Can this scoundrel convince a proper lady that he’s actually perfect for her
or will their adventure leave them both heartbroken?
A STUDY IN SCOUNDRELS
Romancing the Rules #2
Christy Carlyle
Releasing April 11th, 2017
Avon Impulse
Sophia Ruthven is the epitome of proper behavior. On
paper at least, as long as that paper isn’t from one of the lady detective
stories she secretly pens. She certainly isn’t interested in associating with
the dashing Jasper Grey, the wayward heir to the Earl of Stanhope, and one of
the stage’s leading men. But when she learns Grey’s younger sister Liddy has
gone missing, she can’t deny her desire to solve the mystery…or her attraction
to the incorrigible scoundrel.
Responsibility isn’t something Grey is very familiar with. On the boards and in
the bedroom, he lives exactly how he wants to, shunning all the trappings of
respectability and society. Grey knows he should avoid the bewitching Sophia,
but he’s never been able to say no to what he wants. And having Sophia in his
arms and his bed is quickly becoming the thing he wants the most.
As Sophia and Grey’s search for Liddy continues across the English countryside,
can this scoundrel convince a proper lady that he’s actually perfect for her or
will their adventure leave them both heartbroken?
Laughter
tickled his ears. Weight bore down on his chest, draped over his hips. A soft
weight, pliant under his hands. Heated too. Pleasure in his groin twined with
pain in his head as the soft, warm weight moved against him.
He blinked,
then again. Colors shimmered and blurred. The light was too dim. The room too
smoky. Perfume burned his nose, too spicy and pungent.
What was that
sound? A moan. A cry.
A rumbling
groan reverberated in his own chest.
“Don’t leave
me now,” a woman whispered near his ear. “I need release.”
He flexed his
fingers, digging into the warm flesh of smooth feminine legs. Slid his hand up,
finding the thicket of curls between the woman’s spread thighs.
“Yes, Grey.”
She moved
against him, her breath quickening as little moans emerged. She clutched at his
shoulder, her other hand on his, showing him how to touch her.
He didn’t
require much direction. The role of lover was one he knew by heart. Some said
he was skilled on stage, but he never doubted his expertise in the bedroom.
His own body
had numbed. Whether from drink or the drugging effect of the smoke rising in
whorls above his head, he wasn’t certain. But this, how to touch a woman, how
to give pleasure. This he knew intuitively. This was where he excelled.
Heaven knew
he’d failed at everything else.
Except
acting.
But
performing on stage was all a matter of illusion, of lying artfully. Sex and
falsehood were his twin aptitudes.
If only he
could see the woman clearly and scatter the fog in his mind. He twisted his
head on the pillow and noticed a half-empty glass of blue-green liquid glowing
in the low gaslight.
“What did I
drink?”
A trill of
laughter. Red lips. The curve of a grin in a pale face. A waterfall of red
hair.
He swirled
his fingers in the woman’s curls. She stilled and held her breath. He knew he’d
found the key. Gently, masterfully, he touched her with all the art he’d
learned from countless lovers.
“Oh, Grey.”
She twitched against his fingers, dug her nails into his shoulder. “Don’t
stop.”
He didn’t.
Not until she gusted out a long moan, dipped her head, and sank against him as
if her bones had melted.
“Absinthe,”
she murmured against his chest. “A bit of laudanum.”
Grey pressed
a fist to the throbbing crown of his head and tried to sit up. The lady on his
chest stretched like a cat woken from a nap before rising off him and stepping
away from the bed.
No, he
realized when his vision cleared and he took in the books lining the walls, not
a bed. Not his bedroom. He was on a settee in his London townhouse’s library,
and he and his lady companion were not alone. Half-clothed bodies reclined
around the musky, haze-clouded room. Some sleeping. Others smoking from an
enormous bubbling hookah. At least one couple was busy, writhing and moaning in
the far corner.
A man
stumbled past the open library door, nude from the waist up, his shirt and coat
rolled in a crumpled ball in his arms. Returning to the threshold, he let out a
burp before offering, “Many happy returns, Grey. Smashing birthday party.”
Interview with Christy
Carlyle
How did you come up with the concept
and the characters for the story?
The hero and
heroine of A STUDY IN SCOUNDRELS were introduced in the first book of the
Romancing the Rules series, RULES FOR A ROGUE. I immediately knew that Sophia
Ruthven, who was straight-laced and exceedingly proper, should end up with
Jasper Grey, who reveled in being a scoundrel. The challenge was figuring out
what each possessed that would appeal to the other. Since I knew Sophia loved
detective novels, having them set out to solve a mystery together seemed a
perfect way to keep them in each other’s company for a while.
What did you enjoy most about writing
this book?
I enjoyed
writing A STUDY IN SCONDRELS because of the opportunity to include a bit of
mystery in the storyline. Like my heroine, Sophia, I am a big fan of detective
novels. Sherlock Holmes was as popular in the Victorian era as he is today, and
I was fascinated to learn that there were several “lady detective” novels
published in Britain long before Conan Doyle’s sleuth appeared. Sophia loves
mysteries and when faced with one, she can’t resist jumping in to investigate.
Name one thing you won’t leave home
without.
