Wednesday 15 March 2017

Another Rake, revisited

Today I'm a guest on Sherry Gloag's The Heart of Romance Blog.

On the theme of 'Books Revisited' I discuss my story of the summer holiday in Brighton that so nearly ended in disaster - but thanks to the Rake, all turned out well.

http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.co.uk/



                                                                                                                                                                        File:King George IV when Prince Regent (1762-1830), by Henry Bone.jpg






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Blogger Beth Elliott said...
On a sunny day like today, it's easy to think of Giles driving Anna in his curricle along the leafy lanes of yesteryear...
Thank you so much, Sherry for hosting me and my characters.
15 March 2017 at 09:55
 Delete
Blogger Jane Risdon said...
Fabulous reading this and getting into your head and finding out about Giles. I must read more glossies. Much success Beth, wonderful.
21 March 2017 at 15:57
                                                                                                         

Friday 10 March 2017

First meeting

                         It all starts badly

Riding on a vital mission through the Pyrenees, Louise is pursued by Napoleon's agents. A mighty thunderstorm makes matters worse. Then, when she seeks shelter in a cavern, it seems that is the worst choice she could make. 

She was shivering more violently than ever as he reached them and held his lantern aloft, training it first on Joseph and then on her. She forced herself to sit straight, and stared into a dark, angry face with gleaming eyes that seemed to see through her disguise.
 Joseph said something in the local dialect. Louise made out only a few words, just enough to know that Joseph had not revealed she was a woman. He had merely asked for shelter. The man held the lantern closer. His almond eyes were suspicious.
 ‘How am I to know you're not a spy?’ he growled. At least he spoke French, not this dialect she could scarcely follow.
 A surge of dislike rushed through her at his hostility. ‘I am on an urgent mission,’ she croaked, through chattering teeth. ‘I must get to my rendezvous quickly. But someone is pursuing me and I need to escape them. If you are unwilling to give us shelter from this storm, we'll leave now before night falls.’ She tugged at her horse’s bridle but to her dismay, she swayed and nearly toppled from the saddle. The man looked more closely.
 ‘You’re just a boy,’ he exclaimed, putting a hand on her horse’s nose. The beast immediately stilled. ‘Very well. Get down. You can strip off and dry.’
 Oh heavens! He would discover her secret; and as she thought again of that woman’s moans, she feared he was not to be trusted. But Joseph had already dismounted and was holding her bridle. The flash of rage had faded, leaving her head spinning with fatigue. She slid off the horse and her knees buckled. The stranger caught hold of her.
 ‘Not a seasoned adventurer, are you?’ He laughed and slid an arm round her ribs to steady her. She felt his hand jerk as it encountered her breast.  Awareness snaked through her as he brought his head close, examining her face keenly.
 ‘No, leave me,’ she protested, ‘I can manage.’ Panicked, she pulled away but staggered and sank to her knees with a little sob. Immediately his strong arms were hauling her up. Then everything blurred. 

The book is available here :   https://tinyurl.com/zlwnczj

and it will be on free offer between 14th - 18th March


Louise's cavern in the Pyrenees. She was so glad to get out of it !!






Monday 27 February 2017

Turkish Delights and Gallic Fights

                                          
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TURKISH DELIGHTS AND GALLIC FIGHTS...ALL AT A HEART-STOPPINGLY LOW PRICE



When they met in London in 1799, Rose Charteris and Tom Hawkesleigh fell instantly in love. But disapproving families and misunderstandings came between them, and the romance was over as quickly as it started. Five years later, Tom is working for the Turkish ambassador in Constantinople and he runs into Rose once again...will she succumb to her desires and give Tom back her heart?








1813. Napoleon is on the rampage through France. Louise Fauriel comes from a family of talented silversmiths. Using their art shop as a front, the family run messages between the Comte d’Artois and his brother, King Louis. But Napoleon’s Secret Police are patrolling the area, searching for any signs of a revolt and keen to intercept any messages that could harm their campaign...








