporaries, including her Timeless (Barefoot Bay) spinoff trilogy featuring sexy silver fox heroes, and her romantic suspense Barefoot Bay Undercover quartet where we finally got the long-anticipated story of fan favorite, Gabriel Rossi. One of St. Claire's sexy silver foxes brought her a RITA nomination this year for Barefoot at Midnight. We'll have to wait until Thursday, July 27 to see if she brings home another pretty gold statue. 

While I've loved all of her books, for me, it's St. Claire's current Dogfather series, centered around a large, boisterous, loving, Irish-American family in North Carolina and the dogs they rescue and train, that has wrapped up my reader's heart with a great big bow. And, for St. Claire, a dog lover and animal rescue proponent herself, these stories and the fact that she's donating a portion of book sales to a no-kill rescue organization in her home state show what a warm, loving, and huge heart this woman has. Start with Sit...Stay...Beg, then move on to New Leash on Life and the soon to be released, Bad to the Bone. 

Kristan Higgins 2010

Kristan Higgins was a recent discovery for me when I first met her in 2010. I adored her book, Too Good to Be True which was a RITA finalist that year. Kristan won the RITA and kept her promise to celebrate (fully clothed) in the center lobby pool at the Dolphin (see photo of fountain at top of this post), much to the delight of all who witnessed the event. Except, perhaps, the hotel staff? (grin) 

In the years since, I've come to know Kristan better and am happy to report that in addition to being an incredibly talented author, she's also one of the kindest, strongest, funniest, and most genuine women I've had the honor of meeting. Her next book, Now That You Mention It, will be out in December of this year.  








If you're in the Orlando area, you too can meet some of your favorite authors this summer. RWA will sponsor the "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing on Saturday, July 29 from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET.  Admission is free and all proceeds of book sales will benefit literacy organizations. As recently reported, in 2016, RWA reached $1 Million dollars in donations to benefit literacy organizations. For a complete list of the authors who will be signing, click here. 

Have you ever visited Disney World? What was your favorite attraction?

Are you a hugger? You've probably guessed from the photos that I am so be prepared if we ever meet in person. ;-)

Will you be attending next month's RWA conference or the Literacy Autographing? If so, I'd love the opportunity to meet you! 

What author(s) would you most like to meet and what would you ask them?  

I have a package of books and swag looking for a home. One randomly chosen person who leaves a comment before 11:00 p.m. ET, June 26 will win! (U.S. only)

Today's Special - - Louisa Cornell

Gaining cover model inspiration

It's always a special thrill to host someone I've known since long before her first book was published. Louisa Cornell and I go way back, to the early days of internet forums, bulletin boards, and multi-author blogs. We met in person for the first time almost ten years ago and I've been cheering her on from the sidelines ever since. Her journey has included many contest finals and wins, including two times as a Golden Heart finalist. With her storytelling skills, her infectious humor, and her ability to tug on a reader's heartstrings, I knew it was only a matter of time before she'd be publishing full-length novels of her own. I'm delighted that she's joining us today as a full-fledged, published, romance novelist!

Welcome, Louisa! It’s such a pleasure to host you today. I think I’m almost as excited about your debut single-title novel as you are. Please share what our readers can expect from Lost in Love.

Lost in Love is my Regency version of the worst first date possible. How many women can say a gentleman drove them into a sinkhole and ended up trapped with him in a cave overnight on their first date?

Perhaps the back cover blurb says it best!

EVERY RELATIONSHIP HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS –

When Adelaide Formsby-Smythe insults the Duke of Selridge to the point she sees her own murder in his eyes, her wish that the ground would open up and swallow her seems a perfectly reasonable response. Until it does.

Thus, Major Marcus Winfield, now the Duke of Selridge, ends the worst year of his life by falling into an underground cave with the younger sister of his former fiancée. An offense punishable by—marriage!

