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Period Drama Men // Sharp Dressed Man

When I was scrolling through my playlists on YouTube looking for a video to share today, this one just shouted Charles Edwards at me as I scrolled past it. So, I stopped, went back, and decided that yes, this song seemed to go well with a scene from his book where he’s helping a couple of young lads learn the skills needed to be a valet. The feel of the song seems to fit Charles as well since he is a rascal in the process of changing his ways but still very much willing to stroll along the borders of propriety.

All he wanted was a kiss. What he got was so much more.

Charles Edwards is no stranger to scandal. He lives an easy, carefree life, floating from one moment of pleasure to another. Or, at least, he did until one fateful night when two young ladies asked him to come to their aid. Since then, Charles has been hiding from society until his injuries heal, which is what he was attempting to do when one of those ladies – the one with the kissable lips – re-enters his life.

Wedding in the Photographer’s Studio (Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret)

Une noce chez le photographe, c.1879, Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Below are the final paragraphs of Listen To Your Heart. If you don’t want to see the ending before reading the rest of the book, look away now. 😉

Anne’s stomach did a little flip as she reached the bottom of the stairs, and they faced the door to the drawing room where Mr. Collins and Richard, as well as a few assembled guests, awaited her.

“Are you well?” asked Darcy, noticing her pause.

She nodded, a smile suffusing her face. “I have never been better.” She waited while her mother slipped into the room and took her place next to Mr. Cranfield. Then it was time for her to join Richard in front of the garden doors where he stood propped on his crutches with Mr. Collins. She pulled back slightly on Darcy’s arm. He looked at her, his brows furrowed.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For helping me find my own happiness.”

“You’re welcome, but I did very little to assist you.” He looked at her face and then Richard’s. “Happiness often follows when you listen.”

“Listen?” She looked up at him in confusion.  “To what?”

He smiled at her and tipped his head toward Richard. “To your heart,” he said as he began leading her into the room. “Always, listen to your heart.”

[from Listen to Your Heart]

Listen to Your Heart can be found in Darcy And… A Pride and Prejudice Variations Collection, which is on sale for the month of June.


Period Drama Montage: It’s Raining Men

After last month’s series of music lessons, I thought why not have a bit of a fun break this month and spend a few weeks focusing on some of the gentlemen in my stories.

The fellas in this month’s theme graphic are from four of my book covers that don’t have a couple on them, but rather feature only a gentleman. Before you scroll down and I tell you, do you know which books they are?

I’m not going to feature all of them in excerpts this month as I have already done one of these books just last month. However, I am sharing from one of them this week.

Ok, here are the answers of which face belongs to which book, moving from left to right: Persuading Miss Mary, Henry: To Prove Himself Worthy, Cherishing Kitty, and Tom: To Secure His Legacy. Did you get them all?

The excerpt below, which is from Tom: To Secure His Legacy, is part of the scene where Tom meets the heroine Faith.

Tom: To Secure His Legacy is book 4 in my Other Pens series.

Find Tom’s story and all the other books in this series here.

The June 2021 Saturday Broadsheet

The Saturday Broadsheet, with all my writing life updates, is now available at the link at the bottom of this short post. In this issue of the Broadsheet you will find:

  • Info about what is posting on my blog — which you probably already know. 🙂
  • My progress on my writing and publishing projects
  • For Leenie’s Book News subscribers there is a sneak peek at Sketches and Secrets of Summer. (Oh, I am loving writing that book!)
  • Two books that I have on sale for the month of June
  • A video about a musical instrument that did not make it to the blog last month as a Monday post. 🙂
Click here to read the June 2021 Saturday Broadsheet

Have a great weekend!

I’ll be back on Monday with a story and song pairing. (This month’s theme is Romantic Heroes.)


A Wedding Reception (George Cain)

“Eine Hochzeitsfeier unter dem Direktorium” Georges Cain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

She (Lydia) tipped her head as she smiled up at him. Tears hung on her lashes. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“For what?” he (Marcus) asked.

“For loving me.” She blinked rapidly to keep the tears in their place.

“How could I not,” he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. “Are you certain you cannot desert our guests even for a few moments? I should very much like to kiss my wife.”

She giggled. “I think we might be able to slip into the garden for a few moments.” She arched a brow. “I know which paths are not well lit.”

“Have I told you how brilliant you are, Mrs. Dobney?” he asked as he tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led her onto the terrace.

“No, I do not believe you have,” she replied. “Down this path.” She pulled him off to the right and around a corner behind a bush.

He pulled her into his embrace. “You, Mrs. Dobney, are brilliant.”

She smiled. “Not many have ever called me that.”

“I suppose not everyone can be as wise as I,” he tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. “If they saw what I see, they would agree.”

“Are you going to kiss me?”

“Are you eager to return?” he teased, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

She shook her head. “No, just to be kissed.”

[from the epilogue to the Willow Hall series by Leenie Brown]