Spotlight & Giveaway: Isabel and The Rogue by Liana De la Rosa

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Liana De la Rosa to HJ!

Hi Liana De la Rosa and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Isabel and The Rogue!

 
Thank you! I’m excited to talk about Isabel and The Rogue.
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Isabel is the reserved, bookish middle Luna sister used to be being overlooked for her charming, beautiful sisters…until she uses her supposed invisibility to search for secrets to aide her beloved Mexico’s fight against the French. But Isabel is not as invisible as she thought, for her antics have snagged the attention of a notorious rake–and covert agent for the Home Office–Captain Sirius Dawson. Sparks fly when Sirius offers to help Isabel in her search, but the futures they want are vastly different…or are they?
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

She cleared her throat. “I am well. I had an enjoyable evening at the ball last night.”

“It appeared so. You certainly smiled more than I’ve ever seen.”

“I had no notion you kept track of my smiles,” she shot back, glancing at him askance.

From the corner of her eye she saw the captain lift a shoulder. “They’re such rare events . . . and they change your face so completely, it’s hard not to pay attention.”

Isabel jerked her head about to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean what I said.” The captain fixed his gaze on a point in the distance. “Your whole face comes alive when you smile.”

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

Several aspects of Isabel and The Rogue mirror story details from the first half of Bridgerton season three. Not only are Isabel and Penelope both wallflowers in bloom, Sirius and Colin are popular rakes about town. They also share a fun friends to lovers aspect, as well as an exciting hot air balloon scene! (although in my scene, Isabel and Sirius are in the basket together!) I was tickled watching the show and catching the similarities, especially as I had written Isabel and Sirius’s book more than a year before the third season of Bridgerton debuted.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Isabel and Sirius have known each other for a couple of years by the time their book starts, and they have a bit of an antagonistic relationship. Isabel thinks him a scandalous rake, and Sirius does his best to ignore her, not caring to challenge her opinions of him. However, when they find themselves trapped in a hot air balloon basket, both Isabel and Sirius finally begin to see each other without their dislike to cloud their vision. Sirius realizes Isabel is clever and incredibly brave, and Isabel discovers Sirius is gentle and kind-hearted…and their attraction for each other grows as they learn more about each other.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

Without giving away story details, there is a scene later in the book between Isabel and her younger sister, Gabby, that never ceases to leave me emotional. Here’s a short snippet:

“You were too much for London, Isa. Too intelligent, too brave.” Gabby’s voice broke, and she pressed her cheek to Isabel’s shoulder. “And too brilliant for this gray city.”

“Gabby,” she choked out, all other words strangled by her unshed tears.

“The only consolation I have __Spoiler__ is that you will finally be able to show your worth for all the world to see.” Her younger sister patted her arm. “No more hiding, when you were meant to shine.”

Readers should read this book….

If readers loved wallflower Penelope’s transformation in season three of Bridgerton, they may love Isabel Luna’s journey as she comes into her own. Also, readers who enjoy deeply emotional connections between wounded characters might love Isabel and Sirius’s romance.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

I am currently working on revisions to Gabby’s book. She is the youngest Luna sister, and while her book won’t be out until summer 2025, writing it allowed me to spend time with Ana María and Gideon (the couple from book one), as well as Isabel and Sirius, and it was such a lovely, long goodbye. I have adored spending time with these sisters and am so sad to say goodbye to them and their world.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: One reader will receive a signed print copy of Isabel and The Rogue, as well as custom stepback artwork. Open to US residents only. (sorry!)

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Why do you think readers enjoy a wallflower main character? Do you think most readers can see themselves in a wallflower’s journey?

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Excerpt from Isabel and The Rogue:

That was until he heard a muted shriek. Sirius had no notion how he even heard it above the din, but he turned his head in time to see that the swell of the crowd had inadvertently jostled loose the tethers that secured one of the balloons. Now the basket rocked to and fro, the dark-haired young woman inside it grasping the wicker lip like a lifeline. In the pause of one heartbeat, her terror-filled eyes met his, and Sirius’s heart spasmed when he realized it was Isabel.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Sirius sprinted to her, his gaze not releasing its hold on hers. The basket now floated several feet above the ground, and Isabel’s normally tawny complexion was pale.

