Lord Rothvale is Here

 

Happy 2021, my dear friends.

There were many times I feared this book would never happen over the last six years.  So much fretting and anxiety endured by me during those six years.  See, the story was inside my head for all that timeit was never lostit was always there, patiently waiting for its turn to be told.  I’ve known Gaby and Ivan’s story for over ten years.  What will happen, and why, and how, and when.  It was first conceived in the springtime of 2008 when I was at home recovering from surgery with nothing to do while my kids and Mr. Miller were at school all day.  I started writing my first book.  That book was The Muse.  A historical romance telling the story of a different Lord Rothvale, the one from two hundred years ago, going about his way amassing a private collection of art.  Because he foresaw the art as his legacy, a gift to and for his country, to be displayed in public for everyone to admire and enjoy for generations to come.  In my book, Graham Everley, Lord Rothvale IX is one of the founding members of just such a place, The National Gallery in London.  You can walk right through its massive doors for free, move from room to room, and look at gorgeous paintings to your heart’s content.  What a beautiful gift, right?  Graham Everley is a fictional character, but to me, he is very real.  All of my characters feel real to me.

I also knew right from the beginning that I would write a contemporary romance about a different Lord Rothvale and the art conservationist who would find all the paintings, and how the contemporary characters’ love story would intertwine with the historical love story almost like déjà vu.  Nothing has changed since I formed my original idea all those years ago.

Yesterday his great, great, grandson, Ivan Everley, Lord Rothvale XIII, finally got his book in My Lord as it published.  After a six-year-long wait and so much struggle to get to this point, it finally happened.  Thank you to all who stuck with me, and this story for the last six-years—your inspiration and encouragement (and patience) helped me to find my way back to these very special characters more than you will ever know.  It was the hardest book I’ve ever had to write, but yet it was the most cathartic experience as well.  A lot of my emotional grid is tied up in this story because it was the book I was writing when I experienced the loss of both of my parents and other traumatic events that affect me still.  

The Rothvale Legacy is a serial series which means the books must be read in order and are not really standalone.   I suppose you could “figure out” what is going on, but it’s definitely not the way to enjoy the storyline or the character journey for the starring couple.  Similar to The Blackstone Affair, also a serial series about the same couple through several books.  Gaby and Ivan have a very big story to tell until they get to the end.  I envision at least two more books before that happens.  The good news is you will not have to wait six more years for the next book if that helps ease your anxiety.  Truly.  I’m already deep into writing it and so much wonderfulness is yet to come for my kinky Lord and his artsy Lady.

For anyone who has not read book 1 in this series, Priceless, then you must do that before opening My Lord and getting started.  Priceless is FREE for a limited time on all retailers though, so you can get the book if you aren’t one of those who’s been patiently waiting for the last six years.

For Audio lovers, I am pleased to announce that Priceless was recently re-recorded with the amazing and talented Shane East voicing Ivan, and it is sheer perfection listening to him.  If you have the audiobook of Priceless in your library now, you can re-download for free on either Audible or iTunes and receive the new edition with Shane East and Harper Jeanne Wilson voicing Ivan and Gabrielle.  The audiobook for My Lord will release in March with Shane and Harper narrating as well.

I’m having so much fun being back in this world with my writing.  All buy links for both of the books can be found by clicking on the title of the book below.

>–> Priceless <–<

>–> my Lord <–<

 

Signed paperbacks of My Lord are now available to order from my shop here >–> Signed Books <–< if you want to complete your collection. I also have a specially priced deal going for the bundle of Priceless & My Lord available as well for $20 + shipping/handling.

My best to you and your family for a wonderful 2021 and to your good health throughout the coming year.

xoxo Raine

My Lord…Finally!

Yes.  It’s true.  My Lord has a publish date and is available to pre-order on all platforms.  *huge smile*  There were times I thought this day would never come, but something good has happened in 2020 in this regard at least.  Ivan and Gaby will be getting the next part of their love story at last…and you can read it in January!  *cele-freaking-bration time*

-January 8, 2021-

Is the big day.  It’s a Friday so as to give you the weekend to read if you’re one who’s been patiently waiting six long years for this book.  If you’re at all interested in the whys and how comes it’s taken that long to bring this book out so you can finally read the full tale of Ivan and Gaby’s story… you can read my blog comments about it HERE.  So… while this is not a cover reveal, it is a reveal of sorts to announce that My Lord will be here on the 8th of January.  I can end this nightmare of Covid 2020 on a happy note by bringing this book out to you at least.  I take that as a remarkable blessing.  The Universal pre-order link is below. Paperback and Audio links will be added in the coming weeks.

Head on over to the My Lord page for some teasers to get you back in the mood with these two. I’ll be posting a lot more along with snippets on my social media in the coming days and weeks. Follow my Instagram to get all of them.

Image courtesy of Selma and Sejla Ibrahimpasic.

 

 

Trust Me

Teaser2a“IVAN, are you sure about this?”  I’d asked as he buckled my life vest and then did the same with the seat straps.

