It may be winter, but you can still warm the cockles of your heart with a sweet Victorian romance. Today, Rake & Romance is making its debut! It’s a sequel to Ruse & Romance, of course, but since I needed to mix things up a bit, I brought in three characters from Texas. The book is set in 1845, when Texas was still a sovereign entity. By December 29, 1845, the annexation of the Republic by the U.S. took effect. Nevertheless, Texas had its own culture, and residents of the Republic were known as Texians (with an i).

These new characters, Lord Horatio, his son Cody, and daughter Stephanie, were all born in England. Because Horatio was the second son of a marquess, and therefore not in line to inherit the title, he traveled overseas and managed to amass a fortune. Although Lord Horatio’s title is merely a courtesy, he’s the white sheep of the family. His brother, William, lacks a moral compass, and has passed his values to his wicked son, Zachary Gryphon (introduced in Ruse & Romance).

By the time Rake & Romance takes place, Lord Zachary Gryphon has dropped out of polite society, but his scandalous reputation remains. When Horatio Gryphon and his family return to England to find a husband for Stephanie, the waters are muddied. Worse, Cody and his cousin Zachary bear an uncanny resemblance to one another, and he finds himself unfairly painted by the same brush.

Enter sweet Juliet Beaucroft, who is just finishing her first Season. She’s widely expected to announce her engagement to stately, steady Lord Elbourne, but instead faces disappointment. The earl’s father finds himself in financial difficulty, and must seek an heiress for his son. If Juliet doesn’t marry Lord Elbourne, however, society may very well laugh at the snub and assume she’s on the shelf forever. Could a ruse be the answer?

As you can well imagine, there’s plenty of conflict to keep the pages turning! Rake & Romance is specially priced at $0.99 for its release weekend, and Ruse & Romance is free on Friday, January 29th! If you enjoy the series, please leave a few kind words on Amazon for me! Good reviews always buoy my spirits and make me feel like writing even more. ~ Suzanne

The Mannequin is a Kindle freebie from Sunday, December 27, through Tuesday, December 29. Although the novel is a sweet Victorian romance, I took inspiration from Beauty & the Beast and Cinderella, as well as classic literature and fairy-tales.

Blurb: When she was a poor country girl in a hand-me-down dress, Rosamund saved the Duke of Swanhaven from the brink of despair…only to fall in love with him. Now a celebrated mannequin for an exclusive London dressmaker, her glamorous life is empty without the man to whom she gave her heart. Can a beastly duke and a beautiful mannequin ever find a fairy-tale ending?

https://youtu.be/jgqHYICw-0A

Pick up The Mannequin HERE, and tell a friend!

Have a lovely holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving! Personally, I’m hoping to eat several pieces of pumpkin pie, which is one of the most magical and scrumptious foods ever. Enjoy time with family and friends!

~ Suzanne

The release date for my latest romantic fantasy novella, Whimsical Tendencies, has been moved up to Friday, November 27th!

Blurb: Although she has no memories before the quake that destroyed the kingdom of Augury, Cypher McCall holds a steadfast hatred of the repressive Cauldian regime now ruling the country. Because her magical gifts are deemed subversive, she does her best to avoid detection. Unfortunately for Cypher, however, she’s too beautiful to ignore. After a Cauldian contingent arrives in her hometown, a chance encounter leaves her repulsed by the arrogant Prince Ewan and attracted to his distant cousin, Lord Joss.

When she learns Prince Ewan plans to tear down the ruins of nearby Castle Augur, Cypher vows to stop him. Although handsome Lord Joss tries to protect her from his vindictive cousin, Cypher can’t bring herself to trust the enemy. At the same time, nightmares and dreams nudge her toward reclaiming childhood memories. She stumbles on a silver key that she hopes will unlock her past, but first she must confront a long repressed horror at the Castle Augur ruins.

Will the knowledge of Cypher’s true identity tear her apart or will it empower her to restore everything she ever loved?

Excerpt:

“I do hope this girl isn’t bothering you.” The officer sniffed. “These country folk are so provincial.”

“Not at all, Ewan,” Joss said. “I was in the young lady’s way.”

Her eyes widened as she realized the officer was in fact Prince Ewan, the crown prince of Cauldia. Why had the man come to Plentiful?

The prince’s gaze traveled down her body. By the time his eyes returned to her face, the man wore an appreciative smirk. “What do they call you…besides schoolgirl?”

“Cypher McCall, Your Highness.” Albeit grudgingly, she sketched the briefest of curtsies.

“McCall? You must belong to that tavern down the street.” His chuckle was contemptuous. “You’re a future barmaid, then.”

Cypher bristled, but Joss offered her his arm. “We’ve kept the lady far too long, Ewan. I’ll escort her to her destination, and then we can resume our business.”

“Do make haste. I find the delights of Plentiful have long since worn thin.”

As Cypher wrapped her fingers around the proffered arm, her feelings were mixed. She was reluctant to accept help from a Cauldian, however good-looking he might be. Nevertheless, if Lord Joss’s absence irked the crown prince of Cauldia, she meant to keep the handsome man occupied as long as possible.

Joss guided her to the boardwalk, and they strolled together toward the tavern. She couldn’t help but notice several townspeople shoot her pointed glances. Undoubtedly, they wondered why she was fraternizing the with enemy.

“I-I thank you for your assistance, Lord Joss, but I shouldn’t be talking to you. You’re a Cauldian.”

“True, but my mother was born in Augury. Perhaps you could address my better Augurian half?”

“Perhaps.” A giggle escaped her lips.

“Good. I made you laugh—despite my unfortunate connections. I hope Prince Ewan didn’t offend you just now. My cousin isn’t necessarily known for his manners.”

“Cousin?”

“The prince and I are distantly related by marriage.”

Her heart sank and she released his arm. “So you’re part of the royal family.”

He frowned. “I wish you wouldn’t hold that against me. More significantly, I work for the Minister Alcott, of Citizen Relations. I’m here as a diplomat.”

The swinging McCall’s Tavern sign came into view.

“You’re wasting your time, Lord Joss, if you think any measure of diplomacy will ease our feelings about the Cauldian occupation of Augury. Please inform Minister Alcott that citizen relations will only improve once you return to your own country permanently and relinquish control of Augury.”

“There’s not a ghost of a chance that will happen, I’m afraid.”

“Then citizen relations shall remain decidedly cool.”

“I regret to hear that, Miss McCall.”

She was taken aback by the look of sincerity on the man’s face, until she reminded herself he was a Cauldian—and her bitter enemy.

Although I’ve been publishing under the author name of S.G. Rogers, I thought I’d pull off the mask and step out into the light as Suzanne G. Rogers. I hope this new name will make it easier for readers to find my own particular brand of sweet historical romance, fantasy, and adventure literature. By 2016, I’ll be posting on this blog exclusively, but for now, feel free to check out my other (former) website HERE.

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~ Suzanne