“Miss Luna,” Sirius called as he pushed and shoved his way through the crush surrounding the basket. When his hands curled around the basket lip, he hoisted himself inside, immediately reaching to grab Isabel’s arm. “Allow me to help you out.”

Isabel’s small gasp met his ears. “I think it may be too late.”

Pulling his gaze from her face, Sirius looked around and noticed that the balloon was now almost ten feet above the ground, the collective gazes of the crowd staring up at him as he stared down at them. He noted the gentleman Isabel had been speaking with earlier, no doubt the balloon engineer, was frantically trying to restake the tethers holding the balloon to the ground, several men rushing to assist him. Sirius’s stomach gave an uncomfortable swoop as the basket rose several more feet before it jerked to a stop, the ropes groaning with the tension. Peering down again, he spied the engineer waving his hat, before cupping a hand around his mouth.

“Hang tight. We’ll have you down in a few minutes,” he called.

Sirius lifted his arm in acknowledgment and slowly pivoted to face Isabel.

Her eyes were clenched closed. Her hands were curled about a canopy rope, and if she were not wearing gloves, Sirius was certain her knuckles would be white. The only time he had ever seen Isabel this terrified was when her sister, Ana María, had been abducted the year prior. His heart lurched out of a rhythm at the sight.

“I can’t say I’m surprised you would jump at the chance to soar in a balloon above London,” he said, the tension in his chest easing when Isabel’s lips twitched around a smile.

“I assure you that a flight above the city was not my intention.” Her throat worked on a swallow. “I-I’m actually afraid of heights.”

“Are you truly?” At her nod, Sirius took a small step toward her. “I find that quite surprising. You don’t strike me as a woman who’s afraid of anything.”

Her soulful dark eyes blinked open then, and in their depths he glimpsed a perplexing bit of vulnerability. That couldn’t be right, and Sirius lifted his hand to reach for her, to reassure her . . . until he remembered himself. His arm dropped to his side with a thud.

“That may be the most flattering compliment I have ever received.” Isabel stared at him for a long moment and then her gaze slid away. “Sadly, I find myself afraid of all sorts of things.”

Sirius worked his jaw on a pause, unsure of what to say but mindful that his response could either ensure their quarrelsome interactions continued, or perhaps forge a new path toward friendship. And with their connections, friendship seemed an appealing alternative.

Resting his hand near hers on the basket, Sirius maneuvered his body until he prevented Isabel from glancing down to see the crowd below. Being this close to her, he caught a faint whiff of vanilla. Her soap or lotion, perhaps. It suited her.

Isabel looked up at him then, a pucker forming between her brows. Was she wondering why he stood so near to her? Before she questioned his motives, Sirius spoke, still unsure of exactly what he was going to say.

“There’s nothing wrong with being frightened of things. The world is a frightening place.” Sirius snagged her gaze. “It’s what we do with that fear that matters. Do we let it control us? Or do we acknowledge it and move forward anyway?”

The corner of her pink lips quirked. “Is this what you told your men on the battlefield?”

Sirius chuckled, mortified to feel heat spread across his face. “I wish I had been wise enough to think of it then, but alas, such insight was lost to me.”

Isabel ducked her head, but not before he spied a flashing glimpse of a smile.

“I read an entertaining little book about aeronautical balloons called The Balloon Travels of Robert Merry, and it reignited my curiosity. There was an exhibit in Mexico City several years ago that I had been excited to attend.” Isabel shrugged, but the movement was anything but blithe. “However, my father forbade me to go.”

“Forbade you?” He blinked. “But why?”

Her shoulders lifted once again, the action stiff and almost defensive. “Because he wouldn’t be attending. He only ever allowed us to attend events if being seen benefited him.”

Fox had mentioned that Mr. Luna, Isabel’s father, had been a demanding and difficult parent. Sirius had not really considered what that meant until this moment, but the dejected wilt to Isabel’s frame set his teeth on edge. He had not had much of a relationship with his own father, the late earl never finding interest in his spare. His apathy had stung, but now Sirius wondered if apathy was the better alternative to the casual cruelness Isabel suffered.

