In which an enigmatic writer, a reluctant duke, and a lady of iron resolve overturn all expectations.
Dear Reader:
Who, we ask, is the mysterious new author styling himself Remington J. Force, who has burst upon the literary scene from absolutely nowhere and is now enjoying the favor of the Prince Regent?
Force is a man with no title, no history, no lineage—yet he bears an uncanny resemblance to the Duke of R., a gentleman with a hitherto spotless reputation, who is now sponsoring the career of this aspiring author. Surely there is some blood tie there, even if not acknowledged.
The intrigue does not stop with Force’s own mysterious origin. Indeed, speculation is rife about the hero of his tale, A Beau Out of Time. The overabundantly named Augustus Remiel Josias Evander Montague is portrayed as a man about town, arbiter of fashion, and bon vivant. Some even call him a rake.
His name is clearly borrowed from both His Royal Highness and Remington Josiah Force. What, then, of his character? Is it a similar amalgamation—or barefaced flattery of the Prince to sell books? Whichever it is, it is succeeding, for Force has now been styled Publisher to the Crown.
But, my dear Reader, that is not all.
While I have not read the shocking novel myself, it has been hinted that this admirable gentleman, this pink of the ton, this Beau Montague, meets a fate worse than death. In short, after traveling two centuries into the future, he is tamed by a woman! An unnatural, domineering, matchmaking woman.
I can scarcely believe such a thing could be permitted to sully the page, but alas—Force is both author and publisher of his own scandalous tale. Yet one might have expected the Duke of R., who lent his support to the enterprise, to have advocated for decency.
It has also been reported by our correspondent in Hertfordshire that Force himself was recently betrothed to a woman unknown to society, which raises a host of additional questions about what manner of female he would choose to be his bride. Or whether he was the one to do the choosing at all.
There are even rumors that Force’s unknown lady was herself presented in a most unflattering light in a well‑known novel written by some anonymous female. We have not been able to confirm this last speculation, however.
Stop Press: It has been brought to our attention that the lady in question has stolen her betrothed’s characters—Mr. Montague and Miss Capell—and written her own story, undoing all of Mr. Force’s hard work. I do not believe we need speculate any longer on just what type of female she is.
A Rose in Winter
Return to Rosachron Manor for another tale of love that spans centuries.
When historical researcher Remington J. Force travels to Hertfordshire to investigate the disappearance of author Hannah Ridley, he’s swept through the same hidden portal into 1814. There he meets gentle, earnest Mary Winterose, and together they begin unraveling the disappearance of a missing heir. As secrets come to light, a tender romance blooms—one that may prove strong enough to defy time itself.
In 1985, folk singer Garnet Wildwood becomes captivated by the verses of the enigmatic poet P. K. Neville. Her search for his true identity draws her deeper into the tangled history of Rosachron Manor and the echoes of a love she can’t explain.
Meanwhile, Lord Peregrine Neville longs only to write his poems and wander the Peak District, free from the crushing expectations of a dukedom. How far will he go to claim a life of his own choosing—and what will it cost him?
Follow two pairs of lovers across intertwined timelines as they seek the truth behind Rosachron Manor’s mysteries and discover whether love can truly transcend the boundaries of time.
A Rose in Winter is the second enchanting installment in the Roses of Longbourn series.
Purchase A Rose in Winter and A Rake Redeemed, or the Gretna Rose on Amazon or read in Kindle Unlimited
The Roses of Longbourn series:
A Rose Out of Time – Book 1
A Rose in Winter – Book 2
Mrs. Christie and the Misplaced Rose (A Short Story)
A Golden-Hearted Rose (A Short Story)
A Rake Redeemed, or The Gretna Rose (A Novella)
Coming Soon:
A Rose at Dawn – Book 3
A Rose After Rain – Book 4
About the Author
Kelly Boggs is a writer who happily wanders between centuries on the page. She draws inspiration from Austen, quiet English estates, and the small wonders of everyday life—including the antics of her two dachshunds, who consider themselves indispensable to her creative routine. She lives in Ohio with her family and far too many books.
