Code Breakers Series

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Snowed in with a Rogue Release Day!

It’s release day for Snowed in with a Rogue, the multi-author Regency romance holiday anthology which includes an all-new Code Breakers holiday novella. Read Chapter One from A CODE OF WONDER and then download the box set.

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Chapter One

December,1803
Rural England

Nicholas Balthasar Trentham, Earl of Wessex, sprawled in the rickety chair, propped his feet on the table, and took another swig of ale, the best the Dragon and Cock had to offer. Peering through the soiled window, he watched the clouds blowing across the sky. A winter storm was brewing. If he didn’t leave immediately, he’d be forced to spend the night. He had stayed in worse places, but, at those times, he had always been deep in his cups.

Anger and resentment swirled in his gut like the beginning snow flurries outside. The ale wasn’t dimming the memories. It had been over a year since his father, the old earl died, and he still hadn’t gone home, if you could call Wemberly Abbey a home. It hadn’t been home since his mother had died in childbirth, trying to bear a spare heir for his father.

He had impulsively decided to return to his estate after becoming thoroughly bored with the holiday parties. Bored with his last mistress, bored with his drunken friends, bored with society; he didn’t need to affect ennui to be fashionable. None of his usual pursuits piqued his interest.

What half-witted reason drove him to want to be at the estate for the holidays? Refusing any form of introspection, he sat upright, yearning for action. If any of his disreputable friends got wind that the rogue Nash longed for the holiday spirit of his childhood he’d be ridiculed out of his clubs.

Disgusted by his self-pitying thoughts, he resolved to return to town. He’d spend the holidays staggering from party to party. It was better than being alone during the holidays with no siblings, no family but distant cousins. Lady Stafford had been hinting for months, and perhaps he’d succumb to her advances since it had been a month since he ended his affair with Genevieve.

 As he scanned the darkening sky, motion from a window at the adjacent inn caught his attention.

Someone was trying to escape without paying his bill.

An arse molded into tight riding breeches backed out of the open window. His rake’s eyes rapidly recognized the shape, firmness, and the perfect size for a man’s hands. If his tastes were anything to be trusted, this was not a man’s arse.

He watched her slow, slithering descent down the building, her blond curls swirling around her shoulders. His blood stirred, and his mind raced with possibilities.

 This trip had just got interesting. Why was this sweet thing in breeches attempting an escape? He stood and reached for his box coat.

 Despite his debauched ways, he remained a gentleman. And the little vixen needed further exploration. He needed to uncover the reasons for the lady’s hasty departure…not a lady by her costume, though. Ladies were so boring, whereas…

Swinging his coat over his shoulders, he watched her as she cautiously lowered her feet to the ground. His blood heated with the arousing sway of her hips. The vision of him peeling her out of the breeches and anything she might be wearing underneath, had him hardening.

Loud shouts shocked him out of his carnal daydream as two men rushed from the back of the inn. Like a trapped animal, she froze with her hands on the first-floor windowsill. A burly bearded man grabbed her, jerking her from the sill before backhanding her. His short wiry companion smiled as she staggered from the force of his impact.

Nash dropped his coat and ran to intervene. His need to bloody the brute who touched her beat through him in a deadly rhythm. They were dragging her by her arms toward the stable as he rounded the corner. Her head hung between her slumped shoulders. Every muscle tightened into killing mode. They would pay a painful price for hurting her.

 “Stop!” His voice echoed in the narrow alley between the two buildings.

The men turned toward him, dropping their victim. She pushed herself upright, giving him a view of her pale, heart-shaped face bruised by the violence. Corkscrew curls hung over one eye. She and the men stared at him, creating a strange tableau in the whirling flurries. And his protective instinct roared in defense of this beautiful, fragile creature.

Her attacker spat French out of the side of his mouth as he slowly moved forward. The skinny one reached into his boot for his dagger. A little knife play with two against one. Now the fun would begin. Too bad none of his cronies were here to bet on who would be the victor. Watching the men spread out to attack from both sides, Nash rolled onto his toes and waited. This was child’s play. His fighting skills were well-honed from boxing at Oxford to brawling in the alleys of the East End.

Pea-brain sans front teeth waited, knife in hand, while his heavy-breathing partner stepped within striking distance, his ham-sized fists clenching and unclenching as he swore in French. Nash smiled to hear himself called an English “putain.” He had been called a lot worse than an “English whore.”

Nash’s wide grin stopped the man momentarily. In the thug’s brief hesitation, Nash punched him in the face, shattering his broad nose. The man raised his hands to stop the spurting blood, giving Nash the perfect opening. Nash delivered the full strength of his fourteen stone behind his fist to the soft gut. With the idiot bent over, Nash raised his knee to finish him off. Screaming, the bastard dropped to the ground, grabbing his balls as he fell into a curled heap.

The partner lurched forward, his blade raised high to reach Nash. In one quick swirl, Nash twisted to confront him, but not quick enough to stop the fast slash across his arm. The sight of blood and a long tear in his linen shirt infuriated Nash. He charged the smaller man, wrenched his arm and twisted it with all his force to hear the brittle sound of the break.

