Title: What a Woman Desires
Author: Rachel Brimble
Genre: Historical Romance
Publication Date: January 5, 2015
Publisher: eKensington/Lyrical
Purchase Links: Amazon
~ Synopsis ~
From country girl to actress of the stage, one woman dares to live her dreams-"but is she brave enough to open her heart…?
Monica Danes always wanted more than the village of Biddlestone had to offer. After a failed courtship to a man of her parents’ choosing, she fled for the city of Bath and never looked back. Today, Monica is the undisputed queen of the theater--"a wealthy, independent woman. But when she is called home in the wake of tragedy, Monica returns"--intending to leave again as soon as possible.
Thomas Ashby has been a groom at the Danes estate since he was a boy--“and has been enamored with Monica for almost as long. He knows he isn’t a suitable match for his master’s daughter, despite the special bond he and Monica have always shared—and their undeniable attraction. But now that she’s returned, Thomas has one last chance to prove himself worthy—and to show Monica a life, and a love, she won’t want to give up...
~ Promo ~
Why do I write romance? That’s the question!
My love affair with romance novels started when I was around
nine or ten when I discovered the Sweet Valley High books by Francine Pascal.
In fact, as a Brit living in South West England my entire life, I can honestly
say that’s when my love affair with all things American started!
I was the dreamy-eyed bookworm of the early 1980s – yes, the
big glasses, the big hair and the big clothes, that was me J The adventures of
twins, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield and their endless boy and friendship
problems drew me in and
steadfastly kept me there for a couple of years until I discovered the books
that inspired me to put pen to paper…the Sweet Dreams books.
Please tell me you remember these books and it wasn’t just sad little me who devoured them one after another. I already had my favorite librarian at our local public library but with these books, I specifically remember her keeping back the new ones for me whenever they arrived. She was my first heroine!
I wrote my first book around the age of twelve and remember
punching holes in its “spine” and holding it together with pink ribbon, lol!
How I wish I’d kept it – the hero was Brad and the heroine, Claire. That’s all
I remember J
After that, it was a few years of sneaking my mum’s Mills
& Boon novels (Harlequin) into my bedroom and reading way past the light
being turned off. There was one story in particular that moved me enough to
make me decide I wanted to write when I grew up. Snippets of that book still
linger in my memory but I have no idea of the author or the book. I can’t even
really remember the plot but what I do remember is the emotion, the way it made
me feel. For me, as romance writers our job is to do equally that, evoke
emotion.
To make the reader really feel – make them laugh, make them
cry, make them feel. If my readers tell
me I have moved them in any way, I am a happy, happy lady. My job is done J
Nowadays, my favourite romance or women’s fictions authors
are Nora Roberts, Jean Fullerton, Robyn Carr & Phillipa Gregory.
Big shoes to fill, huh? Of course, what would be the point
of writing, of all that blood, sweat and tears if we didn’t reach for the
stars? I want to deliver bigger and better books with each novel I write J
~ About the Author ~
Rachel Brimble lives in South West England, near the famous City of Bath. She is married with two teenage daughters. A member of Romance Writers of America and the Romantic Novelists Association, Rachel writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense for Harlequin Superromance and Victorian romance for eKensington/Lyrical.