Rachel is a fellow Wild Rose Press author, and she hosted me on her blog the other day. I'm reciprocating, as I enjoy hosting authors of any genre. Meet Rachel, her heroine Violet Parker, her hero James Greene, and the overwhelming odds they overcame to fall in love!
About Rachel
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.
About Victoria & Violet
When Violet Parker is told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she
cannot believe her good fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her
overbearing mother, a servant to the Duchess of
Kent.
Violet hopes to explore who she is and what the world has to offer without her
mother’s schemes overshadowing her every thought and action.
Then she meets James Greene, assistant to the queen's chief political adviser,
Lord Melbourne. From entirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and
James should have neither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through
their service, their paths cross and their lives merge--as do their feelings. Only
Victoria's court is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals,
and conspiracies...
Five Reasons You Should Read Victoria & Violet
Victoria & Violet is my 28th
novel and the first book I have written that includes real people and real
events – to do this was a long-held ambition of mine that has finally come to
fruition, and I loved writing every word. Now I pray readers will take it into
their hearts just as deeply as I have…
Reasons
to read:
1) If you are a fan of British period dramas, then this is the book for
you! I am period drama obsessed, and they inevitably influence my writing. As
you follow Victoria, Violet and hero James on their journey and burgeoning relationships,
you will find yourself embroiled in ample story threads that lead to satisfying
doses drama, intrigue & romance!
2) If you love British royal history (especially Queen Victoria, of
course!) – I have included many real events that occurred in the early reign of
Queen Victoria and take you right into her heart and mind as they are
unfolding. The book is told from her housemaid’s point of view, so I hope it
feels like a new and unique incite into events that you have heard about, but maybe
did not know too much.
3) Violet Parker – Violet is without doubt one of my favorite heroines
ever. When the book opens, she is in an unbearable situation under the control
of her mother and Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent. However, despite her
nervousness and fear, the reader quickly gets a sense of Violet’s steeliness,
too. Writing her character growth was a joy and I came to admire her so very
much.
4) The settings – another reason I loved writing this book was the chance
to re-create Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in 1839. I have been lucky
enough to visit both of these royal palaces over the last few years, and it
wasn’t hard to imagine what might or might not have changed over the last 180
years or so. My imagination went into overdrive, and it was wonderful…
5) James Greene – if I’m honest James was a little bit of an enigma to me
when I was writing the first draft of this book. He was there, I could see him,
hear his voice and see certain cheeky mannerisms, but I couldn’t quite get into
his heart. That all changed when I took him back to his family home in
Oxfordshire. When he is at Cassington Park, James cannot hide his
vulnerabilities and flaws – that was when I fell in love with him and I hope
readers do, too…
Connect with Rachel
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Hi Diana! Thank you so much for having me here today - I am looking forward to chatting with your visitors :)
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, much success with the series!
ReplyDelete