Hey, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Rachel Brimble and her new book, “Victoria & Violet,” here on FAB!! For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.
Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Rachel and to increase your chances of winning!
Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of good luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
Victoria &
Violet
Royal Maids Book Series
Book One
by Rachel Brimble
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GENRE: Historical Romance
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BOOK BLURB:
When Violet Parker is told she will be Queen Victoria’s personal housemaid, she cannot believe her good fortune. She finally has the chance to escape her overbearing mother, a servant to the Duchess of Kent. Violet hopes to explore who she is and what the world has to offer without her mother’s schemes overshadowing her every thought and action.
Then she meets James Greene, assistant to the queen’s chief political adviser, Lord Melbourne. From entirely different backgrounds and social class, Violet and James should have neither need nor desire to speak to one another, yet through their service, their paths cross and their lives merge—as do their feelings.
Only Victoria’s court is not always the place for romance, but rather secrets, scandals, and conspiracies…
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EXCERPT ONE:
“She…” Violet hesitated, feeling foolish carrying out the queen’s instructions when James was quite clearly busy and not at all happy. “She suggested we take a picnic.”
“A pic…” His eyes widened before his cheeks mottled. “It’s December!”
“I can pack some hot soup and bread. It will be…fun.”
“Fun? I can’t take myself off for a picnic when there is so much to do. What on earth will the workers think of me?”
His mood made her decidedly uneasy, but she could not defer on the queen’s request. She lifted her chin. “I’m sorry, James, but if the queen commands it, we cannot refuse. Besides, it will be last time you will see me for a while.”
He dropped his hand from his hair, his dark eyes boring into hers. “What are you talking about?”
“I have to go home. My mother claims my father is ill. Not that I believe a word of it, of course. But still, I must go.”
“Your mother is exerting her power again?”
“I have little doubt.”
He exhaled heavily, his gaze softening. “Give me an hour and I will come. Where shall we meet?”
“In the folly.”
“Very well.” His gaze dropped to her lips before he reached around her toward the door and opened it. “You should go.”
He stood so close, Violet could see flecks of blue in his eyes, smell the subtle maleness of him. Her treacherous heart swelled with silly, dangerous love. She forced a smile and ducked under his arm and through the open doorway.
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GUEST POST:
Five Reasons You Should Read Victoria & Violet
Victoria & Violet is my 28th novel and the first book I have written that includes real people and real events – to do this was a long-held ambition of mine that has finally come to fruition, and I loved writing every word. Now I pray readers will take it into their hearts just as deeply as I have…
Reasons to Read:
1.) If you are a fan of British period dramas, then this is the book for you! I am period drama obsessed, and they inevitably influence my writing. As you follow Victoria, Violet and hero James on their journey and burgeoning relationships, you will find yourself embroiled in ample story threads that lead to satisfying doses drama, intrigue & romance!
2.) If you love British royal history (especially Queen Victoria, of course!) – I have included many real events that occurred in the early reign of Queen Victoria and take you right into her heart and mind as they are unfolding. The book is told from her housemaid’s point of view, so I hope it feels like a new and unique incite into events that you have heard about, but maybe did not know too much.
3.) Violet Parker – Violet is without doubt one of my favorite heroines ever. When the book opens, she is in an unbearable situation under the control of her mother and Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent. However, despite her nervousness and fear, the reader quickly gets a sense of Violet’s steeliness, too. Writing her character growth was a joy and I came to admire her so very much.
4.) The settings – another reason I loved writing this book was the chance to re-create Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in 1839. I have been lucky enough to visit both of these royal palaces over the last few years, and it wasn’t hard to imagine what might or might not have changed over the last 180 years or so. My imagination went into overdrive, and it was wonderful…
5.) James Greene – if I’m honest James was a little bit of an enigma to me when I was writing the first draft of this book. He was there, I could see him, hear his voice and see certain cheeky mannerisms, but I couldn’t quite get into his heart. That all changed when I took him back to his family home in Oxfordshire. When he is at Cassington Park, James cannot hide his vulnerabilities and flaws – that was when I fell in love with him and I hope readers do, too…
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AUTHOR BIO:
Rachel lives in a small town near Bath, England. She is the author of 29 novels including the Ladies of Carson Street trilogy, the Shop Girl series (Aria Fiction) and the Templeton Cove Stories (Harlequin). Her latest novel, Victoria & Violet is the first book in her new Royal Maids series with the Wild Rose Press and releases 17th October 2022.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association as well as the Historical Novel Society and has thousands of social media followers all over the world.
To sign up for her newsletter (a guaranteed giveaway every month!), click here: https://bit.ly/3zyH7dt.
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CONNECT WITH RACHEL:
Website:
Blog:
http://rachelbrimble.blogspot.com
Newsletter:
Email:
rachelbrimble@googlemail.com
Facebook Fan Page:
https://www.facebook.com/rachelbrimbleauthor
Facebook Group – Rachel’s Readers:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RachelsReaders
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/RachelBrimble
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rachelbrimbleauthor
BookBub Author Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rachel-brimble
BookBub Book Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/books/victoria-and-violet-by-rachel-brimble
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806411.Rachel_Brimble
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62533060-victoria-violet
Amazon Author Page:
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BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon
US Kindle eBook:
Amazon
US Paperback:
Amazon
CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Victoria-Violet-Royal-Maids-Book-ebook/dp/B0B6T47ZX5
Amazon
CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Victoria-Violet-Royal-Rachel-Brimble/dp/1509244395
Barnes
and Noble NOOK eBook:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/victoria-violet-rachel-brimble/1141812004?ean=2940186349679
Barnes
and Noble Paperback:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/victoria-violet-rachel-brimble/1141812004?ean=9781509244393
Kobo
US eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/victoria-violet
Kobo
CA eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/victoria-violet
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Rachel will be awarding a $20 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble Gift Card (Winner’s Choice!!!) to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
I liked the excerpt.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your guest post, bio and book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading Victoria and Violet and to meeting all of the other characters, James in particular
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting read.
ReplyDelete