Thursday, January 14, 2016

The Earl's Complete Surrender - Quote

Upon realizing that the man she saw in the carriage is The Earl of Woodford:

Harlequin Junkie Spotlight & Giveaway

Harlequin Junkie Romance Reviews has kindly invited me for an interview today. We're chatting about The Earl's Complete Surrender so come take a look and post a comment for a chance to WIN an ebook copy of my latest release!

Discover some random facts about this book, when the first kiss takes place and what I have in store for you later this year by clicking HERE

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Book Release - The Earl's Complete Surrender

The Earl's Complete Surrender is on sale today!!! It's the second book in the Secrets At Thorncliff Manor series. For tour dates and to enter the giveaway for a $25 ebook gift card, courtesy of Avon Books, please click HERE

To grab your copy today, please follow the buy links via my website at sophiebarnes.com

Monday, December 14, 2015

Pre-Sale Contest: The Earl's Complete Surrender

Enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of The Earl's Complete Surrender BEFORE it goes on sale December 29th!!!

Friday, October 23, 2015

Top Five CRAZIEST Facts I learned while researching for Historical Romances

1. Female duelists

Apparently not as uncommon as one might think. I did quite a bit of research on this when I wrote Lady Alexandra’s Excellent Adventure. One of the most notable accounts, is probably the incident where Princess Pauline Metternich and the Countess Kielmannsegg came to arms because of a disagreement regarding a floral arrangement. This duel achieved particular notoriety because both ladies fought topless due to the danger of minor wounds turning septic as a result of fabric being driven into the wounds with the point of the sword.

Artistic rendering of Lady Almeria Braddock and Mrs. Elphinstone dueling. The event took place after Mrs. Elphinstone accused Lady Almeria Braddock of lying about her age. You can read the reputed dialogue between them here - it's quite amusing.

2. Women could be sold at market by their husbands

Turns out that during the Regency period, a husband who wanted to be rid of his wife, could in fact lead her to market and officially sell her. Oftentimes, the wife would be in agreement, but due to the high expense/scandal of divorce, a transaction of this nature was a much cheaper and simpler option, though there were many people who disapproved.

A contemporary French print of an English wife sale. The scene is set at a cattle market, which places it in the context of livestock sales and implies that the wife already has a lover, as the husband is shown apparently "wearing horns", a traditional symbol that he has been cuckolded. - From Wikipedia

3. Men wore unmentionables but women wore…nothing

I pretty much knew this after all the fashion history classes I took in college, but I didn’t realize that few women prior to the Victorian era had a solution to ‘that time of the month’. Menstruation belts were worn after 1800, but many women, especially those from the lower classes, would just refrain from leaving the house.

4. The flush toilet was an Elizabethan invention.

I’ve always thought that flushing toilets were invented during the Victorian era by George Jennings and somewhat later by Thomas Crapper, but apparently that’s not the case. The very first flushing toilet was invented by John Harrington in 1596, a prominent member of Queen Elizabeth I's court.

5. Hang him!

When we read Regency romances, the fairy-tale setting and plot distract from the more unpleasant aspects of that day and age. In fact, I don’t recall ever reading a romance novel in which a public hanging was mentioned, and yet they continued to take place until 1868 when Michael Barrett was hanged for his part in the Clerkenwell bombing.

Originally posted on FOREVER BOOK LOVER, April 30th 2015

Monday, October 12, 2015

Tiaras and Ballrooms Romance
Ebook Contest

Sophie Barnes

Enter to win 5 ebooks & $20

Amazon gift card

One grand prize awarded will recieve the following ebooks:

Lady in Disguise by Wendy Vella

Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires by Sophie Barnes

Wicked by Cheryl Holt

A Heart Revealed by Josi S. Kilpack

Cast in Ice by Laura Landon

Contest is open to all residents of the United States, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Canada (excluding Quebec) and must be the majority of age within the state/province they reside in.

Contest runs from October 11, 2015 12am and ends October 17, 2015 at 11:59pm.

Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires

Welcome to Thorncliff Manor, where London’s elite mix, mingle, and may even find their heart’s desire . . .

There are thousands of things Christopher, Viscount Spencer, would rather do than hunt for a bride, especially since experience has taught him that women are not to be trusted. Then he finds the intriguing Lady Sarah scrambling around in Thorncliff’s conservatory and he is instantly charmed by her passionate nature. But why is she so intent on avoiding him?

Lady Sarah would make the perfect bride for a peer—if not for a tarnished past that she’s hiding from the ton. A stay at Thorncliff Manor was meant to help her plan for her future, not fall in love. Yet Christopher’s kisses are irresistible, his gallantry enticing. When her secret stands to be revealed, will the truth ruin their dreams of happiness?

Get Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires for only $1.99

for a LIMITED time:

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Avon Authors Newsletter and Books On Sale

If you're following this blog, then you're probably a romantic at heart, which is why I thought I'd make you aware of the Avon Authors monthly newsletter. Signing up is easy and it will help you keep up to date on the latest romance releases from Avon as well as inform you of contests and signings. This newsletter is not sponsored by Avon but by the authors themselves and also offers information on how to get in touch with each of them online.

http://www.avonauthors.com/newsletter-2/

And since we are on the subject of romance novels, I thought I'd let you know about the following e-book offers: