In case you’ve not heard of the project, I’ve collaborated with 5 other authors to produce an 8-book Regency continuity which features several major families and an over-arching storyline that extends across all eight books, although, of course, each book also stands on its own.

Three friends and rival spymasters, two scandalous affairs, one murder, and an innocent man hanged on the testimony of his best friend set the stage for the next generation to try to solve the mystery of the murder and redeem lives shattered by disgrace. The authors dubbed this continuity “The Silken Rope Scandals” since, it turns out, peers condemned to hang are executed with a rope made of silk. No common hemp for milord, please.

Though the “official” series title will be REGENCY SILK AND SCANDAL, we authors love fellow “continuista” Louise Allen’s slightly longer description of the project: “The Scandals of the Murdered Baron’s Mystery Gypsy Lovechild’s Forbidden Revenge Quest Involving Virgins and at Least One Earl” The best part for the writers, though, is that subject to editorial review, we were given complete freedom to come up with the concept, the characters, the plot—everything. It’s been fabulous fun working with such a talented group to torture, bedevil (and loosely connect) our various heroes and heroines!

THE SMUGGLER AND THE SOCIETY BRIDE features a heroine who is ruined and banished from society as revenge for the wrongs supposedly done by her family. Having fled London after a disgrace engineered by some unknown enemy, Lady Honoria Carlow is trying to figure out what to do with her life…and how to respond to her irritating immediate attraction to the completely ineligible but undeniably charming local smuggler revered as “The Hawk.”

Goodness, she’s thinking in disgust, hasn’t her humiliation taught her anything about avoiding such men? What she needs is something to occupy her suddenly empty hours that doesn’t involve preaching, needlework or making charitable visits to the poor, three genteel talents she does not possess.

Former army officer Gabriel Hawksworth is also more than he seems. Having become temporary captain of a smuggling cutter as a favor to the army comrade who saved his life, he wonders what brought this stunningly lovely lady to a small fishing village on the remote Cornish coast. For such an eligible maiden to make an extended visit to her spinster aunt during the height of the London Season seems most strange. Gabe scents a scandal…and if the lady’s morals are a bit less strict than her proper family would like, he’s just the man to offer her some diversion during her stay in Sennlach!

Check back here for news and updates about the release of this exciting series!