Links:
Website: kellyboggsauthor.com
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/kellyboggs
Goodreads: Kelly Boggs (Author of A Rose Out of Time) | Goodreads
Excerpt from A Rose in Winter
An excerpt from the book within the book, which is only a small part of the tale:
From A Beau Out of Time, by Remington J. Force
The moment they were pronounced husband and wife, Valentina seized Augustus by the wrist with the brisk efficiency of a general reclaiming a stray recruit.
“Smile,” she ordered under her breath as she propelled him toward the waiting crowd. “Not the anxious one. The one that suggests reliability and mild romantic promise.”
“I have a smile like that?”
“You will in approximately three seconds.”
She paused only long enough to adjust his cravat—an adjustment that felt suspiciously like throttling—then resumed towing him toward the waiting portrait taker. Augustus had never entirely agreed to be the face of her matchmaking enterprise, Swooning for Swains, but he had also not disagreed quickly enough, which Valentina had interpreted as enthusiastic consent.
Before he could protest, she arranged his arm around her waist, angled him toward the onlookers, and beamed with triumphant satisfaction.
“Perfect,” she declared. “You look trustworthy, devoted, and only slightly bewildered. And devastatingly handsome, of course. Exactly what my clients want in a husband.”
“Your clients?”
“Our clients,” she corrected, patting his hand as though he were a promising but occasionally wayward puppy. “You are the living proof that my methods work. Do try not to look as though you were captured.”
“I was,” he murmured.
“Yes, but happily so.”
And with that, the new Mrs. Augustus Remiel Josias Evander Montague —matchmaker, strategist, and newly minted commander of one very obliging husband—swept him forward to greet their guests, already planning the next ten years of his public image.
Augustus followed, smiling the smile she had assigned him, and thinking that surrender had never felt so oddly delightful.
Excerpt from A Rake Redeemed, or The Gretna Rose
And because there are at least two sides to every tale, we present the alternative story, as told by Remington’s “dreadful” fiancée, Mary:
In truth, Mary had been more than a little shocked when Remington had written his hero as a rake, but there was no denying it had helped to win the Prince Regent’s endorsement. And naturally, in the tradition of all heroic rakes, he must be reformed by the love of a good woman. Or even a morally dubious one.
Miss Valentina Capell was a woman who knew her own mind. And a most superior mind it was. Unlike many of the fair sex, she did not let such small matters as humility or ladylike decorum stand in her way. She looked about, decided what she wanted, and then devised a capable and intelligent plan to obtain it. Valentina could see no reason why the procurement of a husband should proceed any differently.
When Valentina met Mr. Augustus Remiel Josias Evander Montague, she took one long, exceedingly thorough look at his manly physique, his handsome face, and his cravat—which was a work of art—and made two important decisions. She would have him for her own, and she would convince him that two names were quite enough.
Valentina had no idea what sort of man Augustus was on the inside, but no matter. His outside was most pleasing, and she had no doubt she could work with whatever talents he possessed to fashion him into an ideal husband.
Mr. Montague of the five‑named fame was equally thorough in his visual assessment of the lovely Valentina, letting his eyes linger on her more obvious charms in a way that was scarcely gentlemanly. For Augustus was a rake—a connoisseur of womanly beauty who never restrained himself with any notions of honour or propriety. Or rather, he had his own code of honour, which was amazingly flexible and generally allowed him to do anything he pleased.
Valentina, though properly brought up and unfailingly chaste in her own conduct, was not such an innocent as to be deceived for one moment about what Augustus was thinking when he looked at her. Very well—let the hook be firmly planted before she reeled him in like a slightly befuddled fish. She could see already that his intellect was no match for her own, and that was all to the good.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a country gentleman with a tidy property, upon the death of his spouse, ought to become the rightful property of some or other deserving widow or spinster of the neighborhood.