Spotlight & Giveaway: Project Duchess by Sabrina Jeffries

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Sabrina Jeffries to HJ!

Hi Sabrina and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Project Duchess!

 
Thanks for having me! I’m so glad to be here.
 

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

It’s the first of my new Duke Dynasty series, in which an oft-widowed mother’s grown children blaze through society in their quest for the truth about their fathers and in the process find that love just might conquer all. In Project Duchess, a difficult childhood has left “Grey” Pryde, Duke of Greycourt, with a guarded heart, enviable wealth, and the undeserved reputation of a rogue. But when he meets the unconventional, spirited Beatrice Wolfe, who’s managing his stepfather’s funeral, he’s intrigued. Beatrice gave up on romance long ago, and the arrogant duke isn’t exactly changing her mind … until Grey agrees to assist his mother with schooling Beatrice for her debut. Now that she’s seeing through Grey’s charms to his wounded heart, she’s having trouble keeping him at arm’s length.
 

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

“There is no way in bloody hell I’ll be teaching anyone about how society works,” Thornstock cut in. “And yes, Mother, ‘bloody hell’ is definitely unacceptable language for society.”
“Or for anywhere,” Lady Gwyn chided her brother. “Even I know that.”
Thornstock shrugged. “All the more reason for Grey to take charge of this nonsense.”
***
And just like that, Beatrice was reminded of why he’d rubbed her wrong. Yes, he was somewhat attractive, with his straight white teeth, chiseled features, rumpled black hair, and gorgeous eyes, but he was also a superior arse who thought he owned the world. She was never going to like him.
Never.

What inspired this book?

Two things inspired it. First, the pleasure I took in writing a previous series, The Hellions, that had a mystery thread going through all five books that was only solved in the last book. Second, my fascination with blended families. I don’t have a blended family myself, which may be why I find them interesting. I’ve always wondered how dealing with a stepsister, half-brother, stepfather, etc., differs from dealing with full siblings in a nuclear family. Families in past centuries were more likely to be blended, since the mortality rate for mothers was higher (many more women died in childbirth), but I thought it might be fun to deal with a family where the mother lived and the fathers died. Sort of a matriarchy within a patriarchy.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

I always get to know my characters by writing about them. Many romance authors are character-driven. I am not–I’m plot-driven. When I start a book, I know the plot inside and out but only have a sketchy idea of the characters. As I write and they say things, I get to know them, so yes, my characters always surprise me. 🙂 For example, I didn’t realize at first that Grey had owned dogs as pets, so he and Beatrice had a common love and understanding of dogs. I also didn’t realize until a few chapters in that Beatrice WANTED to fit in (or at least she thought she did), she just didn’t know how. That’s why she and Grey worked so well together. They were both iconoclasts and unlikely to change.

What was your favorite scene to write?

The scene of their first kiss, which involved the dogs as well (the scene, not the kiss, LOL). It ended up being comical at first and then became more serious. I always love doing both in a scene.

What was the most difficult scene to write?

All the love scenes were difficult because Beatrice’s only experience with sex involved the lewd and unwanted advances of a much older man. I wanted her natural sensuality to assert itself, but not to an extent that was ridiculous, given her past experience. So those were hard scenes to write.

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

I think it’s pretty typical of my writing style.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

That it’s okay to challenge authority, especially when that authority is in the wrong. And that there’s someone for everyone (I really believe that). Oh, and that people in the Regency weren’t all one way. There were plenty of people then who questioned how things were always done.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I’m just starting to plot Grey’s half-brother’s book. Thornstock is also a duke. I am so much in early days for that book that I can’t even tell you what it’s about, since I don’t know yet. But between Grey’s book and Thorn’s is the book about Beatrice’s brother Joshua and Thorn’s twin sister Gwyn. The title is The Bachelor (all the titles of the books are based on reality TV shows, but just the titles). Between Project Duchess and The Bachelor is a Christmas novella entitled The Perfect Match, which will come out this Christmas in a trade paperback called Seduction on a Snowy Night and also includes novellas by Madeline Hunter and Mary Jo Putney.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive autographed copies of two books from the Sinful Suitors series, The Art of Sinning and The Secret of Flirting. Open Internationally.

 
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To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Do you like duke heroes? And if so, why or why not?

Excerpt from Project Duchess:

