Author: Alina K. Field Page 4 of 6

Scandal Among the Stones

On August 7, 2024

Dearest Readers,

It is really too much, ladies and gentlemen of the Ton. One finds it difficult to write with decorum when such an affront to our society has been revealed. There is, I regret to inform you, a family hiding among us who does not belong. These brazen parvenus are jewelers by trade, dripping in riches yet utterly devoid of noble blood that would warrant their place amongst our esteemed ranks.

Now, before you clutch your pearls in horror, rest assured that many of you have already unknowingly contributed to their advancement. Yes, indeed, many of you have purchased some of the finest bracelets, medallions, and diamond rings from these imposters. Their craftsmanship is undeniable, but let us not be fooled—merit alone will not earn them a place in our society.

The jewelers must not infiltrate the Ton by merit alone. It’s a privilege only bloodlines can give. Don’t you agree with me?

However, a twist of fate has arrived, one that promises both excitement and dread. The Prince Regent himself has announced a grand competition. Twelve jewelers, the best in London, have been selected, and only one will be chosen at the winter ball. Should this family of clandestine upstarts win, they will earn their place at Court in St. James.

It must not come to pass! Such an outcome would be a travesty, shaking the very foundations of our social order. I, Lady Carol Bustle-Smith, pledge to unleash my wrath upon them. I shall do my very worst to thwart their success and any burgeoning love stories they might entertain along the way.

So, dear readers, keep your eyes sharp and your wits sharper. This winter ball shall be a spectacle, and you can trust that your devoted Lady Carol will leave no stone unturned to ensure these jewelers remain precisely where they belong—on the fringes of our society.

Yours, devotedly,

Lady Carol Bustle-Smith

Read the trilogy and find out how the jewelers triumph and earn their place in society while forging bonds along the way that even the evil gossip of the Ton, Lady Carol Bustle-Smith, can’t break.

Book1 – Margins of Love – Fave’s story
Book 2 – The Pearl of All Brides – Arnold’s story
Book 3 – A Kiss After Tea – Lizzie’s story

“One of the Best Regency Romance Novels in 2022 . . . a Masterful Combination of Historical Romance with Jewish Fiction”
– Yahoo! News

About the Author

Bestselling author Sara Adrien writes hot, heart-melting regency romance with a Jewish twist. As a law professor-turned-author, she writes about clandestine identities, whims of fate, and sizzling seduction. If you like unique and intelligent characters, deliciously sexy scenes, and the nostalgia of afternoon tea, then you’ll adore Sara Adrien’s tender tear-jerkers. She is the author of the series Infiltrating the Ton, Diamond Dynasty, Check Mates, and Miracles on Harley Street. Get 50% off her #1 bestselling 9-book bundle https://www.saraadrien.com/products/diamond-of-the-ton-collection-1

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ASara+Adrien

Whispers from Harley Street

By Alina K. Field

On July 17, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

Dearest Readers,

It is I, your ever-watchful chronicler of clandestine capers and amorous adventures, here to regale you with the most delectable morsels of gossip from our fair city. Today, our tale unfolds on the storied lanes of Harley Street, where miracles in medicine are rivaled only by the marvels of the heart.

A certain Dr. Nick Folsham, esteemed eye surgeon at 87 Harley Street, has found himself entangled in a spectacle far more startling than any he could remedy with his scalpel. Picture this: A bustling pastry shop, a wedding cake of considerable grandeur, and a collision of fates that could not be more perfectly scripted.

It was at this very corner shop that our noble doctor met the delightful Miss Philippa “Pippa” Pemberton, daughter of the Duke of Sussex. With a tumble into tiers of creamy confection, Miss Pemberton and Dr. Folsham commenced their acquaintance amidst a whirlwind of frosting and fervor. Their instant attraction was palpable, dear readers, causing quite the stir among the onlookers (and surely the patisserie staff).

