Baleful Godmother Series by Emily Larkin

"Sexy, unusual, and vastly entertaining." ~ Anna Campbell, author of the Dashing Widows series She’s not who she seems… On her 25th birthday, Charlotte Appleby receives a most unusual gift from the Faerie godmother she never knew she had: the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off for London to make her fortune as a man. But a position as secretary to Lord Cosgrove proves unexpectedly challenging... more"Sexy, unusual, and vastly entertaining." ~ Anna Campbell, author of the Dashing Widows series She’s not who she seems… On her 25th birthday, Charlotte Appleby receives a most unusual gift from the Faerie godmother she never knew she had: the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off for London to make her fortune as a man. But a position as secretary to Lord Cosgrove proves unexpectedly challenging. Someone is trying to destroy Cosgrove and his life is increasingly in jeopardy. As Charlotte plunges into London’s backstreets and brothels at Cosgrove’s side, hunting his persecutor, she finds herself fighting for her life—and falling in love… "I loved it. A fun romp of a tale. I can't wait for the next in the series." ~ Anne Gracie, author of the Chance Sisters series Q & A with the author How would you describe this series? It's a fusion of magic and Regency England. I guess you could say it’s “Jane Austen meets Maleficent”. I hope to take readers on a journey from the glittering ballrooms of the aristocracy to the dark underbelly of Regency England – with passion, danger, adventure, romance, and a little magic thrown into the mix. I think the series could also be labelled Regency Noir, because it falls on the darker, grittier side of the romance fence, although each book contains humor, too. The stories are emotional, but not sweet (there’s sex, violence, and my heroes do swear rather badly at times!). Why did you write this series? I wanted to get my well-bred heroines out of the drawing rooms and put them in the way of adventure and romance. But I didn’t want to write a series where magic is common; I wanted to write a series where only a few characters have magic, and it’s a deep, dark secret, and no one else knows. But … do magic and Regency England go together? Definitely! Many, many years ago I read Sorcery and Cecelia (or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot) by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, and totally loved it and ever since then I’ve thought that Regency England and magic go very well together. Other writers think so, too. Just look at Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell. What was the catalyst for this series? A magazine article that I read years ago in which celebrities were asked what magic power they’d choose and why. That got me thinking! (I’d choose shapeshifting, by the way.) How would you describe your writing? Several reviewers have likened my writing to Georgette Heyer, which is the hugest compliment ever . I adore Georgetter Heyer! She’s why I write historical romance, and I reread her books over and over. (If you’ve not read The Grand Sophy , please do so!) I’ve also had readers compare my writing to Courtney Milan and Mary Balogh, which are also massive compliments. Who would like this series? This series will appeal to readers who enjoy the historical backdrop of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, the dark and sensual ‘noir’ feel of Anna Campbell, the emotion of Mary Balogh or Courtney Milan, and the magic of Patricia Rice and Mary Robinette Kowal. less

She sees things no one else does... Sir Barnaby Ware made a mistake two and a half years ago. A massive mistake. The sort of mistake that can never be atoned for. He knows himself to be irredeemable, but the captivating and unconventional Miss Merryweather is determined to prove him wrong… The daughter of a dancing master and a noblewoman, Miss Merryweather had an unusual upbringing. She sees things no one else sees—and she says things no one else says... moreShe sees things no one else does... Sir Barnaby Ware made a mistake two and a half years ago. A massive mistake. The sort of mistake that can never be atoned for. He knows himself to be irredeemable, but the captivating and unconventional Miss Merryweather is determined to prove him wrong… The daughter of a dancing master and a noblewoman, Miss Merryweather had an unusual upbringing. She sees things no one else sees—and she says things no one else says. Sir Barnaby knows he’s the villain in this piece, but Miss Merryweather thinks he’s the hero—and she is damnably hard to resist… less

She's more than just an heiress... Letitia Trentham is noteworthy for three reasons. One, she’s extremely wealthy. Two, she can distinguish truth from lies. Three, she’s refused every man who’s ever proposed to her. Until Letty receives a proposal she can’t turn down. Icarus Reid barely survived the Battle of Vimeiro. He lives for one thing—to find the man who betrayed him to the French. He doesn’t want to marry Miss Trentham; he wants to use her talent for uncovering lies... moreShe's more than just an heiress... Letitia Trentham is noteworthy for three reasons. One, she’s extremely wealthy. Two, she can distinguish truth from lies. Three, she’s refused every man who’s ever proposed to her. Until Letty receives a proposal she can’t turn down. Icarus Reid barely survived the Battle of Vimeiro. He lives for one thing—to find the man who betrayed him to the French. He doesn’t want to marry Miss Trentham; he wants to use her talent for uncovering lies. Suddenly, Letty finds herself breaking the rules, pretending to be someone she’s not, and doing things a lady would never do. But her hunt for the truth may uncover more than one secret—including the secret that haunts Icarus day and night. The secret he intends to take to his grave… less

