I’m so glad to have one of my good pals on the blog today. She’s Maggie Robinson, author of fabulously sexy historical romances. Maggie is on a whirlwind blog tour for her latest Kensington Brava release, Mistress by Marriage.
Maggie’s books are wonderful reads. As The Romance Dish said, “you’re always guaranteed sassy wit and sizzling sensuality when you pick up one of Maggie’s books.”
I’m going to turn the blog over to my friend now, as she gives us the inside scoop on her new book.
I had the pleasure of meeting Vanessa and her charming husband at the Romance Writers of America convention this June in New York City. They are sometime-writing partners, which absolutely flabbergasts me. I cannot imagine writing with my husband. In fact, he’s never read a word of what I’ve had published so far. (That’s a total of five novels and two novellas under my two writing names.) He’s just not at all romance-y, although he can be very thoughtful. We are total opposites when it comes to most things. He’s a jock—I only care about where the jockstrap goes. 😉 In fact, we’re a little like the characters in Mistress by Marriage (Brava, September 2011). I won’t say he’s as unyielding and rigid as Edward if he won’t call me flighty and temperamental like Caroline.
Marriage is a mysterious venture. It’s hard enough when the couple have similar backgrounds and goals. When you throw complete strangers at each other, there’s bound to be trouble. Because I am evil, I had my methodical, proper Baron Christie fall hopelessly in the thrall of unsuitable, improper Caroline Parker at a ball, and they’ve both paid for it for six years. When Mistress by Marriage opens, they’ve been separated for five of them. Edward has bought a house for his estranged wife on Jane Street, London’s most exclusive neighborhood for courtesans. He wants a divorce. So does Caroline.
A divorce was hard to obtain, hideously expensive and reputation-ruining in Regency times. It was far more common for people to live apart and wish each other dead, LOL. So I faced legal challenges as well as emotional ones. Once Edward discovers things were not what they appeared to be, he realizes his grounds for divorce don’t exist. His honor and heart are at stake. He wants Caro back. But does she fall into his arms? No, that would be too easy and end the book well before page 278.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so at last Edward reads one of Caroline’s naughty novels. (Did I tell you she writes lurid gothic romances? Do you think this means I want my husband to read my books?) He alters one of her plots, expecting a happy ending. Uh, no such luck. But don’t worry, by page 278 everything is more than okay. Defrosting “Cold Christie” was one of the most fun things I’ve done as a writer. He’s baffled by love—it does not fit into his logical worldview. And even though Caroline writes romances, she doesn’t think she deserves love, but Edward is happy to prove her wrong.
I have a friend who says “There’s a lid for every pot.”
Do you believe there’s someone out there for everyone? How did you meet your partner? I have a signed copy of Mistress by Marriage for one commenter.
Vanessa, here. Be sure to check out Maggie’s website, which includes excerpts and details on all her books. And don’t forget to answer her question for a chance to win Mistress by Marriage!