Miss Pemberton, with her charming clumsiness and predilection for pruning plants in her beloved Orangery over navigating society’s treacherous balls, is a breath of fresh air within the stifling confines of aristocracy. And yet, her fortune may prove to be a thorn in the good doctor’s side, as she is none other than the financial backer of his professional rival across the street— dear me! Oh, the delicious irony because the young doctor, despite all of his expertise and education, won’t stand a chance once my influence on the Duke of Sussex takes fruit.

It is with great relish that I unveil my most diabolical plan. My beloved daughter, with her unparalleled talent for manipulation, shall become the key to our success. The old Duke, oblivious to the machinations at play, will be but a pawn in our grand scheme. Together, we will orchestrate a series of events that will dismantle the business of those insufferable doctors across the street. Their downfall shall be swift and thorough, leaving no trace of their once-thriving practice. As their reputations crumble and their clients scatter, we shall rise supreme, our ambitions fulfilled through a perfect blend of guile, strategy, and the unwavering loyalty of my dearest child.

Will Dr. Folsham sacrifice all he has labored for in the hallowed halls of his practice on Harley Street for a chance at true love? Or will the whisperings of blackmail and secrets force him to forsake Miss Pemberton and safeguard his career?

Rest assured, my dear readers, I shall keep you apprised of every stolen glance and whispered vow.

Until next time, may your teacups overflow with intrigue.

Yours in scandal,
An anonymous friend from across the street.

Welcome to the romantic world of Miracles on Harley Street where marvels in medicine and matters of the heart will sweep you away.

In this novel find forbidden love, instant attraction, love at first sight, gentry versus nobility, blackmail, secrets, and of course, Sara Adrien’s nostalgic descriptions and spicy romances.

The last thing Nick needs before operating on the Earl is to collide with a beautiful woman at the corner pastry shop, tumble into a creamy wedding cake, catch her, and lose his heart. But that’s exactly what happens when he meets Pippa, the patron’s daughter who’s financing his rival across the street.

Can Dr. Nick Folsham finally make a name for himself as London’s best eye surgeon or will he lose everything when he falls for a lady?

Philippa “Pippa” Pemberton is delightfully clumsy and a charming misfit. As the daughter of the Duke of Sussex, she may have immense wealth, but she’s far from a typical aristocrat. She much prefers pruning plants in her Orangery and chatting with her pet rabbit to stumbling through society balls.

When she falls into the lap—and life—of the dashing eye surgeon Dr. Nick Folsham in the pastry shop, Pippa’s life takes an unexpected turn. In a whirlwind of whipped cream and fleeting glances, sparks fly. But for Nick, Pippa is both an untouchable dream and a risky dilemma. Can Nick choose between his love and his career or is there a way to reconcile their forbidden love with society’s rules?
Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade’s Flame line, so this is a scorching-hot read with open-door steam.
Miracles on Harley Street series
Book 1: A Sight to Behold
Book 2: The Scent of Intuition
Book 3: A Touch of Charm
Book 4: The Sound of Seduction
Book 5: A Taste of Gold

About the Author

Instagram: @jewishregencyromance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSaraAdrien

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22249825.Sara_Adrien

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Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3ASara+Adrien

A Yuletide Tale

By Alina K. Field

On July 13, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

Dear Reader,

Some time ago I shared on these pages a report from the far north about A Duke and His Housekeeper and a Yuletide story of love. While I know that we are in the middle of blessed summer, I have received new information for you and cannot resist sharing it now!