“Oh I’m very sure about taking you for a ride in my plane.”  He leaned close and kissed me expertly, leaving me breathless again.  He pulled on the straps to check them and said, “Safety first, Miss Hargreave, but you’re going to love this, trust me.”

I still wasn’t completely sure what had just happened with him.  One minute he was reminding me how well he could use his lips on me, and the next he was pulling me toward his plane and asking if he could take me up for a ride.

He said, ‘trust me.’

Could I trust Ivan Everley?  Should I trust him?

He’d looked so serious when he asked the question, holding my face in his two hands and waiting for my answer.  I think I would have devastated him if I’d told him no.  I thought about it.  I should have told him no.  I think the four, or was it five, berry mojitos might have had something to do with my acquiescence, but he looked so happy when I agreed to go.

One of my many flaws is that I am a risk-taker at heart.

I’ll try anything once.

So, when Ivan suggested we take a night flight in his Cessna floatplane, takeoff from the water, and look at the city lights of England under a summer full moon, I said ‘why not’ and let him put me in his plane.  Again, the mojitos helped me come to my decision to go with him.

“You were totally right, the city lights are so incredibly pretty.”  I peered out the window thoroughly enjoying the view from the air.

“Your lack of fear impresses the hell out of me, Miss Hargreave.”

“Why do you call me that all the time?  It’s so formal.”  The alcohol had loosened my inhibitions and all kinds of questions started pouring out of me, but he didn’t seem to mind answering.  So, I kept asking.

“I like formalities … sometimes … as you’ll learn,” he said deliberately.

“Because you’re a lord?”

He gave me a snort.  “No, that’s not why.”

“Who taught you to fly a plane?”

“My uncle arranged for me to go to flight school when I was at university.  He thought it was appropriate for his heir to know such things.  It was something I really took to heart.  I loved flying from my first lesson.”

“Why did you love it?”

He shrugged.  “The freedom I suppose.  Troubles seem less important from up here.  At least it’s always felt that way to me.”

“Are we flying over the ocean right now?”  I couldn’t see any more city lights and it made sense.

“That is the Irish Sea below us.”

“Do you ever land this in the ocean?”

“No.  That’s the thing with floats; they only work in very calm waters.  The ocean is far too rough and landing in it would not be safe, trust me.”

“You keep telling me to trust you.”

“I know I do.”  He reached his hand over to mine and brought it forward to rest on his lap.  “Is it working?” he asked hopefully, pulling it up the rest of the way to his lips.  Ahhh, so he could do romantic, too.  Deadly combination Mr. Everley had going on.

“Well, I’m trying really hard to trust you.  I let you take me for a ride in your plane when I could be putting my life at risk.  I mean, how should I know if you’re a licensed pilot and have the proper skills to land on a lake?”

He flashed me another of those teeth baring smiles.  They were very white and even, but he had the gap between the front two.  Sometimes imperfections were more beautiful than the absence of them.

“You’re about to find out.  Here we go.”

He had to release my hand to work the controls and do his checks.  His hands moved in precise motions, focused and confident.

I was mesmerized as I watched him work to prepare the plane for landing.

He banked toward the left before leveling it out to descend rapidly and drop us just a few feet over the dark water of the lake.  We skimmed along for a bit until the swoosh of water grabbed the bottom of the floats and immediately slowed our momentum.  In a matter of seconds we were no longer propelled through the air, but floating in water and gliding along smoothly like a sailboat.

“Wow, that was so—so awesome.”  And I really meant it.

“So, you enjoyed that did you?”

“Yes.  It was beautiful.”

He looked at me and said, “You’re beautiful.”

~*~

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Wonderful and Terrifying

 

I left the bed carefully so I wouldn’t wake her up.  I was on a mission of great importance.  Really fucking vital you might say.

I found my reading glasses and my mobile and texted Lowell.  Have condoms delivered to Donadea residence ASAP.  This is an URGENT matter.  -I Everley

My assistant was quirky but he did everything I asked without question.  I had no qualms making requests to him for anything.  I could count the non-family members I trusted implicitly on one hand, and Lowell Brinkley was on that list.

My mobile buzzed.  What kind do you want?  -Lowell Brinkley, Administrative Assistant to Mr. Ivan Everley, Lord Rothvale XIII

I rolled my eyes at the ridiculously absurd signature he attached to his messages and realized the part about him never questioning me wasn’t quite true.  The kind that will cover my cock.   -I Everley

I silenced my mobile and studied Gabrielle sleeping in my bed.  It was all I wanted to do right now, to look at her.  She had mesmerized me from our first meeting up until this very second.  What we had done here together last night was something I’d never forget.  Being with her was also an experience unlike anything I’d ever had with a woman.  There had been many women, and I’d enjoyed a lot of sex over the years, before and after my disastrous marriage.  I could say for certain that not one of those women was anything like Gabrielle.

just a finger

I drew my fingertip over her cheekbone and moved a bit of hair that had fallen over her face back behind her ear.  She stirred a little but didn’t wake up or open her eyes.

I settled back into the bed beside her and got comfortable.  I thought about the idea of what being with her last night had meant to me.

Somehow, it felt wonderful and terrifying both at the same time.

~*~

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