EVERY MARRIAGE HAS ITS SECRETS –

Although he never imagined marrying Adelaide, Marcus decides they will limp along quite well together. There’s no need to mention he’s being blackmailed... or that his irritating new wife fills his nights with a passion he cannot deny.

Adelaide, however, having unexpectedly married the man of her dreams, will settle for nothing less than her new husband’s heart. She’ll make him love her. Far less bothersome that way when she has to tell him she’s a thief. And possibly a murderess.

AFTER ALL, EVEN THE ROAD TO FOREVER HAS A FEW BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.

I love that blurb! When I first read it, it made me want to grab the book, head for the nearest comfy chair and get lost in the pages of this story.

You and your heroine share a love of animals and a deep-seated determination to rescue those in perilous circumstances. Please tell us about the four-legged rescues who share (or have shared) your life.  

I have been involved with the animal rescue community for nearly thirty years. I’ve been so lucky to have some wonderful rescue dogs come in and out of my life. They’ve taught me so much about the power of love and forgiveness. I had a terrifying looking rescued Rottweiler named Pyscho who came to me at the age of two from a domestic violence situation. He hated men, but adored women. I had ten wonderful years with him. I had a gorgeous six-year-old blue Doberman named Phantom who was pulled out of a junkyard after being starved and shot with over 100 BB’s. He had a congenital heart condition and I was told he would not last six months. Nine years later he left us, surrounded by family and friends.

I currently have a number of rescue dogs. Boudreaux, my basset hound, was rescued from a home in the 9^th Ward of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He is still terrified of storms and because he nearly starved to death, I tend to overfeed him so he is a bit portly. He insists I run a window air conditioner no matter what the weather. And he bays if I turn it off!

I have a little miniature dachshund named Spanky. He and his brother, Chester, were rescued from a meth house that burned down. Their living in a meth lab caused them to develop a seizure disorder. We lost Chester to that disorder several months ago, but Spanky, in spite of occasional seizures, is doing well.

And, of course, there is the legendary Frodo the Horrible Chihuahua. I have had him since he was four weeks old and his mother attacked him and nearly took his eye out. Perhaps that accounts for his disposition. He has been banned from several vet clinics and even chewed his own tail off! He is twelve years old now and he has not mellowed in the least.

You are an earthly guardian angel for those animals, Louisa. I know you say you are fortunate they found you but they are also so blessed to have been found by you. 

Though I ultimately fell for him, for much of the book I alternated between wanting to jump Marcus’s bones and whack him upside the head with a shovel. (typical man, right? 😉) What do you want readers to understand about this character?

I am laughing, PJ, because I wrote Marcus and I wanted to whack him with a shovel too, on more than one occasion. I hope readers come to understand Marcus is a man who had this ideal life and had it suddenly torn away. And everything he trusted in and believed in was suddenly proven wrong. But more than that, he was a man who learned in a devastating way, that regret can be a terrible thing, especially when it involves those we love most. We say things in anger and if we are lucky we get the chance to take it back, to make amends. Marcus did not have that opportunity and it colored his relationships with everyone, especially with Addy. He was so afraid he’d do something he’d regret, he decided to keep her at arm’s length. He told himself it was to keep her safe. It was really to keep himself safe from more heartache and worse, regret.

I adore Addy. If I could live in the pages of your book, I’d want to be best friends with her. Who are some of your favorite fictional heroines?

I love heroines who do the unexpected. I love Jessica from Lord of Scoundrels and Evie from Devil in Winter. I love Maddy in Flowers from the Storm. Eloise Bridgerton from To Sir Phillip, With Love is another of my favorites.

Lost in Love is set in regency England. What is it about this era

that calls to you?

I have been in love with Regency England since I was nine years old and read Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I was living in a small English village at the time, as my father was stationed at a nearby Air Force base. I love the manners, the gowns, the horses and carriages. I love the rules and the ways young men and women found to break them. I love the elegance of the era and the bravery of the young men who went to fight Napoleon. And I must confess, I love men in boots and breeches!

