To Lady Amelia Wellesley, it seems utterly romantic to surprise her dashing fiancé at his home in Texas so the two can marry by Christmas. But Amelia's surprise goes awry when Carson Kitteridge calls off their wedding as soon as she arrives, leaving Amelia in disgrace...***
With nowhere to turn, Amelia finds an unlikely savior in Carson's brother, Dr. Boone Kitteridge. Boone offers to marry Amelia, sparing her the shame of returning to England unwed. But Boone isn't just protecting Amelia's honor; secretly, he finds her irresistible, and the thought of indulging his desire for her is too tempting to ignore. As Boone and Amelia forge a fragile bond, something goes terribly wrong--and it will take nothing less than a Christmas miracle for Amelia to discover who she is destined to love...
"The next in Goodger's Christmas series is a touching, compassionate, passion-filled romance peopled with complex characters. The deeply emotional story is sure to win readers' hearts." ~ RT Book Reviews
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All three of your Christmas historicals are set partially in the United States, but also in England. Why is that?The first book in the trilogy, MARRY CHRISTMAS, started off in Newport, RI, and is based on the life of Consuela Vanderbilt, who was forced to marry the Duke of Marlborough. It was an unhappy marriage that ended in divorce. I love writing about Newport. For one thing, it's about fifteen minutes away! For another, I absolutely love the idea that the moguls of the day built huge mansions, then called them summer "cottages." In the last book of the trilogy, A CHRISTMAS WALTZ, I had so much fun putting an English heroine in Texas in the middle of nowhere! Poor Amelia is definitely a fish out of water there.
Which is your favorite book in the trilogy?
Whenever I read historicals (I read a lot) I always judge a book on how much I love the hero. Sure, I have to like the heroine and relate to her, but for me it's all about the hero. That's why, as much as I liked the first two books (I wrote them, after all), my favorite of the three has to be A CHRISTMAS WALTZ. I absolutely adore Boone. To me, he's the perfect man: strong, quiet, loving, devoted, and courageous in an endearing way. I still think about him!
It must be easy to research when your locations are in your own backyard.It is. I can tour the homes where my hero and heroine live, read the same newspapers they read, see what products they were using and when. I love doing research. Lately, I've been setting more books in England and find that a bit more challenging because I've never been there. Thankfully, the Internet and libraries have plenty of good information for me to use.
Nearly all of your books are set during the Victorian and Edwardian timeframe, rather than Regency. Why is that?
For some reason, I completely connect to those time periods. Women were questioning the way the world ran. New inventions made for an exciting world. This was the beginning of gaslight and electricity, indoor plumbing, of phonographs and automobiles. Women were riding astride and riding bicycles, showing an independence not seen before--politically and personally. To me, it is one of the most exciting times in history. I particularly love writing about the 1880s and 1890s. From the music to the clothes, I love nearly every aspect of this time period.
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Thanks for stopping by today, Jane!
Readers, would you like to experience the best of England and Texas? What do you enjoy about books set in multiple locales? Let us know! I'll draw a winner at random next Sunday from all the comments we receive. Void where prohibited. Best of luck!
