Spotlight & Giveaway: The Last Lord Standing by Diana Lloyd

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Diana Lloyd to HJ!

Hi Diana and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Last Lord Standing!

 
Hi there!
 

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

When a liar with a secret meets a Lady with a plan all bets are off. #awkwardmeetcute #frenemies #truthiness #dinosaurswhat? #literalcliffhanger #gloves #concussionmuch #HEA
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Ruined. A public snub from the daughter of a duke was
as silent, quick, and efficient as a blade through the heart.
Lady Olivia Liberty Chalford always thought she’d fall
from Society’s grace with a bit more fanfare. She raised her
chin as her face warmed with indignation and watched her
former friend disappear into the crowded ballroom.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Hero and heroine explore fossilized footprints on the Jurassic coast. Nobody used the word ‘dinosaur’ in 1812, so they call them dragons.
• Heroine has a Clark Kent moment where she thinks putting on a pair of glasses will disguise her from friends and family as she pretends to be a shop girl.
• Hero proudly claims to be England’s greatest liar until he realizes he’s been caught in his own web of dishonesty and can’t get out.
• Both Hero and Heroine have messy friends who inadvertently put them in awkward situations.

What first attracts your main characters to each other?

Their ‘otherness’ in a society that strives for uniform perfection from all its members.
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe your main characters”love affair?

The evolution of their love affair can be summed up by the words, honest, dishonest, supportive, patience, love.
 

The First Kiss…

The First Kiss is initiated by the heroine in a crowded ballroom.

She spun around to remind him that they weren’t
friends, but the words never made their way out of her
mouth. Because his lips were right there. Perhaps he’d only
leaned down for one more parting quip, but the temptation
proved too great. Against all reason and what was left of
her better judgment, Libby leaned in and pressed her lips
against his.
His hesitation lasted less than a second and soon his
lips, warm and soft, caressed hers. It was hardly her first
kiss, but it was the first she had initiated. Trouble was, she
didn’t know why she’d done it.

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

My favorite scene is where the hero and heroine are trying to come up with a lie to explain away their time spent alone together. Read it here:

“The best lies stick closely to the truth,” he said, placing
her hand on his arm so they could keep walking. “We’ll
start with a little truth and say that you lost your shoe over
the cliff’s edge.”
“And we were on the cliff because?”
“Ah, here’s where the lying starts to shade our response.
We say you wanted a better view of the sea and I knew of
just the spot for a full view of the bay.”
“How do I explain my soiled dress?”
“You stumbled and fell on the uneven path. But you
did not, under any circumstances, fall over the edge. Or, we
frolicked on the beach and you tripped over a fallen tree.”
“Why do I have to be such a clumsy chucklehead in this
lie?”
“Because you’re the one with the dirty gown. Play the
hand you’re dealt, dear. If you think you can do better, have
at it.”

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

The scene where the heroine is confronted by her sister, Phila, and realizes she’s been lying to herself all along.

“You and I both know that I would have found a way to
do what I wanted, regardless of how closely they watched. I
was quite determined.”
“Determined? Is that what you’re calling it?” Phila
asked as she shook her head. “You were positively wicked.
Don’t look at me like that, you know what I mean. You lied
right to my face. Maybe you’re England’s greatest liar.”

Readers should read this book …

Readers should read this book for a sexy Regency romp that explores the difference between little white lies, social deception, and blatant untruths that cause harm. Along with the fun banter of two people falling in love, this book shines a light on the difference between good intentions and good acts.

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

Wow, I have so many irons in the fire right now! My dream project is a time-travel book, but I’ve not done enough research on that one yet. I’m working on a Regency novella for an anthology that will be out by the end of 2023 (no title yet). My next full length book is another Regency romp titled Lord of Last Resort which I hope to have complete in time to publish in 2024.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Since Last Lord Standing is the third book of my series, I’ll be giving away either ebook or paperback copies of ALL THREE BOOKS to one lucky winner in the US, CAN, AUS, or UK

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: My series is called ‘What Happens in the Ballroom’ because I’m fascinated by the type of entertainments that existed before the distractions of television and the internet. If you had the chance to attend an authentic society ball with high society, formal dress, and all the pomp and circumstance of a royal fete, would you?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from The Last Lord Standing:

