Never let destiny meddle in your romantic affairs…
When Lily Bennett became the caretaker
of her teenage sister, it came at the expense of her hopes, dreams, and the
home she grew up in. Now that her sister is grown and on her own, Lily
struggles to find a place to call home. She wants to feel part of a family
again and intends to mend the broken relationships with her siblings. That is,
until she discovers an unusual timepiece that lands her in Regency England. And
at the feet of one of the most eligible men in society. Unfortunately, he
believes that she’s crazy. Any attraction Lily feels for the stubborn man is
clearly one-sided. Too bad she’s stuck with him until she can figure out how to
get home.
Gabriel Hawthorne, Earl of Rothden,
has decided to host one last house party before returning to London for the
dreaded season where every simpering chit and money-hungry mother will hover
around him like flies. Add to that his sister’s hunt for a husband and Gabriel
would rather shoot himself than a grouse. Still, it’s his duty to find his
sister a suitable match, which he’ll do after one last bit of respite to shore up
his defenses. A respite interrupted when a pretty little wallflower in
scandalous clothes lands at his feet claiming to be from the future. He'd turn
her over to doctors if she weren’t so damn intriguing. Suddenly, all thoughts
of London, responsibilities, and simpering debutantes don’t seem half as hard
as getting Lily to stay with him.
But when his ex-mistress arrives
unannounced at the house party, she makes every effort to drive a wedge between
the fragile bond Gabriel and Lily have forged. If she succeeds, he could lose
Lily forever. And if Lily finds a way back to her time, he may have to follow
her.
Because the Earl of Rothden always gets what he wants. Even when it’s a wallflower from the future.
Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature author Aurrora St. James as she celebrates the release of The Earl’s Timely Wallflower, a time travel romance. With Aurrora is Gabriel Hawthorne, Earl of Rothden who will go first.
Good morning, Your Grace. Thank you for taking time away from your duties and responsibilities to speak with us. Let’s begin with where you are from. Marston, England
Tell us a bit about The Earl’s Timely Wallflower. This book documents a most unexpected and difficult time in my life. It was October 1813 and I was expected to be back in London for the start of Parliament at the beginning of November, which I was not anticipating with any great fondness. I decided to throw a house party to enjoy the last of my freedom and invite my closest friends. Ten days of relaxation, before duty. That’s all I wanted. Destiny, and my sister, had other ideas.
What
did you think the first time you saw Lily Bennett. I thought she was oddly dressed and quite mad. Lovely,
but in need of doctors for her delusions
What was
your second thought? Lovely
and mad were an intriguing combination. I honestly didn’t know if I could
believe her story about time travel even when my own doctor didn’t dismiss the theory.
Lily was like no one I’d ever met.
Do you
feel it was love at first sight? At
the time, I didn’t. In retrospect, it certainly was. There’s no other explanation
for my immediate feelings concerning Lily.
What
do you like most about Lily? How she
loves those around her. She would do anything for those closest to her, even
sacrificing her own happiness—and her spectacles.
How
would you describe her? Smart, curvy,
sweet, with those delicious curls and lovely eyes… Also a dreamer and strong
How
would she describe you? She would say
that I’m stubborn, sometimes overbearing—especially when it comes to my sister,
Violet—yet caring. She says I’m extremely handsome and ah… attentive.
Tell
us about being a noble. What has it been like for you? I was born to do it. Quite literally. The last six
generations of Hawthornes have been the Earl of Rothden. My father almost made
us destitute, but I managed to save and increase the family fortune.
What
is your biggest fear? Losing my
sister. She is of marriageable age and about to enter her second Season. She
very much wants a husband and family of her own and it is up to me to choose a
suitable man. It has just been she and I for the last decade. I’m not quite
ready for that separation, if you will.
How
do you relax? Cards, hunting, and
riding mostly.
Who
is your favorite fictional character?
Robin Hood
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? Do what’s right. Always.
Gabriel;
we appreciate your time and candor. Now it’s time for Aurrora to take the spotlight.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Christine Feehan’s Dark series fueled my imagination
and started my love for paranormal romance. Witchblade the TV movie got me
back into writing again, and Ladyhawke brought in that love of
historical romance with fantasy elements.
Is
there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story
and how do you feel it impacted the novel? One of the things that I think is so relatable about Lily is that she’s
somewhat insecure, especially in the presence of other more beautiful women.
She’s comfortable with herself and her looks but doesn’t think she necessarily
can keep the attention of a gorgeous Earl with beautiful women trailing after
him day and night. It’s something I, and a lot of women, can relate to.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced
your decision to submit to them? I
met the owner of Dragonblade Publishing in 2015 and we’ve been friends on
Facebook since. At the time we met, I only knew her as an author. I wasn’t aware
of the publishing side of her business until a few years later. They contacted
me and suggested that I would be a good fit for their publishing lines and asked
if I’d be interested in writing a series for them.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?
Here’s a short list: The Rycke by Lily Mayne, Knightmaster by
Anna Hackett, Yearning for Her by Tiffany Roberts, Going Rogue by
Cassie Mint, and the Eight Hungry Lyons anthology. Probably four of the
most vastly different books that you can get but I enjoy a wide range of
romance genres.
Lastly, what's up next and
when can we expect to see it on the shelves? The next book is Tempting the Reclusive Earl, the
second book in the Taken by Destiny trilogy. It should be out at the end of
May. After that is the final book, Touching the Hero’s Heart in July.
To learn more about Aurrora St. James and the stories she creates, go to:
Newsletter: https://www.aurrorastjames.com/newsletter
(get a free contemporary paranormal romance)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AurroraStJamesAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aurrorastjames/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aurrora-st-james
To purchase The Earl’s Timely Wallflower, go to:
https://www.amazon.com/Earls-Timely-Wallflower-Taken-Destiny-ebook/dp/B0BWG8J654/