Here is that tale again as told to me in a letter from an American acquaintance:

~~~

A Duke and His Housekeeper!

I have received a most interesting report from an American acquaintance now engaged in a grand tour of the far northern reaches of our fair isle. The events in question occurred several months previously, and have not been greatly talked of in London. Or at all!

Dear Readers, you are the first in our great metropolis to learn of this story! No less a personage than a new member of the loftiest of our toplofty ranks, formerly a mere Mr. Mac, has married none other than the lady he employed to tend to the domestic responsibilities of the castle from which he rules his realm.

His housekeeper!

Some of you may not find such a story surprising. After all, it is said that the society of those places my American friend describes as having “lakes with a quiet sheen of water surrounded by high, swelling, naked mountains” might be less genteel than that of our southern climes. Perhaps this is due to the great north’s scarcity of society, the harsh climate, and the ancient rigors of kinship. (Why, my friend has also reported that at the close of a hearty dinner, even the ladies take whisky!)

Astonishingly, however, my inquiries reveal that this former Mr. Mac and the lady in question, a certain Mrs. M, were in fact not of Caledonian extraction at all but of good English gentry stock!

How such a thing came about is a tale involving a long-standing feud, common in those climes. My American friend, a minister of one of the churches hatched in the free-thinking country that renounces all noble titles, finds the matter vastly amusing. He claims, in fact, to have dined with the lofty personage and his lady and heard the whole story from the proverbial horse’s mouth!

He proclaims it a most heartening Christmas tale of revelation, forgiveness and in the end redemption.

Dear Reader, as soon as I learn more, I will be sure to provide the whole story!

~~~

And now I am happy to report more information. As mentioned in the earlier edition of the Teatime Tattler, the happy couple were English, nevertheless with close relations in the north. In fact, they had met as children and were related through the marriage of her cousin and his brother, albeit a marriage that neither attended. So not such a tawdry and shocking tale, though neither party recognized the other from childhood after so many years and… well, suffice to say, identities were otherwise concealed for, at least in the lady’s case, Noble Reasons. As for the gentleman’s thinking in concealing his identity, let me only concur with my American friend that this Yuletide tale ends with a Noble Redemption!

The Duke She Despised

The new Duke of Kinmarty has lost everyone who mattered and gained naught but a title, and debt, and an old pile of a castle. When a fetching new housekeeper appears on his doorstep frantic to ready the place for the Yuletide, he seizes the chance for a respite from grieving and pretends to be the new duke’s estate factor.

With her cousin’s children due to arrive from India, a vicar’s widow hides her identity and takes a position as housekeeper to their dreadful uncle, the man who years ago sabotaged her own chance for happiness. Overwhelmed by a castle understaffed and in disarray, she forges a bond with the new duke’s charming but not very competent factor, not knowing that he’s hiding something as well.

When allies become lovers, each senses the truth may rip them apart. Can their love survive when she discovers he’s the duke she despised?

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087ZB5H37

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-duke-she-despised

Nook:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-duke-she-despised-alina-k-field/1136931774;jsessionid=F56D2D5C6021E549AEA8023229CAD180.prodny_store02-atgap12?ean=2940163039005

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-duke-she-despised/id1511435698?ls=1

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Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/TheDukeSheDespised

About the Author

Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but she prefers the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She is the author of several Regency romances, including the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring. She is hard at work on her next series of historical romances, but loves to hear from readers!

Author Links:

https://alinakfield.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield

https://twitter.com/AlinaKField

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field

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https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alina-k-field

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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Alina-K.-Field/e/B00DZHWOKY

A Shocking Sight at the Covent Garden Market

By Alina K. Field

On July 10, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

Dear Readers, today we have a most interesting report from one of our regular correspondents:

As we have all been speculating about the missing Siltsbury heir, who was finally located in an island in the West Indies, I must report a shocking sight a reliable source recently witnessed. That very heir, who has finally made an appearance in Town, was seen at the Covent Garden market in the company of none other than his housekeeper.

Who would not want to be on the arm of such a dashing rogue. That lustrous hair, that exemplary physique, and those full lips that curve up into a mocking smile are enough to make even a staid matron like myself swoon. But I digress (as I fan myself).

My source said the woman had the audacity to take his arm as they strolled about. Can you believe it? Of course the new Earl of Siltsbury might be accustomed to associating with women who are, shall we say, not of the highest class? It’s said he served on sailing ships and engaged in something called Cornish wrestling, until the family solicitor traced his whereabouts and brought him home.

