Today's Special - - Vanessa Kelly and The Dukes of Vauxhall

One of our favorites, Vanessa Kelly returns today to tell us about The Dukes of Vauxhall, an exciting new anthology she co-wrote with three other historical romance authors (I'm reading it now and loving it!). 

Named by Booklist as one of the"New Stars of Historical Romance," bestselling author Vanessa Kelly's books have been nominated for awards in a number of contests. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Maggie Medallion for historical romance. With a Master's Degree in English Literature, Vanessa is known for developing vibrant Regency settings, appealing characters, and witty storylines that captivate readers. You can visit her on the web at vanessakellyauthor.com, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, and tumblr. 

Welcome back, Vanessa!

WELCOME TO THE PLEASURE GARDENS

Vanessa Kelly

Hi PJ! Thanks for hosting me today! It’s always such a pleasure to be with you and your readers. I’m  thrilled to be sharing the release of THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL, which I co-write with my fellow lady scribes, Theresa Romain, Christi Caldwell, and Shana Galen. Talk about a powerhouse line-up! I can’t tell you how intimidating fun it was to work with such talented women.

But, seriously, we had a great time, especially in coming up with our story world. We wanted to work with a setting that would be exciting, exotic, and even a little bit dangerous. The pleasure gardens of Vauxhall did the trick nicely.

Regency readers will likely know a bit about Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, which were situated on the south bank of the River Thames. Until a bridge was built around 1810, most Londoners had to travel to the gardens by boat.

Once disembarked, revelers strolled into a large, wooded park crisscrossed by colonnaded groves and various walkways—including the infamous Dark Walk, scene of many an illicit assignation. There were separate areas of entertainment that included an orchestra pavilion and music room, and exotic structures like the Turkish Tent. And, of course, there were the famous supper boxes ringing the Grove, where visitors could partake of the famous Vauxhall shaved ham and drink wine and punch while watching the crowds parading beneath the colonnades.

Entertainment abounded at Vauxhall in the form of concerts, dancing, fireworks, masked balls, theatrical spectacles, and even included acrobats and tightrope dancers. In fact, the heroine of Theresa’s story is a Vauxhall tightrope dancer, which is totally cool. THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL also features a thoroughly illegal prizefight on one of those infamous dark walks, which stars the hero of Christi’s exciting novella.

Naturally, given that simply everyone went to Vauxhall at one time or another, that meant pickpockets and criminal gangs also roamed wide, lurking in wait for someone silly enough to wander too far from the crowds. You’ll meet some of the more nefarious denizens of Vauxhall in Shana’s adventurous story—along with the mysterious crime lord who uses the unique attributes of the Gardens to pull off a spectacular coup.

And did I say everyone went to Vauxhall Gardens? Just about, including the members of the Royal Family. The Prince Regent kept his own special supper box, and royal dukes were known to frequent the various entertainments—which is an element in my novella! My hero is the illegitimate son of a prince, and he encounters more than a few adventures (and romance) in those dark walks and secluded grottos.

As you can see, Vauxhall was a unique, thrilling, and occasionally dangerous place to search for a good time. Regrettably, the Gardens no longer exist, disappearing under the relentless march of London’s urban development. Fortunately, you can still visit this romantic setting between the pages of THE DUKES OF VAUXHALL!

What are some Regency settings you really enjoy? One person who comments will win a digital copy of Christi’s latest book, along with a book each from Vanessa, Shana, and Theresa in either digital or print—reader’s choice!

The Dukes of Vauxhall website: http://romanceanthology.blogspot.ca/

Four dukes. Two balls. One prizefight.

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will never be the same.

After England’s victory in the Battle of Waterloo, the Prince Regent arranges a series of lavish celebrations at London’s notorious Vauxhall Gardens. The royal festivities bring together the rich and the desperate, the criminal and the lordly…and allow four very different dukes to find the love of a lifetime.

A proper viscount is kidnapped by a duke of the criminal underworld, only to encounter a mysterious woman from his past. A retired prizefighter, once known as the Duke of the Ring, stakes his reputation on a scrappy young boxer for the sake of a long-lost love. A traveler who inherited a dukedom needs a tightrope dancer’s help with a fake engagement that just might turn real. And the buccaneer son of a royal duke goes hunting for a respectable, highborn wife to salvage his scandalous reputation. 

Let the pleasures begin...