Introducing Lady Alexandra and Lord Trenton:
After writing How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back, I was struck with a sudden urge for adventure. I wanted a plot with an action heroine who could hold her own in a sword-fight, and immediately began piecing together a character that’s not only strong and willful, but also quite vulnerable beneath her tough exterior.
Following her mother’s death, her father fell apart for a number of years, shirking the responsibility of turning his daughter into a fashionable young lady of the ton. Instead, Alexandra was allowed to run rampant on the family estate together with her brothers Ryan and William. Her hoydenish character flourished, and during this time, she honed her skills as a soldier, becoming an excellent shot, swords woman and equestrian. She is stubborn to a fault – a trait that lands her in trouble on more than one occasion, but she is also incredibly loyal. When it comes to family, there is nothing that she will not do in order to keep them safe. She fears only one thing, and that is love, for having seen the way in which it tore her family apart, she has come to believe that nothing good can come of it. Consequently, she has decided never to marry.
Enter Lord Trenton =)
His name is Michael Ashford (son of the Duke and Dutches of Willowbrook), and he’s not only an earl, but also a secret agent employed by The Foreign Office. He’s honorable, believes that before all else comes duty, and is also far more level headed than Alexandra, who tends to act a bit more on impulse. He’s incredibly handsome of course (see picture below =)) and can charm the most resistant of women into his bed! After all, rumor has it that he has no fewer than nine mistresses – one for each day of the week, with a couple to spare for variety’s sake. Like Alexandra, he has no intention of marrying either, for he’s quite content with his life as it is. However, the more time he spends in the company of the trouble-making blonde, the more he starts to wonder what a life with her by his side might be like – unpredictable and full of adventure, no doubt – and decides to make her his wife, only to discover that getting her to agree, is a whole other matter entirely.
I always find it difficult to put an actual person’s face to the characters I’ve created, for I see them a certain way inside my head, and nobody can ever quite fit that image perfectly. However, if a movie were to be made and I was allowed to decide who should play the part of Alexandra and Michael, based on appearance alone, then I’d probably choose Gabriella Wilde and Henry Cavill.
Image of Gabriella Wilde
Image of Henry Cavill
I’d like to thank Books-n-Kisses for hosting me today. I’ll be popping in throughout the day to chat with you and to answer any questions that you might have. So feel free to leave a comment or two – let me know what sort of characters youenjoy reading about.
If you’d like to follow the rest of my tour, I’ll be back again tomorrow at www.romrevtoday.com to take you on a tour of some of the locations mentioned in my novel =)
To find out more about me, Lady Alexandra’s Excellent Adventure, or my upcoming releases, please visit my website at: www.sophiebarnes.com
You can also follow me on twitter at: @BarnesSophie
or on Facebookat: www.facebook.com/AuthorSophieBarnes
To see the book trailer, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2PbyzMfmiA
I have one e-copy of Lady Alexandra’s Excellent Adventure up for grabs.
To enter to win please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck.
Good morning, Kelly – thanks for hosting me today =)
Sophia- this book sounds like a lot of fun. I always love when you have two characters who have no desire to marry it always makes for an interesting read.
I love reading historical stories and yours sound great. I love the secrets and mysteries that bring the two characters together.
readingdiva@ymail.com
Thanks! I try to add a sense of humor to it as well – I love it when books make me smile or laugh =)
I agree – the tension between the hero and heroine are what make the pages fly by for me.
I love verbal banter between the characters. It's almost better then love scenes.
so glad to have you on the blog Sophie.
Thanks for a wonderful post and giveaway! I'm super excited cuz I just got How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back and I can't wait to start it 🙂
I love your "casting" and that the heroine is strong and stubborn. Sounds like a great read!
You're welcome! Thanks for grabbing Miss Rutherford – I hope you enjoy it =)
Sophie this book sounds great. You are a new author for me and always looking for new reads.
I love the choice of characters, both are perfect. I love Henry Cavil, loved him on the Tudors. I love reading about characters that get their happy ending, but love to see the work for it. Nothing in life is easy. I love the hero/heroine, that feels they need to save everyone, but in the end they are the ones that get saved.
Thanks for the great giveaway and the chance to win.
christinebails@yahoo.com
I love reading historicals. I love that you have decided to create a decided in-what should I call her-appropriate heroine! The story sounds like a lot of fun to read. BTW, if the two actors you picked every actually got together they would make some beautiful babies!!
