Saturday, 12 January 2013

HUG A BOOK with Francine Howarth


Hug A Book is sponsored by
Volkan-Watches


It’s HUG A BOOK and this weekend it’s with Francine Howarth

And

You could win a Kindle copy of
Toast of Clifton - Book 2 in the Royal Series



  

Meet Francine


Multi-published author of Historical & Contemporary romance novels, Francine started her writing career in the erotic romance genre. Her break came at a time when erotic novels were limited to a niche market, and it was Masquerade, a New York publisher who became Francine’s first publisher. All, long before Virgin’s Black Lace UK (erotica for women written by women) came into being along with on-line publishers such as Ellora’s Cave and others. Due to a serious riding accident Francine fell out of the writing saddle too, (for a while) and when she again started penning steamy romance, and romantic historical & contemporary murder mysteries both publishers had vanished. One had merged with a conglomerate and the other had just vanished. Such is life, and now she’s a successful Indie author.


Details of Toast of Clifton


This steamy romance is set against the backdrop of Charles Stuart’s attempt to wrest England from Oliver Cromwell’s clutches (1651), and that of the royal court in exile.

Once renowned as the Toast of Clifton, Elizabeth Mountjoy strives to shake off rumours she was ever mistress to Charles II, for she’s madly in love with Captain Thomas Thornton: a Parliamentarian Captain of Horse. Unfortunately, past betrayal haunts Thomas, and when the chance to right a wrong comes his way he once again fights for the King. But to lose his estate lands is a high price to pay for heroism in defeat. Worse, the love of his life suffers the wrath of one of Cromwell’s officers, and Thomas is finally forced to decide who must come first whilst in exile, wife or King? He’s not alone in facing a dilemma, for the King too is forced to put his country first before his heart as the court intrigues in exile take precedence.


Available for Kindle & paperback

http://www.amazon.com/Toast-Clifton-Royal-Series-ebook/dp/B00AVKT3DE/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1357207553&sr=8-11&keywords=francine+howarth

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toast-Clifton-Royal-Series-ebook/dp/B00AVKT3DE/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1357207376&sr=8-11



Excerpt
This excerpt is a letter from the hero to the heroine

My Dearest Bess
     I pray this arrives in good time to save you from unnecessary travel. My allegiance to Charles our most gallant King is sore tested at present. There are those here, to name one, Wilmot, and others who have the King’s ear as their mouthpiece. They have advised against my presence at court, and his kingship has seen fit to dispatch me to the Low Countries on a mission of goodwill. Needless to say he is again in Paris and at war with his mother, while I am destined for Bruges in advance of Charles and his entourage who will be seeking temporary residence in the city. Strange as it may seem, it is the very city Lucy has retreated to with THE child, the one in dispute. I have a secret letter for her from Charles, but I fear much intrigue is afoot for rancorous accusations are prevalent and little respect is now shown for the mother of Charles’ first born. Charles is beside himself with feigned rage, declaring untenable betrayal enacted against him by Lucy, yet he writes to her with scented parchment.
     The Queen, prior to my arrival, had Lucy close at hand and had willingly recognised the child, James, as her grandson. He was after all born at a time when Charles and Lucy were residing together, and rumours abound as to a secret marriage betwixt the pair. Charles has passed no comment on the subject of a marriage but has fallen into a deep darkness of soul since Lucy’s departure with the two children. He is, I believe, feeling not unlike myself, for the loss of one’s wife is hard to bear. For him the loss of his first born to the uncertain future of abandonment appears little short of purgatory. But such is forced upon him by courtly restraint. Worse, whisper of a marriage of convenience to alleviate royal poverty has begun to circulate within closed circles. Believe it, Bess, Charles happily borrows monies from whomsoever will oblige and then favours are left owing. Indeed I am now short on funds and not expecting repayment any time soon.
     There is also much talk of secret meetings between the French court and unknowns. No one for sure knows why or what is the reason behind the secret talks, other than some kind of alliance, which has given rise to fears within Charles court, while his mother keeps to her own counsel all things Louis within her own closed court. Therefore my love, I am a wandering soul at present with no abode to call our own. Please bear with me, for I will write as soon as able. I remain hopeful of respite from the stigma of being looked upon as a turncoat, but should in a month or two, time tell the same tale, I may rethink my situation.
     Ever your loving husband,
     Thomas.