Readers meeting you for the first time may not be aware of your previous career. What was it like singing in the grand opera halls of Europe? Any stories to share?

It was wonderful! My voice made it possible for me to travel the world and to share the music of my favorite composers with people from every walk of life. It was exciting and thrilling, crazy and tiring, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. And the adventures I had! One of the best parts of singing in opera houses in Europe is seeing your photograph in the shop windows as advertisement for the opera. It can also be a bit shocking. One night in the middle of the opera the young baritone playing Don Giovanni split his tights. Once he was off the stage he had to be sewn back into those tights quickly because he had to make his next entrance. I was waiting to make my entrance as Zerlina and the costumer recruited me to hold the baritone’s… equipment in place so she did not turn him into a tenor in the process of repairing his tights! We laughed about it the next day, but it was not funny then. At least it wasn’t funny to the baritone!

LOL! What a great story! You never think about those backstage crises when you're sitting in the audience. 

You’ve populated Lost in Love with a very intriguing secondary cast. Will we see any of them in future books?

The next book in the Road to Forever Series, Lost in Seduction, will feature Addy’s friend, Dylan Crosby, and a trip to the family home of Bennetton Tildenbury aka Tillie. The house, Wicken End, is home to the most eccentric family in England, thus, it is usually called Wicked End. Crosby will meet his match there!

The Earl of Creighton, one of Marcus’s friends, has already made an appearance in my novella Stealing Minerva, which is actually the beginning of a spinoff series entitled The Many Brides of Lord Creighton. There will be full length book out in this series in Spring, 2018.

And Addy’s cousin, Anne, along with her furry companion Percival the rabbit, will appear in the third book in the Road to Forever series, Lost in Desire.

And as readers have asked, Addy’s sister, Clementine will be featured in a book as well.

You have made me a very happy reader! 

What’s next?

I hope to have Lost in Seduction out before Christmas. And I will have a novella, A Perfectly Unforgettable Christmas, in Christmas Revels IV, which should be up for preorder soon. My novella A Perfectly Dreadful Christmas was in Christmas Revels and my novella A Perfectly Unregimented Christmas was in Christmas Revels II. I love Regency Christmas novellas so this series continues to be fun to write!

Where can readers find you online?

I do have a website -  louisacornell.com   -  but it is being revamped at the moment! Keep checking back!

But I am all over the web!

http://onelondonone.blogspot.com/

http://www.louisacornell.com/

https://twitter.com/LouisaCornell

https://www.facebook.com/RegencyWriterLouisaCornell

https://www.facebook.com/louisa.cornell

https://www.pinterest.com/louisacornell/

Thanks for visiting with us today, Louisa! Would you like to ask our readers a question?

I would love to know if any of your readers have a rescued pet and if they think they rescued the pet or the pet rescued them!  

Great question! What do you say, readers? Tell us about your rescued pets. I'm giving a Kindle copy of Lost in Love to two randomly selected people leaving a comment before 11:00 PM (EST), August 13, 2017,  

Devil in Spring Winner

The randomly chosen winner of a signed copy of

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas is:

Frances Bullock

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Today's Special - - Cathy Maxwell

Cathy Maxwell returns today to answer some questions about the books she has coming out this year.  Fans will be happy to know that there are  reissued single titles, an anthology and a terrific new series on the schedule!  

Cathy, thanks for joining us and congratulations on the republication of WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE.

First, when was WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE published?  And why does a publisher “re-release” a book?

WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE was first published in 1998, almost fifteen years ago.  Publishers re-release because the public is interested in the author and want to read those classics.  It’s a wonderful compliment.

The novel is set in the Regency era—your specialty!—but it’s far from the ballrooms of London.  Why did you choose a remote village and estate as a setting? Where is Cornwall, anyway?  

