Psst! See my note at the bottom of this post! ~DD
Thanks so much to Delilah for the chance to visit! I write hot Regency romances as Maggie Robinson for Kensington Brava and hotter ones as Margaret Rowe for Berkley Heat. Since March is Women’s History Month, I’ve been thinking a lot about my historical heroines and the difficulties they face simply because they are women.
Some readers complain when a fictional character exhibits too much of a 21st century sensibility, but it’s easy to see why a writer rewrites some boundaries. We’ve sure come a long way, baby. A Regency era wife could own no property of her own; anything she might bring into the marriage belonged to her husband. And even if he was head-over-heels in love with her, he could only leave her money after he was dead, but not gift her property in life. If they were not head-over-heels, a wife could not sue her husband for divorce, even if he was unfaithful or beat her. After 1857, he could sue her, though. If they did separate, the kids belonged to him, no matter what his sins might be. A husband and wife were considered one person in law, and woe to the independent woman who did not marry. Her father would be bossing her around instead.
Sounds pretty grim, doesn’t it? And we’re not even talking about voting. No wonder I don’t want to write about these poor creatures who were totally dependent on men. So my heroines sometimes walk on the wild side of the street, perhaps historically inaccurately, but I can’t help it. They’re not sitting in the parlor stitching samplers waiting for a suitor to come to dispel the boredom, marry him and then die in childbirth.
My current heroine Frederica Wells in Margaret Rowe’s erotic March release Any Wicked Thing is a medieval scholar who writes (accurate) history books, but she finds herself the ward of her childhood friend and adult nemesis Sebastian Goddard, Duke of Roxbury. Devilish Sebastian is the last person in the world who should be in charge of demure Freddie, so sparks fly. Pretty soon Goddard Castle is on fire as Sebastian teaches her all the things he’s learned while she stayed home. But Freddie is a quick learner and gives as good as she gets, doing any wicked thing and then some. ;).
Which Regency ladylike activity would you excel at? Sewing, singing, playing the pianoforte, painting, archery, riding or perhaps something else? Comment to win a copy of Any Wicked Thing!
One disastrous night…
At twenty-one, Sebastian Goddard, heir to the duke of Roxbury, desperately sought diversion from a life smothered by peerage and position. His quest led him to one night of reckless passion, resulting in betrayal by his oldest friend Frederica Wells, and the discovery of his father’s darkest secret. Reeling from the devastation, he embarked on a ten-year debauch that well earned him the nickname–”Lord of Sin.”
One delicious bargain…
Now Sebastian has returned to find his late father’s estate in ruins and Freddie more seductive than ever. He’s determined to drive her from Goddard Castle to pay her back for her deception and to protect his own dark secret. But Freddie makes him an offer he can’t resist…she’ll be his mistress for a month if he’ll consent to sell her the crumbling castle afterward.
Everything he could desire…
The Lord of Sin plans to shock and scandalize Freddie—to tease her every desire and leave her wanting. But his fiery-willed lover soon teaches him the past may not be what it seemed, the present more tempting than he could have imagined, and the future filled with more promise than he dared dream. For thirty-one nights is not nearly enough when you’ve been given a license to do any wicked thing…
www.margaretrowe.net
www.maggierobinson.net
[It always happens! My Access Romance blog doesn’t follow a regular schedule, so I couldn’t plan this in advance. Maggie’s my guest today, but you can also find me at Access Romance, with a pretty picture for you to “Tell Me a Story”. Be sure to say hello to Maggie before heading over to the Access Romance blog. ~DD]
Comment
The singing voice is tolerable as are the watercolors. I can write a fine hand with a dip pen without blotting my copy. I’m also proficient at archery.
Alas, I fear my embroidery is beyond redemption.
Comment
I don’t think I would be good at any of those. Maybe I would be a skilled flirt. 😉
Comment
Thanks to Delilah for having me today! I’m typing this from the Charlotte NC airport. We’re travelling today (a day earlier than expected) so I’m not exactly around, LOL. Crystal & Virginia, thanks so much for stopping by. Crystal, I love the skilled flirt answer! Virginia, I’ll stay far away incase your arrow goes astray. 😉
Comment
Maggie:
What a wonderful premise for a story. I’m really looking forward to this book! (Spring break, and my reading binge, starts next Sunday – can’t wait.)
I think if I were forced to have pastimes and accomplishments they would be the ones I started by choice in childhood – reading, writing voluminous letters, and riding horses very, very fast.
Oh, goodness, I think I am a regency lady after all. 🙂
Comment
Elizabeth, guess what I’m planning to read on my cruise? *g*
Comment
Hi Maggie! Enjoy your cruise!
The tsunami scare was a close one for us here. Waiting to hear from friends in Japan.
Cute question and a nice distraction. I took a semester of archery in P.E. once upon a time so that would be it!
Comment
I don’t think I would be good at any of those things, maybe sewing.
I can’t wait to read this book. It looks so good and I love reading friends to lovers books.
Comment
First, I just have to say that I loved CrystalGB’s comment… LOL! I love to sew & quilt… so I would think they would be my appreciated talents from that time. Singing certainly isn’t!
Comment
Linda and Danielle, my mom used to work for a fashion design house and literally could make dresses out of curtains a la Scarlett O’Hara. I really can’t sew a stitch!
Mrs. Shukra, stay safe. I thought of you this morning when I woke up to the news. XXOO
Comment
I suck at most those things listed! I can cross-stitch though and I’m not too bad either! I could fit right in at being a regency lady! Thanks for sharing today! 😀
Comment
Which proper thing would I excel at doing? Eek! I love crafting, so I probably would have found some use for that. I probably would have ended up be a governess or teacher. Given how opionated I am, I probably would have found steady work difficult 😆
Comment
Riding! I have ridden side-saddle and driven a buggy. I have ribbons and trophys from horse shows.
& I think I could be a LADY…LOL!
Comment
😮 I would probably be a sewer. I bead, and it’s the little crafty things I can do….that or garden….*S*
I loved the interview. I agree…times were not good for women. I probably would lip off one too many times…*S*
Darcy
pommawolf @ hotmail dot com
Comment
Hello Maggie! 😛
Comment
Not a creative person at all. I think with practice I would probably be best at riding. The books sounds great. lisagk at yahoo dot com
Comment
Hmmm. maybe singing. I don’t think cooking was a “ladylike skill” and I’m pretty sure I’d kill someone if I even tried archery – possibly myself – I’m woefully uncoordinated and not to be trusted with projectiles of any sort.