Francine’s Links
Http://francinehowarth.blogspot.co.uk



Question
In which era is this novel set?

Answers in the comments and good luck!




Now watch the Trailer

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16 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for the promo, Pauline. It's much appreciated! ;)

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  2. I adore this period and my very first ever crush was on Prince Rupert. The fashions were ravishing, and I've always had a thing about men with long curly hair (even if it was usually a wig). I am very pleased you're setting your current books in this romantic era.

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    1. There you go, Gilli, Prince Rupert features in this novel! ;)

      Thanks for dropping in to comment.

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  3. I think it's the English cival war which raged from 1642 - 1651!

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  6. The 17th century. I' m reading fist book now.

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    1. Spot on Faye, and thank you for reading book 1. ;)

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  7. 17th century and the King is Charles II.. sounds like his years at the Court of Louis XIV! He is my favorite English King both for his wit and his Mistresses.
    Marilyn (ewatvess@yahoo.com)

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  8. Absolutely correct Mari, my favourite period, too. Not sure what my affinity is with this period but it's very strong. ;)

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  9. Thanks, Pauline, for this. I think I know the answer, The English Interregnum if you can believe Wikipedia, but I cheated because I had to look it up and found that Charles was known as the "Merrie Monarch," once he regained the throne some years after the start of TOAST OF CLIFTON's story.

    What's important to me is that Captain Thornton's letter to his Bess makes the period come alive and I feel Charles' "deep darkness of soul" and, by extension, England's turmoil during this time.

    But one thing: I'm glad that in the mother country at least debauchery won over Cromwell's Puritanism since we in the states still suffer from it.

    Thanks for this, Francine. It's exactly what I needed to read this morning!

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    1. Thanks for dropping in, Susan, and believe it the *Merrie Monarch* had nothing to lose in lifting skirts. I honestly believe after Lucy and what happened to both of them due to court intrigues, he just lived for the moment! There's more to his death than can ever be proved, too. His brother was a nasty piece of slime.

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  10. The Interregnum.

    Since we address Charles as King, it is after Charles 1 is beheaded. But since he is not restored and thus this is not The Restoration yet. Overall you could call it the Stuart Period. But attitudes and fashions change over the whole of the period. Early on in the Stuarts we see D'Artagnan like Cavaliers, Prince Rupert during the ECW is one to be such. But when Charles II comes the thrown those gallant days seem to fade for all but Highwaymen. Marlborough never has seemed much of a Cavalier to me for instance.

    That all being said, the era is always intriguing. War and its aftermath are filled with drama, and one such as the ECW where mistakes were made on all sides, where larger than life characters (now 350 years later) prevail (possibly because we talk about them 350 years later), where acts of heroism and cowardice ruled the day, as warfare transitioned from the personal hand to hand of men with swords, to men in formations of Pike and Musket, where artillery started to become effective is one that I look forward to reading. (I did a search last year and there were not many fictitious pieces of the period, or at least not as many as I presumed there would be. It is good to welcome more.)

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    1. Thank you for dropping by, David. You're right, few authors concentrate on this period of history as far as fiction goes. I was surprised to discover how effective men with pikes were against mounted cavalry. I try to avoid too gruesome, and lengthy battle scenes bore me senseless. Skirmishes rule in my books.

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  11. The Interregnum - which, as the name suggests, is the period between the two kings, Charles I and II. Or, to give it its other name: the Commonwealth. This has to be my favourite period in history and I will be fighting Gilli over the right to claim who is Prince Rupert's greatest fan. Lol. I used to belong to the Sealed Knot which re-enacted battles of the ECW. Not sure how I ended up writing rom coms, but there it is.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Lizzie.

      I pen contemporary, too. But, as a kid I loved history and although I love penning Georgian & Regency novels I have a close affinity with this particular period in history!

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