He has been seen at Jackson’s Boxing Saloon, Tattersalls, and White’s as the guest of Lord Ralston, whose wife is his cousin. But while he is now invited everywhere by those of us whose curiosity must be assuaged, the man has declined to appear in society, dashing hopes of the dozen or so suitable debutantes in search of a rich husband. Did I mention the Siltsbury fortune? Of course, such a topic is not suitable for this esteemed publication. I do beg your pardon.

During his visit to the market he was seen carrying parcels. I am not jesting. No other servant accompanied them and the lady, or I should say female, seemed quite taken with him when they departed in a hired hackney. Not the Siltsbury carriage!

My impeccable source also whispered that the housekeeper seemed vaguely familiar. In fact, she bore a subtle resemblance to the wife of the late Baron Colford who died tragically nearly two years ago.

Oh, I do love a mystery, don’t you? I’m sure all will be revealed before the household removes themselves from town.

Your humble correspondent,

Lady W.

The Reluctant Earl

Gerren Stafford, sailor and Cornish wrestler, ran away to sea when his gentle older brother was taunted and killed in a duel, and vowed never to set foot in his homeland again. When a stranger informs him he is the new Earl of Siltsbury, Gerren reluctantly returns to England with a hidden purpose, and to assume a role for which he is woefully unprepared.

Then he meets Anna.

Anna Jeffries is a baroness who is keeping her aristocratic connections a secret. She uses her new position as Siltsbury housekeeper to hide from her late husband’s successor, a man she suspects arranged her husband’s death and is now threatening her with harm if she “dares to spread her vile rumors.”

Drawn together by friendship, loneliness, and hidden emotional wounds, Anna and Gerren find solace in passion. But can they find an enduring love or are there too many secrets and lies between them?

Excerpt

When the wrestling match began Gerren circled his opponent, slightly bent at the waist, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Then he made his move. He aimed for the legs then picked up the man and slammed him on his back, getting an elbow in his nose for his effort. When the fellow rose, they danced around until a second slam kept his opponent on the floor. It took five minutes, not ten, to be declared the winner. The man signaled his moves and Gerren read them easily.

Wiping away the blood trickling over his mouth and chin with the back of his hand, he concentrated on his next opponent and easily outwitted him. Some nights the matches were more even and despite the rules, he’d had fingers broken and a shoulder dislocated that a sawbones had to wrench back into place.

The last brute was a big ‘un, taking all of his strength as they danced around each other in a gruesome minuet, grappling, grunting, and finally slamming each other to the floor several times. At the end of the hour Gerren had more pins and remained undefeated. When the announcement was made, the crowd went wild. The noise in the crowded room didn’t abate until someone began singing a bawdy song and others joined in.

Gerren slipped away to his personal bucket of water outside the back door where he could clean himself in peace. When he finished wiping the blood from his face, he wasn’t alone.

Shiny boots appeared first, followed by a silver-headed walking stick. Sluicing the last of the water over his head and shoulders, he toweled himself dry and hoped he wouldn’t miss that nice tankard of ale waiting for him down the street.

“Oy, what do you want? If it’s to rebuke me for winning when you bet on the other lads, come back next week and wager on the winner this time.” Gerren set his towel aside and pulled on a clean shirt. “State your business. I have a place I need to be.”

“Are you Gerren Stafford from Falmouth?”

“I am although I make my home here in Kingston for now. Haven’t been back in a dozen years. Why?”

“Is there somewhere we can talk privately.”

Gerren glanced at the darkened alley behind the warehouse. “I guess you can say this is as private as it gets. State your business.”

“Your father was Charles Stafford, younger brother of Mathew Stafford, the late Earl of Siltsbury. Charles predeceased his two older brothers.”

“You been studying my pedigree? Say what you’re here to say and be done with it.”

The man took a packet from an inside pocket of his coat. “Gerren Alexander Stafford, my name is Harold Jenkins. I’m the solicitor for the Siltsbury estate and I’ve been looking for you for more than a year.”