“In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never once
asked me for a favor. I was content with being considered
untrustworthy.” Favors and obligations made Kerrigen’s
feet itch, but he’d known Lord Ainsley since they were both
in leading-strings, so he stayed put. If Ainsley was calling in
a favor after all these years, it must be important.
“I require a bit of social espionage, if you’re game. With
a mind to my future and under the deluge of my mother’s
urgings, I am seeking a bride. A list of suitable young
ladies has been decided upon and I shall use this Season to
investigate which would make me the best countess.”
“You dog, that’s so damn romantic, I may weep.” If the
lucky lady didn’t mind playing second to games of chance
and dodging creditors, it would be a happy union indeed.
“I’m serious, Kerr. It’s time.” Ainsley’s eyes left the
gaming table for a moment.
“Who am I to argue with Father Time and your
mother? How do I figure into this plan of yours?” Kerrigen’s
conscience pinched with pity for both Ainsley and his
prospective bride.
“There are a number of other diversions and possible
brides calling for my time. I can’t be expected to watch them
all the entire Season. All those musicales and soirees, I’d
expire from boredom and teacakes.”
“How long is the damn list?” Close to reneging outright,
Kerr decided to hear his friend out. Being a second son had
its own collection of curses and advantages; the foremost of
both was the invisibility of his station. Ainsley was probably
correct in that he was the best choice for such a mission.
“Only three. As I have matters to attend to and three
very good friends, all I ask is that you keep your eye on one
of my prospects whilst I’m out of town.”
“What could be more important to you than choosing
a bride? Oh, wait, let me guess—card games and horse
racing?” Relieved he had no sisters for Ainsley to prey upon,
Kerrigen wouldn’t wish his friend on any woman he held in
high regard. The man would gamble away any fortune he
controlled.
“What of it?” Ainsley snapped back.
“I’m not your nanny, Ainsley, and I’d rather not be a
nanny to some simpering miss all Season. Have one of your
sisters follow her around town until you narrow it down.”
“Spoken like a man who has no sisters. They’ll not only
never let me hear the end of it, but they’ll also prattle my
business all around Town. This is a man’s job, a man who
can slip in and out of gatherings unseen as a mouse.”
“Mouse? I say, I’ve never thought of myself as
particularly mousy. I think I’m insulted.”
“You know what I mean. No title-hungry mamas are
trying to foist their offspring upon you by watching you like
a hawk.”
“Hawks eat mice, you twit.”
“Not to put too fine a point on it, Kerr, while a good
friend, you’re the second of a second. They’ll look right
through you. No one will suspect a thing. Winchcombe
invited every titled gentleman within two hundred miles.
Mark my words, they’re looking to marry the chit off soon.”
“Winchcombe? Which young lady are you talking
about?”
“Winchcombe’s daughter, Lady Olivia Liberty
Chalford. I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out.”
Raising his hands to forestall any argument, Ainsley
explained. “The sins committed by her parents are in the
distant past. Winchcombe is a fearful fellow to be sure, but
both his politics and finances are sound. Mother assures me
he dotes on his youngest daughter and will settle her with a
dowry large enough to overlook any family peculiarities.”
“And what of your peculiarities?” Kerr smiled to himself
knowing that Ainsley had no idea that he was thinking
about a kiss from Lady Olivia. Mostly he was wondering to
himself how they’d managed to kiss in her family ballroom
without being seen. Other than that, he was wondering why
she’d done it.

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Always the rogue and never the gentleman, Kerrigan Northam doesn’t worry about anything beyond his own pleasures. But lately, his noble friends have been considering marriage—specifically, the charms (and generous fortune) of the refreshingly pert Lady Olivia Liberty Chalford. Now they want Kerr to keep her from considering any other eligible suitors…by courting her himself!

Libby is averse to the very idea of marriage. Why be auctioned off when she has a far more enticing—if scandalously modern—plan for her future? So when she’s rescued by a wickedly dashing gentleman who claims to be something of a scoundrel, Libby thinks she’s found the perfect partner in crime…

It’s the perfect ruse. Libby gets a secret accomplice and Kerr’s in the uniquely coveted position of being able to kiss the comely, spirited Libby as thoroughly—and as often—as possible. But as their courting charade continues, Kerr’s gone from wondering how long until she discovers his secret…to how long until he’s madly in love with her.
Book Links: Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Diana Lloyd, mother of gingers, lives in the state shaped like a mitten where she enjoys the shark free waters of the great lakes. An avid reader, Diana found her happy place in historical romance novels and decided to write one. That first one turned out so well she stuck with it and wrote a few more.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | | Instagram |