Clearing his throat, he waved his hand at the landscape below, mindful not to shift his weight. “Well, it is a good thing he’s not here now, or else you would not have been able to go on this adventure.”

“Adventure?” Isabel slowly raised her head and gingerly looked at the scenery beyond the basket. Sirius estimated they were about twenty-five to thirty feet above the ground, a considerable height, and yet he was thankful they had not risen further. “I will endeavor to look at this as an adventure and not a terror-inducing disaster.”

A grin overtook his face, and a smidge of triumph settled in his chest when Isabel’s irises widened. “There’s that indomitable spirit I’ve come to know you for. I knew it wouldn’t stay away for long.”
“Indomitable? It’s a word I’ve heard used to describe my father.” Pink swept across her cheeks. “But . . . I quite like that you used it to describe me. I would never have dreamed there was an association.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing I am here to inform you.” Sirius tilted his head as he stared down at her. “Are you feeling better?”

Isabel nodded, her gaze darting to the ground below for only a second. “It helps that we haven’t risen higher. And Mr. Thompson said they purposely didn’t bring enough hydrogen for manned flights, so even if the tethers did not hold, we wouldn’t soar for long.”

“Mr. Thompson is the balloon engineer?” At her nod, Sirius looked over the side of the basket. “It appears he has all the tethers secured, so I imagine he and his men will be hauling us down soon enough.”

Sirius turned back to her, curious to find Isabel considering him with her lip tucked between her teeth. He raised his brow in question, and she quickly looked away.

“I find myself surprised that you’re here. A balloon exhibition doesn’t seem like the sort of entertainment you’d favor.”

“I confess that I’ve never given much thought to aeronautical balloons, but now that I have a front-row view of the contraption”—Sirius tipped his head back to stare at the underbelly of the envelope—“I can see why you find them so interesting.”

A shy smile flitted over her face.

“I was invited by a friend to attend. And since it was sunny and the air crisp, it seemed an ideal outing for a spring morning.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “And now look at me. High above the ground with a view of London most people will never see.”

Isabel shifted her gaze from his to scan the horizon. “I suppose you’re right. This vantage point is ideal. Rather breathtaking, really.”

Sirius didn’t know what changed. But in that instant, being this close to her, with the breeze sending strands of black hair against her cheeks and her vanilla scent to his nose, her expression relaxed and open in ways she had never been with him, Isabel Luna was stunningly beautiful. And damn if that didn’t set him back on his heels.

“Breathtaking, indeed.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

When a Mexican heiress defies Victorian society to protect her country a British war hero makes it his new mission to protect her…

Isabel Luna Valdés has long since resigned herself to being the “forgotten” Luna sister. But thanks to familial connections to the Mexican ambassador in London, wallflower Isabel is poised to unearth any British intelligence hidden by the ton that might aid Mexico during the French Occupation. Though she slips easily from crowded ballrooms into libraries and private studies, Isabel’s search is hampered by trysting couples and prowling rogues—including the rakish Captain Sirius Dawson.

As a covert agent for the British Home Office, Sirius makes a game of earning the aristocracy’s confidence. He spends his days befriending foolish politicians and seducing well-born ladies in order to learn their secrets. But after he spies a certain sharp-tongued Luna sister lurking in the shadows where no proper debutante should venture, it’s clear Sirius is outmatched, outwitted, and soon to be outmaneuvered by the one woman he can’t resist.

Their mutual attraction is undeniable, but when Isabel discovers private correspondence that could turn the tide of political turmoil in Mexico, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect her country—even if this means ignoring her heart and courting danger…
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Meet the Author:

Liana De la Rosa is a historical romance author who writes diverse characters in the Regency and Victorian periods. Liana is a graduate of the University of Arizona, and when she is not writing, Liana is listening to true crime podcasts while she wrangles her spirited brood of children with her patient husband in Arizona. Her novel, Ana María and The Fox, was a Library Journal, Kirkus, and Booklist best romance of 2023. Her current release, Isabel and the Rogue, is the second installment in her Latinx Victorian “Luna Sisters” series.
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