A small purse-sized
notepad and a pen. After getting stuck at doctor’s offices and restaurants with
nothing to write on when a story ideas strikes, I’ve learned my lesson. In
desperation, I’ve written on the backs of receipts, napkins, and envelopes, but
nothing compares to having a little notebook in which I can organize my thoughts
during all those “waiting” moments that pop up during a week.
Name three things on your desk right
now.
Sticky notes,
an unfinished cup of coffee, and way too many pens. I feel like no desk is
complete without a big heaping pile of sticky notes. I love their cheery colors
and find them a useful tool to capture ideas as they pop into my head. I try to
limit myself to one big cup of coffee a day, but many days I get busy and don’t
end up drinking most of it until it’s gone cold. And pens? I seem to attract
them. I clear off my desk each morning before starting to write, but by evening
the surface is covered with pens. I tend to reach for another one every time I
need to write something down.
What
types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
I love moments of tension, especially when they involve banter between
the hero and heroine. Writing snappy banter is a challenge for me, but I enjoy
the struggle because those are the moments that reveal so much about my
characters. It’s a chance to build emotion between the hero and heroine, but banter
also allows them to begin admiring each other for wit and cleverness, something
beyond the initial physical attraction.
Are there certain characters you would
like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
Secondary
characters are always hard to let go of. Often harder than my heroes and
heroines, since they haven’t had their stories fully explored. I have a dozen
secondary characters that I’d love to revisit, but one, Rob Wellesley from my
first Avon Impulse novel, ONE SCANDALOUS KISS, persists in my mind. I’ve
received several reader letters about him and would love to give him his happy
ending someday.
Do you have any advice to give to
aspiring writers?
Persist and
never stop learning. I’ve been writing for years, began publishing three years
ago, and I still feel as if I’m a newcomer. There is always more to learn, more
ways to stretch ourselves as writers. Rejections come with the territory if
your goal is to publish, but each rejection is just an opportunity to improve
your story and hone your writing skills.
How to Write a
Scoundrel in Five Steps by Christy Carlyle
Make him a renegade.
Every scoundrel is, in some sense, a renegade. He does not conform to society’s
rules. Whether he’s a viscount or a valet, a scoundrel doesn’t give a fig what
others think of his outrageous behavior. In fact, he relishes his rebellion and
the effect he has on others. To shock a virginal debutante into a blush. To
send a society matron searching for her smelling salts. To make a rival livid
with disdain. Those are the moments a scoundrel lives for. Even if he’s meant
for ultimate redemption (and, of course, he is), a true scoundrel always starts
as a rule breaker.
Infuse him with magnetism.
A scoundrel must draw you, tantalize you, no matter how much of a rogue he is.
A scoundrel should wield a kind of magnetism that’s impossible to deny. A
magnetism based on more than his charm, handsome features, and appealing
physique, though it helps if he possesses those in spades. Yet even a scarred,
flawed scoundrel intrigues the most proper heroine, exuding a charisma that
makes her curious enough to look beyond his reputation and bad behavior. When I
think of the magnetic scoundrel, Lisa Kleypas’s Derek Craven from Dreaming of You comes to mind. From his
first appearance on the page, he exerted a magnetic pull on me, as a reader,
and on Sara, the story’s heroine.
Turn up the
confidence. Scoundrels rarely regret their sins. At least at first. To be a
true scoundrel, a man must revel in his naughtiness for a while. One of the
keys to being a successful scoundrel, after all, is acquiring a terrible
reputation, and it takes effort to convince everyone around you that you’re an
unprincipled man. Part of a scoundrel’s appeal lies in his confidence, whether
in his looks, his charm, or some skill that he performs particularly well. And,
no, I’m not only thinking of talents in the bedroom. Consider Han Solo, the Star Wars scoundrel we all love. Han may
have suspected Leia’s feelings for him, but he knew with absolute certainty
that he was one of the best pilots in the galaxy. Confidence is sexy, and
scoundrels have plenty.
Dig into his history.
He may be the life of the party. Embracing every sin. Indulging every impulse.
But the best scoundrels have a history that’s far less about pleasure than
their lifestyle would suggest. Often there’s a wound, a trauma, some deeply
buried regret that they seek to block out with hedonism and sensual
gratification. He can’t escape his past, of course, no matter how much he
carouses. My hero, Jasper Grey, in A
Study in Scoundrels has never quite gotten past the death of his brother. His
guilt is what drives him to overindulge and embrace his role as a scoundrel.
Give him a formidable
challenge. Every hero is presented with a challenge. Part of the appeal of
a scoundrel is that he usually faces provocation with gusto. Whether he schemes
to avoid marriage, or attempts to outwit a clever heroine, a scoundrel never
backs down from a dare. Challenge intrigues him, excites him. Probably because
his overconfidence convinces him he’ll always emerge the victor. Of course, a
challenge often alters the scoundrel in ways he doesn’t expect, especially if confrontation
comes in the form of a fierce, smart, determined heroine who strips away his
seductive veneer and digs deep enough to unearth the man inside.
Fueled
by Pacific Northwest coffee and inspired by multiple viewings of every British
costume drama she can get her hands on, USA Today bestselling
author Christy Carlyle writes sensual historical romance set in the
Victorian era. She loves heroes who struggle against all odds and heroines who
are ahead of their time. A former teacher with a degree in history, she finds
there’s nothing better than being able to combine her love of the past with a
die-hard belief in happy endings.
Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAllisia
Tasty Book Tours