A fun, sizzling, rollicking good read. London, 1817. Julianna Harte is the daughter of a reformed high-class thief and the founder of a home for abandoned children in London who is desperate to raise funds to stop her home closing – so desperate, in fact, that she resorts to robbery.
A keen cook, I love to explore regional recipes – from places I visit and from the area in which I live: the south of France and Kent. Today I am going to share with you a recipe for Kentish pudding pie, which is a little like a baked cheesecake
Each month on this blog I share an English translation of a poem by nineteenth-century French poet Leconte de Lisle. His poetry was a great source of inspiration for the descriptions and imagery in my writing, colourful and visual and vivid as it is. The poem I am sharing with
Although I spoke English at home with my parents, I was given a French education. I had a French/Italian governess, I went to a French convent school and I graduated from university with a BA in French Language and Literature. I think that the way I write has been much
From the blurb: Betrayed by his brother and his childhood love, Brice Kinross needs a fresh start. So he welcomes the opportunity to leave Sweden for the Scottish Highlands to take over the family estate. But there’s trouble afoot at Rosyth in 1754 and Brice finds himself unwelcome. The estate’s in
I adore stories of people who are head over heels in love getting carried away, doing crazy things, getting lost in the sensation of love. I wasn’t one of those people who thought Tom Cruise was strange to leap over a sofa while declaring his feelings for Katie on The
A wonderful novella! From the blurb: What happens when a struggling actress and a grieving widower come together in a night of unbridled debauchery orchestrated by a bored and machinating rake? With the devil in charge… there will be hell to pay! Confidently situated in Georgian England, with a believable and
I love lavender and my garden in Ste Maxime is overgrown with it.
I recently ran a question survey via SurveyMonkey and Goodreads to discover people’s ‘most romantics’. For the question ‘What is the most romantic love song?’, the results were as follows: ‘I Will Always Love You’ – 36% ‘Make You Feel My Love’ – 29% ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’
There is something inherently inspirational about the Montmatre in Paris, which gives its name to the surrounding district. On a clear, sunny day, climb the many steps to the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur at the summit, sit with a baguette de jambon et fromage (cheese and ham baguette) and gaze
This house, in St Margaret’s Bay, near my Kentish home, used to belong to actor Noel Coward. I often walk along the beach there.
I recently ran a question survey via SurveyMonkey and Goodreads to discover people’s ‘most romantics’. For the question ‘Which nationality most says “romantic” to you?’, the results were as follows: Italian: 42% French: 33% Spanish: 20% British: 4% American: 1% I was not surprised to see Italy, France and Spain
Some months ago now I discovered word clouds. I love words and I love art, so combining the two is perfect. I regularly visit Terri Guillemets’ website, Quote Garden, because, like her, I love quotations and use them often in my writing. While browsing the site this week I came
“Serious and silly, subversive and mainstream, high and low: Danny Boyle’s bonkers Olympics opening ceremony could only have been made by a British artist.” – Guardian “Leftie multi-cultural rubbish” – Conservative MP Aidan Burley “Brilliant but bonkers…” – Australian TV commentator “It’s corny, cheesy, altogether over the top. And it
Two stories recently in the news caught my eye. The first concerns JK Rowling and her enduringly popular Harry Potter series. Having announced in 2013 her involvement in a Harry Potter-related play, Rowling has now shared details. The play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will open in London’s West
From the blurb: When Lucy’s secret is unearthed, her world begins to crumble. But it may be the best thing that has ever happened to her. Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious measures to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret
I recently came across an article discussing the British Library’s collection of images. Fascinating, I thought at once: I love to visit the library when I am in London. Then my eye caught the word ‘online’. I was astonished to read on and learn that the British Library has shared
In my new book Masquerade, the heroine, Luz, is descended from an old and well-respected Andalucían family. But such is her manner that she usually avoids mixing with the aristocratic circles of the region, preferring instead quiet evenings spent with the same handful of friends, long walks in the countryside
No doubt you’ve come across newsletter signups in your forays online. Perhaps you subscribe to some newsletters; perhaps you even put out your own. Certainly, newsletters have become one of the core tenants of a marketing strategy, alongside social media activity. But I wonder: have you ever stopped to think
One of the best things, for me, about writing a trilogy set in Spain is the excuse it gives me to bury myself in Spanish history, culture and folklore. Of all the countries I have travelled to (and there is quite a list), Spain is in my top three favourites
Welcome to Cadiz, setting for my new novel Masquerade. But not the sparkling, alluring parts of Cadiz to where the tourists flock: welcome to another world – to the gypsies’ world. A little distance from the sea in a glade as dry as brown wrapping paper, wild and barrenlay the
Welcome to my giveaway, as part of the fantastic annual Spooktacular Giveaway Hop. Of the four romance novels I’ve published to date, one stands out as fitting with the ‘Spooktacular’ theme, for its haunting air: The Echoes of Love, a passionate story of secrets, loss, hope and haunting love in romantic
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