Cornwall is a peninsula located in the most western part of England.  Eden would not be able to hide her past if she was in London, but here, surrounded by kind village people, she can be whomever she wishes.  I also like the dynamic of country life.  It truly is the heart and soul of England, even today.

The village, Hobbles Moor, and Penhollow Hall are a world onto its own, with most of the story taking place there.  What is it about stories set in this sort of microcosm that appeals so much to so many readers?  Is it that it can be so entertaining to read about characters such as villagers, servants and the “local gentry” can be so entertaining to read—as well as a change of pace?

Don’t we all love escaping to another world?  Leaving the bills, the cares, the car pools?  We all have our “villages” in real life.  Our peeps.  And I think recognizing them in literature is grand fun.

There’s a bit of magic in WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE as the villagers cast a spell to bring the Earl of Penhollow a bride.  Do you believe in magic? Is this something you’ve used as a plot device in other books?  Which ones?

I believe that when people come together for one shared purpose, great forces are set to work.  Is that magic?  Do we have the ability to will what we desire?  Or is it Higher Power answering prayers?  I’m open to everything.  That being said, I’ll be using the mysteries of life again in my upcoming The Chattan Curse trilogy.  The first book is LYON’S BRIDE and it will be released this May.

Trained as a courtesan, the beautiful and innocent heroine, Eden, is destined to be part of a harem.  Did her blend of knowledge and innocence make her a difficult character to write?

Eden wasn’t any more difficult than the others.  And perhaps easier.  After all, she had a secret.  She isn’t innocent . . . whereas Pierce was more complex.  He is the character with a decision to make.

Was including the harem a tip of the hat to the breakout romances of the late 70s from authors such as Johanna Lindsey, Rosemary Rogers and Kathleen Woodiwiss?

I wasn’t thinking of them at all.  Actually, I wanted to turn the tables.  Eden is the one with “experience.”  In many ways, Pierce is the innocent and I liked that thought of a “pure” knight.

Which, if any, of your other novels is similar to WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE in terms of being set outside of London and the immediate concerns of the ton?

Many of them—BECAUSE OF YOU, TEMPTATION OF A PROPER GOVERNESS, THE SEDUCTION OF AN ENGLISH LADY, IN THE HIGHLANDER’S BED, FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN . . . titled people for titled people’s sakes are not interesting to me.  I like the dynamic of a society.

It’s been fourteen years since Pierce and Eden got together.  Surely one of their children will be old enough in a few years to have a romance of his or her own.  Do you think you’ll ever return to Penhollow Hall?

I don’t know about revisiting Penhollow Hall, although I suspect I’ll be returning to Cornwall again.  For the research on this book, I read Daphne du Maurier’s Vanishing Cornwall.  Cornwall was the setting for many of her books and her travelogue is wonderful reading for an armchair traveler.

How can readers get in touch with you with questions and comments?  And are you on Facebook?

I have a website at www.cathymaxwell.com   


Yes, I’m on Facebook.  Isn’t everyone?  Readers can find me at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cathy-Maxwell/166883240063709 if they want to yak at me.  


To sign up for my mailing list or just post a quick comment, I have a fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cathy-Maxwell-Fan-Page/144546442251787

What have you got in store for us next?

This is a Maxwell packed spring!  The first of The Chattan Curse books is out in May, LYON’S BRIDE.  Then, in June, Avon Impulse is releasing an e-anthology titled FOR LOVE AND HONOR.  Lynne Hinton and Candis Terry are the book’s other two authors.  We were each given the theme of “a soldier” and turned loose from there.  I adore my contribution The Bookish Miss Nelson.  It is set during the Peninsula Wars in the early 1800’s.  

Then, Pocket Books will be re-e-releasing (did you catch all of that?) a novella I wrote for them a decade ago titled, In a Moonlit Garden. It will be out in July.  Long time fans will know this is from the TEA FOR TWO anthology I did with Liz Carlyle.  

