Ruining Miss Wrotham

***If he helps her, he'll ruin her... ***


Eleanor Wrotham has sworn off overbearing men, but she needs a man's help—and the man who steps forward is as domineering as he is dangerous: the notorious Mordecai Black.


The illegitimate son of an earl, Mordecai is infamous for his skill with women. His affairs are legendary—but few people realize that Mordecai has rules, and one of them is: Never ruin a woman.


But if Mordecai helps Miss Wrotham, she *will *be ruined.


Q & A with the author


How would you describe this series?


It's a fusion of magic and Regency England. I guess you could say it's "Jane Austen meets Maleficent". I hope to take readers on a journey from the glittering ballrooms of the aristocracy to the dark underbelly of Regency England – with passion, danger, adventure, romance, and a little magic thrown into the mix.


I think the series could also be labelled Regency Noir, because it falls on the darker, grittier side of the romance fence, although each book contains humor, too. The stories are emotional, but not sweet (there's sex, violence, and my heroes do swear rather badly at times!).


Why did you write this series?


I wanted to get my well-bred heroines out of the drawing rooms and put them in the way of adventure and romance. But I didn't want to write a series where magic is common; I wanted to write a series where only a few characters have magic, and it's a deep, dark secret, and no one else knows.


But … do magic and Regency England go together?


Definitely! Many, many years ago I read *Sorcery and Cecelia (or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot) *by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, and totally loved it and ever since then I've thought that Regency England and magic go very well together. Other writers think so, too. Just look at Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.


What was the catalyst for this series?


A magazine article I read in which celebrities were asked what magic power they'd choose and why. That got me thinking! (I'd choose shapeshifting, by the way.)


How would you describe your writing?


Several reviewers have likened my writing to Georgette Heyer, which is the hugest compliment ever. I adore Georgette Heyer! She's why I write historical romance, and I reread her books over and over. (If you've not read The Grand Sophy, please do so!) I've also had readers compare my writing to Courtney Milan and Mary Balogh, which are also massive compliments.


Who would like this series?


This series will appeal to readers who enjoy the historical backdrop of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, the dark and sensual "noir' feel of Anna Campbell, the emotion of Mary Balogh or Courtney Milan, and the magic of Patricia Rice and Mary Robinette Kowal. Quite a broad range, really!


What order should I read the series in?


Each book, whether a novel or novella, can be read as a standalone, but many readers prefer to read them in order. And although the series is set in Regency England, a quartet of medieval novellas form the prequel.


The ideal reading order would be:


The Fey Quartet (series prequel)

Maythorn's Wish

Hazel's Promise

Ivy's Choice

Larkspur's Quest


The Baleful Godmother series

Unmasking Miss Appleby

Resisting Miss Merryweather

Trusting Miss Trentham

Claiming Mister Kemp

Ruining Miss Wrotham

Discovering Miss Dalrymple


Plus three more interlinked Baleful Godmother series to come.


Happy reading!