Nash raised an eyebrow and asked in French, “Do you wish to end up like your friend?”

Cradling his broken forearm, the man shook his head.

Nash, maintaining his focus on the man, bent and picked up the knife.

Blood lust roared through him. He knew the perfect solution for this manly ailment, and it involved a sweet derriere and blond curls. He scanned the alley for the damsel in distress.

He strode toward the stable, ignoring the pain in his arm, and envisioned her ministering to all his pressing needs.

The sound of beating hooves echoed in the narrow lane behind the inn.

Skirting around the corner, Nash froze.

The woman was on his mount, racing toward the road. The bloody woman had stolen his horse.

Too impatient to wait for the stablemaster, Nash jumped on an unsaddled gray-speckled gelding and gave chase. No one was able to handle the skittish Ace of Spades except for him. She wouldn’t make it out of the village without Ace shaking her off. And he’d be there to rescue her. Again.

She was racing east on the road out of the town, bent over Ace’s neck, with no saddle or bridle, clinging to his mane. He wasn’t sure what was more shocking—that she had remained on the stallion as long as she had, or that Ace was tolerating her on his back.

What trouble had this tiny woman gotten herself into that forced her to steal his horse with no cloak or jacket, in the middle of an approaching storm? There was nothing ahead for miles except his estate and the small village of Wemberly. His friends would never let him forget that he had to chase a woman, weighing less than seven stone, to retrieve his horse.

The absurdity that she had the nerve to steal the Earl of Wessex’s stallion would be entertaining if not for her desperation.

Nash spurred his mount needing answers to the riddle of the woman who rode furiously ahead of him. He couldn’t close the distance. The gelding was no match for Ace’s strength and power and endurance. It was time to end this farce. And get answers he demanded.

Ace would halt with Nash’s whistle.

Get Snowed in with a Rogue to keep reading!

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Lancelot to the Rescue ~ Excerpt from 'A Code of Wonder'

Miss Elizabeth Louise Lyon, Eliza to her friends, needing a horse to escape, scanned the stable. A gigantic black stallion, standing at least sixteen hands, occupied the first stall—the obvious prize, flaunting his proud stance and giving an insolent flick of his magnificent tail.

She opened the gate to his stall and scrambled up the stacked hay bales to reach him. She didn’t have a lot of time to calm him if she were to make her getaway. Now that she had three men after her, her chance of evading capture had lessened.

She whispered to him, sensing his heroic but persnickety personality, before she swung her leg over his enormous back. The handsome fellow didn’t bolt but turned to stare at her. Whispering how beautiful and brave he was, she ran her hand along his silky, sleek neck.

He pawed at the ground, shook his head, and gave a loud snort. She felt his strong muscles ripple in defiance, but it was all for show. “You’re a sensitive and courageous fellow, and you’ll save me. Your name should be ‘Lancelot.'” Eliza swallowed the unexpected sob in her throat. Abbie, her older sister, always teased Eliza about her need to rename horses to suit their personalities.

This wasn’t the time to have a crying fit, despite her harrowing day. She had to warn Abbie of the danger. If she hadn’t worn Abbie’s cape for her imprudent ride this morning, none of this would be happening to her. But then her sister might have been kidnapped. Although, unlike her younger sister, Abbie wasn’t so headstrong or defiant that she’d risk riding alone.

“You have to help me. Evil men are after me. Not me, but my sister Abbie, whom I strongly resemble.” She hadn’t told the Frenchmen that she wasn’t Abbie. The fear that they might kill her and return to kidnap Abbie kept her silent.

“The only explanation must be for ransom from Abbie’s rich husband. Or could it be her secret work? Why else would wicked men want my sweet and studious sister?” She rubbed Lancelot’s thick, muscular neck, needing comfort from the gentle beast.

The family’s Irish stablemaster always said she had the “touch.” A high compliment that she held to her heart since her mother and her father always found her, their third daughter, wanting. As a gently bred lady, she was supposed to prefer the drawing room and sketching and sewing over spending her time in the stables filled with men and horses. She couldn’t think of her mother right now or how worried Abbie would be when she didn’t return.

She gripped Lancelot’s mane and squeezed her thighs and knees into his giant flank to back him out of the stall. “We must be off.”

A Code of Wonder premieres 10.07.19 as part of the multi-author Regency romance holiday anthology, Snowed in with a Rogue.

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Are you ready for the holiday season?

It’s not quite autumn, but for authors, the holiday season arrived several weeks ago. That’s what typically happens when you decide to write a holiday-themed romance. While the sun was shining outside, I was listening to Christmas carols and burning cinnamon and evergreen scented candles to get in the holiday mood while writing A Code of Wonder, a holiday novella that will release on October 7 as part of the 99¢ Snowed in with a Rogue Regency romance anthology.