“Which dance shall I teach you next?” the Duke of Greycourt asked Beatrice Wolfe.
“I will do whatever you wish, Your Grace.”
Something dangerously enticing flickered in his gaze. “Every time you offer to do whatever I wish, you tempt me, Beatrice,” he murmured. “So don’t offer unless you mean it.”
Blast, she was in trouble. If he kept saying things like that, she’d melt into a puddle. The duke could seduce a saint, and she was no saint, just a woman caught in circumstances beyond her control, with a man who turned her knees wobbly.
Now he was looking at her as he had in the woods yesterday—with hunger in his eyes. As Grey’s mother continued playing music on the pianoforte, Beatrice forgot about counting the beats or feeling clumsy. She matched his motions, relishing the masterful way he led her, his hands clasping hers as they circled each other. His eyes flashed green or blue depending on whether he faced the windows as they turned, and the effect was hypnotic.
Dancing with him was hypnotic. Every clasp of his hand as they came together was a pleasurable agony, every dark smile an invitation to debauchery. She could hardly catch her breath, her heart was pounding so. Surely he must hear it and think her the veriest pea goose he’d ever met, to be so flustered by a mere dance.
Suddenly, Gwyn, Grey’s half-sister, burst into the room. “Mama, Thorn is leaving for London!”
The music ended abruptly. “What?” Aunt Lydia rose. “But why?”
Grey and Beatrice moved a respectable distance apart as Gwyn stalked to the pianoforte. “My stupid brother says he has important things to do in town. That he shan’t waste any more time around here. He’s packing up right this minute!”
“The devil he is!” Aunt Lydia cried. “That boy will be the death of me yet.” She caught Gwyn by the arm. “Come with me. He’s leaving because of you, you know. And I’ve had enough of you two squabbling. We’re going to settle this right now.”
Halfway out the door, Aunt Lydia paused to say to Beatrice and Grey, “Keep practicing! The three of us will be back in a moment.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Grey muttered. “Not even Mother can undo years of disagreement in a single moment.” He cast Beatrice a wry smile. “And I’m not sure how she expects us to dance with no music.” Calculation gleamed in his eyes. “You and I should just talk until they return.”
So he could ask more questions about Joshua and Uncle Armie to coax her into babbling her foolish fears? No thank you. “If I hum the music, we could continue to practice the steps.”
“I’m not sure you need more practice.” He eyed her uncertainly, as if trying to figure out her game. “You seem to have mastered the minuet well enough to pass muster.”
“Then perhaps you could teach me another dance.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Let me think.” She ran through all the dances she’d heard of until she hit on one. “How about ‘Jenny’s Market’?”
An odd look crossed his face. “‘Jenny’s Market’? Are you certain that’s one you wish to learn?”
“I’ve heard the dance is quite popular in high society. Do you know it?”
“I do indeed. Very well.”
Thank God. Now she wouldn’t have to talk about Uncle Armie with him.
Although the way he’d said, I do indeed, with a hint of suspicion, gave her pause. Because now he was gazing at her with a heat in his eyes that made her heart drop into her stomach.
Uh-oh. She might have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. And she really wasn’t sure how.
***
Grey had begun to think that Beatrice was as guileless as she seemed until she’d mentioned wanting to learn “Jenny’s Market.”
Unless . . . “How do you know about ‘Jenny’s Market’? Have you ever seen it danced?”
She sighed. “I’m afraid not.”
That explained a great deal. He walked over to close the door leading to the hall. When he caught her gaping at him, he said, “Someone seeing us dance ‘Jenny’s Market’ without music could misinterpret what we’re doing, so it’s best to keep the servants from chattering. If we were wise, we’d also practice over by the pianoforte, since we’d hear anyone enter before they turned around to spot us in the musicians’ alcove.”
“Oh, dear.” Her face fell. “Then it must be quite a scandalous dance.”
“Without music, yes, it might be seen as something scandalous. In a ballroom with other couples, it’s perfectly acceptable.”
“Can I admit something to you?” she asked.
Absolutely. “We do have a bargain about saying what we think.”
“Well then, learning that the dance is scandalous sort of . . .” She leaned close and lowered her tone to a confidential murmur. “It makes me even more eager to learn it. Though I suppose it’s wicked of me to think such a thing, let alone speak it.”
His pulse beat a rapid tattoo. “Wicked? No. Let’s just say that your
grandmother was right—you are a naughty saucebox. But it happens to be
something I like about you.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

A series of stepfathers and a difficult childhood have left Fletcher “Grey” Pryde, 5th Duke of Greycourt, with a guarded heart, enviable wealth, and the undeserved reputation of a rogue. Grey’s focus on expanding his dukedom allows him little time to find a wife. But when his mother is widowed yet again and he meets the charmingly unconventional woman managing his stepfather’s funeral, he’s shocked to discover how much they have in common. Still, Grey isn’t interested in love, no matter how pretty, or delightfully outspoken, the lady . . .

Beatrice Wolfe gave up on romance long ago, and the arrogant Duke of Greycourt with his rakish reputation isn’t exactly changing her mind. Then Grey agrees to assist his grief-stricken mother with her latest “project”: schooling spirited, unfashionable Beatrice for her debut. Now that Beatrice is seeing through Grey’s charms to his wounded heart, she’s having trouble keeping him at arm’s length. But once Grey starts digging into her family’s secrets, she must decide whether her loyalties lie with her family . . . or with the man whose lessons capture her heart . . .

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Meet the Author:

Sabrina Jeffries is the New York Times bestselling author of over 50 novels and works of short fiction (some written under the pseudonyms Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas). Whatever time not spent writing in a coffee-fueled haze is spent traveling with her husband and adult autistic son or indulging in her passions—jigsaw puzzles, good food, and music. With over 9 million books in print in over 21 languages, the North Carolina author never regrets tossing aside a budding career in academics (she has a Ph.D. in English literature) for the sheer joy of writing fun fiction, and hopes that one day a book of hers will end up saving the world.

She always dreams big.
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