I enjoyed the post. The book sounds good. The pictures seem to fit the characters.
This was a fun guestpost, and I think I would like your heroine! I do like the occasional tomboy in an historical romance. Can she outshoot and outride him? Of course with fencing he would be able to beat her in sheer strength of arm.
Sophie –
I just wanted to let you know how much I loved How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back (terrific title!) and am thrilled that you have not only Lady Alexandra's Excellent Adventure but two more books being released this year.
I hope you have more books in the works and we'll be hearing about them soon!
How are you enjoying living on the East Coast after spending time living in so many different countries with such diverse cultures? Did you experience anything while there that you'd love to include in one of your stories? Inquiring minds want to know!
Me too – it just makes for a much more interesting read.
In my opinion the best part about a good romance novel is the struggle for the hero and heroine to try and be together, and to make their relationship work in spite of whatever odds they're faced with. =)
LOL – Right? I think so too =)
He's the only one who actually manages to teach her a valuable lesson about not underestimating her opponents…it's fun =)
It makes me so unbelievably happy when readers tell me how much they enjoyed How Miss Rutherford Got Her Groove Back (grinning from ear to ear right now – lol). Yes, it's a busy time for me – right now I'm on the last couple of chapters for the third book in the Summersby Series – the one being released on November 20th. My deadline is June 1st, so I've been writing like crazy lately =)
I love living on the East Coast – it's an entirely different life from what I had in Africa, Spain, France and Denmark. I look back on each as a separate phase in my life, and with many fond memories from each, but I must say that having kids and coming from Africa, the US is a little easier.
If you read my post tomorrow over at http://www.romrevtoday.com you'll find out that several descriptions of locations mentioned in LADY ALEXANDRA'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE are based on my own memories from my time in Paris.
I can't wait to read this book – a swashbuckling adventure is right up my ally.
LOL – me too. That's probably why I ended up writing one =)
Sophie, This story sounds like so much fun, not your grandma's historical. 🙂 I haven't read your debut yet but it's on my TBR pile and I'm definitely adding your latest as well. LOVE your titles and the smart, funny blurbs sound delightful.
I love feisty, adventurous young ladies and unrepentant rakes, so this story sounds right up my alley. 😀
This book sounds really good. I have added it to my tbr pile.
Sophie –
Thanks for letting me know about the Romance Reviews Today site! I wasn't aware of it before and just got back from "visiting" it! Great information there for any reader. See you there tomorrow!
The book sounds really good; love the feisty heroine types. Betting it's got lots of humor & snappy conversation! Hope I win *fingers crossed*
Thanks Lena – I still have to read yours too, though I did read your teaser and it looked really awesome!
Ready for the title of my next book? (smiling smugly) I think you'll love it: There's Something About Lady Mary
Thank you so much for your positive feedback – it means a lot! =)
Looking forward to it =)
I love reading about the hard to get heroine where the hero has to work that much harder to prove his affections. I especially like reading about these types of heroines in historical's not just about the wallflower types.
Thanks for the giveaway! Can't wait to read one of your stories!
Hi Sophie,
You are a new-to-me author so I'm looking forward to following your book tour to learn more about you and your work. I love the idea of an 'out of the norm' heroine…a real tom-boy type rather than the girly-girl. And using Henry Cavill as inspiration for Michael was indeed, an inspiration!
Hi Sophie,
I love reading historical romance genre, and you are was new author for me. This story sounds great, i looking forward to reading this story. I like if story have verbal banter between the characters. It always make me laught to read that scene. I can't wait to read this book 🙂
Hi Sophie, congratulations on your new release! 🙂 I agree with you, my favourite kind of heroine is the one who is independent, has a mind of her own and is courageous and brave. And if she is a kickass, action figure heroine in a historical setting, all the best! 😀 lol
But you couldn't have chosen better: Henry Cavill is my dream hero 😀
Thank you, I can't wait to read Lady Alexandra’s Excellent Adventure!
stella.exlibris (at) gmail (dot) com
I like reading about flawed heroes. Someone that sounds a little more like real life.
jeninquincy@gmail.com
Congratulations on the new release!
I like characters who are intelligent and capable.
Right now, I like the archetype of the modern Sherlock from BBC — he’s scary smart and seems very independent but isn’t afraid to ask for help when absolutely needed — and he’s frightening when he goes after people who have hurt his friends.
I like sassy heroines…especially ones who can hold their own in a sword fight.
andieleah78@gmail.com
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