House of Croft, Book 2
Historical Mystery/Thriller/Romance
Date Published: 10-29-2024
He’ll never forgive her deception, or the hold she still has on his heart…
Adrian Croft’s worst fear has been realized. His wife, the sweet woman who swept past his every defense, is a cunning spy working against him. Forced to play a dangerous game where one wrong move could see him destroyed, he must unravel her secrets while hunting a far more sinister threat.
Samantha knew her decision to marry her target would come at a price. Now, having lost her husband’s trust and affection, she’ll do whatever it takes to win it all back – abandon past loyalties, spill her secrets, and catch a killer. But will it be enough to undo the damage?
Interview with Sophie Barnes
Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
I suppose the first Regency romance novel I ever read did that. Until then, I’d no idea this was even a genre so I was really surprised to discover just how big of a genre it actually is. I’d always loved historical fiction in general (Wilbur Smith, Ken Follet, Margaret George, Noah Gordon were favorites of mine in my teens/early twenties), but when I happened to pick up Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, it was like opening a door to a whole new universe waiting to be explored. It also made me aware of so many other genres I’ve since delved into, like fantasy adventure, which I honestly didn’t think would be something I would enjoy. But reading Sarah j. Mass’s Throne of Glass series has made me realize that as long as the story is solid, it doesn’t really matter where it takes place or if magical creatures are involved.
How do you select the names of your characters?
Sometimes they simply pop into my head and other times they’re inspired by people I’ve known or geographical locations. The latter is generally the case when trying to come up with aristocratic titles. If that doesn’t work I’ll look at animal or plant elements, like Heathmore or Ravenhurst.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
Not secrets exactly but reoccurring places or brands I’ve created. They tend to reappear in multiple books. For this new series of mine, which isn’t Regency romance, though it is set in the Regency period and does have romance in it, I’ve created an entirely new London backdrop with no ties to my other much lighter series.
What was your hardest scene to write?
I think love scenes are tricky. I want them to be tasteful and non-graphic, which is in some ways harder to do since you have to spend more time on emotional elements. Also, I think there’s a tendency for these scenes to feel repetitive or unnecessary, especially in full on romance novels where they are expected. I’ve often left these scenes for last because I felt like, ‘ok, here we go again…’ when I’d much rather write a fun bit of dialogue or a fight scene 😊
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?
Everything I’ve written prior to House of Croft has been standalones, even when the books were part of a series. House of Croft is different though. It’s a longer story so the books are naturally interconnected with one picking up where the previous one left off.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
In part I felt like I needed a challenge – something fresh and different to sink my teeth into while still holding on to my identity as a romance writer. There’s a lot happening here, between the crimes that need solving, the complex characters I’m dealing with (and their relationship to each other), powerful forces at play, and the fast-paced roller-coaster rider my hero and heroine are on.
I also wanted to create a series that stands apart from everything else. Books that would appeal to a broader audience, not just to romance readers.
I think I’ve managed to do that but as expected not all my readers have been willing to get on board and bringing the books to the attention of mystery readers will take time. It’s a process, I suppose.
What inspired you to write A Tainted Heart Bleeds?
It’s the second book in my House of Croft series so it was the natural next step once I’d completed work on A Vengeful King Rises. As a whole though, I’ve drawn inspiration from The Godfather, The Blacklist, Charlie’s Angels, Pride and Prejudice vs Zombies (minus the zombies), and mashed it all up with a heavy dose of what I think a badass heroine and loveable antihero should look like.
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 book will be A Ruthless Angel Weeps. It picks up after Adrian Croft’s (the hero’s) arrest and focuses largely on his wife’s attempt to save him from being executed. There’s also a child smuggling ring involved here with some supper bad guys who deserve to be eliminated. One can only hope Adrian gets out of prison so he can stop them before they strike again. There’s also a chance chief constable Peter Kendrick, who arrested Adrian, might surprise everyone in this book. So lots of stuff to look forward to 😊
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in A Tainted Heart Bleeds?
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 Croft (née Carmichael) is a fierce government operative tasked with finding incriminating information against Adrian during the first two books of the series. Her allegiance has since changed so she is now fully supporting her husband and helping him take down villains who threaten innocent lives.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The constant twists and turns. They keep the writing process interesting as I constantly have to navigate different situations for the characters. Plus, because of the mystery element, it’s like putting together an intricate puzzle. I absolutely love the way this forces me to analyze every detail.
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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1 comments:
Thank you for inviting me to visit your blog for this interview!
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