Finally, the second book of The Chattan Curse trilogy, THE SCOTTISH WITCH, will be out in November of this year.  The third book, THE DEVIL’S CURSE, should be out next spring.

I have my nose to the grindstone!

Thanks again, Cathy!  Looks like it's going to be an exciting year!


ONE RANDOMLY SELECTED PERSON LEAVING A COMMENT ON THE BLOG TODAY WILL RECEIVE A COPY OF WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE!  (U.S./Canada only)

Review and Q&A - - Rustler's Moon

Rustler’s Moon

By Jodi Thomas

Publisher: Harlequin HQN

Release Date: January 26, 2016

Angela Harold’s father may have been died from a heart attack during a random mugging, as the police believe, but when she finds an incomplete, hidden note from him warning her to leave Florida and vanish because her life is at risk, she follows his advice. Fortuitously, the position as curator of a tiny museum in a small Texas town that her father had encouraged her to apply for is offered to her. Angela accepts the job and, taking only her cat, the replica of a necklace that is a family antique, the money her father left her, and a few other belongings, Angela heads for Crossroads, Texas, and a new life. In Crossroads, she finds friendship, community, and Wilkes Wagner.

Wilkes returned to Crossroads and the family ranch after four years of college football and three years in the army. For six years, the responsibility for Devil’s Fork Ranch, home to five generations of Wagners, and for his great-uncle Vern have been his. Wilkes likes his life, and he does not share his Uncle Vern’s concern about Wilkes’s lack of a wife and children. Wilkes has been strictly a love-’em-and-leave-’em type since Lexie Davis, his high school girlfriend, sent him a Dear John letter less than three months into his deployment, and he is in no hurry to change his status. Not even Lexie’s return changes his mind, but the new museum curator, the very opposite of his usual long-legged, dark-haired, laughing-eyed flings, has him thinking in terms of words like love and forever.

Yancy Gray’s life is very different from the one he knew before he wound up in Crossroads. The ex-con has a job he enjoys, a truck for which he paid cash, and friends he trusts. But Yancy is disturbed by the hold an abandoned house has on him. He feels a visceral connection to the place even as he senses that it is a site where evil occurred. With the help of his friend Wilkes and the new curator, Yancy hopes to uncover the secrets of the house. In doing so, he will discover that he has a closer connection to Crossroads than he could have imagined.

Lauren Brigman, daughter of the local sheriff, is now a student at Texas Tech, as are Lucas Reyes, Tim O’Grady, and Reid Collins, the others who were involved in the incident at the old Gypsy house in Ransom Canyon, the first book in the series. Lauren is still in love with Lucas and looking forward to having more time with him now that they are in the same place again. But Lucas is so focused on the future that he has no time for the present. Lauren’s roommate, a troubled girl with little sense of self-worth, adds another complication to the mix.

This second novel in Thomas’s Ransom Canyon series showcases this Thomas’s skill in weaving several plot threads into a connected, coherent whole. Angela and Wilkes are the central characters, and Thomas links the secondary plots to their story. The danger Angela faces is real, but facing it helps her to grow. Wilkes, who has been content to live life on the surface, finds himself as he seeks to protect her. For me, the best romances are always those in which love empowers the hero and heroine to become their best selves, and that is what happens with these characters. Other characters, from Uncle Vern to the wounded Polly Pierce, claim the reader’s interest and sympathy as well. Once again Jodi Thomas proves that she is storyteller with a rare gift. I recommend this book, and I expect Lone Heart Pass (an April 26 release), the next Ransom Canyon book, to be equally excellent.

~Janga

I'm going to borrow a question from the Q&A below. Tell me, readers: If you had to wear a t-shirt with the same saying every day, what would it say? 

