The Illicit Love of a Courtesan (Marlow Intrigues #1)by Jane Lark
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Release Date: October 3rd 2013
Synopsis:
Trapped under the reign of a cruel keeper, Ellen Harding longs to be free. Under his oppression, her soul and conscience have died while her body lives on, fulfilling his dissolute desires. She is empty—a vessel—deaf to the voice of morality and blind to shame.
When her eyes are drawn to a beautiful man for no other reason than his looks, she imagines what it would be like to escape her chains for a night by giving her body to him.
But Edward Marlow is kind and gentle when he touches her, and her subconscious whispers, this man could be her salvation. Yet how can he help her when she has secrets which prevent her freedom?
Edward is restless, lonely, and a little angry with his lot in life—it is his only excuse for being drawn to another man’s mistress. The woman’s dark hair and pale eyes are striking, and he cannot take his gaze off her while she watches him over the top of a fan with an illicit intent in her eyes.
Once he’s known her, he cannot forget her, and once he’s seen the evidence of her supposed benefactor’s brutality, he wants to help her. But how can he when she will not run any more than she will speak of her past?
When a desperate Ellen finally relents and shocks Edward from his sleep, he doesn’t hesitate, he helps her flee. He just doesn’t know he’s running headlong into the secrets of her past.
The Passionate Love of a Rake (Marlow Intrigues #2)by Jane Lark
Publisher: HarperImpulse
Release Date: November 7th 2013
Synopsis:
The only woman who had power over notorious rake Robert Marlow was now walking away from him, again.
He'd heard Sutton had died, and known Jane was free, but he'd always thought his desire would only be for revenge, not her. Yet here he was, unable to deny what he felt for her…what he’d never felt for any other woman before…
The idea for the book, came from the memoirs of a real 19th century courtesan, Harriette Wilson. She fell in love with one of her protectors, and the echo of her love rings through the whole of her memoirs, she absolutely adored him. Her love for him was clearly an overwhelming emotion. Sadly he didn't love her back. But Harriette falling in love, made me want to right a love story for a courtesan. Ellen's back story, and future story all unraveled from that.
Before I even started the Marlow Series I'd written three independent Regency set novels which ended their lives on various rejection piles, so by that point I had been researching the Regency period for about four years. I knew all about lifestyles, clothing, houses and furniture; but then I discovered Harriette's memoirs, which tells history through the eyes, emotions and experiences of someone who lived through it. After I read Harriette's record of her life, I then moved on to letters and memoirs written by other people who lived in the Regency period. Researching like this, has changed my writing, because nearly all my inspirations are now drawn from real emotions or events experienced by someone in the era. Many scenes in the Marlow Intrigues are me describing things I have seen through the eyes of others who lived then.
Oh, no, there are several more to come. The next title will be the prequel to Ellen's story in The Illicit Love of a Courtesan, and then Mary's story will be out in the Autumn, the man Mary finds makes John appear extremely tame, and there will still be a couple more after this. Basically, I will stop at the point I get too far away from the Regency era that I will have to start researching again. :D
I started writing medieval period novels, and I would still love to, but at the moment I love my Regency stories, and I have two more series, let alone books outlined in my head, and the New Adults, I take an entirely different pleasure in writing, but characters for that series about four books on are all living my head. So, I don't think there is room in my imagination for anymore until all those books are written :D
For both, I would do it anyway even if I wasn't writing, just because I have always loved historical places, my imagination runs riot. But every place I go I discover some really fabulous family story, or I am walking through the halls and rooms of a place someone whose letters I have read lived or visited. My favorite places, are Attingham, which is the home Harriette Wilson's sister lived in, although Harriette was never allowed to visit there, she wrote in her memoirs about her very young sister who married a Baron, and there are many items in the house that Sophia owned, and rooms still decorated as they were when Sophia lived there. Then there's Stoneliegh Abbey, which is Jane Austen's mother's family home, which Jane visited and captures in both letters and her novels, she gained so many inspirations from her visit there, it is quite amazing. Lastly there's the day I went to Longlete, and as I walked into a room I saw a black and white picture hung above a door. The woman had this come hither smile, and I asked the guide who she was. "The mistress of the Earl of Pembroke," the man said. I immediately went home and researched her. Her story was recorded in letters and memoirs of the time, it's on my history blog.
Bloggers are integral to the work of authors now, because reviews posted on Amazon are really important in helping people decide whether to try a new author or not and because of this Amazon actually actively promotes books which are regularly having reviews posted, and the blog sites reviewers run, and Goodreads reviews, are like a friends recommendation. I know many reviewers network really closely too. But on a personal level, for me, it has just been great getting to know people who have a real love of reading, and there are several reviewers now who really enjoy my writing voice. That is so valuable, because obviously everyone is different and not everyone is going to love my books, and like anyone I can get downhearted, but connecting with reviewers who do like my books, has helped me grow in confidence as an author. I am still in the very early days and working hard to let people know my books are sitting there waiting to be read, but I really do believe there is an audience for my work now, so I am determined to keep plugging away and the reviewers who love my series are a huge encouragement for me to keep going.
My reading has really changed in the last two years. I used to only read the same authors, and really struggled to find new authors but since I've been networking with so many authors - I meet someone and then order their book to see how they write. So now I read anything and everything. But having said that, I am going over to America for the RT Booklovers Convention in May and I haven't taken any time off as a holiday for two years, because when I take holidays from my day job they are used for promotion, research or writing. But my husband and I are going over to New Orleans a week early, and I have made my mind up, I am taking a proper holiday and not looking at my computer for a week. What books will I be downloading on my Kindle to read? Everything I've missed by Mary Balough, Galen Foley, Elizabeth Hoyt, and the latest Jay Crownover, which I have on pre-order :D
My husband is my hero, I don't need a fictional one, although I do love writing them, I have a lot of very nice men wandering around in my head... :D
Jane is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance, and a Kindle top 25 bestselling author.
She began her first historical novel at sixteen, but a life full of adversity derailed her as she lives with the restrictions of Ankylosing Spondylitis.
When she finally completed a novel it was because she was determined not to reach forty still saying, I want to write.
Now Jane is writing a Regency series and contemporary, new adult, stories and she is thrilled to be giving her characters life in others' imaginations at last.
You might think that Jane was inspired to write by Jane Austen, especially as she lives near Bath in the United Kingdom, but you would be wrong. Jane's favourite author is Anya Seton, and the book which drew her into the bliss of falling into historical imagination was 'Katherine' a story crafted from reality.
Jane has drawn on this inspiration to discover other real-life love stories, reading memoirs and letters to capture elements of the past, and she uses them to create more realistic plots.
'Basically I love history and I am sucker for a love story. I love the feeling of falling in love; it's wonderful being able to do it time and time again in fiction.'
Jane is also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, and uses this specialist understanding of people to bring her characters to life.
Win (1) signed paperback of The Illicit Love of a Courtesan and (1) signed paperback of The Passionate Love of a Rake (INT)
I've only read The Passionate Love of a Rake and really enjoyed it!
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