A forbidden love... Lucas Kemp’s twin sister died last year. He’s put aside his mourning clothes, but not his heartache. If Lucas ever needed a friend, it’s now—and who should walk in his door but Lieutenant Thomas Matlock… Lucas and Tom are more than just best friends; they’ve been in love with each other for years. In love with each other—and pretending not to know it. But this time, Tom’s not going to ignore the attraction between them. This time, he’s going to push the issue... moreA forbidden love... Lucas Kemp’s twin sister died last year. He’s put aside his mourning clothes, but not his heartache. If Lucas ever needed a friend, it’s now—and who should walk in his door but Lieutenant Thomas Matlock… Lucas and Tom are more than just best friends; they’ve been in love with each other for years. In love with each other—and pretending not to know it. But this time, Tom’s not going to ignore the attraction between them. This time, he’s going to push the issue. He’s going to teach Lucas how to laugh again—and he’s going to take Lucas as his lover… less

If he helps her, he'll ruin her... Eleanor Wrotham has sworn off overbearing men, but she needs a man’s help—and the man who steps forward is as domineering as he is dangerous: the notorious Mordecai Black. The illegitimate son of an earl, Mordecai is infamous for his skill with women. His affairs are legendary—but few people realize that Mordecai has rules, and one of them is: Never ruin a woman. But if Mordecai helps Miss Wrotham, she will be ruined.

Who is he? At the age of four Lord Vickery was stolen by gypsies and sold to a chimney sweep. At the age of five he was reunited with his father. His history is no secret—everyone in the ton knows of his miraculous rescue. But when Vickery finds his father’s diaries, he discovers that there may be a secret buried in his past… Georgiana Dalrymple knows all about secrets. She has several herself—and one of those secrets is her ability to find missing people... moreWho is he? At the age of four Lord Vickery was stolen by gypsies and sold to a chimney sweep. At the age of five he was reunited with his father. His history is no secret—everyone in the ton knows of his miraculous rescue. But when Vickery finds his father’s diaries, he discovers that there may be a secret buried in his past… Georgiana Dalrymple knows all about secrets. She has several herself—and one of those secrets is her ability to find missing people. When Lord Vickery turns to her for help, Georgiana sets out to discover just who he actually is… Q & A with the author How would you describe this series? It's Regency England with a dash of magic. I hope to take readers on a journey from the glittering ballrooms of the aristocracy to the dark underbelly of Regency England – with passion, danger, adventure, romance, and a little magic thrown into the mix. I think the series could also be labelled Regency Noir, because it falls on the darker, grittier side of the romance fence, although each book contains humor, too. The stories are emotional, but not sweet (there’s sex, violence, and my heroes do swear rather badly at times!). Why did you write this series? I wanted to get my well-bred heroines out of the drawing rooms and put them in the way of adventure and romance. But I didn’t want to write a series where magic is common; I wanted to write a series where only a few characters have magic, and it’s a deep, dark secret, and no one else knows. But … do magic and Regency England go together? Definitely! Many, many years ago I read Sorcery and Cecelia (or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot) by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, and totally loved it and ever since then I’ve thought that Regency England and magic go very well together. Other writers think so, too. Just look at Mary Robinette Kowal's Glamourist Histories and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell . What was the catalyst for this series? A magazine article I read in which celebrities were asked what magic power they’d choose and why. That got me thinking! (I’d choose shapeshifting, by the way.) How would you describe your writing? Several reviewers have likened my writing to Georgette Heyer, which is the hugest compliment ever. I adore Georgette Heyer! She’s why I write historical romance, and I reread her books over and over. (If you’ve not read The Grand Sophy , please do so!) I’ve also had readers compare my writing to Courtney Milan and Mary Balogh, which are also massive compliments. Who would like this series? This series will appeal to readers who enjoy the historical backdrop of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, the dark and sensual ‘noir’ feel of Anna Campbell, the emotion of Mary Balogh or Courtney Milan, and the magic of Patricia Rice and Mary Robinette Kowal. Quite a broad range, really! What order should I read the series in? Each book, whether a novel or novella, can be read as a standalone, but many readers prefer to read them in order. And although the series is set in Regency England, a quartet of medieval novellas form the prequel. less