MLM is offering a print copy of Rustler's Moon to one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on today's post. (U.S. addresses only)

Q&A with Jodi Thomas

Author of

RUSTLER’S MOON

1.     This is your second book in the Ransom Canyon series. Tell us about the town.

In RUSTLER’S MOON the town of Crossroads has grown.  After allowing their museum to sit empty for a year, the book opens with a new curator coming.  The museum comes alive and brings the town together as Angela Harold wakes up to life and loving for the first time.  The quiet, shy curator carries a secret that will threaten the whole town and leave rancher Wilkes Wagner fighting for his life as he protects Angela.

2.     We’ve heard you have an inspiration room for your writing. Tell us about the spot.

Ransom Canyon room:  When I began the series, I moved my computer to a little room out back of my house.  We call it the bunkhouse.  It’s not big, mission designed and almost a hundred years old.  I took down all the western art and put up white boards.  Removed all books except those on ranching, horses, Texas, or research I might need. Family histories of characters fill one wall.  Plot lines another.  When I step into the bunkhouse, I step into the world of Ransom Canyon.  One by one my characters come in and sit down to tell me their story.

            I even have pictures of the flowers of Texas taped up in the bathroom and a Jack Sorenson print of horses running into the canyon on the door.

3.     Are there any characters in the series you’d consider for a spin-off?

Yes.  There are characters outlined on one board of my study that may not make it into this series.  Who knows?  Maybe they’ll find their way in the future.

4.     If RUSTLER’S MOON were made into a movie, who would you cast as the lead characters?

Like many of my readers I spent my Christmas holidays snowed in and watching Hallmark movies.  Almost every movie I’d say, “That actor would be perfect as this character.”  I’d love to hear from my readers about who they see as playing Wilkes Wagner in RANSOM CANYON.

5.     What’s up next for the series?

Coming this spring will be LONE HEART PASS.  Another modern day ranching story set in Texas.  It opens with a woman giving up on a career and taking what she thinks is her last chance to survive by coming to a small ranch her grandfather left her.  She hires a cowboy to help who has a pickup full of baggage, a five-year-old daughter and a determination that surprises her.

6.     If you had to wear a t-shirt with the same saying every single day, what would it say?

That is an easy one.  When I started writing I went to a writer’s conference in Oklahoma one year and bought a t-shirt.  Every night when I stepped into my closet sized study, I put on that shirt.  I wore it out, but I wore it until I sold.  It said, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, in training.

7.     If you were a punctuation mark, which one best suits your personality?

If I were a punctuation mark I think I’d be a semi-colon.  Half the time I don’t know where

I belong.  No one really understands me.  I think I’m kin to a comma.  Which were left on

earth millions of years ago by aliens just to confuse us so we’d never evolve completely.

8.     If you didn’t live in Texas, where would you most like to call home?

I love traveling.  Wherever I go, I always think I’d love to live there.  I was twenty-one when I first crossed the Mississippi heading east.  I spent so much time pointing out all the trees my new husband stopped the car.  “We’re heading to Fort Mammoth, New Jersey.  There are trees from now on, Jodi, so stop yelling every time you see one.”  The next three years we crossed the USA several times in a 1970 Camaro and everywhere we went I was excited at all there was to see.

But, in truth, when the time comes, bury me in Texas with the open sky and land so flat you can see the curve of the earth.  It’s where I belong.  It’s in my blood.

 9.     If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? 

I’d be a teacher.  Teachers change the landscape of your life.  Mrs. Dickerson in the fourth grade saw that I couldn’t read.  She took the time to learn why and send me to a school for two summers.  She opened the world of fiction for me.  Without her, I would have been fine.  With her, I’ve lived a much richer life.

I’m the writer in residence at West Texas A&M University and the best part of my job is sitting down with students in my office and beginning our journey with, ‘So, you want to be a writer?”

10.  What authors do you most like to read?

I can’t answer that question because the answer changes every day.  I love curling up with an old book and reading it for the second or third time.  I love discovering an author and seeing a new fresh voice.

I have a loose grip on reality.  Give me a good story.  Take me away into another world for a few hours.  Make me laugh.  Make me cry.  Make me fall in love again for the first time.