“Out with it, man.” Gerren’s body, even in a win, took a beating and he wanted his ale and a woman’s soft bed and body. He had no patience for a fool on a fool’s errand.

“In November, 1818, Mathew Stafford, sixth Earl of Siltsbury, succumbed to a wasting disease in Baltimore, Maryland. He had no male heir, nor did he have any living brothers. Your deceased grandfather and your father were the only ones with male issues and your uncles, like your father, have all predeceased you.”

“What in bloody hell is this about?”

“Congratulations, my lord. It is my duty and my pleasure to inform you that you are the new Earl of Siltsbury and I’m here to take you home.”

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D92P368D/

About the Author

Author of eight books on California history and twenty-two romance novels, Pamela Gibson is a former City Manager who retired with her husband to the Southern Nevada desert. Having spent several years messing about in boats, a hobby that included a five-thousand-mile trip in a 32-foot Nordic Tug, she now spends most of her time indoors happily reading, writing, cooking and keeping up with the antics of Ralph, her Siamese cat. She loves dry red wine, all kinds of chocolate, old Jimmy Buffet sailing songs, and curling up with a good book. You can find her in these places:

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/profile/pamela-gibson

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pamgibsonwrites/

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Amazon: www.amazon.com/Pamela-Gibson/e/B00MKVB4XE

A Most Intriguing Game of Love and Strategy

By Alina K. Field

On July 3, 2024

In Teatime Tattler

High Stakes, in Chess–and Love!

Ladies and Gentlemen, gather your teacups and prepare your fans for fluttering, for today’s tittle-tattle traverses the tantalizing tale of Baron Gregory Stone, known in the shadows of London’s candlelit corridors as the Black Knight. Not for his sable attire nor for his darkly handsome visage, but for his prowess on the chessboard, where he reigns supreme. Yet, it appears our Baron has found himself in a game far more perilous than chess—a game of the heart.

Miss Hermione “Hermy” Ellsworth, a gem of the countryside, once radiant in the glow of London’s ballrooms, has found herself in a predicament most dire. Exiled due to a scandal that whispers cannot name, she seeks independence from the shackles of an arranged marriage, dictated by her late brother’s will. Her guardian, none other than our Black Knight himself, holds the key to her future. But dear readers, it is not only her freedom at stake but also her heart—for it once beat fervently for the Baron.

Baron Stone, amidst the intrigue of Parliament and the cutthroat tactics of chess, now faces his greatest challenge. With but two weeks to alter the course of Miss Ellsworth’s fate, he is drawn into a web of societal pressures and villainous schemes. A correspondence chess game, shadowy in its intent, becomes the battleground for her independence, his career, and the well-being of their mutual friends, the Pearlers.

The stakes? Nothing less than the Baron’s lost love and the very fabric of society itself.

Will our dashing Black Knight outmaneuver his adversaries both on the board and in the ballrooms? Can love indeed trump the rigid dictates of Regency London? This tale weaves through the heart of a battle for love and liberty, promising intrigue at every turn.

“Baron in Check” promises a tour de force of romantic adventures, with suitors bold and socialites cunning. Our characters dance through the glittering backdrop of Regency London, each move calculated, each glance significant. And amidst the sparkling wit and whispered secrets, one question remains—will the Black Knight capture his queen, or will the game of love prove too treacherous?

Dear readers, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open, for in this season of romance and strategy, every move counts. And remember, in the game of love and chess, it’s the heart that’s the true prize.

With all the affection—and a sprinkle of mischief—I remain,

Your devoted chronicler of hearts and secrets as I will make an impression in this story myself,

Baroness Sophia von List

Blurb

Baron in Check is the first book in the Check Mates series. It has been a #1 bestseller in several categories on Amazon and has received outstanding feedback from readers. The story brings Gregory Stone back who’s proven himself as a devoted friend in the Infiltrating the Ton and Diamond Dynasty series. Get 50% off the book bundle and save on the Check Mate series at www.SaraAdrien.com.