Janice Preston talks about The Beauchamp Heirs

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog, Rose. I’d love to tell your readers a little bit about my writing and, in particular, my latest trilogy, The Beauchamp Heirs.

I’ve been writing regency romance for Harlequin/Mills & Boon for four years now. I adore reading series and books linked by the same characters and so it was inevitable I would write my own. Most of my published books are linked by character but my first actual series was a trilogy, The Beauchamp Betrothals, featuring the Beauchamp family headed by the powerful and charismatic Duke of Cheriton. The three books (all standalone reads) are Cinderella and the Duke, Scandal and Miss Markham and Lady Cecily and the Mysterious Mr Gray in which Leo, Duke of Cheriton, Lord Vernon Beauchamp (his brother) and Lady Cecily Beauchamp (his sister) all find their own particular Happy Ever After.

But I couldn’t leave the Beauchamps there and so I began to write The Beauchamp Heirs, a linked trilogy.

At the time of The Beauchamp Betrothals Leo has three adult children – the eldest, and Leo’s heir, Dominic, Lord Avon; second son, Alexander, whose relationship with his father has been fraught for many years; and finally Olivia, the youngest of the three, who is about to make her debut in Society. All three of Leo’s children were affected in different ways by the murder of their mother when they were young and their different ways of coping with the tragedy have become apparent as they grew up. The first book of my new trilogy is Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake, out on 1^st September in the U.S.A.

Olivia is a bit of a minx and, when an escapade to Vauxhall Gardens goes wrong, she finds herself escorted home by notorious rake and confirmed bachelor Lord Hugo Alastair who, to her secret annoyance, doesn’t even try to steal a kiss! Their attraction for one another is magnetic but, for the first time in his life, Hugo discovers a moral side to his character that leads him to protect Olivia, even from himself. He knows he would never be considered a match for her and so he locks away his feelings and attempts to hold her at arms’ length. But Olivia is a determined young lady in the throes of first love…

Hugo, incidentally, first appeared as the heroine’s cousin in my book Return of Scandal’s Son and he is also the younger brother of Lucas, Marquis of Rothley, hero of Mary and the Marquis, so there will be plenty of familiar faces popping up in Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake.

The next book in The Beauchamp Heirs will feature Dominic, Lord Avon – the Duke’s heir who is searching for a perfect bride but who discovers his heart can’t always be ruled by his head – and Lord Alexander Beauchamp, the most troubled of the three, who finds himself offering a marriage of convenience to a disgraced childhood friend in an unusually quixotic gesture. Neither of those books have titles agreed yet, but they will be out next year.

I hope you enjoy reading about the Beauchamps as much as I enjoy writing them.

Thanks again, Rose, for hosting me on your blog!

Giveaway – for the chance to win an eBook copy of Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake tell me in the comments – what is the title of Olivia’s powerful father?

About the Book:

“He’s completely unsuitable…he’s a rake.”

Part of The Beauchamp Heirs: after being plucked from peril by resolute bachelor Lord Hugo Alastair, Lady Olivia Beauchamp is secretly outraged that he doesn’t even try to steal a kiss! He’s a notorious rake among the ton, and as a result, utterly forbidden to an innocent debutante like her. But their attraction is magnetic. Will she risk her reputation for a passionate encounter?

 

Click on title below for direct Amazon buy link:                                          Lady Olivia and the Infamous Rake (The Beauchamp Heirs)

 

My Review:                 

Lady Olivia Beauchamp has won a wager with her brother, Alexander, and is collecting her winnings by visiting the scandalous Vauxhall Gardens.  Confident that she won’t be recognized in her disguise, Olivia and Alex join the party of some unsavory characters.  When Alex takes off to be alone with a woman from the party, Olivia is left to fend for herself.  Anxious to appear worldly, Olivia makes some very unwise decisions and actions.  She is goaded into drinking and gambling, and when she has no money to cover her losses, she rashly gives the Earl of Clevedon a priceless family heirloom to hold as collateral until she can pay him.

Lord Hugo Alastair doesn’t even know why he joined this party.  He’s becoming very bored with the rakish lifestyle he’s been living, and the same old vices.  He recognizes that the masked woman does not belong in this type of company and that she is a true lady.  Hugo rescues Olivia from his companions’ over zealous attentions, and escorts her home when her brother can’t be found.  He discovers her identity and promises to get the valuable necklace back for her.

Thus begins the unlikely connection of Olivia, a duke’s daughter, and Hugo, the younger brother of a marquis, whose reputation is so tarnished, that he’s not accepted in polite society.  Olivia almost immediately becomes infatuated with Hugh, and arranges to meet him whenever she can.  Though Hugo does his best to resist her, he can’t help but indulge in a few stolen kisses.

Unlike Olivia, Hugo’s childhood was not happy.  His father was abusive to him, his brother, and his mother.  Hugo’s reaction to dealing with his anger and pain was to live an outrageous life.  After years of that kind of living, Hugo has grown tired of it.  In Alex, Olivia’s brother, Hugo sees his younger self, and decides to do whatever he can to help him.

Hugo is the epitome of the rake with a heart of gold, and I adored him.  Though his own life has been messy, he is determined to rescue Olivia from an unscrupulous suitor, and to help Alex get on the right track.  Hugo doubts that he’ll marry, due to his reputation and circumstances, but he can’t help but wonder what life would be like if he could genuinely court Olivia.

Olivia, I have to admit, I had mixed feelings about.  She did make some awful and risky choices.  She’s also somewhat conceited, toplofty, and manipulative.  Some of her actions can be attributed to her youth and inexperience – she’s only eighteen and having her first season, so she needed to do some growing up.  On the positive side, she loves her family and is fiercely determined to see that her brother, Alex, stays on track and out of trouble, so that he can fulfill a bargain with their father and become responsible for his own property.

I really loved how Hugo interacted with Olivia’s father, the formidable Duke of Cheriton.  He was respectful, but not overwhelmed.  I also appreciate Cheriton’s wisdom and ability to bend.  LADY OLIVIA AND THE INFAMOUS RAKE is an engaging and warm read that showcases how wonderful second chances in life can be, as well as a romantic and satisfying conclusion.   ~Rose

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of LADY OLIVIA AND THE INFAMOUS RAKE!  Contest ends August 28.