ON THIS CHRISTMAS I THEE WED
Virginia Barlow
GENRE: Holiday Historical Romance
BLURB:
Bartered to Viscount Hudson Becker by her father, Lady Lavinia Holbrook escapes her arranged marriage and travels to her Godmother, the Duchess of Chauncy to seek asylum. Determined to put men and marriage behind her, she is unprepared for the duke's interest or his heated kisses. The Duke of Chauncy believes love is a weakness and refuses to take a bride despite his mother's scheming. When the duchess makes a wager he will marry by Christmas, he considers the matter a lark. Until Lavinia gets under his skin, and he rethinks his position on love and happy ever afters.
Excerpt:
The door to her chamber opened with a rush of warm air. A hearty fire crackled on the hearth as she strolled inside and sank onto the bed. Her tight bodice would be too uncomfortable to sleep in and she sat up with a groan to work the lacing of her gown. She must mention to the duchess she would require a lady’s maid since she abandoned Margret in Waterdown with her veil and wedding slippers. Her mood lightened at the thought, and her bodice came off with a tug. Her petticoats followed, and Lavinia removed her slippers and stockings with a loud yawn. Her stays followed, and then, with a shrug, she removed her garter and slipped into bed in her chemise and pantalets.
The crisp, clean sheets were magic against her tired flesh, and with another lusty yawn, she closed her eyes and received the fright of her life.
“I am, of course, delighted with your unexpected presence in my chamber, and although you cannot stay, you may offer my gratitude to my mother for sending you.”
Lavinia froze and turned her head toward the deep voice coming from the direction of the hearth. Panic surged through her as she grappled with the realization that a man occupied her chamber.
“What?” Her eyes widened as they settled on the imposing figure of the Duke of Chauncy reclining in a brocade chair clad in nothing but a pair of form-fitting black trousers.
Oh God, what had she done?
Interview with Virginia Barlow
Have you read anything that made you think differently about fiction?
Yes, I recently read “Why Read the Classics?” by Italo Calvino, and it changed how I think about the purpose of fiction. I used to think of fiction purely as a means of escape, but Calvino's idea that classics are books that offer new meanings every time you read them made me see fiction as a tool for self-discovery and growth.
How do you select the names of your characters?
I name them what feels right for the time and circumstance of the book. I research what names were popular for the era.
Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
I do not hide secrets in my books. If there is something hidden in them, it is revealed by the end of the story.
What was your hardest scene to write?
The hardest scene to write was the scene where the Earl of Holbrook and Viscount Becker try to force Lavinia to marry.
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?
Each of my books are stand-alone stories although I do have a series, The Calhan Brides. Each story can be read separately.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
My goals and intentions for this story were to illustrate the problems young women experienced in this period. I feel I did a good job portraying the lack of freedom and lack of choice women were allowed in the seventeen hundreds.
What inspired you to write On This Christmas I Thee Wed?
I wanted to write another Christmas story for THe Wild Rose Press’ Christmas in the Castle series. My book Once Upon a Christmas Castle is the first book in this series.
Can you tell us a little bit about the next books in the series or what you have planned for the future?
I am finishing the Calhan Brides Series and wrapping up the edits for book four.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in On This Christmas I Thee Wed?
Lady Lavinia Holbrook does not want to be married to Viscount Becker and live a life of misery as her mother and sisters do, so she decides to do something drastic and run away to her Godmother’s castle in Northern England. She knows of no happy marriages and therefore avoids the situation. Until she runs into the duke. The Duke of Chauncy avoids marriage for the opposite reason. He witnessed the heartache both his mother and grandmother suffered when they lost their husbands and vows to never be that weak. Love weakens a man and therefore he will never fall in love. The Duchess of Chauncy, Lavinia’s Godmother, wants the duke happily married and giving her grandchildren. She spends her time plotting her son’s downfall into marriage.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
Writing about the Duchess of Chauncy. She has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to see her son happily married and producing grandchildren for her to love.
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Virginia Barlow has been a dreamer her whole life. She loves reading, traveling, and roses. She will dive headfirst into any romance she can get her hands on in any genre. Although her first love is Regency Romance and always will be. Something about the era calls to her soul like a siren’s song rising from the depths.
She loves to write steamy romances whether fantasy, historical, or contemporary, all are liberally spiced with adventure and sensual, seductive heroes. Her heroines are just as compelling with equal parts intelligence, sass, and backbone. They give as good as they get whether saving their man’s life or responding to his heated kisses, they’re all in.
The most important thing in Virginia’s life is her family, and spending time with them. When she is not bouncing a grandbaby in her arms or handing out popsicles, she is writing and dreaming up her next love story. Virginia has published fifteen romance novels with another two on the way and has half a dozen more circling around inside her head eager to make their debut.
Connect with Virginia Barlow
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