Spotlight & Giveaway: The Duke’s Wicked Wife by Elizabeth Bright

Posted March 9th, 2020 by in Blog, Spotlight / 68 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome romance author Elizabeth Bright to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Elizabeth and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Duke’s Wicked Wife!

 
Hello, readers! I am so happy to be here.
 

Please summarize the book a la Twitter style for the readers here:

A notorious duke and a determined spinster try very, very hard not to fall in love…bless their hearts.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Sometimes an epiphany came like a crack of lightning, sharp and brilliant, and sometimes it came like a bit of hothouse strawberry lodged in one’s throat. Unfortunately for Sebastian Sinclair, Duke of Wessex, Earl of Badington, and Knight of the Garter, it was the latter.

 

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

  • I knew from the moment Eliza and Sebastian first appeared on page together in Twice as Wicked that I wanted to write their story. Four books later, here we are!
  • A friend once told me that out of all my characters, the one most like me is Sebastian. She’s not wrong.
  • You won’t find wallflowers in the Wicked Secrets series because the books take place in 1817, before the phrase was coined, so my editor won’t let me use it!
  • Eliza is scared of childbirth. This was very easy for me to write and understand, because I had HELLP with both my children. It was terrifying.
  • Horticulture is Sebastian’s hobby. When I began this book, I went on a date with a farmer mostly because I had questions about plants. One year after I finished writing, we’re still together. I still have questions about plants.

 

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

There’s no denying that Eliza is beautiful, and that’s what first attracts Sebastian. But he immediately realizes she’s smart and brutally honest, and he likes that a lot. For Eliza, he’s funny and kind and lets her boss him around, which she enjoys immensely.
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe Hero and Heroine’s love affair?

Argumentative, deep, romantic, playful, protective.
 

The First Kiss…

Ohhhh, I wish I could share this, but there are too many spoilers !
 

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

I love this scene of Eliza and Sebastian in the library, because it shows how well he understands her.

He found her there, her hands clasped behind her back, contemplating the shelf in front of her. She did not turn at the sound of his footfall, but there was a straightness to her spine, an alertness in the tilt of her chin, that gave the game away. She was not unaware of his presence; she was simply ignoring it.
“Are you angry with me, Sigrid?”
She did not move. “Why would I be angry with you, Your Grace?”
This gave him pause. They had not spoken since they’d parted in the orchard. Their last words had not been angry, and yet he felt uneasy, as though they had quarreled. He had certainly given her reason to esteem him less, although that mattered little, as she had never held him in high regard to begin with. She had always believed him to be a vain, frivolous man, and since he was in fact exactly so, he had done his utmost to assure her of her correctness in this.
Still. This felt different, somehow.
She had lost both her mother and stepmother in a terrible way, and feared that she would join them. Such a hard burden for anyone to bear. He wanted to comfort her, though her loss was no longer fresh.
“I cannot think of anything I have done to anger you.” He considered his words. It was possible they were not strictly true. “Of late.”
“No? Well, there you have it, then. I must not be angry.”
“Then why do I feel the need to apologize?” he complained. “That is very unjust. The words hover here at the tip of my tongue, ready to launch themselves to your ears. My knees want nothing more than to buckle so that I may bow humbly at your feet.” He shook his head sadly. “I don’t deserve this.”
“I shall leave that question to your conscience.”

 

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would be absolutely crucial to include?

In Sebastian’s greenhouse, Eliza is fascinated by mimosa pudica. He describes it to her, without realizing he’s describing himself as well.

They waited, watching. Moments passed into minutes, and then slowly the fern stretched shyly open again. Eliza laughed delightedly. “How funny! Wherever did it come from?”
“The West Indies, originally, although this plant in particular hails from a fellow in Hampshire. It does not produce edible fruit or seed worth harvesting, but it amuses me. The Sensitive Plant, they call it, and it is indeed very sensitive. The flowers are fluffy purple spheres, I am told, but I have not yet managed to coax it into bloom.”
He was standing close now, the sleeve of his jacket brushing the sleeve of her dress. So many layers of fabric between them, and yet she was aware of a quick movement of his arm, as though the muscle had tensed and bunched in, like the mimosa, at her touch.
“Why does it shrink like that?” she asked, meaning the plant.
“There is a tedious scientific explanation about water and electric current. But I suppose the true answer is that the world is a hungry place and it does not wish to be eaten.”

 

Readers should read this book …

Do you like witty banter, rakes with a heart of gold, slow burn romance? Then this is for you! As always, nerdy literary references abound.

 

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

I’m starting a brand-new series! I need a respite from London balls, so we’re heading north to the border of Scotland and England. It’s too early to say anything else, other than I’m very excited about it.

 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: I’m giving away an ARC of The Duke’s Wicked Wife and a $10 Amazon giftcard.

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: What is your favorite kind of hero? Do you like cinnamon rolls, grumpy alphas, rakes or rogues? (I love them all!)

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from The Duke’s Wicked Wife:

The scene takes place during the Duke’s house party.