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A Code of Wonder will feature Abbie Bonnington’s younger sister Eliza Lyon and Lord Nicholas “Nash” Wessex, as well as other characters from my Regency romantic suspense series, the Code Breakers.

Snowed in with a Rogue also includes stories from Victoria Oliveri, Gina Danna, Tracy Edingfield, Cerise DeLand, Sandra Masters, and Angelique Armae. The stories cover women in every walk of life from slave to spy, and from worldly titled matrons to innocent young misses. The heroes have to step up their game to match these indomitable ladies.

I’ve noticed retailers are already stocking shelves with items for Halloween, Thanksgiving and even Christmas. Do you think it’s too soon to be thinking ahead or do you take advantage of opportunities like this to get a jump-start on shopping and preparations?

How soon do you start looking forward to reading romances with holiday themes?

If you’re not yet in the Yuletide mood, you can still enjoy one of my Code Breakers Regency romantic suspense stories. A Wedding Code is currently FREE at all retailers so download a copy today.

As a renowned arbiter of fashion and design, Miss Amelia Bonnington’s upcoming nuptials to Lord Derrick Brinsley have become the most anticipated event of English society. Her plans to create the perfect wedding must be cast aside, however, when her best friend’s brother, a member of England’s top code breaking family, disappears.

When his fiancée meddles in dangerous spy activity, Derrick, an undercover agent for His Majesty, must intervene. Now, it’s up to Amelia and Derrick to safely locate the missing brother, prevent another abduction, and thwart an assassination. Can they outwit the French spies and still have Amelia’s fairy tale wedding?

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June is Audiobook Month

Before we say goodbye to June, let’s take a moment to celebrate Audiobook Month. Audiobooks–known as “books on tape” back in the day–are the perfect solution for occasions where you need to multitask (such as driving or exercising) or when you need a diversion to pass time (such as travel delays or kids’ piano lessons). They are also a great option if you have vision problems or if reading text has become difficult.

If you aren’t already a fan of audiobooks, here are three reasons you should check them out.

1. Convenience. No more clunky CDs or tape cassettes to haul around! Technology now makes is possible to download audiobook apps to your tablet, iPod and smart phone so you can listen anywhere, on any device. Go from the car to the gym to the smoothie bar with nary an interruption!

2. Affordable. Digital audiobooks can run $20, $30, even upwards of $40 sometimes. If you know where to look and how to buy, you can save big bucks and find great deals. Here’s how to score audiobooks inexpensively:

• Borrow them from the library.
• Purchase a subscription service, such as Audible Escape. For $12.95 a month ($6.95/month for Audible and Kindle Unlimited members), you can listen non-stop to heartwarming, pulse-pounding romantic fiction.
• Check out the variety of audiobook distributors. Authors Direct, Nook, Kobo and Google Play all offer audiobooks nowadays. Cost varies and some are less expensive than others.

3. Portable. If you plan to do any traveling this summer, audiobooks are a must. You can download several titles, not just for yourself but for the entire family. Connect your device to the system in the car for road trips and then plug in your earphones for solo listening while the kids enjoy the hotel swimming pool!

If I’ve convinced you audiobooks are worthwhile, be sure to check out my Code Breakers Regency romantic suspense series. Most of the titles are available to download!

When Horses are Cattle: Regency Slang and Expressions

I recently saw a Facebook post in which a historical romance writer shared a “correction notice” she’d received from a reader about referring to horses at “cattle.” Since when do horses moo?!

Of course, horses don’t moo, but according to Regency expressions and vernacular collected from the works of Georgette Heyer, the term “cattle” was sometimes used when referring to horses. If you’re still skeptical, a quick check of the Merriam-Webster dictionary found this definition for cattle: domesticated quadrupeds held as property or raised for use

I can’t fault the reader for alerting the author about this potential error. This expression was common more than 200 years ago and has–obviously–fallen out of use.

Balancing the use of vernacular language is a common challenge for authors. Sprinkling patois, jargon or slang into a story is one technique writers use to infuse authenticity to characters and setting. The goal is to use just enough to draw the reader into the period, era or community without confusing and frustrating them.

Here are a few examples from my most recent Regency romantic suspense, A Holiday Code for Love, book 7 in the Code Breakers series.

“Jack, where are we going?” Abbie paused and looked up at him. Her bright eyes were the same color as her sky-blue pelisse.

The soldier/footman opened the door to Rathbourne’s study. Jack didn’t see himself discussing his personal life with his superior. As Head of Intelligence, Rathbourne wasn’t the sort of chap who you would joke with or confide in.

“Mabel and Amelia are able to handle this group of people. And think of the great gossip with you, Jack, and Sabine all missing from the ball. Society will be entertained for weeks.” Aunt Euphemia winked. “Be aware of anyone watching you, my dear. Haste is needed.”

Have you ever encountered unfamiliar slang in a Regency romance? If yes, you might enjoy this guide to Regency Cant and Expressions or the Regency Reader blog’s Regency Lingo guide.

How do you feel about authors using slang and jargon in their books?