Turkey, 1811. Olivia Hartford falls in love with the magical land of Turkey and meets a number of interesting people, like Lady Hester Stanhope, niece of the prime minister of England, and intrepid world traveller. And then there is the handsome Selim, cousin to the Sultan. Is Olivia destined to live a life of solitude and regret? Or will her past stay buried long enough for her to have her happy ending?

Friday 3 February 2017

The Rake And His Honour

   This is the story of Arnaut, the second brother in the Montailhac family 
    and of his brave companion, Louise.

                                              

Together they travel between France and England, not always avoiding Napoleon's elite spies but determined to succeed in their mission.

                          to buy:      https://tinyurl.com/zlwnczj

Street in Saint Lizier in the Pyrenees


                          
Hartwell House, residence of the French king in exile, Louis XVIII


Image result for French king's fleur de lys


Thursday 26 January 2017

Olivia's new home

On arriving in ConstantinopleOlivia and her companion, Miss Neston, inspect the house her brother has rented for them. 


The ladies were pleased to find that their new home was a handsome, stone built villa near the top of the hill and with a view of the sea. 

Olivia flitted back from the balcony. 'I like this house,' she declared, 'The view over the city and across the water is delightful. It’s splendid to be living in one continent and looking out at another one, do you not agree, Nessie?' She surveyed the room and nodded briskly. 'All we need is carpets, a few hangings and some ornaments.' 



The view over the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Strait from the hilltop in Galata where Olivia stays.


Image result for the bosphorus strait constantinople

Another view of the busy Strait




Tuesday 24 January 2017

An adventurous Regency lady

SCANDALOUS  LADY

Constantinople 1811

Not a promising start to the relationship between the diplomat and the artist.....
'It would be very easy, Olivia,' he insisted, his eyes flashing as she kept shaking her head. 'No servant would hesitate if I gave the order to have you tied in a sack and thrown in the Bosphorus.'
            At this she leapt to her feet. 'You are disgusting!' she shouted, 'I can hardly believe you're human when you talk like that. You take me away by force and plan to use me for your entertainment with no respect for my wishes or my reputation.'
            He rose in one fluid movement and stood over her. 'You have no reputation.'
                   ...and it soon gets much more complicated ! Oh dear!

The reviews for my story are very encouraging and I'm delighted to share some of them

Blesley whitfield on 21 Jan. 2017
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

I have just finished reading this book and, although it was after midnight, I simply couldn't put it down until I had reached the end. Beautifully written with such detail of what took place at the time.
The descriptions were just right of the characters, enough but not too much. I love to have some freedom to add my own thoughts on the characters. This was well researched and well written, hence the 5 star I have given it. An insight into the troubles at the times, with romance thrown in, as well as danger.


By Birdseye on 22 Jan. 2017
Format: Kindle Edition

Olivia is a wonderful character. She is delightfully independent. She knows exactly what she wants and what she needs and has the courage to get it. She is also so real, so strong. It was like following a friend that I admired through her adventures.

By evelyn on 20 Jan. 2017
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

A book with actual story telling as well as humour for a change.


Saturday 10 December 2016

Fire and Ice. Can they ever mix?


A new Regency tales adventure.

             Set in Constantinople in 1811, SCANDALOUS LADY   is the story of a top ranking, ice-cold diplomat who encounters a fiery, rebellious artist  and thereafter, nothing goes to plan - for either of them!
Published by Endeavour Press               
__________
Experience the city together with Olivia as she discovers the exotic mix of past and present, east and west in Constantinople, the " city of the world's desire ". 
                                                             Related image

                                     Dusk on the Golden Horn, 1845 - Ivan Aivazovsky




The Ciragan Palace, summer residence of the Sultan and his court. 




A narghile, a water pipe. In the coffeehouse she visits, Olivia takes only one puff but Lady Hester Stanhope is constantly smoking hers.


Image result for amadeo preziosi
Turkish Café -Picture by Amadeo Preziosi


Image result for Turkish food

The bewildering variety of food   [picture by TooIstanbul]


 
    








                             The splendid goods such as carpets



        and jewellery




     

                                                           Airy carriages

                               
                                                            picture by Giovanni Brindisi, 1845

                            and magnificent horses