Hi, folks!

Verity’s book is going well, I’m happy to report. I’d tell you her hero’s name, except that names change sometimes (but not the hero—just the name), so until I’m sure, I’m not saying. How to Woo a Reluctant Lady just came out with a new cover a week ago. Bit of trivia: I wanted to title it, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Minerva?, but Pocket vetoed that, probably because it was too long. You may not realize this—long titles are a problem on books that are mass market paperback size. There’s no way to fit the titles on there! Still, my original will always be how I think about that book. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and Minerva will always have a special place in my heart, so do check it out if you see it in a store. Oh, and the first book of the Hellions, The Truth about Lord Stoneville, has a scene that takes place at a Valentine’s Day ball! How appropriate for my February newsletter.

So I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s or Galentine’s Day, depending on which you plan to celebrate (or if you plan to celebrate either, which you may not). Rest assured, you’re all my valentines, and I’m happy to have you as readers.

Kisses to all of you,

Spend Valentine’s Day with Minerva and Giles!

Have you read How to Woo a Reluctant Lady? It’s the third romance in the Hellions of Hallstead Hall series and follows a fiercely independent woman as she schemes to avoid an arranged marriage...but she may lose her heart in the process.

Lady Minerva Sharpe’s grandmother has a life-changing ultimatum for her inheritance—get married. But Lady Minerva believes she’s come up with the perfect plan—embark on a fake engagement to a notorious rogue. Surely her grandmother would rather release her inheritance than have her married to a scoundrel. She just has to find one to play the part.

Luckily, there’s the wild barrister Giles Masters, the same man who has haunted her thoughts since he kissed her on her nineteenth birthday. Of course, she has no intention of falling for such a rake, much less marrying him. But soon, their fake betrothal leads to very real desire.

“. . . richly imbued with steamy passion, deftly spiced with dangerous intrigue, and neatly tempered with just the right amount of tart wit” (Booklist).

Get your audiobook, e-book, or print copy of How to Woo a Reluctant Lady with a brand-new cover at one of these book retailers.

Regency Tidbit

In researching my scene for The Truth About Lord Stoneville, I found the most interesting Regency-era Valentine’s Day tradition: a lottery (I used it in the book, too). On Valentine’s Day evening, young people would draw names out of a hat to discover who would be their valentine for the coming year. It was supposed to be a predictor of matrimony. I did have some trouble understanding the logistics, since everyone drew a name. What if Mary drew George’s name, while George drew Joan’s? I wasn’t quite sure how that worked, so I . . . er . . . altered it a little. Call it poetic license, if you will. I still think it sounds like fun . . . unless, of course, you don’t draw the person’s name you want for a valentine.

Exclusive Book Giveaway for YOU!

Ever grateful for my newsletter subscribers, I’ve decided to do a monthly contest exclusively for you! This month, newsletter subscribers only (that’s you!) can fill out this form for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Truth About Lord Stoneville with his snazzy new cover art. Make sure to fill out the form before February 15 for a chance to win. Good luck!

Congratulations to last month’s ARC winners!

Thanks so much to the nearly 500 of you who filled out the form for a chance to enter to win an advance reading copy of my upcoming book, What Happens in the Ballroom. Random number generator chose the 10 winners who will receive their books soon.

Don’t forget, you can still pre-order What Happens in the Ballroom from one of your favorite book retailers listed here.

Looking for even more chances to win prizes that are sure to delight any historical romance fan? Visit my website to enter to win an autographed copy of The Secret of Flirting from my Sinful Suitors series and a $20 e-gift certificate to the Meet Cute Romance Bookshop this month!