Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

Dear Mrs Justiss,

“A Most Unconventional Match” lives up to its name. I fear that the back blurb won’t give readers much enticement to choose it over any other Regency set historical though. When I first read it, I thought, “hmmmm, okay. Sounds….nice.” Which I would guess is not the “gotta buy this now!” response you’re looking for from potential readers. Yet, as the story progressed I found myself hoping others will give it a try.

Large, handsome Hal Waterman is a man who stands out in a crowd but one who takes no pleasure from doing so. He has more than the usual Regency hero’s nonsensical reticence to step into the parson’s mousetrap. He actually has a reason. Left fatherless at a young age, Hal had to endure his beautiful mother’s scorn for his awkwardness and stuttering. Then he gets treated to years of her matchmaking with ruthless determination. It’s no wonder he tries to avoid her though I do wish he wouldn’t tar all women with the same brush. I was happy to see him quickly come to his senses about Elizabeth, a woman he had misjudged then and continued …

Dear Mrs. Justiss,

I think if readers are looking for a nice, safe Regency that doesn’t rock any boats then “Rogue’s Lady” is a good bet. There’s the rake hero who’s trying to reform in order to land an heiress with money to resurrect his crumbling estate, there’s the “daughter of a misalliance” heroine who’s fiercely proud of her parents who married for love and lived in happy poverty, and an assorted bunch of secondary characters which Regency fans will easily recognize. Fans searching for something that does anything different with the standard plots featuring these characters will need to look elsewhere though.

Will is a rake. Orphaned in his youth, brought up by those who did the bare minimum of their duty to him, he’s been on his own for years. The only relative who has ever cared for him shows up at his door and forces him to agree to squiring her around during the latest Season. Maybe while doing this, Lucille will help him nab a young lady of fortune. Like Lucille, I found it hard to believe that some girl who …

Dear Ms. Justiss:

Beautiful cover. Writing for these upper tiered lines at Harlequin must make you thrilled because you can usually expect a gorgeous, arty cover which is what convinced me to buy this book in the first place. I have a love/hate relationship with courtesan novels. Usually the courtesan is a faux courtesan, one whose protector is impotent and she remains untouched until the hero comes along. Having a courtesan allows an author in historical times, to give the heroine a measure of sexual and financial independence which is refreshing. In your book, Belle is neither.

Belle meets Jack when he comes to see her fence. Watching Belle fence and being granted the opportunity to fence against her is a popular pastime amongst the gentlemen of society. Jack, who has just returned from battle, is unpacking in his things in a borrowed residence where he will stay until he can arrange for more permanent lodgings. A friend of his comes to his room and convinces him to attend of fencing lesson. It is the fencing lessons of Lady Belle, the former mistress of the deceased …