House of Croft, Book One
Mystery, Romance
Date Published: July 30th, 2024
The only thing more lethal than his need for revenge, is the woman who's tasked with bringing him down.
Adrian Croft dreams of quitting the shady business he stands to inherit, of settling down, and of raising a family free from a life of crime. But when tragedy strikes, this fanciful dream is destroyed. All he wants now is revenge. His anger, however, threatens to cloud his judgment, making it harder for him to recognize danger when it approaches in the form of a beautiful woman.
Trained for covert operations as part of a secret government program, Samantha Carmichael's mission is to give British law enforcement a reason to prosecute the most powerful man in the country. But when common sense and duty begin to blur, can she remain steadfast in her goal, or will her loyalties shift as she gradually loses her heart to the one man she cannot afford to love?
-One series, one couple, and the brutal challenges they must face-
If you like What Angels Fear, Silent in the Grave, and Murder on Black Swan Lake, you’ll devour Sophie Barnes’ thrilling new series.
Interview with Sophie Barnes
Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
Not as far as I remember.
How do you select the names of your characters?
First names usually come to me without issue as I try to find a name that matches the character’s personality. For last names I’ll often look at people I’ve known, like teachers or childhood friends. Titles tend to be based on a plant, season, or animal, like Deerhaven or Summersby.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
I’ve created some fictitious shops and a newspaper company that I usually re-use. The ladies visit The Belle Anglaise, the gentlemen visit The Gentlemen’s Emporium, and my characters tend to read The Mayfair Chronicle, though I’ve used a different newspaper for this particular series since it plays a larger part than usual.
What was your hardest scene to write?
Fight scenes tend to be tricky. They’re fun, but I find that it can be hard to describe each character’s movement. Especially when I’m picturing something specific that involves both leg and arm movement at the same time.
Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
The books in this particular series will be connected through an overarching plot. The mystery in each book will be resolved but the relationship between the hero and heroine will continue developing throughout the series, as will the hero’s quest for vengeance.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I love coming up with new takes on historical romance. This book came about from a desire to dive into mystery and mafia romance while still retaining Regency romance elements. It’s darker than what I usually write so I was a bit nervous about how my readers would respond. So far, the reviews have been absolutely fantastic so I’m super pleased and definitely feal as though I’ve achieved my goal.
What inspired you to write A Vengeful King Rises?
The hero from A Vengeful King Rises, Adrian Croft. I created his character first. Once I had him fully developed everything else began taking shape around him.
Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in the House of Croft series or what you have planned for the future?
The next books will follow the ups and downs of Adrian and Samantha’s relationship as they face various threats against them. Of course their will also be joys in between with each book also containing some mystery and lots of suspense. My hope is that readers will eagerly anticipate each of the books until this adventure has been concluded.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in A Vengeful King Rises?
Adrian Croft is a tortured soul who wants to break free from his family’s criminal history, but who keeps getting pulled back into it due to circumstance.
Samantha Carmichael is a fierce government operative tasked with finding incriminating information against Adrian. As the book progresses, she starts to realize that he may not be the terrible man he’s portrayed as by her superiors.
As Adrian and Samantha get to know each other, both have to make hard choices as issues pertaining to trust and loyalty come into play.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The intrigue! It was so much fun working out the plot details and watching them all come together.
About the Author
USA TODAY bestselling author Sophie Barnes writes historical romance novels in which the characters break away from social expectations in their quest for happiness and love. Having written for Avon, an imprint of Harper Collins, her books have been published internationally in eight languages. With a fondness for travel, Sophie has lived in six countries, on three continents, and speaks English, Danish, French, Spanish, and Romanian with varying degrees of fluency. Ever the romantic, she married the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.
When she’s not busy dreaming up her next swoon worthy romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, baking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.
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5 comments:
This story sounds really good. Thanks for sharing.
Great interview! This looks really good
Sounds fascinating
Thank you so much for being part of the tour!
Fun way you come up with names. Nice interview. Thanks for the chance.
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