She was spared further discourse on the merits of Lady Anonymous by the arrival of Wessex. He greeted the ladies and sauntered closer to the settee upon which Eliza sat. She shifted, spreading her wool skirt to take up more space. Alice gave her an amused glance before likewise arranging her own skirt. There was scarcely an inch between them now; certainly there was no room for a duke. But he only arched an eyebrow and changed direction to the fern gracing a table across from her.
“About whom are we gossiping?” the duke asked. “Do tell.”
“My husband and his campaign for a Commons seat,” Adelaide said. “Have you anything to say on the matter?”
“Politics!” He gave her an aghast look. “No, indeed.”
He reached a finger toward the fern—a plump, silky thing that spilled over its pot in a delightful tangle of greenery—and stroked the underside of a tendril in a languid glide. Eliza, watching him, felt her neck tingle in response, as though it was her nape the duke touched rather than the fern.
“It is of no interest to you who fills the seat?” she demanded, her voice sharper than she had intended. “Whomever has the seat will vote on bills that affect every man, woman, and child—most of whom have no say in the matter, at all. That does not concern you?”
“Should it?” he asked.
Eliza drew in a long, deep breath—long enough and deep enough to give him a very large piece of her mind. But then she paused. The nonchalance in his voice was too studied, the glimmer in his eye too hopeful. Oh! He was baiting her again, the insufferable man-child. She gave an indignant huff and deliberately turned away from him.
“Well,” the duke said after a moment’s silence, “though I have no interest in politics, of course Eastwood has my support. Anything for you, Mrs. Eastwood. My services are at your command.”
“Thank you, Your Grace,” Adelaide said. “My husband, ah, is very grateful to you.”
Alice coughed, and Eliza hid her grin behind her teacup. The last thing Mr. Eastwood would ever feel toward Wessex was gratitude.
Wessex smiled, unperturbed by the lie. “Indeed.”
He bent closer to the fern, so close that his mouth nearly brushed the glossy tendrils. His lips moved, whispering something indecipherable, though Eliza strained to catch the words. The fern seemed almost to perk up in response. Eliza gave the plant a disapproving frown. The duke could charm a widow from her weeds, but a plant ought to be immune to such things.
“I noticed an orchard as we approached the house,” Riya said. “Is it too much to hope that the apples are still good?”
“They are not yet rotted,” Wessex said, before once again whispering to the fern.
Eliza stared. Were her eyes deceiving her? Or did the fern appear happier from the duke’s attention? A fern couldn’t be happy, could it? She stood and sidled closer, listening.
“Splendid!” Lady Freesia said. “An afternoon in the orchard will be just the thing after a morning of travel.”
Eliza was close enough now to hear the low murmur of the duke’s voice, as sweetly dark as molasses.
“See, now. Am I not proved correct?” he whispered to the fern. “She cannot resist. She does not wish me to sit next to her, oh no, yet she cannot stay away.”
Eliza drew to a halt and glared. “You did this on purpose.”
He blinked his large eyes at her, looking as dumbly innocent as a cow. “What? What did I do?”
“You…” She hesitated, remembering they were not alone, and lowered her voice. “You made me come to you.”
“I merely stood in a corner and conversed with a plant.” He shook his head sadly. “Poor Miss Benton. When will you realize that you find me utterly irresistible?”
“When pigs sprout wings and take to the sky, which, coincidentally, is when it will be true.”
He grinned. “And yet, here you are.”

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Sebastian Sinclair, the Duke of Wessex, is not in love with Eliza Benton—nor anyone else, for that matter. But he must marry and produce an heir, and love is not required for either. His future duchess must be of high birth and good nature, a lady unlikely to snipe at him over breakfast. In short, the complete opposite of Eliza. So who better to help him find a bride?
Eliza Benton is not in love with the Duke of Wessex. He’s infuriating, arrogant, and an ass of the first order. Not that she has any intention of marrying anyone now that her secret dream is on the cusp of becoming reality. A husband would ruin all her careful plans. But she’s all for finding her nemesis the perfect bride, anything to get him from underfoot so she can focus on her writing.
Thank goodness Sebastian and Eliza aren’t in love. That would be disastrous.
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Elizabeth Bright is a writer, lawyer, and mother living in Washington, D.C. Her debut historical romance, Twice As Wicked, was published October 2017 with Entangled Publishing.
Elizabeth loves large dogs and large coffees. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast, and when she’s not writing, lawyering, or mothering, she can be found as high in the mountains as she can get. She firmly believes that love is the greatest adventure of all, but rock climbing is a close second.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | | Instagram |

 

 

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68 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: The Duke’s Wicked Wife by Elizabeth Bright”

  2. erahime

    What is your favorite kind of hero? A loyal, sensitive alpha.

    Do you like cinnamon rolls, grumpy alphas, rakes or rogues? Yes, yes, depends.

    • Lilah Chavez

      I love cinnamon rolls!
      I hate to be a cliche .. But I love a bad boy with a heart of course lol

  7. Audrey Stewart

    I like them all also. I really love a hero who makes me laugh.

  8. Courtney Kinder

    My favorite hero is a strong alpha type. Love all the things listed.

  20. Laurajj

    Oh I have to say….I love them all! I love all the different types…that can all be a hero!

  34. Lilah Chavez

    I love cinnamon rolls!
    I hate to be a cliche .. But I love a bad boy with a heart of course lol

  43. Nina T

    As long as he is grumpy and sweet at the same time, I don’t care. I also like non grumpy ones 😛

  46. Jason Cullum

    My favorite kind of hero is the one who is supposed to be the villain but winds up finding a conscious.

  48. Patricia B.

    My favorites are wounded heroes. They are often brash on the outside to protect themselves, but on the inside is someone who is hurt. Others withdraw not wanting any interaction. Both often denying how much they need someone. Your comparison to the sensitive plant was very accurate.

  49. laurieg72

    My favorite heros are the wounded warriors who don’t feel that they can relate to or with people, especially women. I love the moment when they realize they can be accepted by others. They realize they are lovable and capable of being loved and giving love .

  55. joab4424

    I like grumpy alphas. They are usually grumpy because they are trying to hide that they are really just softies.

  56. Diane Sallans

    I like them all – the variety – they just have to be good guys (even if it’s deep down)

  59. Janie McGaugh

    I like them all, too, though I probably have a slight preference for grumpy alphas.