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| Rachel Brimble |
The inspiration behind my Victorian romances pretty much comes
from my love of UK period dramas and the fact I am lucky enough to live near
one of the most historical cities in the world –Bath, England.
My first full-length Victorian romance, The Arrival Of Lily Curtis was
inspired by a house – a house steeped in English beauty and history. Today,
Lucknam Park is a five star hotel and spa, boasting Michelin Star chefs and
luxurious indulgence and I was thrilled when a friend treated me to afternoon
tea there.
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As soon as I sat in the astoundingly beautiful conservatory, I knew
I had found my hero’s home. Writers and readers of Victorian romance have the
uncanny knack of seeing beyond the modern changes, the dress of today’s
visitors and nonchalant acceptance that these buildings exist all over the UK.
They effortlessly travel back to a time when real people lived in these huge
homes and rode their horses across their vast estates.
By the mid 1800s, the house had passed hands several times but
it was during this time that the magnificent columned portico and bow wings
were added to the house as well as acres and acres of country land.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any pictures of the exterior of the house which
weren’t under copyright but I strongly urge you to visit the house website to
see just how romantic a house Lucknam Park is, www.lucknampark.co.uk and
how easily it became my mission to make it come alive with my characters and
plot.
As for my upcoming release, Love’s Debt (out September 5th),
the inspiration for that came from the UK city where I grew up – Bristol.
Bristol is famous for its Maritime history. While walking around the city last
summer, I was drawn to the docks and knew I wanted to create a story about a
hero who worked there. The rest as they say, was history!
With Bath in one direction, Blenheim Palace and the glorious
Cotswolds in the other, I will continue to write Victorian romance as well as
my contemporary novels. How could I not? J
Here’s the blurb and excerpt from The Arrival of Lily Curtis –
enjoy!
At the mention of an arranged marriage, Elizabeth Caughley feels
her life is over at the age of three and twenty….so she hatches an escape plan.
She will reinvent herself as a housemaid. Overnight, Elizabeth becomes Lily.
Viscount Westrop wants nothing more than his legacy to be passed
to his own son one day. Even though he feels insurmountable pity for the unborn
child already, he knows how much pain a broken promise can cause and will do
what is right. But with the arrival of his new housemaid, his plans are thrown
into disarray. Lily is funny, feisty and the most beautiful creature on earth –
Andrew is thunderstruck.
But if anyone suspects how much he wants to ravish her and
endlessly love her, Andrew’s lineage will be in peril. And he cannot let that
happen…
Excerpt:
Lily lifted her head and met eyes as blue as a crisp winter sky.
He said nothing as he continued to study her. His eyes hungrily brushed over
her hair, her neck, her breasts. She flicked a glance left and right as her
body traitorously heated beneath his gaze.
The other gentlemen were carefully watching the exchange. Their
curious eyes darted back and forth between the two, undeniable amusement
twitching their lips.
“Are you ready to be seated in the dining room, my lord?” Lily
said, standing a little straighter.
“I’m sorry?”
“Your meal, sir?”
He blinked and the tension broke. He hastily threw a look at his
friends before turning to meet her eyes once more. He straightened his spine
and regally lifted his chin. Lily held his gaze, noticed that his eyes now
burned with something she couldn’t quite decipher but whatever it was triggered
her natural defenses to high alert.
The curiosity when he had looked at her not a moment before had
vanished, only to be replaced with mischief.
His smile turned wolverine. “Oh, I’m more than ready to eat,
Lily. I’m positively salivating.”
Lily smarted as his friends burst into a flurry of mocking
laughter. She gritted her teeth but kept her eyes locked on his. The tone of
his voice had disguised neither the implication nor his obvious enjoyment at
her expense. A flame of indignation ignited inside of her.
Her smile was slow and intentionally provocative. “I am so
pleased, sir. For I would hate for you to have to endure cold soup.” Her gaze
lingered down to his crotch. “After all, you and your guests are quite
obviously still chilled from an afternoon of riding.”
The gentlemen’s sniggers instantly halted and the lord’s smile
dissolved. He looked from her face to his crotch and back again. His eyes
widened.
“Why, you….”
The Arrival of Lily Curtis is
available now from The Wild Rose Press
Buy Link:
Find Rachel here:
Twitter: @rachelbrimble
5 comments:
Wow, I checked out the Lucknam Park website. I can see why you were inspired! Loved the excerpt, especially the bit about the chilled Lords. LOL
Rachel,
Loved the your covers. I'm going to England soon. Can't wait to see some of the sights that I've read about for so long. Thanks for sharing!
Great post, Rachel - there are so many impressive buildings in the UK. Loved the excerpt!
Good afternoon, ladies! Well, good evening here in the UK!
Glad you like the excerpt - gives a good insight into Lily's character! She's a feisty one, trust me :)
Oooh, are you heading for London, Jerri? Or somewhere else? Welcome!
Rachel x
I'm lifelong Anglophile and fellow lover of UK period dramas. My husband, daughter, and I visited London and Oxford a few years ago and adored it, but Bath is still on my travel bucket list. I love the sound of The Arrival of Lily Curtis. Thank you so much for visiting us!
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